How did Daniel Farke outthink Garry Monk? Five things learned from Norwich 3-1 Birmingham

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Norwich City beat Birmingham City 3-1 to climb into second place in the Championship table on Friday night. 

After a relatively calm first 10 minutes, the game burst into life with four goals in 12 minutes, three of which went to the Canaries to give them a 3-1 lead at half time.

The second half was a much more subdued affair, with Birmingham trying their best to get back into the game, but Norwich comfortably keeping them at arm’s length and seeing the game out without any drama – a rare occurrence in this part of the world at the moment.

Here are five things we learned from Norwich City 3-1 Birmingham City.

1. More Carrow Road craziness for the Canaries

Things have been a bit mental at Carrow Road this season, haven’t they? Before Friday’s game, Norwich had scored 16 goals in their previous five home games, letting in a further 13 at the other end in the process.

Any suggestion of a quiet Friday night were thrown out of the window in the 13th minute when Teemu Pukki opened the scoring for the Canaries. Both sides then traded blows like a pair of heavyweight boxers, bringing the score to 3-1 after just 25 minutes.

In truth, Norwich could have had a couple more goals before the break, but they were able to see the second half out without much fuss, keeping them nicely in touch with Marcelo Bielsa’s Leeds at the top of the Championship table.

2. Short but sweet for Buendia

Emiliano Buendia may have only lasted 38 minutes on Friday, but what a 38 minutes it was.

The Argentine left the pitch with two assists: the first saw him draw the Birmingham midfield out before squaring it to Mario Vrancic, who swept the ball home from 20 yards out, while the second was a brilliantly delivered corner right onto the head of Tom Trybull to make it 3-1 to Norwich.

Daniel Farke will be hoping Buendia isn’t out for too long, with the 22-year-old playmaker now on three goals and five assists in the Championship so far this season.

3. Farke > Monk

It’s no secret that Daniel Farke is working wonders at Norwich, turning them into the Championship’s most rampant side in recent months.

With that in mind, as an away team, Birmingham had to turn up with an astute tactical plan and a disciplined defensive performance – Blues boss Garry Monk ensured that was never going to happen.

Norwich’s possession play was mesmeric at times on Friday, with the Canaries outpassing their visitors 657 to 337, but that was made so much easier by Monk setting up in a 4-4-2 formation. You had to feel sorry for Gary Gardner and Maikel Kieftenbeld in midfield for Birmingham as they spent the majority of the night hopelessly chasing yellow-tinted shadows.

This was most effectively exposed with Norwich’s second goal, when Buendia drew the Birmingham line out, before playing a simple, squared pass to Vrancic who had all the time and space in the world to find the bottom corner.

4. The canary curse continues for Birmingham 

Friday night’s defeat to Norwich means Birmingham are now four games without a win in the Championship.

More poignantly, however, is the fact that the Blues are now without a win at Carrow Road in their last seven visits, dating back to a 1-0 win in March 2002.

Birmingham also have just one win in their last 15 league meetings, including playoff matches, with Friday’s hosts and you can bet your bottom dollar that Garry Monk will be glad to see the back of Norwich this season.

5. Pukki ends mini-drought to keep up Golden Boot bid

Before Friday’s game, Teemu Pukki had gone appearances without a goal, with Norwich only scoring once in each game themselves.

Normal service was resumed against Birmingham, however, as Norwich found the net three times (again), with Pukki opening the scoring.

Some patient build-up play from Farke’s side saw the ball worked out to left-back Jamal Lewis, whose cross was a striker’s dream: low, powerful and just inside the six-yard box. Pukki was never going to pass up this kind of opportunity and the Finland international’s movement saw him sneak in ahead of the defence and slide the ball past Lee Camp.

Pukki has drawn back level with Tammy Abraham and Billy Sharp (16) at the top of the Championship goalscoring charts and with the attacking prowess being shown by Norwich at the moment, who would bet against him staying there?

The post Norwich 3-1 Birmingham: five things learned as Farke keeps pressure on Bielsa appeared first on Squawka News.



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