1. Out of adversity
Behind inside three minutes and a suspected dislocated shoulder injury for Amankwah Forson inside the opening quarter. Against a Crystal Palace side packed with frontline Premier League options.
Including arguably England’s player of the European Championship, Marc Guehi, despite speculation touting him with a £65m plus move to Newcastle United.
Add fellow Three Lion, Eberechi Eze, and French Olympic silver medallist, Jean-Philippe Mateta, to the mix and at 3-0 up another England Euro squad member, Adam Wharton, and it added up to a daunting League Cup challenge for Johannes Hoff Thorup’s Norwich.
But after the double early blow the Canaries continued in the same composed, confident vein they had finished against Sheffield United.
Even with seven changes to the starting line up. Perhaps until Mateta’s quickfire second half double rendered the outcome beyond doubt. Gabe Forsyth should have levelled within five minutes of Kamada’s opener, when he contrived to clip the outside of the post from inside the six yard box. Dean Henderson also denied Ante Crnac and Kenny McLean with two reflex stops.
But there is a common thread that continues to undermine the smoothness in possession. Palace’s early strike came from an aimless turnover from Grant Hanley inside his own box. Mateta’s acrobatic finish was majestic, but the Frenchman was left completely unmarked inside the Canaries penalty area.
Ditto for his second and Palace’s third. While Eze’s slaloming run appeared to mesmerise a posse of Norwich defenders to seal the cup rout.
Compared to the fitful, disjointed offering at Oxford on the opening weekend of the Championship season there has been signs of impressive progress. But that rate of that evolution is also tied to eradicating defensive vulnerability and cheap concessions.
2. Forson fears
An anxious wait ahead for a more considered fitness bulletin on City’s summer signing. But it was wretched bad luck and terrible timing when Forson hit the deck in a bid to close down Will Hughes.
The energetic young midfielder’s left arm took the full force of his body weight as he slammed into the turf. The sight of Forson requiring gas and air as he lay prone on the turf signalled the severity of the impact.
There looked to be tears on the close up television pictures as he was helped off the pitch with his shirt an emergency sling.
Forson was spotted later in the first half returning to the away dug out after having a surgical sling fitted. Bad enough in the context of a difficult League Cup assignment, but given his growing influence on the Canaries’ Championship midfield it is the wider ramifications that will concentrate the mind over the next few days.
The 21-year-old had brought a dynamism and an energy to that midfield unit and looked comfortable operating within the demands Thorup places on a crucial component of his playing style. That cushioned first time pass for Josh Sargent to slot against Sheffield United was perfection.
Some of his spins and pivots and his vision in possession lit up the previous round’s win over Stevenage.
Should Forson be unavailable for any considerable length of time Thorup has to find not only his quality but also his combative streak from elsewhere. A challenge on the early evidence of Norwich’s season.
3. SOS
Send for Slimane. Prior to kick-off news started to filter out in Yorkshire of Norwich City’s transfer interest in Anis Slimane. A versatile 23-year-old midfielder bought by Sheffield United for a failed Premier League tilt but now in the sights of the Canaries.
Oscar Schwartau became the club’s sixth summer signing to make his debut in the second half, but the former Brondby midfielder could be joined by his old club mate between now and Friday’s 11pm deadline.
The Copenhagen-born Slimane is believed to be open to a Carrow Road switch to work with Thorup and despite the smokescreen around Real Madrid’s Brazilian, Reinier, has now emerged as City’s number one target.
Thorup himself made it clear after a 1-1 league draw against the Blades, where Slimane made a second half cameo, he wants attacking reinforcements in the closing days of a hectic window where the revolving door at Colney has needed reinforced hinges.
The Tunisian international fits the bill, with reports in Sheffield on Tuesday night he did not want to be considered for duty in his current club’s own League Cup date with Barnsley. Sounds familiar.
But given Slimane only featured 15 times in the Premier League last season and has not started any of the Blades’ opening Championship games, the sense from the Norwich side would appear there is a path to persuade Chris Wilder’s club to part company.
4. Hit refresh
Clearly the focus for most Norwich City fans in the hours ahead will be who sporting director Ben Knapper and co can add to a makeover which looks set to be deeper than perhaps most expected at the start of the summer.
City have been ready and willing to act in every instance a departure has left on their financial terms – from Gabby Sara to Adam Idah to in the coming days Jon Rowe and, if required, Abu Kamara.
City have bids on the table for the 21-year-old flyer from the Championship. Rangers continue to be linked north of the border. But the figures remain well below Norwich’s valuation for a player and his advisors who, prior to his written transfer request, were in dialogue over a new deal as recently as this past month.
Norwich will only sanction a departure between now and Friday if a suitor match their valuation and they can source a replacement. Otherwise it will be no deal.
But add a flurry of loan exits for some of their younger talent, maybe even late interest in some fringe players unlikely to feature regularly, and it promises to be another deadline day which might require copious amounts of cocoa.
