Norwich City boss David Wagner praised Adam Idah following a solid start to the season that featured a goal for Ireland against the Netherlands.
Idah has never established himself as a consistent goalscorer in the Canaries lineup, but he has done well on the international scene by contributing agility and effective hold-up play to the Irish assault.
There was anticipation that Idah would show the prolific finishing he displayed at junior level this season, and he started well, scoring in the season opener against Hull and then adding a goal and an assist against Huddersfield on August 26.
However, that was the last time the Corkman scored for his club, and as a result, he was dropped from the starting lineup for Wednesday’s match against Leicester City.
For once, though, fortune was on the 22-year-old’s side. Ashley Barnes, who replaced him in the Norwich lineup, suffered an injury in the second half, so Idah came on for the final half-hour and will most likely start for the foreseeable future.
David Wagner lauds Adam Idah.
Speaking to the media today ahead of Norwich City’s Championship meeting with Plymouth on Saturday, Canaries manager David Wagner praised Idah’s recent showing.
“You can see a step up in his confidence and performances in the last few games,” he added of the Ireland international.
“He made an impact against Leicester on Wednesday, and he’s done it for Ireland against the Netherlands.
The German then backed Idah up even further, saying, “He’s made big steps in the last six or seven weeks,” apparently impressed not just by his Norwich performances but also by his contribution to the Irish squad.
Chance.
In the absence of Ashley Barnes, Idah is lucky to be given this wonderful chance with Norwich.
Idah has shown what he is capable of in games against Portugal, France, and the Netherlands, and Norwich fans are aware of his abilities as well.
Their issue, as those who observe him on a weekly basis, is that he can blow hot and cold. He’s an all-action annoyance at times – he’s huge, powerful, fast, and dangerous. At times, he appears ineffective and irritated.
He is perfectly capable of performing at the highest level when he is confident, like he was in January 2022 when playing in the Premier League. Around the same time, he was named Man of the Match against Everton and played a major part in his team’s 3-0 victory over Watford a week later.
Simply put, if Idah goes on a scoring run, he strikes me as the sort of player who will continue to improve as his confidence rises. Maybe he’ll be able to recreate his Premier League form then.
But it might not be that easy. What was notable about Idah’s finest performances for his club before to this season was that they were mainly in a second-striker or number 10 role behind Teemu Pukki.
He was able to use his wider skill set in that pocket of space, including drifting wide and producing lethal cut-backs, as well as receiving the ball deeper and bringing others into action without worrying about being in the box himself.
As a result, I believe it will require more than merely playing Idah constantly to elicit a tune from him. His history suggests he won’t develop into a lethal number nine in the next weeks, but with the correct tactical tweaking, his whole range of qualities might propel the Canaries to the top of the Sky Bet Championship table.
He’s had injuries in the past, but as long as he’s available this season, his management should be looking for a way to get his undeniable potential on the Carrow Road pitch.
