Norwich City midfielder Anthony Pilkington believes the Canaries' team spirit can again help them beat the Premier League odds. Picture: Paul Chesterton / Focus Images
Norwich City’s Anthony Pilkington confident about second season in Premier League
by Paddy Davitt
Thursday, August 2, 2012
10:24 AM
Anthony Pilkington insists it will be business as usual in Norwich City’s bid to buck the Premier League trend once again this season.
The Canaries’ squad have had to adapt to a managerial change over the summer, but Pilkington is adamant the unbreakable team spirit which typified their rise from the depths of League One remains stronger than ever.
“It stays. The players who have been brought in are similar to the players that were brought in last season,” he said. “You see young, hungry British players coming in again, so nothing changes, the team spirit is still there. The new lads are settling in really well and so are the staff.
“Not much (has changed), really. New staff have come in and one or two new players have come in and are settling down, but everyone is confident about next season.
“We’re just hoping to do what we did last season that got us into the great positions we did, and just to carry on from there. You look around the squad now and it’s getting a big squad and everyone is fighting for places. The competition for places is great and we’re all working hard to get that sharpness and match fitness and I hope by the 18th we’ll come out of the traps flying.”
Pilkington pressed his claims for an opening day start at Fulham with a superb first half free-kick in the latest 1-1 home friendly draw against-European artistocrats Ajax.
City’s defensive resolve was tested to the limit at times by the Champions League contenders, but the 24-year-old felt the Canaries could take plenty of heart from matching the Dutch men at Carrow Road.
“We always knew they would have a lot of possession,” he said. “They’re two or three weeks ahead of us and I think they’ve got their first game on Saturday, so the sharpness showed and they kept the ball really well. They were always going to do that, but looking back at it, we thought we could have kept the ball a bit better.
“But we’ve got plenty of games to go before the season starts and that’s what we’ll be working on. Defensively, our shape was really good and we stopped them from cutting through us. We made them shoot from long range and that’s one of the positives.”
Chris Hughton’s squad continue their build-up with games at MK Dons and Hull before wrapping up their pre-season schedule with Borussia Monchengladbach’s home visit on August 11.
“These games are massive. You can do all the running in the world and when you get out there it’s a totally different ball game,” said Pilkington. “You can run in straight lines for hours but your match sharpness and your match fitness is a totally different thing.
“Friendlies are massively important before the season starts, to get your sharpness on the ball, find your touch, know your ranges and your shooting ranges, and passing. I welcome the games. It’s great for the lads.
“We just can’t wait for the season to get started now and that’s what we’re all working towards. It was good to be back out there at Carrow Road with the fans coming down again, it’s brilliant. Come the 18th I’m sure they’ll be sold out, the away travelling fans, and then the home game against QPR.”
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21 comments
American football should be renamed 'handegg'.
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Scrimmage Canary
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Scrim, just thought for a mo there that the wise old crab had got the wrong impression. Clearly not, it was me! He`s an OK sort of guy too!
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Mad Brewer
Monday, August 6, 2012
We shall call Barton a paso fino then Brew, they're pretty crazy and also somewhat showy. I would hope you would consider me an OK sort of guy, being a lifelong Norwich fan from a family of Norwich fans.. :D
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Scrimmage Canary
Sunday, August 5, 2012
I think Scrimmage is an OK sort of guy, Crab. Yanks like chromium plate, 5 mpg cars, noise and LOADS of cholesterol. They dislike anything different to that. Thank God China is now in charge of the World. Such nice, gentle folk with civilised judicial systems.
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Mad Brewer
Friday, August 3, 2012
With due deference to the more educated of our US contributors on here, what does the average yank know about Football anyway, Scrimmage? Most of them think you play it by picking the ball up, Rugby-style. And they need to wear a full suit of armour while doing it!
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The Crab
Friday, August 3, 2012
MOT; Oh, THAT`S what it really means! Silly me. Like you, Swiss, I`m surprised billy TB hasn`t started a book. Perhaps we could badger him into it? Of course, he may be too sett in his ways.
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Mad Brewer
Friday, August 3, 2012
As we seem to be in the business of predicting the future here, I am surprised that Bovine Tuberculosis is not here to make a book. I have never understood why it is MOT rather than MO'tG, Marchin' on t' Gether
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Swiss Canary
Friday, August 3, 2012
Dunno, Scrimmage. I had 4 `50s & `60s English motorbikes until recently. They were classified as "Historic vehicles". I think "Classic" is another level? Doubt Colin would recognise true classics. He signed J. Barton & made him captain @ QPR! Not a show horse, a crazy one! That`s how potty Colin is. I wish Drury hadn`t gone there. OTBC.
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Mad Brewer
Friday, August 3, 2012
That would mean they were deemed as 'classics' Brewer, which I consider highly unlikely. Colin is more famed for signing show ponies who under perform rather than 'free tax disc classics'...
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Scrimmage Canary
Friday, August 3, 2012
At least Wackybacky has admitted he`s a Leeds troll, "officially". Why do Leeds need an MOT? Some of the players they are recruiting are old enough for a free tax disc!
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Mad Brewer
Friday, August 3, 2012
If Pilk's grabs a few of his wonder goals I'm sure things will be peachy. Can somone explain to Wacky USA the difference between realism and optimism?
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Scrimmage Canary
Friday, August 3, 2012
Im very confident, as LEEDS go up and U go down - we will wave. LEEDS MOT
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WackyJacky USA
Thursday, August 2, 2012
I am not sure that we will see so much diamond formation with Chris Hughton, but who can tell at this stage? The diamond worked well when we got the opposition on the back-foot but it seemed a bit vulnerable to pacey wingers and then Wes would be dragged back into defence, which was...interesting.
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Swiss Canary
Thursday, August 2, 2012
Pilks is QUALITY!!!! end of.
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Penfold
Thursday, August 2, 2012
Or it may be Amoebae! My loocal butcher do sell rhyming cutlets. ;-)
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Mad Brewer
Thursday, August 2, 2012
The more biologically correct reply was ethered by Grosskontrolleren, Fenland Branch. Apparently, Amoeba are regarded as the most primitive animals. But surely that sobriquet belongs to 1p5wich?
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Mad Brewer
Thursday, August 2, 2012
Many a true word is spoken in cest in these paarts! OTBC.
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Mad Brewer
Thursday, August 2, 2012
A point well made Swiss C but I actually think we are blessed with a squad of intelligent level headed 'nice guys' which other teams don't have *(but would like to). Once Holt stayed I knew this season would be a good one but I am curious to know if CH will stick with the diamond formation which worked so well last year. I bet there's no one out there who could write the 11 to start at Fulham!!
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Bogaz John
Thursday, August 2, 2012
A good job then that we don't have Sammy Ameobi playing for us as he would encyst.
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Swiss Canary
Thursday, August 2, 2012
See the reliable old standby "insists" is doing well! It`s as if somebody is inside his head disagreeing with him (the Ghost Writer in the Sky).
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Mad Brewer
Thursday, August 2, 2012
Good positive stuff from Pilks, even though he seems to be reading from the same "company approved script" as Russ Martin, Ryan Bennett, Jonny Howson and The Gaffer. The transfer of power seems to have been effective though of course it needs to be tested in the real season but I have a good feeling about what is happening, though there is still a starting XI to be settled and tightened up.
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Swiss Canary
Thursday, August 2, 2012