Match Day Thread Playoff Semi-final 1 | Norwich v Leeds | Carrow Road | Sun 12:00

Well, here we are… Playoffs time!


Having taken charge of the MDT for the season opener against Hull back in August, it falls on me to bookend the season with our push for a Premier League spot via the playoffs.


First leg of the Norwich v Leeds semi-final is at Carrow Road.


Leeds finished 17 points ahead of Norwich with a vastly superior goal difference. They will take confidence from their results in recent clashes, having won the past 4 games against Norwich however, Leeds' playoff history adds an extra element of concern for their fans. The 'playoff curse' as it’s referred to locally, is a result of Leeds failing to secure promotion in all of their previous (five) playoff attempts… Along come Norwich!


Norwich’s run-in and general form is somewhat better than Leeds who have endured another frustrating end to a season, losing out on an automatic spot to Ipswich and Leicester over the final games, with significant losses to QPR, Blackburn and Southampton on the final day, (22nd in the form table). We need a positive, attacking Norwich at Carrow Road on Sunday. As Gary Gowers put it, “we can’t allow Farke’s men to play themselves back into form”.


In Wagner and Farke, we have two coaches who know how to get out of the Championship… Only Wagner has done it via the playoffs though. Which German will be getting up early to lay his towel on a Wembley sun lounger come May 26th?



Reportedly out for Leeds: Pascal Struijk (groin), Stuart Dallas (retired apparently) and now Bamford and his knees too. Doubtful or perhaps bench starter: Dan James (ribs). We’ll be without Ashley Barnes again but, Fassnacht trained this week and could feature. Wagner clear that Duffy is also an option despite preparing for the playoffs with a serious drink driving incident earlier this week. More “content to follow”…

Good luck everyone. OTBC

 

Awesome, Hairy

 

Quality thread as usual buddy

COYY NMTD.

 

Hey guys, Feel free to pop over to the Leeds match thread too.

https://www.not606.com/threads/norwich-city-v-leeds-utd.412635/#post-17532500

I'll post live streams for the game on both boards 30 mins before KO.

 

Bamford has a bruised knee he picked up against QPR two weeks ago. He'll probably make the bench. Dan James has bruised ribs will will probably keep him out. Struijk has had groin surgery, and Stuart Dallas has retired.

 

Nice thread

 

Norwich City footballer has been charged with driving while unfit through drink following a two-vehicle crash, police said.

Shane Duffy, 32, was arrested in Hethersett, near Norwich, late on Monday.

He is due to appear before magistrates in Norwich in July.

Norwich City Football Club said it was "aware of an incident involving one of its first team players".

A spokesperson for Norfolk Police said: "Police were called to Queen's Road, Hethersett, 21:05, on Monday 6 May, following reports of a two-vehicle collision.

"Emergency services attended the scene and a man, aged in his 30s, was arrested on suspicion of drink driving. He was taken to Wymondham Police Investigation Centre for questioning.

Will he be available for Sunday?

 

I want to be really up for this game but I am not Hopefully by Sunday lunchtime I will be ready.

I truly believe that unless we take a 2 goal lead to Elland Road, we won't make the final - let's hope we get it

 

I know I'm going to sound negative, but if we win our home game, I can see us just sitting back for 90 minutes away at Leeds. So we are probably going to need a few goals.

Wenger kinda reminds me Chris Hughton, got us results but the football was utterly dire.

But anyway, I work with 2 Leeds supporters and I've been winding them up, so they better not let me down.

 

I should hope not, what an absolute pillock if he was actually over the limit

 

I think we have to accept: (1) we are not favourites so being doubtful of a positive result is just realistic; (2) Leeds will dominate possession so however it goes at Carrow Road, in the second match we will be sitting back and defending a lot - that’s just how it will be.

I personally don’t recognise the comparison with Hughton at all to be honest. Hughton constructed a defensively strong team, but lacked creativity and ideas when that rigid defence failed to get goals. And the football became steadily more rigid and uglier. Wagner is quite different to my mind - the football can be very nice to watch at times.

 

The comparison is they both play unattractive football, but got results. But maybe that's just the games I've watched.

I fully expect as to sit back and try to counter attack for 90 minutes. But I wouldn't mind if I'd be wrong.

 

I see. If by definition you see sitting back and counterattacking as unattractive, then yes - particularly for away games.

For me, counterattacking doesn’t have to be unattractive though as it all depends what you do when you have the ball rather than when you don’t.

Our team under Lambert in the Premier League was quite reliant on counterattacking at times, but while it wasn’t silky smooth possession based tiki taka (which frankly doesn’t do all that much for me either) I don’t remember ever thinking this is unattractive.

Against man for man better squads I’m resigned to the fact we are likely to have less possession.

 

What a dreadful unwelcome distraction for the squad.
It's not like we have an abundance of good centre backs .

Duffy is a moron & lucky he didn't kill someone if reports are true he crashed into someone over the limit .

 

So it's Hanley and Gibson on Sunday, with Batth. on the bench.

 

Maybe he will blame his concussion from the weekend- if he was subbed off for concussion, how long are you restricted from driving?

 

3 times over the limit apparently.
Twat or what?

 

Kenny and Gibson for me

 

Could be Lungi and Gibson, we looked decent with that partnership

 

That's two lefties, which I believe will not happen.