Daniel Farke found the remedy for Norwich City’s defensive frailty. Scoring goals is proving a thornier issue for the Canaries’ boss to solve.
City head to rock-bottom Bolton on Saturday targeting a club-equalling fifth consecutive away league win, despite only scoring two or more in a game once during their last 10 Championship tussles. Which only serves to underline the German is right to dig beneath the headline numbers for a lasting solution to a complex problem.
“It is always a process and it never stops. We just keep working on the contents,” he said. “At the beginning of the season we had this feeling we had to work on the defensive behaviour.
“We improved so much in this area but right now we struggle scoring goals and being clinical in the finishing. When we deal with that there is going to be another topic.
“We are not content with recent home results, although apart from Wolves I believe we were the better team in all the other games.
“We want to improve at home but the first task is Bolton. It is not just the physical but the mental load you have to be careful of.
“We had a day off on Thursday and that was the right decision to let them clear the mind and think about something other than football. The mood at training on Friday was very good.”
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Cameron Jerome is poised to return against the rapidly-improving Trotters.
“I have the feeling Bolton is going to be more of a game when you need a striker in the box and to work on getting balls into the area. Cameron is good at that,” said Farke. “I don’t have to warn the lads about this situation.
“Bolton now is not to be compared with Bolton earlier in the season.
“They conceded many goals and had many losses. But in the last four games they have been unbeaten.
“Fulham equalised in the 96th minute, they drew against QPR and beat Sheffield Wednesday.
“So I think it’s an experienced team and when you have experienced guys and an experienced coach, they knew from the first minute that they would have to fight relegation.
“We know it will be a difficult task. I don’t think they get nervous because of some losses early on in the season. Right now, they seem to have arrived in a good shape. They will be desperate for the points.
“Bolton play with long balls, aggressiveness and many tall players and we must be ready.”
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