BUILD UP AND MATCH DAY THREAD: Wigan Athletic v Norwich City

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Round 20​

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Wigan Athletic 0 - 1 Norwich City​

HT 0 - 1​

Attendance:11,475

Howson 5'​

Date: Saturday 6th December 2014
Venue: DW Stadium
Kick-Off: 3:00PM

Match Preview

[video=youtube;WSMflV5cOCE]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSMflV5cOCE&list=UUzdkZv6--BWsUQ9rKUtQ1TQ[/video]
Neil Adams match preview​

Wigan are expected to have Shaun Maloney back from illness against Norwich, the Scotland international missed the defeat to Sheffield Wednesday last Saturday but Latics boss Malky Mackay is optimistic he is over the worst of it now.

Ali Al Habsi's one-month loan spell at Brighton is over so Mackay must decide whether to stick with Scott Carson in goal or call on the Oman international.

And Mackay has decisions to make in attack too, with Andy Delort, yet to play under the Scot, scoring for the development squad in midweek.

Midfielder Bradley Johnson will return to Norwich's squad after missing the home defeat to Reading through suspension.

Fellow midfielder Alex Tettey is available having limped off in the latter stages against the Royals while Gary O'Neil is also pushing for a start.

Striker Gary Hooper is expected to keep his place after following up his goal as a substitute against Brighton with another one on his first league start of the season last Saturday.

Defender Ryan Bennett and playmaker Wes Hoolahan (both ankle) as well as midfielder Vadis Odjidja-Ofoe (knee) are back in training, but are unlikely to be in contention for the game at the DW Stadium.

Fixture History

WIGAN HOME
Wigan have won 1, drawn 2 and lost 0 of the last 3 stagings of this fixture, outscoring their opponents by 3 goals to 2.

Wigan have scored in 70% of their last 20 home games.

Wigan have kept a clean sheet in 50% of their last 20 home games.

NORWICH AWAY
Norwich have won 0, drawn 2 and lost 1 of the last 3 stagings of this fixture, being outscored by their opponents by 3 goals to 2.

Norwich have scored in 45% of their last 20 away games.

Norwich have kept a clean sheet in 25% of their last 20 away games.

CURRENT FORM

Wigan Athletic: DLLDL

Norwich City: WLLDL

CLUB CONNECTIONS

Former Canaries now at the JJB Stadium

LEON BARNETT Signed by Wigan from Norwich in July 2013
GRANT HOLT Legendary Norwich striker signed from Norwich by Wigan in July 2013

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Former Norwich City Legend Grant Holt​

MATT JACKSON Former Norwich captain Jackson joined Wigan in November 2001 after a loan spell
JAMES PERCH Wigan's July 2013 signing played for City's schoolboys before joining Forest

Canaries & Latics: the full relationship

JOHN BENSON Benson had three spells at Norwich (1 as player, 2 as coach) and two with Wigan
KEITH BERTSCHIN Former Norwich striker who was Wigan's reserve team coach
WAYNE BIGGINS Biggins' goals helped Norwich and Wigan win promotion in 1985/86 and 1996/97 respectively
JOHN BOND Former Norwich manager John Bond scouted for the Latics
MARK BOWEN Former Welsh international defender Bowen was with Wigan from August to December 1999
CARL BRADSHAW When Bradshaw's contract was terminated by City in 1997, he joined the Latics
TITUS BRAMBLE Wigan's 2007 signing from Newcastle played a few times for Norwich's schoolboy sides
GED BRANNON Brannon made 12 appearances for Norwich whilst on loan from Man City
STEVE BRUCE Former Norwich captain who has two spells managing Wigan

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Steve Bruce and John Deehan celebrate City's Milk Cup victory at Wembley in 1985

