Match Day Thread NORWICH CITY V WBA, Sat 20th January ko 15.00hrs

As HMQC is still unavailable, due to holiday, here is the MDT
More content to follow.

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Match Previews

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After securing their place in the fourth round of the FA Cup, Norwich City return to Sky Bet Championship action on Saturday.

West Bromwich Albion will be the visitors to Carrow Road for this 3pm kick-off, just three weeks after the sides last met.

City progressed in the FA Cup in midweek with a 3-1 win against Bristol Rovers in their third round replay.

The Opposition

Since beating Norwich 1-0 at The Hawthorns on Boxing Day, West Brom have added six points from a possible nine in the league and booked their place in the next round of the cup.

A 1-0 victory over Leeds United was followed by a defeat to Swansea on the same scoreline, before they enjoyed consecutive 4-1 wins against Aldershot Town (FA Cup) and Blackburn Rovers.

The Baggies are now fifth in the league, five points clear of sixth-placed Coventry.

One to Watch
John Swift

Although it was Brandon Thomas-Asante who scored the winning goal on Boxing Day, the majority of West Brom's positive play came through the feet of John Swift.

Playing just behind the striker, Swift tested Angus Gunn on numerous occasions in the first half as well as finding the post with a volley. He has six league goals already this season.

 

For once the injury situation favours us, as they have two players injured and two away at the Africa Cup, both of whom played against us in the previous game. Here's the WhoScored Preview:

 

I believe DW confirmed we will be without both Batth and Hanley for this one, a decision to be made on Dimi as he has had a tight hamstring. Add to that the recent loss of Hwang and soon to be Forshaw, we could arguably be down 4 or 5 players for this one

 

Fair point, but Hwang had a six week injury when he left and we still have three strikers available. Forshaw wouldn't have left if it was going to cause a problem, but with Sørensen back Forshaw was unlikely to make the bench and Sørensen also offers cover at LB if needed. At last we have sufficient cover at CB that having two missing shouldn't cause problems. So yes, you could say we're down five players but in reality it's only three if Giannoulis is ruled out and of those three, only two would be likely to make the bench. Having said that though, it would be nice if Knapper fills the two vacancies any time soon.

 

McLean in preference to Gibson at LCB? That would fit the idea that McLean's deployment there is simply to free a place for one of our younger assets to play, i.e. Núñez. By the same token, the odds would have to be seen as long on Fassnacht starting ahead of Sainz. Who was it said assets don't gain value sitting on the bench?

 

I wonder if we might start to see Gibson back at CB, McLean move back to midfield alongside Nunez and Sara pushed up to the 10 behind Sargent.

 

Sorensen played CB Wednesday alongside Gibson after Batth came off & did a pretty decent job

 

Sorensen always " does a pretty decent job" but unfortunately he usually gets injured after a few games, and realistically none of us know just how good he will turn out to be. Most of us, from posts on here, are fairly hopeful about his quality. Well, I am for one. Just hope he stays injury free long enough to flourish.

 

Yes, that would just involve swapping one depreciating asset for another, i.e. Gibson for Barnes. Whether letting Kenny loose in midfield in return for letting Sara loose at 10 improves us in or out of possession would likely be tested this afternoon.

 

He's still young & inexpensive enough to have about, I would prefer to hang on to him

 

I think dropping Nunez is a mistake, Barnes would have been the better one to leave out

 

McCallum might consider himself unlucky not to start. He has been a threat in attack

 

http://www.fawanews.com/Norwich City vs West Bromwich Albion --- CH 1.html

 

http://www.fawanews.com/

 

Absolutely. McCallum should be playing too IMO.

 

yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh Sargent!

 

1-0 Sargent

 

Yeeeeessss
The Sarg puts it away.

 

Sarge was upset a few minutes ago because Barnes didn't pass to him.