Liam Manning Tactics At Norwich City 2025/2026: The Canaries New “City Football Group” Influenced Manager – Tactical Analysis

Norwich City’s 2024/2025 campaign was a disappointment, finishing 13th in the EFL Championship.

The Canaries struggled for consistency, and their performances reflected a lack of direction.

This led to the sacking of Johannes Throup, who managed the team for just over a year and ended his tenure with a win rate of 29.8%.

To ignite a revival, Norwich City have appointed former player Liam Manning as their new manager.

Manning arrives with a reputation for coaching possession-based and progressive football, built on his success with Bristol City.

Manning guided the Robins to their first Championship Play-Off appearance in 17 years, although they fell short in a 6-0 aggregate defeat to Sheffield United.

Despite the heavy defeats, his ability to transform Bristol into a competitive and tactically astute team has made him a sought-after coach.

This tactical analysis will focus on Liam Manning background, innovative philosophy, formations, and tactical principles that define his teams.

We’ll also examine how Manning can bring out the best in Norwich squad, including key players like Josh Sargent and Borja Sainz.

Liam Manning: A Coach Shaped By Hard Work & Innovation

Liam Manning’s rise through the coaching ranks is a testament to his relentless work ethic and commitment to learning.

Released by Ipswich Town as a player at the age of 20, Manning quickly transitioned to coaching, throwing himself into the grassroots game.

He recalls “putting in the hard yards” by coaching multiple teams and managing every aspect of youth setups, including driving the minibus.

His early career included 13 years in academy football at Ipswich and West Ham United, where he refined his ability to nurture young talent and develop technical players.

Manning’s big break came with the City Football Group (CFG), where he was the Director of Coaching and Academy Director at New York City FC.

CFG’s influence on Manning’s philosophy is evident: a commitment to possession-based football, tactical flexibility, and data-driven decision-making.

At MK Dons, Manning built on Russell Martin’s foundations, creating one of the most tactically advanced teams in EFL League One.

His time at Bristol City further highlighted his ability to adapt his system to a squads specific demands while maintaining a clear tactical identity.

Liam Manning Tactical Philosophy

Liam Manning’s tactical philosophy is rooted in control and fluidity, both in possession and out of possession.

His teams are built to dominate the ball, create numerical superiority, and exploit spaces through intelligent movement and positional play.

This section will analyse some of his key principles.

Liam Manning High Counterpressing: Turning Transitions Into Opportunities

Liam Manning’s counterpressing system is meticulously organised and relies on collective intensity.

When possession is lost, his players react with coordinated movements to regain the ball as fast as possible.

The aim is to win the ball high up the pitch, where the opposition is disorganised and the attacking players are already in advanced positions.

Technically, this requires excellent spacing and compactness in possession.

By maintaining close distances between players, Manning ensures that counterpressing triggers are achievable and that multiple players are always ready to engage the ball carrier.

This minimises the time and space available to the opponent, forcing errors and creating opportunities for quick transitions.

From a coaching perspective, implementing this system demands detailed work on pressing triggers and pressing angles.

Players are trained to recognise cues, such as a poor first touch or a backward pass, and to press in a way that limits the opponent’s passing options.

The rest of the team must also shift laterally and vertically in unison to close passing lanes and ensure a cohesive press.

The image shows a pressing sequence, as shown in a league fixture against QPR.

The curved run from the Bristol City forward is a key element of Liam Manning’s out-of-possession tactics.

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