PNE will offer stern test … more scope for the flip-floppers to blow
It’s fortunate that there are fewer than 75 hours between Saturday’s final whistle and tonight’s opening blast,
considering the online commotion that broke out after City failed to strike Derby for five or six.
It’s a very different matter whether 75 hours is enough to calm the rage, but if City can defeat Preston tonight,
maybe some of the flip-floppers will start to forget the “disgraceful” draw against Derby.
The “flip” side Let’s not even go there, but let’s assume that some people will recommend that the Castle dungeons be prepared for a lengthy visit from a Dane who is 35 years old.
Although this City team is in a fairly decent position in the real world, as demonstrated on Saturday, they are
still prone to moments of carelessness and have the propensity to give up goals in even the most benign
circumstances.
In my opinion—and I’m probably the only one—both of those things occur and will continue to occur since 1)
this squad is still in its learning period due to its youth, and 2) it is still developing and lacks the collective skill
set that Johannes Hoff Thorup demands.
I’m also probably alone in expecting more performances like Saturday’s between now and the end of the season.
I also expect more like the one they produced against Swansea when they scored goals five goals without even
playing well.
The problem is, even JHT (or the players themselves) are yet in a place where they can second-guess which version of Norwich City is going to turn up.
That, to me, smacks of more joy and more crushing disappointment and, most probably, a team that will bob
around the top six without ever seriously challenging those who see fifth and sixth as theirs – like West Brom,
Blackburn and Middlesbrough.
The flip-floppers will be fluctuating wildly between their HMSPTL rubbish and their predictions that a slide to
the nether areas of the table is certain, running parallel to that.
Doesn’t that sound like fun?
Thus, let’s hope that this is one of the better evenings and that the excitement, swashbuckling, and goals of
Saturday will quickly overshadow the disappointment.
PNE is reputable, though. They won’t be daunted by a trip to Carrow Road because they have already defeated
Watford away and Boro at home before their narrow setback at Blackburn.
They played 3-4-1-2 at Blackburn, but they used a modified 3-4-2-1 to win at Watford, which seems to be the
lineup that City will most likely use later.
And not only does Paul Heckingbottom have them well-organised and structured, but he also has them fired up
and aggressive. So, while they may arrive with a little more attacking ambition than Derby, in terms of them
being hard to break down and play against, we should expect something similar.
It could be another evening where patience is required, which, as we well know, isn’t the Carrow Road crowd’s
strongest suit.
For City, well, as everyone knows, one Borja Sainz is back off the naughty step, although JHT suggested in
yesterday’s presser that after missing six games they will still need to manage his reintroduction. But I think he,
at least, starts.
Additionally, JHT noted Josh Sargent, Anis Ben Slimane, and Marcelino Nunez, all of whom are in different
phases of their injury recovery. Again, we shouldn’t expect to see any of the three finish the whole 90 this
evening because they will be carefully monitoring their minutes, per the medical team’s advise.
Sadly, Emiliano Marcondes has suffered a hip injury that will keep him out for a “couple of weeks,” but as we all
know, that generally implies at least a month, if not surgery. He also said Paddy co.
We have Shane Duffy, Callum Doyle, Angus, and Lucien Mahovo as shoo-ins, though they will carefully manage
his load following Saturday’s performance.
Nunez will almost certainly start alongside Kenny McLean, who has established himself as Mr. Un-droppable in
the midfield. Another is Sainz, although as was already indicated, he is not expected to last the entire evening.
Considering JHT’s remarks regarding Sarge We can only hope that he will start tonight, but I’m not sure.
In any case, let’s hope City finishes the job and that the flip-floppers don’t subsequently supply more fodder.
That wouldn’t save us all a great deal of trouble.
OTBC.
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