Game number 38 looms for the Canaries and Rovers, Norwich are looking for ten in a row whilst Blackburn look to win for the first time since the 6th of March. Norwich may currently be a bit of a bogey team for Blackburn having not beaten the Canaries since April 2012. The clubs have played each other 46 times with Norwich winning 15, drawing 12 and losing 19 times. The teams first met in the FA cup with Blackburn winning 4-1, Norwich's first win coming in 1938. Form: Norwich: WWWWW Blackburn DLDWL Norwich's Grant Hanley came through the youth ranks at Blackburn and played 183 times for them and Trybull is on loan at Rovers and is therefore unavailable. Three ex canaries are in Blackburn's squad, Daniel Ayala (currently injured), Bradley Johnson and culb captain Elliot Bennett. Norwich have no new injury concerns and have two long term injuries, Blackburn have five players injured (however if Wikipedia is anything to go by their squad is massive!). No commentary, but some good goals in this one
Norwich So 9 games to go and we have 82 points, having averaged well over 2 points per game (2 points per game + 8 or 2.22/game if you prefer). We have passed DF's target of 80, which he believes guarantees at least a play-off spot. Although not yet mathematically impossible I'm struggling to see a scenario where we don't get promoted, although as things stand the league title is still there to be lost. I think 93 points should be enough to win the title. So for me there are only 2 more targets for us this season Can we win the league ? Can we pass the 100 points mark ? We are currently well clear at the top of the league, 10 points above 2nd, a situation that hasn't change significantly for quiet a while now. We are 23 points above Bournemouth who are in 7th place, top of the form table with 18 points from the last 6 games and on a 9 game winning streak. We are currently on course to break a couple of club records 1) Most wins in a season, currently 29 (League 1 - 2009/10) 2) Most league points, Currently 95 (League 1 - 2009/10) 3) Longest winning streak currently 10 (League 2 - 1985/86). DF seemed very relaxed in his post Nottingham Forest match interview and perhaps his biggest problem is whether he starts Saturdays home game against Blackburn Rovers (KO 3pm) with the team that started the Forest game and leave Buendia on the bench. The performance against Forest impressed many pundits with Ian Holloway on Quest saying that we look like a PL team. Blackburn are 16th in the form table with 4 points from the last 6 and it's difficult to envisage anything but another win, but you never know. Our next 5 games are Preston North End (Away), Huddersfield (Home), Derby (A), Bournemouth (H) and Watford (H). PNE will be a difficult game for us due to so many absences due to the international break, although if all else fails Farke may have to play, as he jokingly (I think) suggest in an interview. Although we will finish the season with a tough run of games, in our current form we should fear no one in this league. Watford who have 72 points and are the only team that I think have a realistic chance of finishing above us, and then only if we implode. They are 3rd in the form table with 15 points from 6 and have home fixture against Birmingham at 3pm on Saturday. Birmingham are under new management with the appointment of Lee Bowyer 24 hours before they beat Reading. Can Birmingham further strengthen their survival hopes with a result against Watford, I suspect not, but you never know. Watford's following 5 games are Sheffield Wednesday (H), Middlesbrough (A), Reading (H), Luton (A) & then us. As well as the game against us, the Middlesbrough & Reading fixtures look tricky for them. Swansea sit in 3rd with 69 points having been well beaten 3 nil by Bournemouth in their last game. They still have a game in hand, but are struggling for form having only gained 10 points from the last 6 games. Their next game will be a tough home derby against Cardiff who sit in 9th with 55 points. (11th in the form table with 9 points from 6 games). Cardiff really need a win to keep their hopes of a top 6 finish alive and probably kill off any hope of Swansea finishing top of the league. Swansea's following 5 games are Birmingham City (A), Preston North End (H), Millwall (A), Wycombe (H) & QPR (H). After the Cardiff game they have a good run of winnable games, so may gain some ground on us and Watford. Brentford are 4th with 67 points and a game in hand. They host Forrest in the early game on Saturday, KO 12.30. Hopefully Hughton's Forest can bounced back from the game against us with at least a draw. Brentford have struggled in recent games and only managed a 2-2 to draw away to Derby in their last game, having led 2 nil at half time. They are 8th in the form table with 10 points for a possible 18. Brentford's next 5 games are Huddersfield (A), Birmingham City (H), Preston North End (A), Milwall (H) & Cardiff (H). They have a better run in to the end of the season than most, so like Swansea they will be looking to gain ground. Barnsley have done well in recent weeks and now sit in 4th with 64 points and remain 2nd in the form table with 16 points from the last 6 games. Last Saturday they beat Bournemouth 3 - 2 and on Wednesday they comfortably beat Wycombe despite going down to 10 men, when their influential captain Alex Mowatt received a red card in the 73rd minute. Barnsley are to appeal the red card and how they do over the next few games may very much depend on the result. They play Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday, K.O. 3pm. Their following 5 games are Reading (H), Luton (A), Middlesbrough (H), Coventry (A) & Huddersfield (A) Reading have fallen to 6th with 61 points, having drawn with Forest last Saturday and lost to Birmingham on Wednesday. Their bubble looks to have burst and they are in danger of failing out of the race for a play off place. They are 7th in the form table with 10 points from 6 and are at home on Saturday to QPR who are 12th in the form table with 9 points from 6. 3pm K.O. This is followed by games against Barnsley (A), Derby (H), Watford (A), Cardiff (A) & Luton (A). Can't see them taking maximum points from these games.
I had a look and it is beyond my technical ability to change it, it will have to be a mystery. I couldn't figure out if I have the power to pin it or an admin needs to do that as well
If you win 10 in a row that is a Not606 record for certain, the fact that the run started after breaking your thread cherry is all the more remarkable. We may have shifted to a timeline where Norwich win every game doing the triple next season then winning the Champions league the following year . No pressure
Rupp out, minor hamstring strain. Seeing a specialist but Farke hopes he's available for Preston. Idah has had hernia surgery, but expected back after the international break Buendia back in contention Byram confirmed out for the season, Farke hopeful he can feature in pre-season. Suspect that solves the Dowell conundrum. Buendia slots back in on the right and Dowell moves centrally? Stiepermann or Vrancic also options, but feels like Dowell has done enough in his last 120 mins or so to deserve a start.
So if we win this game we become officially the most in form side in all of the big football leagues in Europe. Better than Man City, Barcelona, Inter and Barnsley. No pressure.