"It was like that last season" - Norwich City's biggest issue revealed | OneFootball

FLW's Norwich City fan pundit has been discussing the club's biggest issue at this moment in time.

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Norwich City are desperately trying to keep their Premier League promotion push alive as they prepare to turn the final bend in the 2024/25 Championship season.

The Canaries supporters haven't been singing too many songs of praise for manager Johannes Hoff Thorup and his players this term, however.

Inconsistent results despite one of the division's most potent attack forces has elicited growing frustration from the Carrow Road faithful, as they witness a clearly talented squad struggling with getting in their own way.

"It's exactly the same this time around" - Norwich City's biggest issue revealed

We asked our Norwich City fan pundit, Zeke Downes: 'What is your club's biggest issue at this very moment in time and why?'

Downes said: "I think the biggest issue at the club, in terms of the on-pitch stuff, is something that a lot of people have probably seen, and it's the fact that we lose a lot of points from winning positions.

"It was like that last season as well, but it's exactly the same this time around, and it's likely to happen because of the style of play that we have.

"It's a bit more risky, and the experienced players that we've lost maybe doesn't help. But also, it's not really younger players that are making the mistakes that lead to the goals.

"So, I think overall, the mentality needs to improve. We need to be able to hold on to the wins, or even the draws, and to not concede those late goals.

"We've lost a lot of points, and without those lost points, we would be in the top-six."

Norwich City's defence has been letting the Canaries down this season

Despite boasting one of the sharpest cutting edges in the Championship, with their 56 goals scored after 35 games only bettered by league-leading Leeds, the Canaries sit 11th heading into Friday night's meeting with Oxford United.

Why is that? Well, the answer would appear to lie in their defensive record, as Thorup's side have struggled to keep the ball out of their own net this term.

Their 48 goals conceded after 35 games is the joint-highest alongside Watford of any top-half Championship side heading into matchday 36.

Norwich's 1.4 goals conceded per game average during that time ranks as the 16th-highest in the second tier, whilst Plymouth Argyle's two clean sheets kept so far this season mean they are the only side with fewer than the Canaries' five - per FotMob.

Along with Sheffield Wednesday, Thorup's team have also conceded the most penalties in the division so far this season with five - per FotMob.

Therefore, it's evident where Norwich's issues lie this term. Had their high-powered attack been supplemented with a solid defensive unit, then they would likely have found themselves as one of the leading favourites for Premier League promotion at this stage of the season.

As such, regardless of what division the club is operating in next season, addressing the defence must be a top priority in the summer transfer window.