City boss Glenn Roeder faces a testing 48 hours – waiting for the results of two, key scans today before bumping into some anxious Canary shareholders at the club's annual general meeting tomorrow night.
He also has a big decision to make as to whether or not to ask his old pal Harry Redknapp as to whether he could have Troy Archibald-Henville back again after the 20-year-old Spurs Reserve skipper was farmed back again to White Hart Lane where, in Roeder's words, he could get a better class of reserve game.
First on the agenda, however, will be the medical updates on Dejan Stefanovic and Antoine Sibierski. Both departed before the break on Saturday; in Stefanovic's case on a stretcher.
Couple their exit with the three-match ban awaiting skipper Darel Russell following his latest costly rush of blood to the head, and the average height of Norwich City's Class of 08-09 just shrunk by two or three inches. Not particularly big or clever in a league as physically-demanding as the Championship.
“We don't know yet,” was the manager's immediate verdict when quizzed as to the pair's health.
“And the same with Sibierski. We'll have a look at them tomorrow (Sunday) and then both of them need to be scanned on Monday. And once we've had them scanned, we can make an accurate assessment.
“So to say what it might be – and might not be – tonight would be a waste of time because we don't know yet.”
What we do know in Stefanovic's case is that he very swiftly summoned the physio on after falling awkwardly in the centre circle; he, in turn, wasted little time in summoning a stretcher and strapping a splint to the 34-year-old's leg. None of which exactly bodes well.
Sibierski at least managed to hobble off unaided; his looked knee; Stefanovic's ankle.
With Gary Doherty stepping ably into the breach, the Canaries do – for now – have two, fit centre-halves. What they do as and when John Kennedy returns north of the border in January is one, big moot point. What they do if either Kennedy or Doherty pick up any knock between now and this weekend's home clash with Swansea City quite another as Elliot Omosuzi continues to gingerly return from that strained hamstring.
Hence Roeder could be found pondering long and hard about whether or not to ask for Archibald-Henville back after already suggesting this autumn that he was too “raw” to make the step up. Needs must, after Jonathan Grounds' loan spell ended early.
Given that the Boro' defender was on the bench in yesterday's 2-1 win at Aston Villa, it would come as something of a surprise to see Gareth Southgate letting him come out to play again.
“Elliot's hamstring is at a level where he will be fit again next week,” said Roeder, giving him one more option for the crucial Swans game.
“We could have risked him today – and it would have been a big risk – but there wasn't any need to risk him because Otsemobor, when he's played this year, has played well.”
It's whether or not Roeder gives himself another option in Archibald-Henville that was giving the Canary boss pause for thought.
“He's been back for a few weeks now,” Roeder revealed. “He's still out player – but it made perfect sense to me given the level of reserve team football he's playing.
“He's still our loan player until the first of January. But the level of football he was getting here, we couldn't match what he was getting at Tottenham. For instance, when he went back he played against Middlesbrough and then he travelled on and played Celtic Reserves.
“And I think that week we were playing Southend Reserves. It made perfect sense to me for him to play at the highest possible standard – until you're needed. If you're needed.”
Is he needed? “I'll give that some thought over the weekend because Elliot has proved a very good central defender and has got an awful lot more experience than Troy.”
Roeder will also hear for certain whether or not Russell's ban will be for one or three matches. The word was three.
“I'm being told it'll be for three,” said the City chief, well aware of the Canary midfielder's 'previous' last season when Paul Taylor's red card at Coventry City helped to spark a five-match ban following that earlier red in the shambles that was Leicester City (a).
“For someone who's got so much experience, he should have known better. And he's very dejected – to say the least.”
The one silver lining was the performance of David Bell.
“David Bell is a quality player – and I think our fans can see that,” said Roeder, delighted to the manner in which the one-time Luton winger delivers the ball into the danger ares.
“He missed all pre-season and has been playing catch-up in terms of fitness – and I think he did remarkably well to last the whole game. But I'm sure that over the next few years David Bell can look forward to having a really good career here at Norwich and I'm really pleased for him and his contribution since he's been here.”
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