Mathias Kvistgaarden’s limited opportunities at Norwich City have sparked discussions among supporters regarding his role within the squad. Head coach Philippe Clement has shed light on the Danish forward's situation, emphasising that the high level of competition among his teammates is the primary reason for his restricted playing time, rather than ongoing fitness issues.
Since Clement took the reins from Liam Manning in November, Kvistgaarden has featured for just 85 minutes, with most of that coming during his debut in a challenging 4-1 defeat to Birmingham City. Expectations were high for Kvistgaarden this season, particularly after Norwich activated a £6.9 million release clause in his contract with Brøndby, successfully fending off interest from Champions League clubs. However, the reality has not matched those hopes.
While a knee injury did hinder his early progress, Clement pointed out that the impressive form of other forwards has significantly limited Kvistgaarden’s chances. Both Josh Sargent and Jovon Makama have been performing well, creating a competitive environment for places in the starting eleven. "The situation was that he was not fit at first, and he was struggling with his knee," Clement explained. "It's better now, and we're coping with his training and with his playing minutes."
Clement acknowledged the competitive dynamics within the squad, stating, "Other players stepped up in that period, and that's also part of football, that Jov gave good performances as a central striker, and Josh also. So there's a good competition there, but I see Mathias growing every week and becoming better, so that's good for the future. I think he has potential to play in other positions, but his best position is the central position."
As Clement works to reshape the squad, enhancing creativity in attack remains a priority for generating quality chances for the forwards. The recent acquisition of Ali Ahmed signals the start of this transformation, with further reinforcements anticipated as Norwich seeks to strengthen their attacking capabilities while ensuring Championship survival.
On the defensive front, Clement noted, "I think we defend much better than in the past. We have got much less against us, although we play offensive football. We're not a team that's sitting on our 16th to defend." However, he recognised the need for further development in the attacking third, admitting, "In the last final third, we didn't create enough yet. We need to work on that to get clearer ideas about what to do when, and we're working on that with the group."
Clement highlighted the opening goal against QPR as a sign of progress, but he remains aware of the challenges ahead. "We need to improve that, and we need to improve that also in the transfer window to get some more quality and creativity in the squad," he added.
As Norwich City navigates this critical phase of the season, the development of players like Kvistgaarden will be essential in the team’s pursuit of stability and success in the Championship. Read more about Mattsson Targets Continued Growth as Canaries Strive for Success.