***Official Norwich v City Match Thread***

[Beefymcfc]

Just seen Dazby's Preview, put some ***s on it man. [urlnp=http://www.mancityfans.net/mcfnet/viewtopic.php?f=119&t=44857&view=unread#unread]Here's the link.[/urlnp]

[strike]Not seen any preview yet so thought I'd throw this in from the Beeb.[/strike]


TEAM NEWS

Norwich will again be without defender Steven Whittaker, who has not shaken off the hip injury that kept him out of the defeat by Chelsea.

Midfielder Andrew Surman is also unlikely to feature as he continues his recovery from a knee problem.

Manchester City could welcome back midfielder Samir Nasri from a hamstring problem, while defender Gael Clichy has recovered from injury.

Carlos Tevez is fit despite missing training with illness but Mario Balotelli is doubtful with a virus.

MATCH PREVIEW

Three wins in nine games. That's not much of a return for a side which may be the most expensive ever assembled in English football.

You cannot count Manchester City out of the Premier League title race after only half the season, but right now they look ill-equipped to catch Manchester United, and much more likely to be caught by Chelsea.

I wrote a couple of weeks ago that I felt City's summer signings had done nothing to improve their squad, and I stand by that.

Some of their remaining players of last season are not at the same level either; look at the goal tallies of the forward players. At this stage of last season, Sergio Aguero had 15 goals compared to eight this season, Edin Dzeko has seven compared with 13 last season, Mario Balotelli is on three compared to 11, David Silva one compared to six.

The only striker to have better figures than last season is Carlos Tevez, which is not difficult given that he was effectively on strike a year ago. The result is that City have scored an average of one goal fewer in each Premier League game this season compared to last.

Norwich felt the full force of Manchester City's striking prowess last season, losing 5-1 in Manchester and 6-1 at Carrow Road, and it's so long since City lost to the Canaries that Stuart Pearce was playing for them and the G Holt in the Norwich side was Gary not Grant.

Can Norwich undermine City's title defence still further? Manager Chris Hughton will only have had his resolve stiffened by the defeats to West Brom and Chelsea.

Logic suggests City will win, but logic suggested that Arsenal and Manchester United would, too, yet both lost when they visited East Anglia.

MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head

• Manchester City did the double over Norwich last season, winning 5-1 at home and 6-1 away. Carlos Tevez scored a hat-trick at Carrow Road while Sergio Aguero scored three over the two games.

• City have won three of the four Premier League meetings between the sides (W3, D1).

Norwich

• Norwich have won five of their last six home league matches. Only the two Manchester sides and West Brom have won more than five this season.

• After defeats to West Brom and Chelsea, the Canaries are in danger of losing three in a row for the second time this season. They lost consecutive matches to Liverpool, Newcastle and Chelsea in September-October.

• Norwich are three points better off than they were at this stage last season, although they are one place lower in the league (11th).

Manchester City

• On the last nine occasions that Manchester City have lost a Premier League match, they have bounced straight back with a win. They haven't lost two in a row in the league since October 2010, when beaten by Arsenal and Wolves.

• City have six points fewer than they did after 19 games last season - although they have lost the same number of games (two).

• In a league table based on December results, City would be 10th.

Edited to include Dazby's Super Dooper Preview.

[mr_nool]

Don't have a good feeling about this one. Norwich on the road is a very tough fixture. My onl hope is that they might try to play football, instead of just parking the bus.

[Moonchesteri]

We MUST get in front if we want to win today I. Go down and they'll fight like their lives depend on it and we'll struggle to break them down

[Green & Blue]

Norwich are playing some good football under Hughton and i think they will be difficult to beat today especially on their home patch.I was at the home game against them last season and it was just too comfortable, one of the most relaxing City games i have ever been to.

I think it all depends on our strikers.We are creating chances but none are being taken.The likes of Aguero and Tevez are too good for this to last and hopefully something will click for them today.

If we ever needed an early goal it's today.If we get that i think we will cruise.

[Beefymcfc]

On the Barclays site it's saying that Carlos is doubtful which may mean we'll see a different pairing today or even 1 up front.

Hopefully Clichy and Nasri will be back to give us more of a threat going forward with Zab's slipping back to the right. Barry and Yaya in the middle for me.

Norwich are playing well under Chris Hughton and Chelsea needed an excellent strike from Mata to win the game 1-0 last time out at Carrow Road. Norwich defended well but at the same time played some decent football going forward. It's not going to be easy I feel but I am confident of a result. What that'll be, God only knows.

[Douglas Higginbottom]

On the Barclays site it's saying that Carlos is doubtful which may mean we'll see a different pairing today or even 1 up front.

Hopefully Clichy and Nasri will be back to give us more of a threat going forward with Zab's slipping back to the right. Barry and Yaya in the middle for me.

Norwich are playing well under Chris Hughton and Chelsea needed an excellent strike from Mata to win the game 1-0 last time out at Carrow Road. Norwich defended well but at the same time played some decent football going forward. It's not going to be easy I feel but I am confident of a result. What that'll be, God only knows.

Carlos is bound to be doubtful if he has been ill in the last few days but it wasn't him who didn't take a full part in training it was Yaya. However I am sure Yaya will start. Bit early for me to mention the team Mancini started working with yesterday.

