Norwich Vs Ipswich: Analysing the Derby

Score: 1–0

Possession (%): 38–62

Passes: 307–507

Shots: 12–10

xG: 0.54–0.81

• Norwich’s balanced build-up.
• Bypassing Ipswich’s high and mid-press.
• Good settled-play rotations.
• Backing up the press and preventing overloads.

Base Formations:

Ipswich top of the Championship. Norwich unbeaten in 14 years. The second instalment of the 23/24 East Anglian Derby. This felt big.

Both teams lined up in fluid 4–2–3–1 base formations. David Wagner made one change to his eleven, with Shane Duffy replacing the injured Jacob Sorenson. Kieran McKenna also made one change, as Nathan Broadhead came into the visitor’s side in place of Kayden Jackson.

During Norwich’s goalkeeper restarts, Stacey (3) advanced on the right, while Duffy (24) moved to the edge of the penalty area, Gunn (28) became a situational right centre-back, and Sara (17) dropped alongside Barnes (10). This created a well-balanced 4–2–2–3 build-up structure.

In Ipswich’s highest pressing phases, Hutchinson (20) joined Moore (24) up front, while Broadhead (33) and Chaplin (10) occupied Norwich’s double pivot, and the visitor’s centre-midfielders marked Sara (17) and Barnes (10).

With Moore (24) positioned centrally and Hutchinson (20) ready to press Gibson (6), the visitors intentionally forced Norwich out to their right. Once Gunn (28) played to Duffy (24), Ipswich’s centre-forward curved his press to prevent a pass back to City’s keeper.

On occasion, the visitors were able to force high turnovers following misplaced passes from Duffy (24). But Wagner’s men also found reliable escape routes, particularly via Barnes (10) and Sara (17) when the former moved across to overload Luongo (25).

With Morsy (5) initially failing to track Norwich’s number ten, and Burgess (15) too late to jump into midfield, Barnes (10) was free to advance on City’s right.

Broadhead (33) was occasionally drawn to press Duffy (24), leaving Chaplin (10) temporarily isolated in a 2v1, before Sara (17) moved over to the touchline to receive out wide. Despite being followed by Luongo (25), City’s Brazilian midfielder progressed via a one-two with McLean (23).

With Hutchinson (20) tasked with pressing both Gibson (6) and McCallum (15), Norwich were also able to bypass Ipswich’s press via a chipped pass from Gunn (28) to City’s left-back. Had the execution of this pattern been better, this could’ve been a more reliable escape route.

Beyond Ipswich’s highest pressing phases, the visitors created a 4–2–3–1 mid-press. With Broadhead (33) still drawn to press Duffy (24) on Norwich’s right, he left Nunez (26) free to receive behind.

Thanks to Norwich’s 6v4 first-phase overload, and Hutchinson (20) remaining close to Gibson (6), City were able to shift the ball over to McCallum (15) in space on the left. McLean (23) then advanced to receive in space between the lines.

Despite occasionally creating their usual 3-diamond-3 settled-play structure — where one pivot drops between the centre-backs and the wingers invert on either side of a number ten — against Ipswich, Gabriel Sara (17) often dropped alongside Norwich’s remaining midfielder.

With Sara (17) and McLean (23) maintaining City’s double pivot while Barnes (10) and Sainz (7) occupied the half spaces in front, Norwich often created a more balanced 3–2–2–3 structure.

Norwich’s double pivot forced the visitor’s wingers to remain narrow before Barnes (10) or Sainz (7) dropped into the wide areas to stretch Luongo (25) and Morsy (5).

On City’s right, for example, Barnes (10) moved out wide to receive directly from Nunez (26), forcing Luongo (25) to press towards the touchline. As a result, Norwich were able to overload the visitor’s double pivot, with Sargent (9) dropping deep or Sara (17) advancing.

In one instance, City bypassed Ipswich’s press when Marcelino Nunez (26) demonstrated his quality with elite body orientation and a disguised reverse pass.

Receiving the ball from his left, Nunez (26) noticed Broadhead (33) was preparing to press Duffy (24). By orientating himself towards City’s right centre-back, Nunez (26) encouraged Ipswich’s left winger to press before he reversed the pass to find Sara (17) in space between the lines.

In addition to Norwich’s tactical balance in possession, Wagner’s men pressed with bravery, intensity, and a high level of organisation.

In their deepest build-up phases, Ipswich created an asymmetric 4–2–2–2 structure, as Broadhead (33) inverted alongside Chaplin (10). In response, Norwich pressed with a midfield diamond behind Sargent (9) and Barnes (10) in a front two.

With Hladky (31) in possession, Sargent (9) initiated the host’s high press by angling his run to force a pass to Ipswich’s left. In response, Nunez (26) jumped onto Morsy (5) to prevent him from becoming free.

Once Barnes (10) pressed the visitor’s left centre-back, Nunez (26) moved onto Luongo (25), and Sargent (9) tracked back to occupy Morsy (5). These first-phase dynamics often prevented the optimal escape of a bounce pass to Wolfenden (6).

Behind the initial lines of pressure, when Burgess (15) played out to the left, Sara (17) jumped to press Davis (3). Early in the first half, McLean (23) would then track Broadhead (33), leaving Chaplin (10) free behind.

But after less than ten minutes, Norwich improved their press when Stacey (3) jumped into midfield to track Broadhead (33), allowing McLean (23) to stay back on the visitor’s number ten.

This represents a key weakness of an asymmetric 4–2–2–2 build-up — a structure Norwich have also used at times this season. Without occupying space high and wide on both sides, your opponent’s full-backs are free to back up the press.

When Ipswich managed to play out to their right, City’s left centre-forward pressed from the front while Nunez (26) tracked the ball-side pivot, and Sainz (7) pressed the visitor’s right-back.

Ipswich often play through pressure via Chaplin (10) when he drops towards the right touchline. This was a frequent strategy in the derby at Portman Road, but this time McLean (23) was quick to press Ipswich’s number ten, and McCallum (15) or Gibson (6) backed up the press depending on who dropped into space.

Beyond their deepest build-up phases, Ipswich created a 3–2–5 structure when Davis (3) advanced on the left, Broadhead (33) inverted into the left half space, and Tuanzebe (40) became a hybrid right centre-back.

In response, Norwich set up in a 4–4–2 mid-press. The centre-backs did well to close the spaces City usually vacate when Nunez (26) and McLean (23) press the pivots, or when one of the wingers is drawn to press from the front.

This aggressive mid-press, combined with Ipswich’s sloppy progression, restricted access to the visitor’s last-line 5v4 overload — the same overload Leicester exploited with ease last Monday.

When Ipswich advanced, Norwich dropped into a 4–4–2 mid-block, where the wingers supported City’s full-backs to limit wide overloads in the final third. Sargent (9) often stayed high to provide an out-ball in counter-attacking situations.

There was a notable absence of chances on Saturday, and Ipswich dominated much of the second half as Norwich conceded control and became overly passive at times without the ball.

But this remains one of the most promising tactical displays for months, in arguably the most significant game of David Wagner’s tenure. For that, he, his staff, and his players deserve credit.