Somehow, City are playing on Boxing Day.
After 12 days of Covid mayhem with a cancelled trip to London in the middle, the Canaries return to the pitch against Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal, who travel up from the capital having had their own coronavirus-related issues in midweek.
With the expected returns of Christos Tzolis, Mathias Normann, Milot Rashica and Ozan Kabak from injury, City’s selection crisis appears to be easing a little, or enough to field a team at least.
While the break enforced by the postponement of a daunting visit to fifth-placed West Ham was frustrating – especially for those supporters who had purchased tickets and paid for non-refundable travel – what it has provided for Norwich officials and fans alike is a chance to reflect; an opportunity to put their abject defeat to Aston Villa into perspective.
A break can often provide optimism. Where negative momentum had once ruled now resides neutrality and a fresh start, a concept City are well aware of given the impact it made during Dean Smith’s first few games as a Yellow.
By contrast, the idea of a fresh start can also build something up to be embarrassingly knocked down, as was the case when Southampton’s 3-0 win at Carrow Road brought a swift end to hopes that Project Restart could give Daniel Farke’s Canaries the lift they needed to stay in the Premier League.
If Smith’s side are to make the most of this fresh start there’s one thing they need above all: goals. Fail to score on Sunday and they’ll have drawn four consecutive blanks in home games.
The task, however, will not be easy. If West Ham were daunting, the Gunners are silently excellent, and they’re now a place above their London rivals. Any viewers of Arsenal’s recent demolition of Leeds United will be aware of the ruthlessness with which they can attack a wounded animal, and while Marcelo Bielsa’s side were wounded by injuries, the Canaries are at least wounded by defeat.
If Arteta’s leadership was ever in question, the answer has been provided by how swiftly and competently he’s dealt with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang drama that could easily have spiralled amuck.
If the Spaniard expects an easy ride, however, he’s unlikely to get one from a side sent into battle by Smith and Craig Shakespeare. What was so startling about City’s humbling at the hands of the Villains was the ease with which they were outfought, the accommodation they provided.
Even in the short time Norwich fans have seen their side led by Smith they’ve come to expect work rate and desire as a minimum, and it’s no surprise that the first lapse came amid a crisis that left players tired and unwell having played three days earlier.
While the crisis was largely a negative, it allowed players who have so far been in the shadows a chance to step up, and there wasn’t a shortage of individuals who did.
After being excluded from Smith’s first matchday squad, Kabak produced comfortably his best display in a City shirt against Manchester United. Przemyslaw Placheta provided perhaps the only semblance of creativity in the Aston Villa defeat and Jacob Sorensen finally flourished in a central role, keeping Cristiano Ronaldo quieter than any other striker to step foot in NR1 this season.
At the forefront of the various selection decisions facing Smith is what he does with these players; whether he takes a risk and rewards their performances or goes with the trusted group who have been missed.
One player who has certainly been missed enough to walk back into the starting XI is the aforementioned Normann, whose creative presence has been conspicuous by its absence, even if his industry has been accounted for by an upturn in the form of both Lukas Rupp and Kenny McLean.
Also likely to be welcomed back into the fold is Rashica, whose injury came just as he was hitting top form. If the Kosovan can reproduce the performances he turned in against Southampton and Wolves, Takehiro Tomiyasu is in for a long afternoon.
In any case, it’ll be good to have City back at Carrow Road, in their first Boxing Day home match since drawing 3-3 with Nottingham Forest in 2018.
A Christmas cracker paralleling that magical comeback may not be in store, but if the Canaries can earn two more points than they did on that occasion, they might just make up for it.
Mathias Normann, has to have or undergone surgery, Milot Rashica another 2 weeks before return. Only 16 players in training, another round of test to be completed today, that number could get less.
I think these Christmas Fixtures should be either canceled or given a bigger break between. If these were to be canceled it would give more time for squads to recover. As it stands it could just carry on getting worse.