JIMMY BULLARD Wigan's £275,000 January 2003 signing trialled with Norwich in 2001
PAUL COOK Joined the Canaries from Wigan in May 1988 for £73,000. Had loan spell at the JJB in 2001
PAUL DALGLISH Paul joined the Latics on a free transfer after falling out of favour at Carrow Road during 2001
JOHN DEEHAN Deehan quit as Norwich manager in April 1995 and took over at Wigan the following November
DAVID FAIRCLOUGH Former Liverpool "supersub" who played for both Norwich and Wigan at the end of his career
DAMIEN FRANCIS Spent one season at the JJB following his transfer from Norwich in 2005
JOHAN GALLON French striker who had trials with both Norwich and Wigan in 2001
JOHN GREGG Tried to establish himself at both Carrow Road and Wigan in 1994
BRYAN HAMILTON Managed both the Latics and the Canaries
CARLOS HASSELBAINK Had trials at Carrow Road and at the JJB Stadium during 2000
MARK JACKSON Mark had trials at both Norwich and Wigan during the early part of 2000
JASON JARRETT Joined Norwich from Wigan in the summer of 2005
JURGEN MACHO Austrian international who had trials with both Norwich and Wigan
IAN MCNEILL Norwich's former European scout managed Wigan and actually led them into the Football League
CARLO NASH Norwich's July 2013 signing played for Wigan earlier in his career
ROB NEWMAN Newman spent the latter part of the 1997/98 season on loan to Wigan from Norwich
KEVIN REEVES Wigan's former Chief Scout made his mark at Carrow Road
BRUCE RIOCH After parting from the Canaries in March 2000, Bruce became Wigan's manager the next June
MARK SEAGRAVES Wigan's former first team coach spent a loan spell at Carrow Road
ANTOINE SIBIERSKI Joined Norwich on loan from Wigan in September 2008
STEVE WALSH Walsh made his league debut for Wigan whilst under Bryan Hamilton's leadership
DAVE WATSON Former Norwich captain who joined Wigan as youth coach in April 2008
DAVID WRIGHT Joined Norwich on loan from Wigan in November 2005
JOHNNY WRIGHT Johnny had a trial with the Latics after being released by the Canaries in 1997

TEAM LINE UPS

Wigan Athletic

01 Carson
24 Perch
25 Barnett
31 Figueroa
03 Taylor
07 McCann(Delort 89')
08 Watson
15 McManaman
10 Maloney(Cowie 48')
11 McClean
32 Fortuné(Espinoza 83')

Substitutes

14 Huws
17 Boyce
18 Espinoza
19 Cowie
26 Al-Habsi
29 Forshaw
49 Delort

Norwich City

01 Ruddy
02 Whittaker
05 Martin
03 Cuéllar
23 Olsson
27 Tettey
28 O'Neil
04 Johnson
08 Howson
11 Hooper(Murphy 64')
10 Jerome(Lafferty 70')

Substitutes

06 Turner
09 Lafferty
12 Hooiveld
21 Murphy
22 Redmond
26 Rudd
38 McGrandles

Referee

Oliver Langford

Live Commentary on BBC Radio Norfolk
95.1 / 104.4FM, 855Mhz & DAB Digital Radio
with Chris Goreham and guest match summariser Bryan Gunn

OTBC

 

I hope we all realise this truly is Neil's last chance. If we can't make a revival with a fantastic KIO-match thread special, there really is no hope for this season.

 

It's ok, KIO has done the match thread. 3 points in the bag!

 

Bloody good work KIO, well done and thank you!

 

Cheers guys, let's hope I can bring us a bit of luck tomorrow !

 

If the players put half as much effort into the game as went into this thread then the fans making the long trip to Wigan should have something to smile about.

 

Good work KIO. Hooper finding his shooting, boots. Johnson back, Tettey potentially fit, a new top flight coach on the team and KIO doing the match day thread... Maybe, just maybe there's some points to be had this weekend

 

Hope it's a lucky thread, it's 8 hours of trains for me tomorrow. Please win Norwich.

 

It really doesn't matter who starts today they will be given a massive lift when Adams shows the boys that kick it off has returned with one of his fantastic match day threads.

Neiled on 3 points today.

 

If that was a typo, it worked out quite neilcy!

 

Now going to edit my CPL prediction as KIO has done the match thread !!!

 

Gunny confirmed as guest match summariser on Radio Norfolk

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Nice words from Malky

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Norwich City FC ‏@NorwichCityFC 2m2 minutes ago
#NCFC team v @LaticsOfficial: Ruddy; Whittaker, Martin (c), Cuellar, Olsson; Howson, O'Neil, Tettey, Johnson; Hooper, Jerome.

Norwich City FC ‏@NorwichCityFC 2m2 minutes ago
#NCFC subs v @LaticsOfficial: Rudd (GK), Turner, Lafferty, Hooiveld, Murphy, Redmond, McGrandles.

 

Hmm, not much 'natural' width in midfield

 

Why's Turner not starting and why's Martin playing at CB again. Up to now I've pretty much supported Adams, even though I wasn't very keen when he was first appointed, but I'm starting to have my doubts.

 

No constancy in the team especially in our defense where he keeps changing it every game not allowing anyone form a good partnership. Not a good team selection but lets see what happens again.

 

Turner Benched? No wide players? Presumably a diamond with Howson at the top, O'Neil right, Johnson/Tettey left and base?

Pleased to see McGrandles make the bench for the first time I guess.

Neil's really going to need a result today if he's got any hope of defending that selection after the game.

 

If it works Neyul is a tactical genius, if it doesn't he'll get slaughtered. Twitter is in meltdown with that team selection already which I think is a bit previous TBH

 

Part of me agrees but it is strange team selection on the face of it, and not really one that inspires confidence.