Omobamidele makes his first start for Norwich. 1-0 up at half time
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Trying to find something a bit more solid but the more immediate reactions on Twitter and the Norwich fans forum are that he did well and didn't look out of place.
The stats on WhoScored rate him the best of the Norwich back four anyway, with a 7.12: https://www.whoscored.com/Players/39...ew-Omobamidele
He won the MoM award. Sometimes there's a tendency to give these to debutant players if they have an anyway decent game, but it does sound like he played well and deserved it. Hopefully he will get some more games before the end of the season. After that they will need to decide whether to keep him for the Premier League next season or loan him out to the Championship or League 1, they will likely have plenty of takers if they decide to loan him. He probably deserves his own thread now if he doesn't already have one.
Threading this guy up, made his debut today at 18 for a side chasing promotion. Played U21s for us last week.
Just looked him up, he was born in Leixlip, the same place as James Collins of Stoke. Could be our centre back partnership for the next ten years if they both kick on.
Dark days for the senior team at the moment but you would have to think we're looking good at centre back for the next decade or more if nothing else. O'Shea and Collins were already looking like a great future partnership, but if Omobamidele can get a run of games at this level he has to come into consideration too as he's a year younger than Collins and three years younger than O'Shea. Mark McGuinness has a chance as well and Warren O'Hora has kicked on well in the last year since moving to League 1. Conor Masterson in danger of being left behind unfortunately, but I wouldn't give up on him yet, has just never managed a full season of football between staying too long at Liverpool and then getting injured on loan at Swindon this year. He's a long way down the order at the moment.
So GK prospects looking decent and we're stacked at centre back. Centre midfield looking promising also. Just need to find the rest of a team to play with them...
Interesting to compare the progression of our strikers with our centre halves. Idah, Parrott and Connolly have not exactly kicked kicked on as regards goals but all three have decent experience for their age. O'Shea and Collins, however, seem to be delivering more on their potential. And maybe Omobamidele can now too. He's a really good footballer.
As in he's a ball player? Wouldn't the same be said of O'Shea? What's Omobamidele's style?
I wonder if that is said of Masterson just because he came through the Liverpool academy?
O'Shea, to me, has a nice balance of very good and crisp and direct passing but he's very capable of blocking, clearing and intercepting. Omobamidele has struck me a bit like O'Shea any time I have seen him. Very solid on the ball and a similar build to O'Shea.
For me I just think Masterson looks less physically developed than the other centre backs coming through. So possibly, if he develops physically, he might catch up. Be he could as easily find himself back in Ireland in a year or two.
Starts again. This time they are at home to Huddersfield. Richard Keogh lines out centre half for Huddersfield centre half.
Norwich 5-0 half time. Doing solid by all accounts but not a lot to do. He has a great chance of starting all remaining games. Norwich should have promotion assured in a game or two so hopefully Idah will get a solid run when he’s finally fit again
A passing footballing minstrel might get a game in Norfolk in a few weeks. Looks certain to be them and Watford for promotion.
84/86 passes completed? Is that normal for a centre back?
98/106 today. He had the most passes of any player on the park and its the 4th most by a Norwich player in a game all season. Grant Hanley seems to have been 95/99 beside him. His 98 is more than double the highest passer for Derby. It well exceeds the rest of the Norwich team too, Hanley aside.
Hanley was MOTM it appears. Seems Omobamidele did well too. Really positive stuff by this lad.
A Norwich fan phoned in to 606 earlier (i'd had 5Live on earlier to listen to the gee-gees). She was raving about his performances since coming in. It can't be too hard playing in defence for Norwich at the minute, but even for that it sounds like he's doing well.
I do find it deeply frustrating how many central defenders we seem to be able to churn out.
Played another full match today in a 3-1 win over QPR. It looks to me like there's a decent chance that this guy could play a full season of Premier League football next year.
I enjoy reading about these players who come in under the radar and just get on with it. Hopefully he gets to start next year .
Under your radar perhaps...
I watched him in the past 2 games, he looks a player. He has all the requisite attributes. Obviously he is still raw and showed his inexperience at times, hopefully he will continue to get experience be it in prem league or on loan next season
Virtually none, and when everyone is fit he doesn't make the Norwich team. But he could well be a squad player there next season and play first team games from time to time. If he manages that it's great going for his age.
Hanley has struggled with the step up to the top division throughout his career so if they think he's good enough they'll give him a shot at some stage.
I think it's relevant that Norwich have trusted Oliver Skipp, a 20-year-old defender on loan from Spurs, all season. That means that (a) they're not fazed by trying out a good young player, and (b) they're down a centre half this summer when the loan ends. That said, I expect they'll spend big money this summer.
For better or worse, I think Norwich have generally underspend when promoted say over the last decade. Generally feeling that they’re more financially viable being conservative knowing they’re going to struggle and might go down anyway...
Pretty sure Anthony Pilkington was their big signing in 2011 and Robbie Brady in 2015. In 2019, they did very little as well in terms of big money signings. They signed three for the first team: Drmic who was a free transfer, Byram cost less than a million and they signed Rupp in January for less than a million too. Obviously they sold Godfrey (then 22) to Everton and Lewis (then 22) to Newcastle last summer. It’ll be interesting to see if they can keep Aarons (21) and Cantwell (23) for next season, they’re both very highly regarded and if they’re sold will bring in a lot of cash. All four are good examples of their production line. A very good club for Idah and Omobamidele to be at for their development, although they’ve probably been promoted to the premier league a season earlier than would be ideal.
They are certainly a well run club but, when you consider how much they would be bringing in from TV rights in the Premier League and parachute payments when they go down someone (Delia?) must be making an absolute fortune out of that club given how little they spend on transfers.
5 – Serious potential
The player to attempt the most passes (78) and complete the most accurate passes (70), of anyone on the pitch was 18-year-old Andrew Omobamidele.
City’s style of play requires that centre-backs help to control possession but the composure and cool reactions on show from the Irish youngster were seriously impressive on Saturday.
He turned out of pressure on several occasions against the Royals, reading the game well and demonstrating bravery in possession.
The academy product contributed to the total control the Canaries enjoyed in the second half, up against some lively attackers, and could well be doing enough to persuade Farke and Stuart Webber that he’ll be better off staying in Norfolk next year than heading out on loan.
He still has much to learn about defensive positioning and physicality but his technical ability could allow him to remain part of the squad in the Premier League.
https://www.pinkun.com/sport/norwich...riumph-7941598
Seems he has been getting alot of game time in pre season. Do we expect him to play much this season?
Norwich fans that I've read (and some of the local journalists) haven't explicitly stated concern with him starting, but have been hoping for recruitments at CB, and I've not seen him mentioned as part of anyone's expected cb partnership - it seems to be Hanley and whoever their other injured cb is.
coaching staff have certainly given him the opportunity to shine anyway, and he was commended for some good last-ditch defending in the defeat to Newcastle. One recovering tackle was eerily reminiscent of his saving tackle in the 21s friendly last March, where he stopped a certain goal with a tackle from behind in the penalty box.
Interview with Tim Krul i read where he said they had 13 missing due to Covid at one point during pre season...hopefully he can hold his place and make a few appearances.
Fantasy Football Scout has him starting alongside Hanley as of August 11. Imagine making your Premier League debut against Firmino, Salah, and Mane.
Looks like he's not in the squad at all today per BBC
Fantasy Football had him as a doubt before the game due illness; gave him a 75% chance of playing.
Looks like the more established centre backs at Norwich are getting back to fitness also, which will reduce his chances further.
He's out with tonsillitis. Might not be the worst thing given the Liverpool front three today of Mane, Jota, and Salah.