I will just be hoping today for us to play with a bit more zip,better movement and of course when we get the chances we finish well.

[Swales4ever]

Come on City. Early brace from Herman before tea break, please.

[Beefymcfc]

On the Barclays site it's saying that Carlos is doubtful which may mean we'll see a different pairing today or even 1 up front.

Hopefully Clichy and Nasri will be back to give us more of a threat going forward with Zab's slipping back to the right. Barry and Yaya in the middle for me.

Norwich are playing well under Chris Hughton and Chelsea needed an excellent strike from Mata to win the game 1-0 last time out at Carrow Road. Norwich defended well but at the same time played some decent football going forward. It's not going to be easy I feel but I am confident of a result. What that'll be, God only knows.

Carlos is bound to be doubtful if he has been ill in the last few days but it wasn't him who didn't take a full part in training it was Yaya. However I am sure Yaya will start. Bit early for me to mention the team Mancini started working with yesterday.

I will just be hoping today for us to play with a bit more zip,better movement and of course when we get the chances we finish well.

Cheers Doug. I wonder if Mancini was just giving Yaya a rest as I still don't think he can handle this amount of games in such a short period. Definately hope he plays but don't want everything going through him.

Do you reckon we could see the return of Nasri?

[Ted Hughes]

If we get an early goal we'll kill them.

Otherwise, they will probably score from a corner or free kick or dodgy pen & we will probably struggle.

[Peter Doherty (AGAIG)]

We need to score first and score early, otherwise it could be a long afternoon....

[PeterParker]

A bit worried about this. Hughton is better than Lambert. If we will win this, it will be after a hard game where we have to put a performance.

[Douglas Higginbottom]

On the Barclays site it's saying that Carlos is doubtful which may mean we'll see a different pairing today or even 1 up front.

Hopefully Clichy and Nasri will be back to give us more of a threat going forward with Zab's slipping back to the right. Barry and Yaya in the middle for me.

Norwich are playing well under Chris Hughton and Chelsea needed an excellent strike from Mata to win the game 1-0 last time out at Carrow Road. Norwich defended well but at the same time played some decent football going forward. It's not going to be easy I feel but I am confident of a result. What that'll be, God only knows.

Carlos is bound to be doubtful if he has been ill in the last few days but it wasn't him who didn't take a full part in training it was Yaya. However I am sure Yaya will start. Bit early for me to mention the team Mancini started working with yesterday.

I will just be hoping today for us to play with a bit more zip,better movement and of course when we get the chances we finish well.

Cheers Doug. I wonder if Mancini was just giving Yaya a rest as I still don't think he can handle this amount of games in such a short period. Definately hope he plays but don't want everything going through him.

Do you reckon we could see the return of Nasri?

Gut feeling is that Nasri will start on the bench based on what I saw yesterday.

It just looked like Yaya has a very minor problem,not stamina related and they were just being careful.Hopefully he will play a much more advanced role and score.

[Beefymcfc]

On the Barclays site it's saying that Carlos is doubtful which may mean we'll see a different pairing today or even 1 up front.

Hopefully Clichy and Nasri will be back to give us more of a threat going forward with Zab's slipping back to the right. Barry and Yaya in the middle for me.

Norwich are playing well under Chris Hughton and Chelsea needed an excellent strike from Mata to win the game 1-0 last time out at Carrow Road. Norwich defended well but at the same time played some decent football going forward. It's not going to be easy I feel but I am confident of a result. What that'll be, God only knows.

Carlos is bound to be doubtful if he has been ill in the last few days but it wasn't him who didn't take a full part in training it was Yaya. However I am sure Yaya will start. Bit early for me to mention the team Mancini started working with yesterday.

I will just be hoping today for us to play with a bit more zip,better movement and of course when we get the chances we finish well.

Cheers Doug. I wonder if Mancini was just giving Yaya a rest as I still don't think he can handle this amount of games in such a short period. Definately hope he plays but don't want everything going through him.

Do you reckon we could see the return of Nasri?

Gut feeling is that Nasri will start on the bench based on what I saw yesterday.

It just looked like Yaya has a very minor problem,not stamina related and they were just being careful.Hopefully he will play a much more advanced role and score.

Get ya. Let's see how it pans out.

[Mark Garrett]

A repeat of last season's win at Carrow Road would be very welcome. We have to start converting our chances like United have done, if we don't then we'll have difficulties. I'm not confident about today, think it'll be a draw.

[gillie]

Anyone got any rivers flowing for today's game?

[Swales4ever]

Anyone got any rivers flowing for today's game?

here, Gillie:
http://shadygiz.blogspot.co.uk/

check wizwig sopcast links, first

[Cocacolajojo1]

I predict panic if we draw or lose and a lot of complaints on individual players and tactics if we win.

In other words, we can't win.

[Douglas Higginbottom]

Anyone fancy a back 3 today?

[Dameerto]

Anyone fancy a back 3 today?

I'd prefer a back three with wingbacks to a back four with a standin fullback plus an out of position fullback.

[Swales4ever]

Anyone fancy a back 3 today?

never safe to bet with You on team selection, but I wish not.
well, depending on FBs availability, cause imo not having a riding RB was one of the reason which lead to fail at Sunderland