Alright, I can save us all a lot of time on this one.
If Mr Gowers would be so kind as to
<INSERT LINK HERE>
you can see my Cardiff preview from when we played the home fixture less than a month ago.
You’re welcome. [nice try, Andy – Ed]
What you want more?… Jeez…
***
Okay, well to recap on last time, coming into the match at Carrow Road, Cardiff were in phenomenal form, having won five out of six previous matches. My preview managed to put the wind up a fair few readers about the task that awaited us on that cold December afternoon.
What actually happened was that Norwich outplayed them with relative ease and with top scorer Kieffer Moore out, Cardiff’s only method of threatening was when Big Sean Morrison™ lumbered up to cause problems from free kicks.
Since then, Cardiff have been poor, with a 3-2 home defeat to Brentford on Boxing Day followed by a 2-1 loss away at Wycombe, and then a 1-0 loss away at Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup last week.
Personnel wise, Harris has been mooting a potential return from injury for Moore on Saturday, which would not be good news as they appear relatively toothless without him. On the plus side though, Morrison is out injured, which is possibly even more important to Cardiff than a half-fit Moore trying to get a few minutes under his belt after more than a month out.
Equally out of the equation will be Aden Flint, who is still recovering from the injury he picked up on loan at Sheffield Wednesday in the first half of the season, and Sol Bamba, who has just been diagnosed with non-Hodgkins lymphoma and is undergoing chemotherapy. We obviously wish him all the best in his recovery.
With three massive centre backs unavailable, that has left a gaping hole at the heart of the Cardiff defence. Against Forest, left back Joe Bennett had to move inside to play with regular Curtis Nelson, while 19 year old Joel Bagan made only his second ever appearance at left-back.
Loanee right back Jordi Osei-Tutu and experienced left back Greg Cunningham are both, like Moore, potential returners to Neil Harris’s squad if they can return to training this week, but the centre-back area will remain an issue, and an area that Norwich will look to exploit.
One other area that is questionable is in goal, where the experienced Alex Smithies was replaced by youngster Dylan Phillips against Forest. Whether that was because it was the cup and Harris wanted to give him some minutes, or whether it was as a straightforward promotion to the starting line-up remains unclear at this point.
Cardiff will probably line up in a 4-2-3-1 as they did at Carrow Road and my guesstimate at the line up would be:
Smithies
Bacuna – Nelson – Bennett – Cunningham
Pack – Vaulks
Wilson – Ralls – Murphy
Glatzel
With the just-returning from injury Cunningham or the inexperienced Bagan at left back I would have Max Aarons overlapping for days down that right hand side, especially if the (and let’s be kind) “defensively-flawed” Josh Murphy is on the left wing as he was last week. Max and Emi could have great fun there.
You would also expect the movement of Teemu to cause Nelson and Bennett a lot of problems, especially with the former struggling at Carrow Road against City’s one-touch passing and Bennett playing out of position.
Even if Moore does somehow drag himself back into the starting line up in place of the “lightweight for a big man” Glatzel, he will be the only target for Wilson’s set-pieces without Morrison’s heft. They will also (possibly) be trying to outjump and outmuscle Tim Krul which will prove a far sturdier challenge than against the less aerially-competitive McGovern as they did before. If Daniel Barden is in goal, it will be a test for the youngster.
Overall, for all the foreboding that I had for the previous game at Carrow Road, I’m actually twice as confident for the away game. There are a number of reasons why we should have the advantage this time around, and Neil Harris is under increasing pressure after four defeats on the spin.
Let’s hope we add to that tomorrow.
***
[Okay, go on then. Andy’s preview for the home game is here – Ed]
Good preview. If your information and suggested line up is correct then the aerial bombardment may not be coming. I am sure that Harris will have an alternative plan. Let’s hope Farke and Co can impose themselves and our style on the game. We should be able to put out a strong starting eleven with a strong bench, hopefully too strong for Cardiff.
OTBC
As s Cardiff fan of 65 years, I expect your stylish Norwich City team to totally outplay a very poor Cardiff team who are bereft of any quality.
Cardiff constantly give away silly goals. I would expect Norwich to score at least three goals unless they score a couple and close shop. Cardiff haven’t the skill to break them down. I think there’ll be a quick return to the Premier League for the canaries but as for my team, well what can you say?
Thanks for commenting, Rob.
Keep smiling, mate. While things have ticked along nicely, we’re more than capable of a cock-up when we least expect it, so I certainly wouldn’t write off the Blubirds chances of what you’d see as an upset.
There’s this phrase ‘along come Norwich…’ which has offered comfort aplenty to opponents over the years!
Good luck for the rest of the season.
Hi Rob – we always love to hear from oppo fans on MFW – even Ipswich [sometimes]!
If – and with us it’s always an if – we do score a couple early doors we will largely shut up shop as we’re not the gung ho side we were two seasons ago. Any breakaways available though and we’ll do our best to take advantage.
I’ve a lot of time for Neil Harris and all this *two games to save his job* stuff on some of your local media is a bit depressing although I understand his brand of football isn’t the easiest on the eye and might not appeal to some of your supporters.
You’re very complimentary about Ncfc! I Hope your take on the game bares fruit!Ncfc have only scored 3 once this season, so that WOULD be a bonus😊
Morning *Optimistic Andy*
Harris said in the week that he would be gutted if Moore wasn’t back for this one – and the Southwalian paper I read reckons the Mighty Morrison is not definitely out at this stage.
I guess we’ll find out at this afternoon’s Cardiff press conference – notice the non-use of the word *Presser* there as I’m Old Skool in many ways.
Great intro and outro btw 🙂
Hi all you Norwich fiends, I have been a Cardiff supporter for over 50 years and up to 10 years ago enjoyed watching the swashbuckling and entertaining Cardiff city sides.
Unfortunately since then we have played such boring football and only occasionally have we showed any sign of allowing me to leave the game and say I’ve enjoyed that.
Someday we will get it right because the two seasons in the premiership gave me nothing but pain.
I am saying all this because I admire your teams football and do hope you get promoted as you play the correct way.
That said please be aware, when Cardiff have all the chips against them then they are a wounded animal and you only need one of the better Cardiff performances and unless you are on your game things happen what you least expect.
Good luck anyway but not against my team
Neil Harris sets up his team the way he played with a no nonsense approach.
If as some paper are saying he has 2 games to save his job then that has to be leaked from the club and it could also be from a statement made Earlier on the season when the CEO said come January he expected to be in the playoff position if not the top 2, they still have plenty to achieve the playoffs.
I will go for a 2-0 win for Norwich City
Having just read the notes from Mr Farke’s press conference I’ll be quite happy with one point from tomorrow!!
O T B C