Avoiding desperation and maintaining composure will be crucial to Norwich City getting their first win of the season when they take on Brighton, says Canaries boss Daniel Farke.
City are, of course, desperate to finally get their Premier League season up and running with a Carrow Road victory but Farke just wants his players to focus on the specific demands of the game against the Seagulls and not the overall situation.
“Take it step by step. It doesn’t help to over-think things too much,” said the head coach. “In football you have to concentrate on the contents and the topics you want to be good in, not thinking and praying, or addicted to a first result.
“We had a good first step at Burnley with a first clean sheet, a first away point, off the mark and it was an important step.
“Next we want to make sure that the next steps follow. On this level, if you want to stay in this league, it is always important to have some back-to-back unbeaten games under your belt.
“We, of course, want to get off the mark in a home game and to get the next unbeaten game and, if possible, the next clean sheet, to score a few goals.
“We are greedy to have this first win of the season but we are also focused on taking this step by step and we know that Brighton have had a fantastic start to the season.
“But we are in a good shape and also in a good mood after our good last game before the international break and, for that, we are looking forward to this game.”
The Seagulls arrive during their fifth consecutive top-flight season after Graham Potter built on the solid foundation laid by Chris Hughton during two seasons following promotion.
They sit sixth thanks to four wins and just one defeat from their opening seven games, being held to a 0-0 home draw by Arsenal before the international break, and Farke is full of praise for Potter’s work.
“It doesn’t surprise me, they deserve all the praise, Graham Potter is doing a fantastic job,” the German continued.
“I remember two-and-a-half years ago when we won the Championship title, he was in charge of Swansea and they were perhaps not too much in the spotlight in mid-table, but already at this point I liked his football and the way he sets up his team.
“A good possession side, really good in the build-up, flexible in their approach, good in their pressing and I was delighted for him that he got the chance to show his qualities on a bigger stage and with more individual quality at Brighton.
“What he is capable to bring to a club he shows right now with Brighton because I have a feeling that since he has taken over he has developed this club more or less on a daily basis.
“They are improving week by week and it is no coincidence that they have had such a strong start.
“I really like the work that Graham is doing over there, he is a great coach and also a great human being, also down to earth and unbelievably humble.
“When you watch their games, the soft skills and the relationships between the players and within the club, you feel a great bond and great camaraderie. I think that is down to the perfect leadership of Graham Potter.
“Obviously many experienced and high-quality players, we don’t have to speak about this, and they also have many financial opportunities.
“I can remember when they signed Neal Maupay and he was also a player that we would like but we had no chance to bring him in, so for that we also accept that they are a bit further ahead in their development.
“But also many compliments for what they have done in the recent years and I am pretty sure they will also finish in a strong position.”
Only Chelsea and Manchester City have kept more top-flight clean sheets in 2021 than the Seagulls’ total of 12.
Yet they are managing to strike a balance of defensive strength and an attractive playing style – a balance that Norwich are striving for after a tough start to the campaign following promotion.
“They are unbelievably strong in terms of defending, absolutely compact, difficult to score goals against. They have conceded just five goals so far but they are still playing attractive football,” Farke added.
“It is also more proof that it’s not too much down to the base formation. They also quite often play three at the back but it doesn’t mean you have to park the bus.
“Also in this formation they are capable of attacking, pressing and to keep the ball really well, but if necessary to be really solid and absolutely compact at the back.
“This is something that we also want to achieve, to have this confidence in our game, that we can return to the dressing room after 90 minutes with a clean sheet, to be solid in our defending but also to be good at the other end of the pitch.
“To find this balance is never easy but it is important to do this and what we want to do and the next step in our development.
“Right now, we’ve looked at least in the last games quite solid in terms of defending and if we can add some firepower up front, that will be the perfect balance.”
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