morty
Moderator
Staff member
Championship Fixture
Saturday 18th February, Kick Off: 3pm
Pirelli Stadium Capacity 6912
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Championship Fixture
Saturday 18th February, Kick Off: 3pm
Pirelli Stadium Capacity 6912
morty
Moderator
Staff member
Biggest selection questions will obviously be around who is fit. Hope to see Pinto back at least.
Din
Well-Known Member
Jerome deserves to keep his place even if Oliveira is fit. Whittaker did ok but would also hope to see Pinto back. Would also be good to see Pritchard and Wes in the side together again, with one of the Murphys.
ZLF
Well-Known Member
After this game 8 of the remaining 13 games are against current top 10 sides (total 2 points gained from those 8 reverse fixtures/24 pts) so for me this is a must win fixture to get a play off slot.
I think it was a 4-6 week absence for Nelson so Jerome so bar injury or suspension he is a certain starter.
Subject to fitness the back 7 is simple, although I agree with Morty - while whittaker was fine v toon and is good cover, i hope pinto is back, he just brings more to the team overall. More important that he is ready next week though.
Its only the three behind jerome that could be tweaked - i do think we need more from either murphy or wildschut should they start - I too would prefer both pritchard and wes start. Being away from home may suit Yanic better and he wont adapt to neils needs by sitting on the bench, however I would probably use him as a sub where his frech pace may be more beneficial and start with one of the murphys. Unless Naismith is fit again
I think it was a 4-6 week absence for Nelson so Jerome so bar injury or suspension he is a certain starter.
Subject to fitness the back 7 is simple, although I agree with Morty - while whittaker was fine v toon and is good cover, i hope pinto is back, he just brings more to the team overall. More important that he is ready next week though.
Its only the three behind jerome that could be tweaked - i do think we need more from either murphy or wildschut should they start - I too would prefer both pritchard and wes start. Being away from home may suit Yanic better and he wont adapt to neils needs by sitting on the bench, however I would probably use him as a sub where his frech pace may be more beneficial and start with one of the murphys. Unless Naismith is fit again
morty
Moderator
Staff member
News from the presser :-
Confirmed Nelson out for 4-6 weeks.
Doesn't look like any of injured lads will be back, also a doubt about a few others from Tuesday.
James Maddison will be in the squad.
Apart from Maddison, not a lot of good news there.
Confirmed Nelson out for 4-6 weeks.
Doesn't look like any of injured lads will be back, also a doubt about a few others from Tuesday.
James Maddison will be in the squad.
Apart from Maddison, not a lot of good news there.
Canaryboy
Well-Known Member
Better hope Cameron Jerome doesn't get injured then, if he does it is season over.
morty
Moderator
Staff member
Doesn't bear thinking about, does it?
Canaryboy
Well-Known Member
The answer is Robbie Keane.
Free agent, so we can sign him, he's old and well past his best but he knows how to play with Wes and his last game was in November (instead of last April / May like the other free agents I can suggest) and he knows where the goal is.
I don't care if we have to give Robbie Keane £50k a week for the next 4 months, that's less than £1 million for an important insurance policy and could be worth £120m to us.
Its a bit of a desperate suggestion, but its a bit of a desperate situation.
Free agent, so we can sign him, he's old and well past his best but he knows how to play with Wes and his last game was in November (instead of last April / May like the other free agents I can suggest) and he knows where the goal is.
I don't care if we have to give Robbie Keane £50k a week for the next 4 months, that's less than £1 million for an important insurance policy and could be worth £120m to us.
Its a bit of a desperate suggestion, but its a bit of a desperate situation.
dj161
Well-Known Member
Maddison not in the squad, Pritchard in for Wes
morty
Moderator
Staff member
Glad the injury worries haven't manifested themselves.
That team is easily good enough to win this game.
I'm having a fiver on 3-1 Norwich.
That team is easily good enough to win this game.
I'm having a fiver on 3-1 Norwich.
morty
Moderator
Staff member
morty
Moderator
Staff member
Wes being rested in preparation for the scum, I suspect.
Din
Well-Known Member
So Neil says Maddison will be in the squad, and then he's not. Disappointed about that as well was looking forward to seeing him.
Didn't realise how long Nelson would be out for, that's a blow. Jerome can easily fill in but if he gets an injury we are well and truly f*cked. Lafferty is abysmal.
I never see the point of having 2 centre backs on the bench. Realistically both centre backs aren't going to get injured so what's the point in having both Bassong and Bennett as subs? If part of the reason Neil has left Maddison out is because he wanted both centre backs on the bench I'll be annoyed.
Need to win this really, continue the good form before we meet the scum on Saturday.
Didn't realise how long Nelson would be out for, that's a blow. Jerome can easily fill in but if he gets an injury we are well and truly f*cked. Lafferty is abysmal.
I never see the point of having 2 centre backs on the bench. Realistically both centre backs aren't going to get injured so what's the point in having both Bassong and Bennett as subs? If part of the reason Neil has left Maddison out is because he wanted both centre backs on the bench I'll be annoyed.
Need to win this really, continue the good form before we meet the scum on Saturday.
dj161
Well-Known Member
yeah the Maddison situation is bizarre, can only assume he's had a slight setback in his recovery, but just seems strange to of said he'll be in the squad, when he could of just said might be involved and all the discussion drops
Fenway Frank
Well-Known Member
He was in the squad, it doesn't guarantee he would be in the side or make the bench. Happens all the time
G
GJP
Well-Known Member
I used to think it would be a massive boost if we kept Klose for this season.
Used to.
Used to.
dj161
Well-Known Member
Klose is a strange one, I remember when we first signed him and he got into the team I was saying what on earth is he doing here, he should be at a club like Spurs, but since being relegated he's looked bang average, I still feel on his day he's our best centre back and one of the best in the league, problem is those days seem to be few and far between right now
Canaryboy
Well-Known Member
Perhaps Norwich is just an extremely difficult place to be a defender right now because we are getting something else wrong tactically.
He looked class when our back four was being shielded by Gary O'Neil.
Now we don't have Gary O'Neil.
The team with the best defence in the league, who also happen to be in the automatic promotion spots, play Isaac Hayden as a defensive midfielder. He has been class all season.
Chelsea finished 10th last season and are now 8 points clear at the top of the league with the joint best defense after making just one signing in the summer. The leagues best defensive midfielder.
We allowed our best defensive midfielder to leave in the summer without signing somebody as good. Perhaps that is the real problem.
morty
Moderator
Staff member
ZLF
Well-Known Member
shocking performance, it was a horrendous error by klose (tactically solid by Burton, hoicked balls behind Dijks all game, wildschit & Dijks didnt cover that space enough, not excusing Klose as it was defending for dummies chapter one - but clough spotted and exploited an all season weakness behind the full back) but he was once again comfortable the least bad centre back, and remains that at the club.
The game was lost in midfield though, too many hid, shirked tackles or responsibility to take the ball, shifting it quickly back or simply too long. If we had fit players there is a case for at least 3 and possibly all 5 being dropped.
Saturday was proof that without the right mental approach you simply dont win games, arrogant, apathetic and lazy. Burton got what they deserved, and so did we
The game was lost in midfield though, too many hid, shirked tackles or responsibility to take the ball, shifting it quickly back or simply too long. If we had fit players there is a case for at least 3 and possibly all 5 being dropped.
Saturday was proof that without the right mental approach you simply dont win games, arrogant, apathetic and lazy. Burton got what they deserved, and so did we
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