Among the many concerns at Norwich City recently has been the gradual degeneration of the ‘Farkeball’ style which had defined the club’s past four seasons.

It was the reason that Daniel Farke survived his disappointing first campaign in England, as a transitional season concluded in 14th place in the Championship – finishing below Ipswich thanks to a goal difference of minus 11.

Despite the inconsistency and over-reliance on emerging star James Maddison, there was a clear and defined possession style that was being worked on. Even Alex Tettey’s passing had improved noticeably.

Despite finishing in mid-table, the squad of 2017-18 ranked third for average possession, passes attempted and pass success.

Few expected the title triumph that followed but there were certainly hopes that Farke and his coaches would enjoy more success once players that were better suited to the system were recruited.

CONTINUED PROGRESSION

Those hopes were rewarded with one of the most enjoyable seasons in Canaries history, as players including Tim Krul, Emi Buendia and Teemu Pukki took the team to the next level.

Similarly to the campaign before, Farke’s squad ranked fourth in the division for average possession (55.7pc) and third for passes attempted (507) and pass success completion (79.6pc), with the likes of Tom Trybull, Moritz Leitner and Mario Vrancic at the heart of that title-winning machine.

The quality levels had increased sufficiently to provide a regular flow of goals that saw best-laid plans come to fruition spectacularly, with confidence and team spirit soaring so high that it took City all the way to the Premier League.

TAKING ON THE BIG BOYS

Farke’s first attempt at top-flight football ultimately proved unsuccessful, finishing bottom and with 21 points after a strange season.

A defensive injury crisis was followed by a spell of allowing leads to slip and, following the outbreak of Covid-19 and a three-month suspension, a nosedive to relegation amid a 10-game losing streak.

Just 21 points represented the worst return in the top tier in Norwich history but even during that pain, the Farkeball style was still present.

City ranked ninth in the Premier League for the passing metrics: for possession (49.8pc), passes attempted (457) and pass completion (80.5pc).

PEAK FARKEBALL

Last season was, unfortunately, played mostly behind closed doors – as the Canaries enjoyed their best season in the second tier, with a dominant title success.

It was peak Farkeball, with Tottenham loanee Oliver Skipp able to strike the midfield balance of defensive strength and passing reliability, helping the team to function.

Buendia was the star of the show but Ben Gibson had also emerged as a key cog in the machine with his passing ability from defence, as City topped the passing ranks as well as the final table.

They averaged possession of 58.3pc, attempted an average of 548 passes per game and 82.8pc of those passes were accurate. It was peak Farkeball.

It may not be remembered in the same way as the unexpected drama of 2018-19 in front of full stadiums but a positive goal difference of 39 came thanks to 75 goals being scored and just 36 conceded, as the Canaries finished six clear on 97 points.

Perhaps now, with a better balance, Farkeball was ready for the big time?

CAN WE HAVE OUR FARKEBALL BACK?

That hasn’t proved to be the case though. All of those passing metrics are significantly down on last year and, perhaps more pertinently, 2019-20 as well.

So far, City rank 16th for possession (44pc), 14th for passes attempted (386 per game) and 13th for pass success (78.7pc). During Sunday’s 2-1 home loss to Leeds, that dropped to a season-low of 68pc pass completion, to levels rarely seen on Farke’s watch.

We all know the context; it’s repeated before and after every game. The Covid outbreak during pre-season, players returning from injury, a difficult fixture list, financial restraints causing some new signings to arrive late in the window, fresh faces settling in.

Amid the change in formations and line-ups however, giving leeway for those factors, that defining style has been eroded.

Statistics only paint part of the picture though. For example, the most passes in a game so far this season was 518 during the 3-0 home loss to Liverpool during the opening weekend, combined with a season-high 85pc completion rate.

Yet during the 0-0 draw with Brighton, City attempted a season-low of 292 passes and managed 15 attempts at goal, the most so far during this campaign – when golden chances for a first win were wasted.

Rediscovering the consistency of style, element of control and passing flair which had been crucial elements of Farke’s reputation in England could just hold the key to rescuing a dire situation that some are already writing off as a lost cause.

For any chance of that to happen though, all of the current squad need to up their game significantly, starting at Brentford on Saturday.

Season averages per game (division rank)

2017-18: 53.8pc possession (3rd), 484 passes (3rd), 80.2pc success (3rd)

2018-19: 55.7pc possession (4th), 507 passes (3rd), 79.6pc success (3rd)

2019-20: 49.8pc possession (9th), 457 passes (9th), 80.5pc success (9th)

2020-21: 58.3pc possession (1st), 548 passes (1st), 82.8pc success (1st)

2021-22: 44pc possession (16th), 386 passes (14th), 78.7pc success (13th)

NCFC EXTRA: Your views on Farke's future and Norwich City's Premier League crisis