Here is Samuel Seaman's verdict on Norwich City, who performed well despite being beaten 2-1 by Fulham in the Carabao Cup third round.
George Long
A sturdy and reliable second Norwich appearance that drew praise from his head coach post-match.
Gives the impression of someone starting to close the gap on Angus Gunn, who had an afternoon to forget against Plymouth on Saturday. One very good save to claw Rodrigo Muniz’s header away from his bottom corner.
Not much he could do about the opener after poor set-piece organisation from those in front of him, and slightly slow to get down to Alex Iwobi’s winner but with a number of bodies in front of him. 7
Kellen Fisher
“Another step forward,” using David Wagner’s terminology to describe another strong performance from the young full-back.
Coped well with Fulham star man Willian early on and showed his penchant for a strong tackle, the latter to referee Craig Pawson’s dislike.
Attacked with drive and intent if not too much individual quality, but joined forces with Jaden Warner to create a very strong right side of defence. 7
Jaden Warner
A fantastic senior debut.
Showed the pace his senior colleagues have lacked when threatened with space behind him, and looked a dominant physical presence despite his tender years.
Composed on the ball in his first-ever senior appearance, and made some impressive interceptions. Outplayed his captain and the vastly more experienced Ben Gibson in defence, underlining his status as a genuine option after Saturday’s Plymouth horror show. 8
Ben Gibson
No real rebuttal after his significant struggles at Home Park.
Should have organised his team-mates better for the opener, and will be disappointed with his distribution from the back at times.
Unlikely to retain his place for Birmingham’s Carrow Road visit this weekend. 5
Sam McCallum
A sturdy outing when it was needed for a man who had slipped to the back of Wagner’s mind.
A rash challenge earned him a booking just 16 minutes in, which made dealing with danger man Harry Wilson a harder task than it needed to be. Otherwise solid.
One cross for Springett at the back post that should have been converted by the Irishman, and threatened down the left throughout the second half. Still unlikely to trouble Dimitris Giannoulis for a starting berth, however. 7
Adam Forshaw
Looked exactly the player Wagner described upon his signing; experienced, intelligent and the sort of player who loves life out of possession.
Showed quality in it as well, in a display that looks likely to earn him a place in the XI on Saturday.
His tackle count was sufficient within 10 minutes, and his calming presence was clear in a very young team. Dug his considerably less experienced team-mates out of holes on a number of occasions.
Highlighted his quality when he picked Przemyslaw Placheta out with a ranging cross-field pass that the Pole drove dangerously through the Fulham penalty area. 7
Liam Gibbs
The same old story with Liam Gibbs, who consistently shows plenty of endeavour but struggles for quality in the big moments.
Some clever manipulation of the ball in the middle third and was fairly reliable throughout, but left a little to be desired defensively and should have scored when presented with a chance inside the box.
Remains a fringe option, but is liked by Wagner. 6
Onel Hernandez
Struggled to make an impact despite his persistently fruitless attempts.
Had made two encouraging cameos in City’s frightful Championship week, but summed up his time in Norfolk with a quiet display when starting.
Could have been in line for a start on Saturday, but now looks well behind Placheta in the pecking order. 5
Tony Springett
Another missed opportunity in a series that must be running out for the youngster. Similarly to Gibbs, he’s full of endeavour but just lacks the cool head when it’s required.
Somehow dragged wide from the centre of the penalty area after Placheta had cut back for him in the first half, and again missed from close range when he slid to meet McCallum’s cross in the second.
Was praised post-match by his boss for the performance, but didn’t seem to impress too many of the travelling supporters. 5
Przemyslaw Placheta
Yet another fine performance from a man who is banging loudly on Wagner’s door with every opportunity he’s given.
Placheta appears to have mastered how to make the most of his sensational pace – something that took far too long after his £2.7million signing in the summer of 2020. Sent a series of dangerous balls into the box in the first half, and interchanged well with his colleagues in the second.
Credit must go to Wagner for his role in the Pole’s development, but it’s surely time for him to start in the Championship. 8
Hwang Ui-Jo
Another worrying performance from a signing who was supposed to help relieve the stress after Josh Sargent’s ankle injury.
Displayed poor hold-up play, looked rash and hot-headed with his finishing and struggled with his positioning throughout. Should have scored when Calvin Bassey’s fluffed clearance fell at his feet midway through the first half.
Upstaged by the far more dangerous Adam Idah late on. 4
SUBSTITUTES
Adam Idah (on for Hernandez, 62)
Speaking of the Irishman, this was another encouraging performance from him.
Fuelled by his consolation double in Devon, the 22-year-old looked confident and dangerous on the ball as well as a physical presence.
No real chances to speak of. 6
Borja Sainz (on for Placheta, 62)
What a way to start your Norwich City career.
Scored within 15 minutes of coming onto the pitch, and created a tangible buzz every time he touched the ball.
Still looks raw and will need to build his fitness up with the under-21s – his failure to find Idah in the box a prime example of this – but could be a real difference-maker for Norwich. Great finish for the goal. 7
Jonathan Rowe (on for Springett, 70)
Also injected sone urgency as City went in search of an equalising goal, darting forward on a number of occasions. Criticised heavily by Wagner in recent games, but will have impressed him at Craven Cottage.
Late penalty claim was more in hope than expectation. 6
Gabriel Sara (on for Forshaw, 70)
What’s happened to the August Championship player of the month?
Sloppy in possession and flimsy out of it as his run of poor form continues. 5
Kenny McLean (on for Hwang, 77)
Helped City find some control in midfield late on. 5
