Eastern Daily Press | Saturday, August 11, 2018 5
Pink Un
Rob Sainty
City’sseason
FIXTURES (3pm unless stated)
August
Sat 4 Birmingham City A D 2-2
Sat 11 West Brom H
A personal view from the Canaries Trust chairman Tues 14 LC 1: Stevenage (7.45pm) H
Sat 18 Sheffield United A
Wed 22 Preston (7.45pm) H
Shades of the
Sat 25 Leeds United H
September
Sun 2 Ipswich Tn (12pm) A
Sat 15 Middlesbrough H
Lambert era in
Wed 19 Reading (8pm) A
Sat 22 QPR (5.30pm) A
Sat 29 Wigan Athletic H
changes and
October
Wed 3 Derby (7.45pm) A
Sat 6 Stoke City H
Sat 20 Nottingham Forest A
fighting spirit
Tues 23 A Villa (7.45pm) H
Sat 27 Brentford H
November
Sat 3 Sheffield Wednesday A
I
t would be dangerous to draw second goal and sending the Gil Sat 10 Millwall H
too many conclusions, either Merrick Stand into raptures. Sat 24 Swansea City A
positive or negative, from Of course, by far the biggest
City’s trip to Birmingham Tues 27 Hull City (7.45pm) A
positive for City was the
last week. performance of Hernandez, December
Whilst an away point is never a whose movement across the
bad result in such a competitive front line caused all sorts of Sat 1 Rotherham United H
league City’s performance was problems for the home defenders Sat 8 Bolton Wanderers H
very much of the curate’s who were never quite sure who
egg variety. should be picking him up. Sat 15 Bristol City A
The starting line-up, with no His pace is now matched by Sat 22 Blackburn Rovers A
Moritz Leitner or Kenny McLean, greater strength on the ball, but
Wed 26 Nottingham Forest H
was something of a surprise, what really impressed was his
and the two holding midfield coolness in the box, having Sat 29 Derby County H
players suggested that Daniel appeared to panic when in sight
Farke’s priority, albeit of goal last season, and his January
unsurprisingly at this early stage, second finish was perfectly Tues 1 Brentford A
was not to lose. executed, after receiving some
As it was City’s only problems assistance from Birmingham’s Sat 12 West Brom A
in the first half were largely self- keeper for Sat 19 Birmingham City H
inflicted, not least due to two his first.
Sat 26 Sheffield United H
sloppy cross-field passes from Farke would also have
Grant Hanley, who had an been encouraged by the February
uncharacteristically dozy performances of both Jordan
afternoon, culminating in an Rhodes, who kept Birmingham’s Sat 2 Leeds United A
awful piece of flat footed ball central defenders under pressure Sun 10 Ipswich (12pm) H
watching for what looked like and will undoubtedly prove a
Wed 13 Preston (7.45pm) A
being Birmingham’s winner. serious goal threat with better
Overall there was too much service, and Teemu Pukki whose Sat 16 Bolton Wanderers A
sideways passing between him tireless running and clever Sat 23 Bristol City H
and Timm Klose, often due to too touches (if you weren’t at the
little movement ahead of them. game check the highlights for his March
So far, so familiar, and when cushioned header which set
Birmingham went ahead just Srbeny on the run that resulted Sat 2 Milwall A
after City, who seemed to in the second equaliser) proved Sat 9 Swansea City H
have mentally stayed in the an excellent foil for Rhodes’
Wed 13 Hull City (7.45pm) H
dressing room after half-time, spacial awareness.
had survived a frantic goalmouth Ben Marshall also showed a Sat 16 Rotherham United A
scramble there was inevitably great deal of promise, although I Sat 30 Middlesbrough A
much grumbling in the crowd. would like to see him a little
However, that was when we further forward where his April
started to see what is hopefully a excellent crossing might well
taste of things to come as Farke’s Sat 6 QPR H
create more opportunities for
team evolves. Rhodes, as he did with an inch Dennis Srbeny made a big impact as a substitute for City on the opening day of the Tues 9 Reading (7.45pm) H
The coach’s decision to perfect first half ball which saw season Picture: Paul Chesterton/Focus Images
Sat 13 Wigan Athletic A
introduce Leitner and McLean at the striker’s powerful header
the expense of one of the holding tipped over the bar. minute and continued to side to be set up differently to Fri 19 Sheffield Wed H
midfielders and the hapless However, two things that believe that they could get last week. Farke will be acutely Mon 22 Stoke City A
James Husband introduced a should definitely encourage something from the game. Shades aware that last season City
greater attacking intent, but City fans are the fact that of the Lambert era there, and a snatched an away point thanks to Sat 27 Blackburn Rovers H
ironically it was Dennis Srbeny, a Farke made positive substitutions tangible benefit of a tough a late equaliser on opening day
May
player written off by many last while there was still plenty of pre-season. before fluffing their lines at home
season, who had the greatest time left for them to have an Today will be a completely against a newly relegated club, so Sun 5 Aston Villa (12.30pm) A
impact, with three surging runs impact, and also the way in different challenge with City he and his players will want to lay
from deep, the last of them which his team shrugged off expected to take the initiative down a marker in front of the
setting up Onel Hernandez for his conceding a goal in the 89th and I would therefore expect the Carrow Road crowd.
