City trio are the best in Championship, claims Skipp
Norwich City duo Todd Cantwell and Emi Buendia had rare off-days against Watford. - Credit: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd
Ollie Skipp believes Norwich City's attacking trio behind Teemu Pukki are the strongest in the Championship and has backed them to come good, despite the defeat to Watford on Boxing Day.
Kieran Dowell, Emi Buendia and Todd Cantwell are considered to be three of the most creative players at the club, but City's offensive passages of play lacked intensity, according to Canaries boss Daniel Farke.
This fixture was the first time the triumvirate have played together and despite the creative struggles, Skipp has backed them to succeed in the weeks ahead.
“Definitely, you’d back those three players to create something,” Skipp said after the defeat. “They were getting in good positions. It was just maybe the final pass or the people behind weren’t getting it to them quick enough, where they had time to make things happen.
“I feel like that is one of the strongest three behind a striker in the Championship, so I’m sure they will come good.”
Buendia has been City's creator in chief this season. - Credit: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images Ltd
Despite the quality the Canaries starting XI had on paper, they struggled to translate it onto the pitch.
Dowell made his first start since September and Buendia and Cantwell both had rare off-days. Those mitigating circumstances hampered City's progress on the pitch, but Skipp is keen to deflect the blame away from the attacking players and instead reflect on the performance as a whole.
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“A disappointing result tonight," he said. "I think we just lacked a bit of sharpness in certain areas. I thought we created moments but I wouldn’t say clear-cut chances. Not just the final third, I thought the build-up was just too slow at times. It was the whole team, I wouldn’t put it down to the attackers.
“It’s disappointing but we’ve been on a good run. We’ll analyse that performance, learn from it and we’ll be ready to put it right on Tuesday.
“But let’s not be too down on ourselves. We’ve been on a good run. We’ll analyse what we done wrong and try and put it right on Tuesday.
“We’d have taken it before the season, being a few points clear at Christmas. It’s disappointing tonight, especially against a side that will be up there but we’ve got a cushion over them and we’ll be looking to bounce back with two home games."
