The 2021-22 campaign has been another testing one for all concerned at Norwich City. That is not altogether surprising, with the Canaries making a habit of yo-yo-ing between the top two tiers in England.
After securing the Championship title in style last season, the highs of promotion appear set to be countered by the lows of another all too familiar tumble through a trapdoor. Frugal business at Carrow Road is paying dividends, as shoulders continue to be rubbed with the elite, and there will be no imminent changing of collective ways in Norfolk.
Within the outright markets for Premier League relegation odds, Norwich are now -9999 to suffer defeat in a 38-game survival scrap, with it safe to assume that plans are in the process of being drawn up for life back on the second rung of a famous ladder.
Given their penchant for bouncing back, that need not be a bad thing. There are also obvious perks to be found in starting a preparatory process for 2022-23 long before a number of upcoming rivals know for certain where they stand.
📐 𝘼𝙇𝙇 𝘼𝙉𝙂𝙇𝙀𝙎 of that Josh Sargent stunner… #NCFC pic.twitter.com/R190p9uqVm
— Norwich City FC (@NorwichCityFC) January 25, 2022
There will be a few in Dean Smith’s squad that have no intention of sticking around for another tilt at Championship glory, while others will see their hand forced as they are pushed out of an exit door.
It remains to be seen into which camp Josh Sargent will fall, as Norwich begins to nail their colors to individual masts, but he may benefit considerably from a supposedly backward step being taken.
Dream big
A Missouri native is among those to have found the going tough with the Canaries this term, with competition for attacking berths from the likes of club talisman Teemu Pukki meaning that regular game time has often been in short supply.
Norwich will, however, create far more opportunities in front of goal next season and can be a little bolder in their selections, with more minutes up for grabs when it comes to those looking to make an impact in the final third.
That could play into Sargent’s hands as he prepares to enter the second installment of a four-year contract. He was acquired with one eye on the future, with there plenty of potential still to be unlocked in his game, and the challenges of life in the Premier League will serve him well in the long run.
It may, however, be that a stint in the Championship is arriving at just the right time for a man that has registered more goals for his country (five) through 19 appearances than he has managed in the colors of his current domestic employers.
🇺🇸 Josh Sargent is the 23rd American to score a #PL goal
How many of the others can you name?#WATNOR pic.twitter.com/0J6GoxlA3y
— Premier League (@premierleague) January 21, 2022
If Sargent is to force his way into Gregg Berhalter’s plans for the 2022 World Cup, then he needs to be firing on all cylinders. There is plenty to be said for playing top-flight soccer, but confidence and belief should never be underestimated.
Were a flame-haired frontman to hit the ground running next season, with momentum quickly established, then handing him a ticket to Qatar would make plenty of sense. It may be that Sargent is about to take one step back in his career, but that could ultimately help him to make two in a forward direction.
