This weekend we face the mighty Liverpool, fresh off the back of a midweek win in Milan, beating Inter 0-2. Let’s hope for a bit of Champions League hangover from the reds and try to finally put one over what has become a massive bogey team for us! Sorensen, Rupp and Krul look to be returning to light training this week but this game will likely come too soon for all of them. No sign of Idah or Omobamidele on Thursdays training video so they are likely to miss out as well. On the good news Ozan Kabak looked to be taking part in the full session and should be available. I think DS will go with a defensive 4-3-3/4-1-4-1 with the back four likely to remain the same (although Bryam might have a case in a more defensive game plan) and Rashica and Sargent flanking Pukki. The midfield 3 is where the question marks in terms of selection are, will DS continue to ease Normann back into action with a view to targeting a full come back in a more important game. McLean and Lees-Melou have performed better in recent games. Gilmour made his name in a coming of age performance for Chelsea in his first senior game against Liverpool, winning man of the match, let’s hope he can put that kind of performance in again! Positive vibes! ON THE BALL CITY!!!
I dropped Reading for my last run of games, so by superstition I'm consciously keeping them out of it
Adam Idah is out for the rest of the season! https://www.canaries.co.uk/content/team-news-liverpool-norwich-city
Full team news from the presser: Adam Idah has had knee (meniscus) surgery and is likely to miss the rest of the season Mathias Normann ready for a start after full week of training Behind-closed-doors friendly was played on Tuesday, Ozan Kabak played the full 90 minutes Lukas Rupp to be back in full training next week Tim Krul in light training, set for injection in shoulder and still weeks until back in full training Andrew Omobamidele to see a specialist about stress fracture in his back as hasn't managed full training yet Agree with Suffolk that it's likely to be a 4-3-3 formation, with Rashica and Sargent dropping back into a 4-5-1 nine man block when the ball is lost. My guess Gunn Aarons Hanley Gibson Williams Gilmour Normann McLean Sargent Pukki Rashica
Never thought id say this, but Lees-Melou ahead of McLean for me. McLean has incredible workrate, but he just misplaces so many passes in key areas. 1st goal vs Watford came from a misplaced pass from him and he played almost the exact same poor ball, from an easier position vs City. I love him for his endeavour, but feel Lees-Melou has improved a bit and uses the ball a bit better.. not that he is great or anything... just better.
Any chance of an emergency loan striker between now and end of the season? Feel we looked so much better with two up top.
Lawro's prediction: 3-0 As expected, Norwich's good little run was ended by Manchester City last week. Now they head for Anfield and it is obviously going to be another difficult day for them. Liverpool are going to be hard to stop because, even if Diogo Jota misses this game with the ankle injury he sustained against Inter Milan on Wednesday, they have got Roberto Firmino to come into their attack. Apart from Jota, everyone else is fit and Jurgen Klopp's side are ticking along nicely at the moment. Even if he rotates his team, they should win comfortably.
I've said this before, but we always seem so unlucky in the Prem. The first season under Farke, we had the injury crisis in our defence, with all of our centre backs injured. This season, as soon as we find something that works, like Idah alongside Pukki in a top two, or Sorensen in the defensive midfielder role, the relevant player gets injured. In theory I don't believe in being doomed to bad luck, but ...
We wouldn't get so unlucky if we had better quality in depth. We only have two strikers. Normann is our only truely PL quality centre midfielder. Rashica is our only decent winger. Etc etc Doesnt take much to take us from half decent to toothless
The only good thing I can think of is that at least Smith knows this before the two Liverpool games, so he can use those to experiment with various options because this seems to have blown his preferred system out of the water. Will we go back to a more possession-based game? Can we, given the players that we have? Could Aarons and/or Giannoulis play further forward, with Byram and Williams as the full backs, which would free up Sargent and/or Rashica for a more forward role? Will we try to utilise Tzolis? Could Kamara possibly play the role Idah was playing or is that way too early for him? Why are our Premier League seasons always so ****?
Yeah I was wondering about whether we should move Sargent up top alongside Pukki for future games and bring Placheta/Tzolis/Rowe in on the right wing. Tzolis or Rashica have both played up front as well so they could be options if we didn't want to lose Sargent's defensive ability.
Defensive ability? He left Aarons high n dry vs City! Didn't track back hard enough for the cross for the first goal either. Long way to go to be convinced he has much worth. Age on his side and i hope to be proved wrong. Seems a good, honest chap. Just not PL level... yet
After letting Sterling and Zaha score for Man City & Palace I would give Aarons a rest and play Byram instead. Now Idah is out injured do we have anyone in the U23's / U18's who could step up to the mark and take his place in the team?
I was up for trying to answer all of those questions until I came to the final one! Smith did say that he wouldn't play three strikers against the top teams so Idah missing hasn't been that much of a factor against ManCity or the next two against Liverpool. His preferred system is usually a 4-3-3 and with Normann back we could stick with that. I can't see us trying to play possession football against Liverpool so it depends on how much impact Normann can have replacing either McLean, Gilmour or Lees-Melou. Rupp should be back next week so that adds another option and Sørensen is getting nearer as well. I actually think our depth is much better than it ever has been in recent seasons, but it's a pity we didn't bring Hugill back as cover. Kamara could be on the bench for late substitutions as Pukki tires or Sargent could shift over and either Placheta or Tzolis come on at WR. At least Kabak and Zimmerman are fit again and we have two good options at both FB slots. At GK our depth would be very thin if we hadn't signed Gunn. As for the last question, I still have hope for this season, but it's a rather slender one.
