On the other hand, Arsenal will be missing 3 players through covid and at least two, maybe three more players through injury or illness. https://dailycannon.com/2021/12/arsenal-team-news-update-norwich-city/
Smiffys take on yesterdays meeting. Norwich have 'fresh' covid cases Smith said on Friday it was "lunacy" his side are having to play two games in 48 hours despite more Covid cases in the squad. The Canaries, who are bottom of the table and three points from safety, host Arsenal on Sunday at 15:00 GMT before playing away at Crystal Palace on Tuesday, kick-off 15:00. Smith said Norwich, who have not played since 14 December because of the virus, had "fresh cases". "We are not sure how many will miss Boxing Day," he added. "There has got to be a question about the integrity of the competition when teams are playing weakened teams against other teams and it is affecting league positions." Asked whether he would back a players' strike, he added: "I don't think you can. We have to follow the guidelines of the league that we are in."
Looks like the Spurs V Palace game is off due to covid in the Palace squad.... can it hang around for another 48 hours to affect our game too?
Palace only had two cases reported yesterday and although Football.London see a postponement as likely, I can't see any other sources predicting that on NewsNow.
Trying to find a bright side in these dark days, we only have 2 more league games in January after Leicester with a fortnight until we face Everton at home on the 15th. The cup match against Charlton on the 9th buys us time to get players back before then and it's possible Normann could be back by the 2nd of February when Palace come to CR.
'Interesting' column by Rob Sainty. https://www.edp24.co.uk/sport/norwich-city/norwich-at-crystal-palace-analysis-8594646
Is anyone else starting to think there’s likely to be a bit of a Press campaign against us getting ramped up, with briefings about Gilmour very pointed in timing? https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/57544985
Well the Premier League don't want us there hence our games at the start of the season.... erode all confidence then give them games they might be able to win and laugh- because the fixture list isn't random
If it is it shouldn't be. There us absolutely no doubt in my mind that those opening fixtures knocked the stuffing out of the team. There really should be some way that a team doesn't have to start like that.
Many years ago fixtures were collated by the FA, using local knowledge and usually selecting fixtures to suit less travelling for Bank Holiday fixtures, ie local derbies. This all changed when computers took over, and each team is allocated a number and the computer then allocates the fixtures according to the pre programmed criteria. How each team number within the programme is allocated remains a mystery.
I am afraid it’s all a massive fix. The average football match excluding extra time apparently has under 70 minutes of football actually played - so extra time decisions are entirely suspect. It’s corrupt to the core - not necessarily every match, but enough of them to mean I think it’s justified to always be suspicious. But there’s nothing to be done, too much money and too many entrenched interests that we just can’t trust any of it but have to get on with it.
Something in our favour for a change? https://www.norfolklive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/afcon-norwich-west-ham-watford-6433861
I'm sure somewhere I've seen calls for neutral timekeepers (ie. not referees) but I can't find anything now.
That's the kind of straw clutching I like! What about make it like Rugby? No stoppage time, but the clock stops whenever the game stops/ the ball goes out of play
The way football keeps time is quirky and adds to it's charm, so I wouldn't want to see that changed. It just needs to be fairer, and consistent.
