please log in to view this image Round 26 please log in to view this image please log in to view this image Norwich City 3 - 2 Cardiff City FT 90+6 HT 0 - 0Attendance: 25,995 Date: Saturday 17th January 2015 Venue: Carrow Road Kick-Off: 3:00PM KIO's not606 Match Preview Saturday sees the Canaries take on the Bluebirds at Carrow Road in Round 26 of the Sky Bet Championship season. Both sides go into this match on the back of morale boosting wins against Bournemouth and Fulham respectively. After Jonny Howson had been controversially shown red after 64 minutes at Dean Court against the Cherries, Norwich rallied and ten minutes from time Cameron Jerome popped up with a stunning strike to secure all three points for the visitors. It was the sending off that prompted new Norwich boss Alex Neil to leave his watching brief in the stands and join coaches Micky Phelan and Gary Holt on the touchline, where he inspired his new City charges to an unlikely but well deserved victory against all the odds. please log in to view this image New Canaries boss Alex Neil Meanwhile Cardiff once more resplendent in their traditional colours of blue and white saw off lowly Fulham at the Cardiff City Stadium, Sean Morrison's headed goal from Aron Gunnarsson's long throw in the 14th minute enough to consign the Cottagers to their third consecutive league defeat. The Bluebirds will be keen to avenge the 4-2 home defeat suffered at the hands of the Canaries earlier this season where they let a two goal lead slip as the visitors ran riot in the second half. Team News Norwich City: Jonny Howson starts his three-match suspension after being sent off in the win at Bournemouth. Former Bluebird loanee Gary O’Neil looks set to come into midfield. On the injury front, Carlos Cuellar could return having recovered from his calf injury, Elliott Bennett has a hamstring problem whilst Vadis Ofoe, who signed last summer is still absent with knee ligament trouble. Alex Neil previews Saturdays game Cardiff City: David Marshall looks unlikely to start against his former club with an ankle problem with Simon Moore set to deputise again in goal. Federico Macheda has a hamstring injury and looks very doubtful whilst Anthony Pilkington will also miss out on facing the club he joined Cardiff from with a hamstring injury of his own, set to keep him out of action until next month. Striker Kenwyne Jones is carrying a knock with new signing Alex Revell on stand-by. please log in to view this image Ex Canary Anthony Pilkington misses out through injury Current Form (All Competitions) Norwich City: DWLLW In their last 20 home games, 17 of the 34 goals scored by Norwich have come from forwards, 14 from midfielders and 3 from defenders. In their last 20 home games, 7 of the 21 goals conceded by Norwich have come from forwards, 10 from midfielders and 4 from defenders. In their last 20 home games, 85% of the 34 goals scored by Norwich have come in open play, whilst 15% have come from set-pieces. Cardiff City: LDLWW In their last 20 away games, 5 of the 15 goals scored by Cardiff have come from forwards, 5 from midfielders and 5 from defenders. In their last 20 away games, 13 of the 35 goals conceded by Cardiff have come from forwards, 15 from midfielders and 6 from defenders. In their last 20 away games, 87% of the 15 goals scored by Cardiff have come in open play, whilst 13% have come from set-pieces. Match History There have been 47 competitive matches between Norwich City and Cardiff City, the first one being a League Division Three (South) fixture at The Nest in 1931 where the Canaries ran out 2-0 winners, they beat the Bluebirds by the same scoreline in the return fixture that season at Ninian Park. Historically Norwich have had the upper hand with 25 victories to Cardiff's 14, there have been 8 drawn games. Norwich also have a pretty good away record at Cardiff in 23 encounters they have won 8 and drawn 3. Cardiff on the other hand have a pretty poor record at the home of the Canaries where they have only managed to win twice. Norwich's biggest margin of victory over the Bluebirds was at Carrow Road on 14th December 1963 in League Division Two where they beat them by 5 goals to 1. Cardiff's best result was a 6-1 thrashing of the Canaries at Ninian Park on 28th December 1946 in League Division Three (South). Highest Norwich City score: Norwich City 5 Cardiff City 1 Highest Cardiff City score: Cardiff City 6 Norwich City 1 Highest aggregate: (7) Cardiff City 6 Norwich City 1 They played for both clubs: There have been several players to cross the English, Welsh divide arguably the most famous of which was Welshman Craig Bellamy. Bellamy began his footballing career at