Ben Lee is a City season ticket holder and author of the  NCFC Analysis  social media account, who unpicks games with an analytical report highlighting tactical strengths and weaknesses.

Ben gives his take on events at the Valley.

Charlton Vs Norwich: Changing the momentum.

Score: 1 – 3

Possession (%): 38 – 62

• Tactics behind a poor start.
• Solving build-up issues.
• Control through structure.
• Imperfect pressing.

Following a poor performance against Portsmouth, Norwich made the trip to London to face fellow strugglers Charlton Athletic. Nathan Jones’ men lined up in a 4-3-3, while City set up in their usual 4-2-3-1 shape.

(Image: Ben Lee)

“We didn’t start the game well,” said Clement post-match. “Charlton pressed in a different way than they’ve been doing for weeks,” he continued, “and the team had difficulty recognising that.” The early impact of this tactical surprise was clear.

(Image: Ben Lee)

But what was so unexpected about Charlton’s press? To find out, we need to assess how they pressed in previous weeks – exactly as analysts do in the days prior to a game.

The week before hosting Norwich, Charton predominantly pressed from a 3-4-1-2 shape against Watford’s back three.

(Image: Ben Lee)

In the game before that, Charlton travelled to Burnley, where they pressed man-to-man from a 4-4-2 shape.

(Image: Ben Lee)

The first of these pressing structures makes playing through the middle a good option, while the latter creates 1v1s in the last line, which is often targeted through more direct build-up play. But Charlton’s press on Saturday was very different.

Instead, they moved from their 4-3-3 into a 4-1-4-1, with the wingers high, the advanced centre-midfielders occupying Norwich’s double pivot, and a plus one in the last line.

(Image: Ben Lee)

In the first 20 minutes of the game, City failed to find the right patterns to escape this pressure. In one instance, for example, Grimshaw (32) chipped the ball out wide to Stacey (3), who headed straight infield to Maghoma (25).

But the visitor’s attacking midfielder was marked by Charlton’s defensive midfielder.

(Image: Ben Lee)

A few minutes later, Grimshaw (32) went long into the last line, where Kvistgaarden (30) unsurprisingly lost the aerial duel in a 2v1 against Charlton’s centre-backs.

(Image: Ben Lee)

On another occasion, Norwich’s goalkeeper found Mattsson (7), who tried to play a first-time pass out wide. But the intensity with which the hosts pressed in central areas made this risky pattern, and Charlton regained possession.

(Image: Ben Lee)

Beyond their highest press, Nathan Jones’ men dropped in their 4-1-4-1, with Rankin-Costello (26) occasionally jumping alongside the centre-forward to press from the front. But Norwich were too quick to go long in the opening stages of the game.

(Image: Ben Lee)

Whether they went long or attempted to play out, Clement’s men were struggling to advance beyond their deep build-up phases without losing possession.

In the 16th minute, there was a clear example of the space Norwich should’ve been trying to exploit. Indeed, the vulnerability in Charlton’s press was in 3v2s out wide, particularly when the wingers were drawn to press centrally.

(Image: Ben Lee)

Instead of exploiting this space, City continued to play through the middle throughout the opening 20 minutes, and they often conceded possession as a result.

(Image: Ben Lee)

Even in higher deep build-up phases, it was clear that the weakness in Charlton’s new press was out wide, where the wingers were isolated in 2v1s before the full-backs could jump to back them up.

(Image: Ben Lee)

In the 19th minute, Norwich completed an ideal pattern for the first time in the game when they played out to Stacey (3) on the right. The wide 2v1 drew Charlton’s left-back to press high, but he was evaded by City’s right-back.

(Image: Ben Lee)

In response to the left-back jumping to press from the front, Charlton’s backline had to shift across to ensure they didn’t allow Norwich a free man on that side. But this left a free player on the far side.

After advancing beyond the initial lines of pressure, Stacey (3) played infield to Mattsson (7), who played a lofted pass in behind for Chrisene (14) on the overlap.

(Image: Ben Lee)

This was the first time in the game that Norwich managed to escape Charlton’s press with control, which allowed them to advance into the final third.

Another similar deep build-up escape saw Stacey (3) receive in space on the right before simply running straight past the winger in the wide 2v1.

(Image: Ben Lee)

After this, Charlton’s left-winger started to drop deeper to get closer to Norwich’s right-back. But this gave McConville (15) time to pick another pass.

In one instance, Schwartau (29) moved infield to create a central overload. This finally allowed City to escape through the middle, where the host’s right-back was forced to foul the Danish winger.

(Image: Ben Lee)

On another occasion, Charlton jumped into a man-to-man press, which created a good opportunity for Norwich to go long into the last line to access the space in behind.

(Image: Ben Lee)

More often, however, Nathan Jones’ men seemed more passive and risk-averse as the half progressed, allowing City to escape with ease.

When they advanced into settled possession, Norwich often played through their 4-2-3-1 base with Maghoma (25) frequently dropping to support their build-up play, while the hosts dropped into a 4-5-1 mid-block.

(Image: Ben Lee)

In Charlton’s half, Clement’s men often moved into several variations of a 2-3-5 setup, with two players moving to receive in space between the lines.

(Image: Ben Lee)

Once they’d found solutions to Charlton’s press, Norwich created several promising attacks and dominated much of the game. But there were still areas for improvement without the ball, both in the defensive third and the high press.

In high pressing phases, City moved between a 4-2-3-1, with Maghoma (25) marking the single pivot, and a 4-4-2 when he jumped to press from the front.

(Image: Ben Lee)

But when Maghoma (25) jumped, Charlton’s pivot was often given too much space to receive centrally. The space between the lines was also too big, which allowed the advanced midfielders to receive line-breaking passes in the half spaces.

(Image: Ben Lee)

Despite these vulnerabilities without the ball, and a couple of nervy moments at the back, this was a much better performance from Norwich.

They changed the momentum just in time, both within the game itself, and, they hope, in the context of their season.