SHRIMPERS
But that was before I heard of Watt's latest injury and anyway, he has other problems out wide.
Francis Laurent, from becoming the guy that can surprise everyone, even his own team-mates, has become a liabilty, he was that bad against the Franchise Saturday.
I would have gone for a French double to the bench with Damien Scannell starting right, that might still happen but with Jeff staying in the team.
On the other wing Watt looked out his depth against the Franchise, now that could be because he's not sure whether it's him or Scannell who should be out wide left, yet more likely it was because Sanchez was carrying an injury picked up against Tranmere, a head one at that which will probably see him out Tuesday evening.
Upfront, I would start with Vernon and Paterson in the centre.
Vernon did have an awful afternoon in front of goal but did a lot of hard work, winning a few high balls that were knocked on to, nobody. At least young Matt will give him someone to aim at.
I just can't see Tilly starting with both Paterson and Spencer until further down the line, let's give the CoU loanee a chance to redeem himself.
A touch attacking, well why not. If we try and defend at Carrow Road we'll lose 3-0, we might as well attack and hope the chances, that will be created, start to go in.
In fact, I'll start with just one going in!
Subs: Jack, Sankofa, Herd, Malone, Laurent, Spencer, Freedman.
OPPOSITION
Chief Canary Paul Lambert will wait to here if the club's appeal against Darel Russell's red card for a high challenge, the FA should annonunce their decision hours before the game, has been successful before naming his side.
Defender Jens Berthel Askou is fit after a foot injury and may get a recall but left-back Adam Drury remains out with a thigh injury.
American born defender Zak Whitbread (calf) and striker Cody McDonald (thigh) are definitely not in the squad.
1 | Norwich City | 32 | 12 | 2 | 2 | 37 | 17 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 30 | 18 | 20 | 6 | 6 | 67 | 35 | 66 | +32 | ||||
2 | Leeds United | 31 | 10 | 5 | 1 | 30 | 11 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 23 | 14 | 18 | 9 | 4 | 53 | 25 | 63 | +28 | ||||
3 | Colchester United | 32 | 13 | 1 | 2 | 27 | 14 | 5 | 7 | 4 | 22 | 17 | 18 | 8 | 6 | 49 | 31 | 62 | +18 | ||||
4 | Charlton Athletic | 32 | 10 | 5 | 1 | 33 | 17 | 6 | 7 | 3 | 23 | 18 | 16 | 12 | 4 | 56 | 35 | 60 | +21 |
Oh yea, Charlton on Friday!
Last Time out - Norwich City 0 Southampton 2
The Red Card Comedy Club meets regularly at Carrow Road, so we can only assume referee Russell Booth was auditioning for a slot on Saturday.
"What do you do when you see Darel Russell raise his right boot and accidentally catch an opponent who appears out of nowhere? You send him off anyway."
Cue mayhem, a chorus of boos and much shaking of heads as Booth's joke falls flat on its face.
Even if Booth's timing had been better, the punchline was still rubbish. When he showed a straight red - for a challenge on Morgan Schneiderlin as the midfielder came up on Russell's blindside - City were enjoying their best spell of a match from which they deserved nothing. But it begs a question: what might have happened if Russell had stayed on?
A week earlier, at Brighton, City weren't up to much. Brighton were ahead, and deservedly so, but City fought back, got better and scored twice in the last 10 minutes to pick up a valuable three points.
Had City's little spell just before the hour mark on Saturday continued, with 11 men, who's to say what might have happened? Instead of losing their first home league game since THAT game against Colchester on the opening day, we could be talking about a six-point lead over Leeds.
But we're talking about a defeat - and no one knows how it will affect City over the coming weeks when, don't forget, they have a three-game run that takes in Huddersfield and Swindon away and Leeds at home.
And if City fail in their appeal against Russell's red card, it means he will be out for at least three games - the FA can add another if they feel an appeal is frivolous. If they do either, then we might as well all go home.
Even if they see City's side of it, rather than Booth's unfunny side, it's a bit too late: we have a lost 30 minutes, the points have gone to Southampton and we're talking about a three-point gap to Leeds who have a game in hand, and four over Colchester, who are now looking like the most likely side to prevent a two-horse race.
It all suggests that perhaps the presence of an official with a video camera might have made a difference.
Had Booth seen a replay of the incident you feel he would have had a change of mind. But he can't. And, yes, Mr and Mrs Referee, he is only human and we all make mistakes. Except he's paid not to.
The worry for City fans is whether their team are going to suffer the sort of blip that has affected Leeds and Charlton. Leeds could be home and dry by now, but they've taken just seven points out of their last 24. Charlton have lost half of their points in eight games this year, while Colchester have won four out of their last five and taken 17 points out of a possible 27 in 2010.
