Match Day Thread Norwich City Vs Bournemouth, Sat 17th April @20:00

Roll up roll up, game 42 of the season and the first time this season where it is in Norwich's hands to seal a straight return to the top flight. The Canaries may already be over the line come kick-off, however you'd have thought on balance Swansea and Brentford will win against their opposition.

The Canaries have enjoyed a mid-week off which some wearied legs and a Buendia ankle will probably appreciate. The Cherries were in action and overcame Huddersfield 2-1 and have hit form at the right time. Now however they have another away game at the league leaders.

The clubs do not have any players in their first team that are former members of the opposition. In total they have played 60 times with the Canaries winning 24, drawing 16 and losing 20. The first game was a one all draw in 1923 and a repeat of that scoreline would be enough to see Norwich make an instant return to the Premier League.

Form:
Norwich City: WWDDW
AFC Bournemouth: WWWWW

A game from the season we both got promoted in 2015, can the same happen this year with the positions reversed with Norwich going up and Champions and Bournemouth through the playoffs?

 

ANs' introduction to the club.

 

Was that the one where he was officially "in the stands", but couldn't help himself and got involved?

 

Yes, at half time - and masterminded a 2 - 1 win, as I recall?

 

I have invited Bournemouth fans to join us, but again their forum looks dead. I'm off to the big red north and will be back on Sunday (hopefully with a promoted NCFC to smile about!)

 

That was a pretty legendary start to his management with us TBF

 

It was. I still think he’s a class manager, but he lost the fan support and it seems he couldn’t work with the reducing budget. We needed a refresh. But he laid quite a few of the foundations in the academy and bringing in players, so his role in recent history should not be overlooked.

 

He always seemed more a coach than manager, and we struggled a bit on the transfer front because of it. Tony Andreu anyone?

 

Andreu was bought to keep him company I recall

 

Worked like a charm, then - TA spent 99.5% of his time sitting in or near the dugout, keeping AN company.

 

Very strange purchase like the Leeds guy whose was so hidden I can’t remember his name

 

Bechio - it came back to me

 

Probable lineups from WhoScored:



Their Summary and prediction:

• The Canaries have won 11 of their last 13 league games and look destined for the title. Bournemouth extended their winning streak to five games in midweek when they closed out a 2-1 victory against a struggling Huddersfield side. The Cherries moved five points clear of seventh-placed Reading with that result, but could struggle here against the class of the division.
• Norwich 1-0 Bournemouth

Sky Sports pundit David Prutton has predicted a 3-2 home win for the Canaries, saying: “Norwich could well be promoted by the time this game kicks off, but as they are going up sooner or later anyway it shouldn’t have too much of a bearing on their performance on Saturday evening."

 

That one didn't even seem that odd at the time! 19 goals in 31 games in the Championship/Cups before he joined mid-season, off the back of two fairly decent full seasons in the Championship. Just didn't seem to be fit, ever, if I recall?

 

Tony Andreu was to Alex Neil as Christoph Zimmermann was to Daniel Farke -- a trusted player brought in to help the new manager get his ideas across to an initially suspicious and in some cases outright hostile squad.

 

Saw Andreu get a hattrick for the U23’s against Posh in 6-1 win at London Road in the Whoknowswhat Cup a few years back. Looked class that night

 

Becchio did provide the assist for Howson’s super strike against the Baggies in the 4-0 which kept us in the PL that season.

 

Hall of fame material then and I should do my homework?

 

Never mind HOF, surely the GOAT.

He never scored for us, mind...

 

Didn’t he get one in a pre-season friendly ?