Three more positive Covid tests needed, then, bringing us down to 13 fit players, and even the EPL would have to accept that we need a postponement. Won’t happen,of course, we’ll only have two more, and end up with the bare minimum.
Last season they upped the number of usable subs to five because of Covid, so why not now? Then we’d be on the minimum already, so one more case or strain would do it.
Must admit, I don’t really fancy taking on Arsenal in their current form with only a scratch squad.
Timmy Krul has now tested positive, so two more to go, and then it’ll be an afternoon in front of the tele, wondering why they didn’t call all the games off.
Totally agreed Canarylad.
The words “integrity of the competition” ring hollow these days.
Leeds v Arsenal was a joke and I am doing Burnley for a home win v Everton who seemingly only have, according to Rafa, nine outfield players fit. And that includes Calvert-Lewin who hasn’t kicked a ball in months.
Also with this Omicron variant being so infectious is it really wise to have these mass gatherings ?
The words from the football authorities are “we cannot lose this money” so stuff supporters and stuff the NHS.
We all know that the SAGE advice to the government is not to do this but Boris has made Studio 54 ….. sorry No 10 Downing Street the party capital of the world in recent months so he now lacks authority and he knows it and that people won’t listen anymore.
I just hope there isn’t an unsustainable amount of hospitalizations for health workers to deal with in a fortnight or so.
Ah, Boxing Day at Carrow Road, 2003, I’ll never forget it. A truly memorable occasion and the best Christmas Present ever. After years of Championship mediocrity Worthington’s team were in with a real shout, Darren Huckerby had been awesome during a short loan and I will never forget being in the N & P when it was announced Hucks had actually signed, we had our talisman, one of the finest players ever to wear the yellow & Green, and City went on to romp the Championship by 8 points.
As for this season, I wont be there but Hucks still will be I imagine, he usually is. Arsenal are brilliant at present, as good as anyone I’d say but I’ve got a feeling City will be fresh and on it for 90 minutes. As for goals, as you say Samuel, it’s the one thing we need above all. If Milot Rashica can emulate Huckerby then we have a chance.
Seasons Greetings.
Hi Samuel,
You know, about that lack of goals … we have a young man in the U23’s, Tom Dickson-Peters, who has scored 13 goals this season. Why not put him in the spot next to Teemu and see if he can produce some magic for the first team? He’s probably known to Super-Pukki through training anyway.
He’s roughly the same age as Tzolis and one or two others in the squad, and who knows, cometh the hour cometh the man! I understand Dickson-Peters hasn’t stepped up to the first team as yet but beating Arsenal would be a pretty good starting point to Premiership safety.
It’s great to see almost the full squad available again, and we are not that far short give or take a Grant Hanley or three. If Normann is fit I relish the thought of seeing him play alongside Sorrensen and The Mayor, maybe a good midfield blend against the Gunners, strong enough to restrict their midfield.
We have plenty enough in Williams, Giannoulis and Max Aarons to trouble their wing areas along with Placheta or Rashica, and Gibson and Kabak are pretty solid at the back with Tim Krul.
Would be really good to see a victory!
Merry Xmas all,
COYYs !!
Kev, you need to keep up to date, mate! Far from a full squad available again, we’re down to 16 available for this game. Krul now has Covid again, Normann is out for an undefined period after an operation. You may get your wish to see what Dickson-Peters can do, and if it gets any worse, I may have to see if I can find my football boots, and I gave up playing at the age of 46, thirty years ago.
This game should be called off. It looks as if Palace v Spurs is now likely to be postponed, which means Palace will get an extra two days rest before our depleted outfit has to take them on.
Hi Jim,
You’re quite correct, I was working with out-of-date information, must do better here! Dubbin those boots, indeed!
Yes, it sounds pretty grim, and we shouldn’t be playing. I’m afraid the government is the only body which can countermand the EPL’s stance on these games They should instruct the EPL to tack an additional month onto the season.
Players and fans shouldn’t have their lives risked to suit Sky and the EPL.
Cheers Jim,
OTBC!