By admin 
The Canaries’ struggles were underscored by their decision to name a relatively youthful-looking bench, given the absences of key players such as Ashley Barnes, Kenny McLean, Onel Hernandez, Marcelino Nuñez, and Josh Sargent, among others.
These notable absentees were sorely missed at Hillsborough, where two first-half goals condemned Norwich to back-to-back defeats. As a result, their winless run has now stretched to five matches, causing them to lose ground in the promotion race.
While most Canaries fans will point to the growing injury list as the cause of the defeat, Duffy insisted after the match that injuries were not to blame. He emphasized that the team needs to look inwardly to find the root of their issues.
This ongoing problem is unlikely to disappear soon, and Norwich must find a solution quickly or risk falling out of the promotion picture in what promises to be a highly competitive race.
Duffy didn’t hold back in his criticism of his Norwich teammates. While he acknowledged that injuries have played a part, he was clear in saying that the team’s primary problems lie on the pitch.
Johannes Hoff Thorup has previously noted that his Norwich side is “too open,” and Duffy echoed that sentiment after Tuesday’s game, criticizing Norwich’s failure to prevent goals.
“It’s what you have a squad for, and it’s up to others to step up. It’s been difficult this week, but we can’t keep giving goals away. It’s not about the squad or any of that — we gave away really bad goals, and that’s the fact,” Duffy told The Pink Un.
“We were dominating the game early on, but one ball from the halfway line, and we’re one goal down. Then they swing a ball in, and it goes in. It’s frustrating.
“We can’t really say that’s down to a lack of squad depth — it’s individual mistakes again, and it’s cost us.
“The people who are in there are the ones who aren’t happy when they’re not playing, so this is their chance to step up and not complain. This is what football is all about. Everyone knows there will be injuries to our key players during the season, but it’s an opportunity for others.
“That’s what we have a squad for. We have to keep building on that. The reality is that this is our team going forward for a while.”
Duffy’s comments are backed up by the statistics.
Since Thorup took charge, his “total football” approach has made Norwich one of the league’s top scorers, but it has also left them vulnerable at the back.
Sheffield Wednesday vs. Norwich stats:
Possession: 29% vs. 71%
xG (Expected Goals): 1.95 vs. 0.31
Shots: 12 vs. 5
Big Chances: 3 vs. 1
Accurate Passes: 185 vs. 573
Touches in Opponent’s Box: 20 vs. 13
This defensive fragility was fully exposed on Tuesday but has been a consistent issue throughout the season. Norwich have one of the worst defensive records in the league and one of the fewest clean sheets.
This is a problem that Norwich must address urgently if they are to continue their promotion push. However, they can be grateful for Borja Sainz’s form, with his 11 league goals helping to keep their campaign alive. Without his contributions, their situation might look much worse. As Duffy pointed out, conceding cheap goals remains the primary issue, so Norwich should focus their efforts on shoring up their defense rather than relying on Sainz to maintain his scoring streak.
The upcoming international break could be a blessing for Thorup, offering him a chance to bring some players back into the squad and to work on defensiv
e organization during two weeks of training.