Norwich City column: Daniel Farke returns to Carrow Road with Leeds United in important week for Canaries

There is a real sense that the next block of games is going to be crucial when it comes to the narrative of this season.

David Wagner’s Canaries return from the international break looking to rectify a poor run of form that has yielded just two wins from eight games in all competitions.

While we still sit seventh in the table, it’s hard to ignore the tightness of the Championship.

We are just three points better off than Middlesbrough in 16th, for example.

Michael Carrick’s side visit Carrow Road next Tuesday night, the second part of a difficult double header that also sees the first return of a certain Daniel Farke tomorrow.

I’m sure the German, now in charge of Leeds United, will receive the warm welcome he deserves, but there is little room for sentiment as we seek to get our campaign back on the right path.

Farke and his coaching staff will have the inside track on many in yellow, including Dimitris Giannoulis, who he brought to Norfolk back in 2021.

Giannoulis celebrated his 28th birthday on Tuesday by being named the club’s player of the month for September (I did wonder why they waited so long to announce it).

It’s a deserved accolade for a player who is arguably producing his best form since turning his loan spell into a permanent deal more than two years ago.

Like many modern day full-backs, the Greek international’s strengths can be found in his offensive play – part of the reason I felt he struggled under the constraints of Dean Smith’s defensive-minded system.

But under Wagner he has once again been given licence to attack down the left-hand side, building a relationship with the magnificent Jonathan Rowe.

The challenge for Giannoulis now is to add goals and assists to his game.

In 77 appearances he is yet to get off the mark for the club – although you do feel it is only a matter of time before that statistic changes.