Match Day Thread Norwich city vs Birmingham City Carabu Cup River End Rick special thread

I mean, totally fair, but equally I've not been contradictory. We've learned about individuals, namely Gibbs impressing in CDM more than Sorensen, and Sinani offering more from a wide role than Hernandez or Sargent. But we haven't learned if Sinani works with Pukki, for example.

In terms of combinations, I would say we've learned that Hanley as LCB next to Sorensen LB doesn't work. They're both so right footed that it creates real issues for them, and opposition teams will absolutely target that pairing for pressing. Needs a natural left footer in one of the two roles.

 

. What struck me was the difference in mood -- glimpses of sunshine replacing unbroken cloud!

 

For those of you disappointed we won't be able to knock out our East Anglian rivals down the A140 out of the cup (because we are through and they are not! ) the good news is the Colchester winner was scored by a Norwich City fan. So technically, Norwich have also knocked 1p5wich out of the cup.

https://app.pinkun.com/9202014/content.html

 

The Cup matches are better for me because the Score Prediction League doesn't include them. I'll do the next cup match willingly and any other Cup matches for that reason.

 

Slow down Rick we only get 2 cups someone else will do the F.A .

 

That's fine by me, Dunc!

 

We’ve drawn home 2 bournemouth

Nice if we win it, not too bad if we lose as long as it’s not a humiliation

 

6 - 0 again? Sara to star.

 

Very strange to have the same second round opponent at Carrow Road again this year, especially as they have gone up and we have gone down.

 

I like the cups as it gives Gunny vital minutes and a chance to experiment with academy kids without much risk .
It's also cheap tickets £12 adults £2 under 18s on Tuesday

 

If he keeps performing well and recovering confidence after some of the blows he received at Saints and with us, I can see him becoming no.1 pretty soon. Krul is a club legend, but I think Gunn has greater potential now, whether he lives up to it is to be seen.

It’s impossible to know if it was conscious, but I think it was great man-management from Smith to resist the temptation to bring Krul on in the Cup. It might have made psychological and competitive sense, given his record, but it would have been a technical blow to Gunn’s confidence in much the way I think keeping him on the pitch was a display of faith.

 

I suspect it was because he wasn't allowed to bring anyone else on by then, Rob.

 

10 Championship teams were knocked out of the competition by lower league opposition, leaving only 10 Champ teams in the third round of the competition.

Looking at the draw there are no all PL ties, is the deliberate or luck of the draw?

 

I couldn't possibly say.

 

Yes all substitutes were used and Birmingham equalised late on , Pukki would have probably come on as our first penalty taker too .
As Krul is a penalty expert then that would have been a tad harsh on Gunny and as it transpired he is the first keeper to win a penalty shoot out at Carrow Road since his dad .

Don't think there have been any shoot outs during that time to be fair

 

That’s why I can’t say I would credit Smith with actively deciding it, but it’s an EFL Cup game so no-one would have batted an eyelid if Smith had brought Krul on at the 60 minute mark, say, with the argument that “oh it might go to pens and he’s an expert, plus I wanted to rotate the team”.

I’m definitely not saying he did think that, probably he did not, but if he did then it was a strong decision.

 

I think Max coming on early changed his game plan but throwing on the Ramsey 48 hours after signing him was brave and paid off .
As is the development of Tomkinson and Gibbs .

 

The next game is Tuesday 23rd August
@RiverEndRick