Match Preview – Leeds United v Norwich City
October 19, 2009 in Match Preview, Norwich City FC by Nelson's Revenge
After their 9 day break from league football, Paul Lambert’s side travel to Elland Road to take on Leeds United side this evening, in a match that is being televised live on SKY.
That alone should have City supporters viewing this evenings fixture with a certain amount of caution, but tie that in with City’s normal record after returning from an international break and you could be forgiven for feeling a certain amount of trepidation at this evenings outcome.
Simon Grayson’s side, although depleted through injury, have not lost at home since January and although they lost their top spot at the weekend to Charlton after beating Huddersfield 2-1, will no doubt be looking for a swift return.
City boss Paul Lambert rates this evening’s televised clash as one of the biggest games of the season, and even with Leeds impressive home record , he believes his own team’s unbeaten run means they having nothing to fear.
Lambert is likely to keep Forster in goal, with Doherty and Askou in the centre of defence, Drury on the left with Jon Otsemobor, returning after injury, at right back. In midfield I would expect Hughes to start along with Russell, Hoolahan and Smith, whilst up front I can’t see there being any changes to the Holt and Martin partnership.
Although Grayson’s team have had four days longer out of action than City, having not played since their Johnstone’s Paint Trophy home win over Darlington on 6 October, they have been hit hard with injuries.
Whilst defenders Jason Crowe, Leigh Bromby and Shane Higgs are all expected to return to the squad, Grayson is likely to be without Snodgrass, Becchio, Parker and Marques, whilst Tresor Kandol must first shake off a leg injury first if he is to partner Jermaine Beckford up front.
Under normal circumstances you would expect this evenings result to be a forgone conclusion, and reading through some of the sports and betting sites it appears that Paul Lambert is wasting his time in even fielding a side to take on Simon Grayson’s ‘exceptional’ side.
But things aren’t normal at Norwich, the Canaries also have an unbeaten run to carry on. Lambert has come in, and all be it very quietly, has started to turn things around.
City are playing with more discipline under Lambert, and confidence on and off the field hasn’t been this high for a good number of seasons. Having fought back against Charlton and Gillingham, following situations where in previous season heads would have dropped, Lambert’s side have gone on to beat Leyton Orient 4-0 and Bristol Rovers 5-1.
You can of course argue that Leeds will provide a sterner test that Orient or Rovers, but we are not talking 1-0 wins here, and at the time Rovers played City they were third in the table.
Which brings me back to the initial point, that in recent seasons a date with SKY after an international break would spell an end to City’s unbeaten run, but things aren’t quite that simple any more and if there is a man to break that hoodoo then look no further than Paul Lambert.
