Mark (No Clue) Lawrenson's Premier League Prediction is Villa 1, Norwich 1. His guest Michael Vaughan and Natalie Lowe go for 3-1 & 1-2 respectively. Looks like Australian professional dancer Natalie Lowe knows her football. Good on ya sport.
Well, they also now have a table at the bottom of Lawro's prediction as to what would be the case if his predictions come true - and we would be last. But to be honest, I think Aston Villa are going to beat us, I hope I am wrong but looking at what happened to Colchester when Lambert returned there and the fact that Villa must be really looking to respond by now.
I think a draw is a sensible guess, both teams are finding their feet this season and it's not going to be a classic encounter I wouldn't imagine. If I were a betting man I'd probably go for a 1-1 myself
DM -That works both ways though.The pressure is definitely going to be on them - because as the great Lawro observes a draw is a far better result for us than it is for them.For us to lose would be a disappointment but for Villa I think it would be a disaster.I'm glad it's away because the need to beat the teams around you is just so much more for the home side.IMO this is the most important game of their season so far.
i think lawro is slowly warming to us, after writing us off in the early part of the season, he has wrote some sensible things in the last couple of weeks (albeit he got the wrong prediction last weekend). i'd take a point at villa
A point would be grand: but how sweet would it be to win. There has been a lot written about how Lambert got the best out of Norwich in highly charged games, but there is one big difference, all the players wanted to prove something: With Villa players, I less convinced that his motivational strategies are as effective
a point would be fine, that was what i feel we'll get. 0-0 for me, but the pressure is definitely on the hosts rather than us. i don't buy into the 'look what he did to colchester'... did you see the gulf in class between the teams that day? there won't be a gulf in class between villa and city. i think on paper we're slightly stronger but as we all know, football is not played on paper. i feel if we can get in front early on their fans will turn against them and we will win, an early goal for villa could see them rack up two or three and win comfortably. my guess is neither will score!
Agree Super. There is no great parallel to be drawn to be drawn between this game and Colchester away. Those 5 goals were scored by Norwich players who were looking for revenge against a team who had humiliated them in the home game. You only have to look at Chrissy Martin's face after the two goals that broke them, to see that. And Colchester had a pretty ordinary manager. This time round, I suspect that there is no great sense of injustice or grudge on the part of our players; but they will probably want to prove to everyone that they are more than just Lambert's creation. And we have a very good manager who knows what he's doing; and who, if you like, has pretty good form in the most fierce of all Derbies, (Toon 5 Mackem 1 anybody?)
i think a big factor under the nothing to prove banner, is what 4 of the starters from last week (assuming the same XI) are Houghton acquisitions, not Lambert. that's nearly half the team
not sure about grudge, but if anything, you'd have to argue that this match means more (in terms of something other than three points) to the norwich players than the villa players, hence why i think the 'lambert effect' is more likely to run in our favour than theirs. of course, lambert knows all, well, most of our current players but they aren't set up the same way he did. this will be as close to a derby match as we'll be getting this season - villa won't see it that way but our fans and players may well do. happy birthday by the way for tomorrow
There's gotta be a little extra motivation for our team what with all the crap around Holts contract extension, squad potential, ambition level (implied) criticism surrounding the Lambo departure. My biggest concern is that I don't feel we can approach the game like the last game, where are tight defensive formation snuffed out anything the Arse had to offer. From what I've heard Villa have set up to be quite tight at the back (or defensive) in games this season - not really anything like a Lambert type Norwich team. Villa have created few chances and struggled to score goals. As a result, Norwich will likely have more of the possession, and will get drawn out of our formation should we go looking for a goal. Could be a very cagey game. As mentioned on an earlier thread we need to have the option for some extra creativity if we really want to gain the 3 points.
I reckon that we will see a remarkably similar line-up tomorrow to last week. I would be amazed cif Tietty and Johnson did not start and do exactly the same sort of job. whether it will prove necessary as Villa are not exactly the creative force that Arsenal are remains to be seen. I think that the Lambert effect should work in our favour - some of our players will have a point to prove and no doubt will want to get one over on their old manager. For the villa players it is a game against llttle old Norwich - meaningless. Both Lambert and the Villa players must be starting to feel the pressure and if we do roll them over they will be in a fair bit of trouble. Lets hope we do and holty keeps up his run.
i see no reason to change things. if we were at home maybe, but away from home we need to remain tight.
Same team for me. Can't see the point in changing a winning team. If we can out think/play Gooners,why should we worry about Villa.
Same team please, thier manager is an irrelevance ignore him I'm sure he wants the Norwich fans to give him grief don't feed him