Norwich? They've got 21 points from 27 - but only three from the last nine. Is it a two-game blip or is it the start of squeaky bum time?
City haven't played particularly well in the six games since winning 5-0 at Colchester, although it's hard to be too critical given that they won four of them - and in those games they were often the better side.
That wasn't the case on Saturday and Paul Lambert was quick to acknowledge that they fell short of what was required against a good side who, if they don't make the play-offs this year, look certain to be in the mix next year when they won't have the weight of a 10-point penalty hanging around their necks.
It was billed as the battle of the hot-shots, but City's front two were left out in the cold, as Lee Barnard took centre stage (when Mr Booth wasn't occupying it).
City started well, coming out of the traps quickly, but failing to find the early breakthrough. Saints were quick - quick to pass the ball, quick to shut City down - and after the early jabs, started to send in some heavy bombs to unsettle their hosts.
Jason Puncheon was a danger on the right, cutting inside on his favoured left foot, although Adam Lallana wasn't as effective as he had been in the previous contests down on the south coast.
The width Southampton employed contrasted with City's: theirs was on the bench in the shape of Anthony McNamee and you wonder if Grant Holt and Chris Martin are relishing the opportunity to get on to the end of some of his whipped-in crosses from open play.
His inclusion from the start would likely mean a change of formation as well as staffing: perhaps Paul Lambert's policy of sticking with a winning side might be tested after recent events. Perhaps there is an argument that, for every bead of sweat they have contributed to the cause, there might be some tiredness in the heads and legs of some of those who haven't had a break since Lambert took charge 29 games ago.
An over-hit free-kick here, a heavy pass there - it just didn't work for City on Saturday. And while Saints were forcing them into mistakes, they struck.
Goal one came on 33 minutes, when Rickie Lambert's long-range free-kick came down off the underside of the bar.
City players dozed, Saints players appealed for a goal - except Barnard, who guided the ball into the bottom corner with his head. Gary Doherty claimed a push on Michael Nelson - too half-heartedly to be considered seriously. Never mind - the team that has scored first in City's previous four matches had gone on to lose. The difference being, of course, that it was 11 v 11 each time.
Nelson forced Kelvin Davis into his first save at the start of the second half - although Puncheon was denied by Fraser Forster in a one-on-one as Saints broke - and the former Ipswich stopper did well to tip a deflected Korey Smith shot on to his bar soon after.
City's struggle for fluency became an uphill battle just after the hour mark when the match official started to get card happy, producing the straight red to Russell who raised his boot as he tried to guide the ball to a team-mate, only to see Schneiderlin suddenly appear and take the collateral damage.
Jon Otsemobor, producing arguably his best performance at Carrow Road, almost set up Lallana for a second when he managed to make it into nose bleed country and slipped the ball to his team-mate who skipped Michael Rose's challenge but then hit the right-hand post.
A minute later, Lallana hit the same post, and very possibly the exact same spot, with a curler from the left side of the area after the City defence had practically given over one side of their penalty area to Southampton.
City were on the rack and on 77 minutes they were sliced open. Puncheon got into the area on the right, Rose and Russell Martin couldn't stop him and he pulled the ball back for the unmarked Barnard to slide it home from 11 yards.
Chris Martin went close at the end, Holt headed one which Davis scooped up easily, but City fell short of a club record-equalling 12th consecutive home win and for only the second time in the league this season, failed to score.
The other occasion was at home to Walsall in September. The referee? Mr R Booth (Notts).
Norwich City: Forster, Nelson, R. Martin, Doherty, Rose, Lappin, Smith, Russell, Hoolahan, C. Martin, Holt.
Subs: Rudd, Gill, Hughes, Spillane, McVeigh, McNamee, Johnson.
Southampton: Davis, Otsemobor, Jaidi, Fonte, Harding, Hammond, Puncheon, Schneiderlin, Lallana, Barnard, Lambert.
Subs: Bialkowski, Thomas, Wotton, Holmes, Seaborne, Antonio, Papa Waigo.
Referee: Mr. R. Booth
Attendance 25,103.
Catch Barney's brace here:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_2/8527341.stm
(Report by Chris Lakey at www.edp24.co.uk)
PREVIOUSLY
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The rest of the ground is also all seated and all stands are covered. Both ends look particularly smart, being large two tiered affairs, complete with a row of executive boxes. They also have a pair of large floodlight pylons protruding from their roof.
On the remaining side is the Geoffrey Watling City Stand. This single tiered stand is smaller than both ends and houses amongst other things the Directors Box and Press Area. This stand extends around to meet the ends at both corners, giving the ground an enclosed look on that side.
Away fans are housed on one side of the new South Stand, on one side of the ground. As you would expect from a new stand the facilities and view of the playing action are good. The normal allocation in this area is 2,500 fans although this can be increased further for cup games. If you are located at the very back of this stand then you can enjoy some fine views across the city, including Norwich Cathedral.
