Connolly and Idah both starting in EFL Cup tonight.
Hope Connolly, Idah and Obafemi score hat-tricks a piece - really force their way into the squad that will be playing league games. Shane Long could use a goal and some minutes too. Good to see Josh Barrett start. Surprised Aaron Bolger isn't in the squad for Cardiff. Perhaps an injury?
Hopefully Kilkenny will be involved for Bournemouth tomorrow, along with Shodipo
Idah has gone close a few times in the clips they’re showing on Sky Sports news. Seems to be Norwich’s best hope of a goal.
A brace for Barrett, a goal each for Obafemi and Connolly, ninety minutes for Idah and Molumby, with a cameo for Coventry - watershed moment may well be the appropriate phrase - Kenny must be rubbing his hands with glee - this could be our Class of '92!
And just to emphasise how quickly this is moving, in the preseason thread, I identified 21 young players to watch out for once competition started. The first week or so looked a bit disappointing but now, of those 21, the following have now seen competitive action for a team in the top two tiers of English football:
Aaron Connolly, Jayson Molumby, Adam Idah, Michael Obafemi, Josh Cullen, Jason Knight, Josh Barrett, Nathan Collins, Dara O'Shea and Olamide Shodipo - that's ten, with four of them scoring goals! And we are still waiting to see what plans Klopp, Pochettino, Dyche and Howe have for Kelleher, Parrott, Dunne, Travers and Kilkenny (who wasn't even on my list) in the EFL Cup. Plus I also didn't include Ryan Manning, who has re-established himself at QPR and scored in an earlier round.
I did mention Jonathan Afolabi, who made his choice of club late and will hopefully be seen in a Celtic matchday squad in the next few weeks.
And it's still August!
Idah was poor tonight unfortunately judging by their forum. Hopefully he can continue to improve as season goes on. They won’t let him on loan now as they’re short up front.
A little bit about his performance here - https://www.eveningnews24.co.uk/spor...ters-1-6238927
3. Aaah for Adam
Adam Idah would have dreamt of being involved in a goal on his senior debut for the club. Sadly, it came at the wrong end.
A desperate attempt to block Baz Lubala's swinging low angled shot defending his near post merely distracted and deceived Ralf Fahrmann and sent the ball spinning beyond the stranded keeper.
Idah's best chance saw Michael Luyambula push his second half effort around the post. In truth, given the way this game tilted in favour of Crawley it was a thankless task for long spells. Idah, or 'Midah' as Crawley's official team sheet inaccurately labelled him, was often isolated when Crawley's high tempo, high energy urgings pushed City back.
When Norwich did threaten most of the game was played in front of the Irishman rather than in behind to use his change of gear.
But the first one is now out of the way. Idah appears to have the temperament to go with the talent.
A difficult introduction will do him no harm and underline the leap from development prodigy to first team option is going to be a challenging one. Do that this season and everyone will know his name.
Here’s Farkes assessment. Calling it a “nightmare debut” and crediting Adam with an “own goal” A tad bit harsh as it’s been credited to Crawley player although did take a hefty touch off Adam
https://www.fourfourtwo.com/us/news/...ightmare-debut
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=NuNXZ_ZgLTg
Farke didn't call it a nightmare debut - that was the headline. I think his comments were fair enough.
True that was headline and introduction from journalist. Farkes commented, “he scores an own goal and misses two or three really big, big chances. It’s up to me to back the player because he needs the experience to step up in his career.” so nightmare debut headline can be justified
Yeah but I think what he actually said was quite sympathetic, albeit delivered in a very blunt way. I don't think his comments suggest he's not impressed by him.
Agree totally - remember that Farke is German, so describes things exactly as he sees it so if he thinks it didn't go Idah's way, then that's the way it went - and if he then says he still backs Idah, then he still backs Idah - so maybe cause for disappointment on the night, but no reason to feel any major concern for the future. On another night, he ends up as the hero with a goal-saving block in the first half and a brace in the second.
Having seen the longer highlights, I think he did quite well, twice making good runs to latch on to to passes into the box, hitting the target on both occasions, only to be denied by a good save and a desperate half-block/half-save/scramble-clear combo. He also managed to successfully challenge the keeper in the air, did a Quinn-like flick-on, and was buzzing inside the box whenever team-mates attacked, leaving himself in great positions to score if the ball broke his way - it just never did
I watched the extended highlights. Farke is calling a spade and spade. I wouldn’t call it being sympathetic. Just like he did when he described how Idah has to improve on many things earlier this summer. Idah had a bad night but he was under very difficult circumstances in a poor Norwich team as a lone striker. He’s young and has plenty to learn. Simple as.
But he is very raw as evidenced from what I saw in Toulon and would have benefited from first team experience at a lower level this year. Norwich fans will be keeping their fingers crossed that nothing happens Pukki, and Drmic returns on form as they don’t have a lot of strength in depth up front, and Idah does not appear ready for premier league football
On the bench today for Norwich's game against Man City - be nice if he got a run-out like Connolly did a few weeks ago when the Sky Blues are, inevitably, 4-0 ahead
Norwich stretched to limit with injuries, 2 goalkeepers on bench. Drimic ahead of Idah on bench so I don’t expect him to see action unless an absolute drubbing occurs
Yep, made no sense to me. McGovern and Fahrmann on the bench. Not exactly a vote of confidence for their youth prospects
It seemed to work!
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