Bristol Rovers as a nine-year old before being snapped up by Norwich where he progressed through their youth system to the first team. He made 84 appearances for the Canaries in four seasons scoring 32 times before joining Coventry City in August 2000, the Sky Blues smashing their transfer fee record when they paid Norwich £6 million for his services. In a colourful career spanning 9 clubs (if you include Bristol Rovers and a loan spell at Celtic), he finally realised his boyhood dream when Cardiff City became his 10th and final club. please log in to view this image A young Craig Bellamy in his Norwich playing days Prolific goalscorer Robert Earnshaw also plied his trade with both clubs, in two spells with the Bluebirds 'Earnie' scored 89 times in 202 appearances and netted 27 times in just 45 games for the Canaries. Now in the twilight of his career he currently plays in the MLS for Chicago Fire. Others who have pulled on both the canary yellow and blue jerseys are, Steve Grapes, Mark Walton, Tony Warner, Peter Thorne, Keith Robson, Spencer Prior, Phil Mulryne, Andy Marshall, Doug Livermore, Alan Lee, Simon Lappin, Ross Jack, Roger Hansbury, Mark Farrington, Kevin Cooper, Leon Barnett, Joe Lewis, David Marshall, Tom Adeyemi and most recently Anthony Pilkington and Cameron Jerome. Other club connections: Barry Simmonds who is Norwich's Head of Scouting previously worked for Cardiff as did current Norwich scout Alan Durban. Former Canary captain and caretaker manager Ian Butterworth was also assistant manager at both clubs and of course former Norwich City playing legend Malky MacKay managed Cardiff City. TEAM LINE UPS: please log in to view this image Norwich City Subs Rudd (GK), Whittaker, Grabban, Hooiveld, Hoolahan, Murphy, McGrandles. Cardiff City Moore, Brayford, Malone, Morrison, Turner, Whittingham, Adeyemi, Gunnarsson, Noone, Le Fondre, Revell. Cardiff City Subs Wilson, Fabio, John, Connolly, Ralls, Harris, Macheda. Listen to full match commentary on BBC Radio Norfolk 95.1 & 104.4FM, 855Mhz and DAB Digital Radio with Chris Goreham please log in to view this image and guest match summariser Greg Downs please log in to view this image OTBC ...... and don't forget to tune into 'Canary Call' post match !
Mate that is awesome, do you write these all by yourself? Dare I say if the professionals at the BBC did something like this (with the multimedia that comes with it) I might bother reading one of their previews one day!
Enjoy doing it mate although it can take quite a while to put together I reckon we'll win by a 2 goal margin tomorrow
I'm expecting pretty near a 'full house' at Carrow Road and hopefully the fans will be fully behind the team right from kick off. I'm predicting a 3-1 win!!
Without wanting to enter hyperbolic territory, tomorrow's game is massive. If this appointment is wrong, then we'll have thrown away our best chances of promotion, as i doubt it would be rectified in time for a push for the autos next season. We need the players to want to run through walls for this chap, and his tactics to make sense. I won't call it a "must win" as football is a funny game and Neil is still finding his feet, but we need some very encouraging signs at the least.
Let's give the guy a chance huh? I know we're not renowned for it, but still... You still moderating on that '262' site Mikey? Must be quite a task keeping those two contributors in check.
As usual, an absolutely brilliant job KIO. I completely agree that it puts the pathetic efforts of our press to shame. Where's all the editor stuff when you post on this site? I can't even do italics anymore!
I'm confused, I shouldn't have responded lol ... ..and the final ignominy, I typed 'lol'. There is no way back from this, adieu mes amis.
Mick gave KIO the advanced editor package I went cap in hand to the site boss on K I O's behalf because his threads are the best on the entire site .
Not sure we need one of KIO's thread to ensure a home win today. The Cardiff record at FCR is just appalling and there is no reason to think that anything other than a comfortable home win is on the cards
Aye - I'd have to agree with that - no reason at all why we should expect anything from this one. Still, as JG used to say - it's a funny old game.
Without actually knowing anything for certain Sparks, I would imagine today is one of the worst possible days to play us. With the atmosphere that is going to be generated following the arrival of the new boss and last weeks win, the noise could be quite frightening for some players in red (or whatever you play in this week)
Does Vincent Tan get to many away games?. The only man in Football to wear his replica shirt with a suit and tie.
