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Monday, September 17, 2007

Preview - Norwich (home)

After 5 fizzy pop games against teams that we usually lose to, on Tuesday we at last play a team that we always beat. There's only a handful of teams that we've played more times than Norwich City and the score at the moment stands at an easy looking 30-20 with 16 draws.
So where are they in the table at the moment? 13th spot with 7 points but only 1 goal from their two away games at Preston 0-0 on the opening day and they then lost 2-1 at Hull - Hulls only win in three home games. They also struggled to get a 1-1 draw at Tier Four team Rochdale in the League Cup 2nd round, going through on penalties.
They've got a few old favorites including 38 year old Dion Dublin, back where he started playing after playing at 8 other clubs and still wearing his favorite number 9 but now at centre-half ( sorry, 60's terminology) and apparently enjoying his last ever season. In similar vein, and beside Dublin in central defence is ex-Spurs man Gary Doherty who used to play striker for Republic of Ireland. So Reidie'll know all about him. Another player back where he started - must be Delia's cooking that brings 'em back - is midfielder from Mile End Darel Russell, their biggest signing, from Stoke during the summer for £410k.
Then there's the wandering Darren Huckerby somewhere in midfield and now also with his eighth club. And they've also given a home to Luke Chadwick, apparently the ugliest footballers around, now on on his 7th club. That's him over on the left wearing number 11.
And then there's Chris Iwelumo's old mate from Colchester Jamie Cureton in attack and last season fizzy pop top goalscorer if I remember right.
Of the Addicks, Iwelumo and Todorov limped off injured on Saturday so its possible that with Pardews' favoured 4-4-2 we may see Varney and McLeod start the game.
And it'll be no surprise to anyone to see changes made in defence. Step forward Sammy Sodje and guessing wildly Magic Bougherra. Full-backs will be the same in Mills and Chrissie Powell so with Weaver in goal that just leaves the midfield.
With, surprisingly, Darren Ambrose as the only player apart from Weaver who has played every minute of our 5 games, it's a cert that he'll start. Semedo will fill in at the back so that just leaves 2 places left.
Any two from Reid, ZiZi or Thomas would seem to be the choice and as it's inconceivable that Reid will sit on the bench it would seem to be who Pardew needs most. The buzzy ZiZi or the wing-wonder Thomas.
And a prediction? A clean sheet and a boring routine 2-0 home win to get us to 11 points.

1 comment:

Hilltothevalley said...

My money is on 8-7, with us 7 down with five minutes to go.