David Wagner’s warning to Norwich City players and supporters

After a challenging period earlier in the season marked by increased pressure due to inconsistent results, Norwich City, under manager David Wagner, has managed to address a significant portion of their previous struggles. In their last nine Championship outings, they have suffered only two defeats. Despite the dip in form observed between mid-September and late October, Norwich has consistently remained within striking distance of the playoff positions, given the closely contested nature of the Championship standings between fifth and fifteenth place.

As of Boxing Day, Norwich was positioned just two places and as many points behind Hull City, who occupied the final playoff spot. However, a 1-0 defeat to West Bromwich Albion caused them to slip to 12th place, though still in proximity to Sunderland, who moved ahead of Hull with a victory at the MKM Stadium. Wagner, who has experience guiding Huddersfield Town to playoff success in 2017, emphasizes that he does not focus on the current league standings, cautioning both players and fans against getting too absorbed in the table.

One area of concern is Norwich’s record against the current top six teams, as they are yet to secure a victory. The team has managed two draws against local rivals Ipswich and played out a thrilling 4-4 encounter with Southampton on August 12th. Wagner stresses the unpredictability of the Championship and advises against fixating on the league table.

Looking ahead, Norwich faces Millwall in their next fixture, led by manager Joe Edwards. Despite the recent defeat to West Brom, Norwich supporters can draw confidence from the team’s historical dominance over Millwall, having lost only one of their last 13 meetings. This includes a convincing 3-0 victory at Carrow Road on August 20th. The focus remains on taking each game as it comes, with the understanding that the Championship is highly competitive and results can be unpredictable.