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Farke on the one commodity City lack in front of goal
Teemu Pukki can count on Daniel Farke's backing to hit the goal trail again for Norwich City Picture: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd - Credit: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd
Daniel Farke has Teemu Pukki’s back as the Norwich City striker looks to hit the goal trail over the Premier League relegation run in.
The Finnish international endured a frustrating day at St James' Park in the Canaries' 0-0 Newcastle stalemate.
Pukki has slotted two nerveless penalties in 2020 against Bournemouth and Tottenham in the Premier League but failed to add to his tally in open play since mid-December.
The club's reigning player-of-the-year has been hampered by injury problems in recent weeks and his head coach insists there is no cause for alarm.
"As long as he works as hard as he does for the team he will always have my backing," he said. "Teemu missed an unbelievable amount of chances but he has proved more than enough times he is cool in front of goal. He just needs to keep going, keep working hard and getting in the right positions.
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"It is not like the PlayStation, and it is important Teemu feels our backing but he missed an unbelievable amount of chances. If you look at the number of chances we had as a team it is difficult to explain.
"Perhaps it is a topic of self-confidence in front of goal."
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City resume their Premier League survival bid against Liverpool at Carrow Road following the mid-winter break, and Farke is demanding more conviction from Pukki and his pals in the final third.
"I have a lot of understanding for my players, particularly my offensive players. I was a striker myself," he said. "Sometimes you have periods where you watch the ball and it goes in or you bring yourself into perfect positions and the keeper makes an outstanding save or there is some bad luck or you hit the inside of the post.
"I would have wished in front of goal that we were more convincing (at Newcastle), also by that I mean the body language, and this is a quality we have to add. Definitely.
"I can give my own experience when I talk to the boys, but it is difficult to prepare in training to be in a situation in front of 50,000 in a stadium away from home. To keep the nerve and be brutal in our finishing is not something you can prepare in training.
"What you can do is keep bringing them into the right positions, so they become comfortable. I don't doubt my players for one minute."
