An updated role for an in-form Jack Stacey provides Johannes Hoff Thorup with something he hasn’t had for weeks – a selection headache. Ben Lee breaks down Norwich City's 4-2 Championship win against Luton.
Ben is a City season ticket holder and author of the NCFC Analysis social media account, who unpicks games with an analytical report highlighting tactical strengths and weaknesses.
This is what Ben made of another impressively assured Carrow Road home victory.
Norwich Vs Luton: Developing variation
Score: 4 – 2
Possession (%): 69 – 31
Passes: 613 – 263
Shots: 15 – 12
xG: 1.85 – 1.51
- Norwich’s build-up variations.
- Pressing issues and finding the pivot.
- Stacey’s positional development.
- Second-half adjustments.
Base formation
Following a convincing midweek win against Wayne Rooney’s Plymouth, Norwich hosted Luton Town, and Thorup made two changes to his eleven, with Slimane and Fisher replacing Sorensen and Chrisene.
Rob Edwards made four changes to his side following their 3-0 defeat at Elland Road, with the visitors setting up in a 3-5-2 base formation.
During Norwich goal kicks, the hosts created a 2-3 deep build-up structure, as Slimane (20) and Marcondes (11) moved to the edges of the penalty area while the full-backs advanced.
In these phases, Luton pressed man-to-man, leaving a 3v3 in the last line. The visitor’s centre-forwards pressed from the front, while Clark (18), Baptiste (26), and Brown (19) pressed Norwich’s deep-lying midfield trio, and the wing-backs tracked City’s full-backs.
In Norwich’s open-play deep build-up phases, the hosts created two primary build-up variations. The first saw Marcondes (11) advance into space between the lines, while Stacey (3) and Fisher (35) remained deep on both sides, creating a 2-4-1-3 structure.
In response, Luton’s man-orientated high press saw Chong (14) advance into the second line of pressure to stay tight to Stacey (3), thereby creating a 4-4-2 structure.
The hosts completed a nice pattern to play through Luton’s press on the right when Stacey (3) played infield to McLean (23), who played a first-time pass through the second line of pressure to find Forson (18) dropping into space between the lines.
City’s Ghanaian midfielder then played the ball back into the path of Stacey (3) as the right-back overlapped and advanced beyond his marker.
In these situations where Stacey (3) advanced towards the last line, Norwich created their second build-up variation as they transitioned into a 2-3-2-3 shape when Slimane (20) moved over to the right, Forson (18) inverted, and Fisher (35) shifted infield.
In these phases, Luton continued to press with man-orientation but from a 5-3-2 shape, as Chong (14) dropped back to occupy Stacey (3) in the last line.
When Luton began to drop, however, Marcondes’ (11) advanced role soon became problematic for the visitors. With Baptiste (26) dropping back to occupy the Dane, Norwich effectively had a 5v4 overload in their build-up phase, even excluding Gunn (1).
As a result, the visitor’s centre-forwards pendulum pressed, taking it in turns to press from the front and occupy McLean (23) in the pivot position.
With one centre-forward tracking McLean (23) and the other pressing Duffy (4), Slimane (20) received under pressure before playing the ball across to Doyle (6).
In response, Brown (19) jumped to press the centre-back, but Norwich’s 5v4 overload meant Fisher (35) was free to receive from Marcondes (11), who dropped towards the ball with Baptiste (26) pressing from behind. But on this occasion, City failed to complete the correct pattern.
Later in the first half, however, with Norwich in their 2-4 build-up structure, the hosts completed an optimal escape via Marcondes (11).
As Fisher (35) received, Brown (19) and Baptiste (26) were each caught between two players in a vertical 3v2. With the former eventually pressing City’s left-back, and the latter jumping to occupy McLean (23), Marcondes (11) became free to receive between the lines.
Norwich also transitioned between structures in settled phases of possession. Indeed, on a few occasions, McLean (23) dropped between the centre-backs to create a 3v2 against the visitor’s centre-forwards, leaving Slimane (20) alone in midfield.
On the right, Stacey (3) advanced, allowing Forson (18) to invert in City’s five-man front line. On the opposite side, Fisher (35) often occupied the same horizontal line as Slimane (20), loosely creating a 3-2-5, but he tended to stay out wide rather than inverting to create a double pivot.
McLean (23) often attempted to bait one of the centre-forwards into pressing before accessing Slimane (20) behind. City’s pivot would then bounce the ball out to Duffy (4) to access Forson (18) between the lines or Stacey (3) on the overlap.
In the visitor’s 5-3-2 mid-block, Chong (14) was ready to track Stacey (3) out wide, while Bell (3) stayed tight to Forson (18) between the lines.
Occasionally, this build-up structure became a more fluid 3-1-6 as Fisher (35) advanced to overload Luton’s back five, leaving Slimane (20) as a single pivot ahead of City’s situational back three.
In these moments, the hosts often accessed Slimane (20) via one of the wide centre-backs when they advanced to create a passing angle infield.
Alternatively, and perhaps most notably, Stacey (3) frequently began Norwich attacks in a deeper role than he typically occupies. The host’s right-back often dropped to create the back three, allowing Slimane (20) and McLean (23) to create a double pivot in City’s 3-2-5 structure.
On the opposite side, Fisher (35) would either advance into the left half-space, leaving Sainz (7) out wide, or he’d move out to the touchline, allowing City’s Spanish winger to move infield.
Stacey’s (3) deeper position allowed for a more dynamic full-back role, with City’s number three moving between occupying the back line and overlapping beyond Forson (18).
As a result, rather than remaining in the front line waiting to receive a pass, Stacey (3) was free to make overlapping runs beyond his marker. Indeed, in the build-up to Norwich’s second goal, the right-back sprinted onto a long ball in behind before cutting back to Crnac (17) in the box.
During Luton’s goalkeeper restarts, the visitors created a 3-2-5 shape – or a 4-2-5 including Kaminski (24) – as the wing-backs moved towards the last line and Brown (19) advanced to flick long goal-kicks into the path of the centre-forwards.
In these phases, Norwich pressed from their usual 4-3-3 structure, but McLean (23) remained deep to support the back four and to prevent a 5v4 underload.
Rob Edwards’ side continued to create this structure in open-play build-up phases, while Norwich transitioned between a 4-1-4-1 mid-press and a 4-5-1 mid-block.
In City’s mid-press, the wingers applied pressure to Luton’s wide centre-backs, while Crnac (17) pressed from the front. Behind him, Marcondes (11) and Slimane (20) tracked the visitor’s double pivot, and the full-backs were ready to press Chong (14) and Hashioka (27) out wide.
Following the half-time break, Tahith Chong (14) was replaced by Victor Moses (7), and Luton often created a 4-4-2-diamond mid-press. Clark (18) was ready to track the free pivot when one of the centre-forwards pressed from the front, leaving Baptiste (26) to occupy Marcondes (11).
But when Clark (18) was too far to track McLean (23), Baptiste (26) jumped to press City’s captain, leaving Marcondes (11) free to receive an angled pass into the right half-space.
After ten goals in two games, Norwich’s impressive chance creation continues. With key players returning, Thorup’s men are rediscovering their rhythm; and an updated role for an in-form Jack Stacey provides the Dane with something he hasn’t had for weeks – a selection headache.
You can read all Ben's previous analysis of Norwich City games via his social media accounts.
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