Norwich City head coach Johannes Hoff Thorup has provided insight into his strategic player substitutions during the FA Cup third-round match against Brighton, which ended in a disappointing 4-0 defeat for the Canaries. Thorup explained that the decisions to substitute Amankwah Forson and Callum Doyle were part of a 'no risk' strategy, particularly with crucial Championship fixtures on the horizon.
Both Forson and Doyle sustained knee injuries during the match, leading Thorup to make five changes to the starting lineup, including Forson's first start since November 30. The manager elaborated, "We changed half the team and we also did some changes at half-time, where we wanted to see some of the players that have probably not played so many minutes so far this season." He acknowledged the significance of the FA Cup, stating, "with all due respect to a fantastic tournament... I also find it hard to believe that we can go and win it."
Thorup emphasised the importance of assessing the squad's capabilities, noting, "It was more important for us to see where we are as a group, where we are as a team, where the individual players are and what we can expect from them the rest of the season. And I think we got some answers."
Regarding Forson's condition, Thorup remarked, "Forson had a knock to his knee. I think it was actually the beginning of the game, and he tried to play, but it was too much at half-time, so no risk with him. We have to assess him further and see how it is." Similarly, he addressed Doyle's situation, stating, "Callum (knee) was a little bit of the same. He also had a knock in the first half, but could have played if we decided to do that, but we went with low risk."
Thorup praised Forson’s recent contributions, particularly his vital brace in stoppage time during the league match against Coventry. "It was all right. I think we could actually see the knock to the knee hurt him," the coach noted. He acknowledged Forson's offensive potential, stating, "We know he's a threat offensively, and produces great moments... that would probably have changed the game picture completely."
In addition to the player changes, George Long started in goal in place of Angus Gunn, while young goalkeeper Archie Mair joined Motherwell on loan, making his debut against Hibernian. Thorup expressed satisfaction with Mair's loan move, stating, "Good for him and good for us. And I think good for more or less everyone."
The decision to recall Vinnie Reyes was also explained by Thorup, who cited input from goalkeeper coach Tony Roberts regarding the optimisation of the goalkeeping group. He concluded by emphasising the necessity of consistent game time for Mair: "That is for Archie to get out there and have some playing time and some game minutes on a consistent level, and then to get Vinnie back in our group, so we always have three goalkeepers available for all four training sessions."
These strategic decisions reflect Thorup’s commitment to balancing player development with the overall performance of Norwich City during a challenging season, as reported by The Pink'un.