As Delia Smith is on the board of Norwich City, the food available within the ground has been spruced up a fair bit and is very good. The Club even bake their own pies which not only include the usual array such as steak & kidney, chicken & mushroom, but also a number of 'matchday specials', (which change from game to game), such as beef in red wine gravy & cheese, mushroom and garlic.
(Ground information supplied by www.footballgroundguide.com)
WEATHER
Starting at 4c's, sinking to a mere 1c by the game, should keep dry though.
REF
The man in the middle is Graham Horwood from Luton.
FIXTURES
Tuesday, February 23rd; (all kick-offs 19.45): Charlton v Brighton, Colchester v Brentford, Exeter v Bristol Rovers, Gillingham v Leyton Orient, Hartlepool v Carlisle, Leeds United v Oldham, MK Dons v Millwall, Norwich v Southend, Swindon v Stockport, Tranmere v Huddersfield, Walsall v Yeovil, Wycombe v Southampton.
Friday, February 26th; Southend v Charlton, 19:45.
Saturday, February 27th; (all kick-offs 15.00 unless stated): Brentford v Tranmere, Brighton v Exeter, Bristol Rovers v Colchester, Carlisle v Gillingham, Huddersfield v Leeds (12:30), Leyton Orient v Swindon, Millwall v Hartlepool, Oldham v Norwich, Southampton v Walsall, Stockport v Wycombe, Yeovil v MK Dons.
BET
To Win:
MK Dons - 4/9, Draw - 7/2, Southend - 29/4.
Fair to say, we're not fancied, so go on, must be worth a couple of quid!
For all the footy odds go here: www.oddschecker.com/football/english
www.southendunited-mad.co.uk/feat/edw5/norwich_475694/index.shtml
By Car go here:
www.southendunited-mad.co.uk/feat/edw7/norwich_450461/index.shtml
PUBS AND PIES
For the best drinking hostelries, and there's plenty of choice close to stadium and station, go here:
www.southendunited-mad.co.uk/feat/edw8/
slow_down_the_coach__horses_pub_crawl_in_norwich_499056/index.shtml
HISTORY
The history of Norwich City F.C. stretches back to 1902. After a brief period in amateur football, the club spent 15 years as a semi-professional team in the Southern League before admission to The Football League in 1920.
For most of the next 50 years, Norwich sat in Division Three (South), then the joint lowest tier of the football league, a period that was distinguished by "a thrilling giant-killing sequence which took them to the FA Cup semi-finals" in 1959.
Shortly afterwards, the club won its first major trophy, the 1962 League Cup. Norwich finally reached the pinnacle of the league structure in 1972, with their first promotion to the top tier.
Since then, The Canaries has acquired a reputation as a "yo-yo club", with 21 seasons in the top league and 15 in the second and in this period they picked up their second major trophy, the League Cup in 1985, reached two more FA Cup semi finals, finished fifth, fourth and third in the top division and beat Bayern Munich in the UEFA Cup.
In the course of its history, Norwich City has survived a number of incidents that threatened its survival, including ousting from amateur football, the need to be re-elected to The Football League and financial crises.
Geoffrey Watling, who was to become club Chairman and after whom a stand at the club's stadium, Carrow Road is named, was instrumental in saving the club from bankruptcy, both in the 1950s and 1990s; his father had played a similar role in 1919.
On October 30th 2007, former Newcastle United boss Glenn Roeder was confirmed as the new manager. Roeder released a number of players, largely replacing them with inexperienced loan signings. Results improved enormously, lifting the club from five points adrift at the foot of the table to a comfortable mid-table position.
On January 14, 2009, it was announced that Roeder had been relieved of his first team duties after sixty games in charge of the club, and just twenty victories. Norwich City were relegated to the third tier of English league football (League One), a level the club had not played at since 1960, on the final day of the 2008-09 Championship season.
Norwich started their League One campaign on August 8, 2009 at home to fellow East Anglians Colchester United. They were widely expected to return swiftly to the Championship, however they suffered a shock 1-7 defeat. This was their worst home defeat in their 107 year history, beating the previous record, a 1-6 loss to Bournemouth and Boscombe Athletic (now A.F.C. Bournemouth) in 1946.
The supporters displeasure was obvious with pre-season expectations being unsacrimoniously crushed, and at 4-0 down after just 22 minutes, two fans entered the pitch and ripped up their season tickets! Manager and Norwich legend Bryan Gunn was sacked six days later.
It was announced on 18 August 2009 that Paul Lambert would become the new manager, leaving his post at Colchester, and the club have certainly progressed under his stewardship.
For a far more comprehensive history of the club, go here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Norwich_City_F.C.