Jeffrey Schlupp arrival can accelerate big Norwich City change | OneFootball

The signing of Jeff Schlupp should aid Liam Manning as he seeks to change the shape of the team at Norwich City.

Norwich City are embarking upon something of a rebuild during this summer’s transfer window, having underwhelmed in the Championship last season and being desperate for a return to the Premier League.

The Canaries parted company with Johannes Hoff Thorup towards the end of last season and, after a relatively lengthy process, eventually managed to poach Liam Manning from Bristol City.

As a part of the Manning revolution at Carrow Road, Norwich have spent relatively healthily, albeit a lot of that has been offset by the departure of Borja Sainz to FC Porto, whilst Josh Sargent remains the subject of interest from elsewhere, too.

However, what it does mean is that Manning is getting the opportunity to reshape and restructure the squad to what he desires, and the recent signing of Jeffrey Schlupp on a free transfer from Crystal Palace is only going to serve to strengthen his hand.

Schlupp arrival can accelerate Norwich’s change in shape

Throughout Liam Manning’s managerial career thus far, be it at Milton Keynes Dons, Oxford United or Bristol City, he has opted to and had success by playing with a back-three system.

Norwich have often followed a German-like model in the last half a decade or so, perhaps even longer, with an almost exclusive 4-2-3-1 shape, regardless of who has been in the dugout.

The appointment of Manning means that Norwich’s hierarchy and the club’s Sporting Director Ben Knapper must surely be aware that changes are required and the changes that will be brought will revolve around playing a different system.

The arrival of Schlupp will be able to facilitate and accelerate that change, with the Ghana international seemingly the perfect fit for the left wing-back role in that system, not necessarily having the overriding defensive nous to be an out and out full-back, but maybe lacking the pace and attacking efficiency to be an out and out winger.

The signing of Harry Darling is also one that would therefore make even more sense with the former MK Dons and Swansea City centre-back one of the better ball-playing defenders in the division, and seemingly very suited to bringing the ball from the back in that shape.

What happens further up the pitch is yet to be known, with Manning having either played a 3-4-1-2, a 3-5-2 or a 3-4-3, so the shape in attack can be flexible and that would accommodate a range of profiles in that area of the pitch.

The big money signing of Mathias Kvistgaarden, though, would also indicate a more transitional approach in the back three shape, with the Danish attacker having thrived in a 3-4-3 system for Brondby in the Superliga.

Signs were there that Norwich would shift shape this summer, but wing-backs would have remained an area of weakness. The signing of Schlupp would further indicate and majorly help that adjustment.

Norwich must balance attacking chaos with controlled play

Norwich have been one of the most entertaining teams to watch in the Championship for a while now, with their impressive and broad recruitment bringing in some extremely talented players.

The lack of a real overarching philosophy, further than simply expressing themselves, has often let them down with fairly chaotic results and performances.

For example, last season saw Norwich’s 46 Championship matches consist of 139 goals with only the champions, Leeds United, scoring more than them, but only the bottom three as well as Sheffield Wednesday and Portsmouth conceding more often.

Liam Manning’s style of football is heavily possession-based, and that allows for his teams to continue to create chances with orchestrated patterns of play, but also crucially affords a lot more control through more deliberate moves.