Match Day Thread West Ham vs Norwich Wednesday, January 12, 7.45pm.

Well, at the time of typing it looks as if this match will be on, with the PL digging its heels in and insisting that most games will go ahead this weekend (or should that be burying their head in the sand?).

Given our injuries and the inconsistent form of our players, even more difficult than usual to predict what our starting XI might be, and I doubt if there'd be much agreement among us about what we want after that depressing spectacle on Tuesday. West Ham are definitely the sort of team of muscular giants that we do badly against. Those missed opportunities against Brighton and Newcastle have made the difference between being just outside the relegation places and plum last, and we badly need something to cheer us up.

If we are forced to play on Saturday, I suspect it will be our last match for quite some time, so let's hope we can make the most of it.

OTBC.

 

Robin Sainty
@RobinNCST


United v Brighton off now. Surely they have to cancel the whole weekend programme now. It can’t be fair that some get a free pass while others field weakened teams.

 

Leicester City's game with Tottenham on Thursday and Manchester United's match with Brighton on Saturday have been postponed because of Covid-19.

Not ours again

 

News flash*******

Our game has now been postponed

 

Bure budgie where did you get this information from?

 

Bure budgie where did you get this information from? Second post iPad froze again. Just found the news on BBC Sport.

 

Yep on the Beeb

 

Good

 

Perhaps by the time we play West Ham we may have sold Aarons for £30m and bought in player(s) who will put the ball in the net when they have the chance.

 

Doubt it on this season performance we'd be lucky to get 15m, even less for Cantwell

 

Aarons would thrive at a bigger club which is able to dominate play.

 

Aarons performances, on the whole, have been amongst the best for the team in all the matches so far. Cantwell’s chances of moving on are slim now as he has, by his own behaviour, lessened his appeal to suitors. We may be stuck with him.

 

There's a reason why a lot of big teams have been interested, but never put in in bid.

 

Arsenal for one. In the event they signed Takehiro Tomiyasu for c. £17m and from what I've seen he's a much more complete player.

 

90 cases of Covid amongst players and staff in EPL reported today. EPL have stated that the fixtures will continue up to the end of year. This is clearly motivated by money and not the welfare of the staff and players. We could end up with only negative tested squad members playing. It’s a farce.

 

That number equates to around 18% of the players overall, or one in 5 infected, but it will vary from club to club. Given that 2 vaccinations and a booster give around 75% protection from omicron, that infection rate isn't surprising and may well rise in the future. Clubs that avoid infection can gain a real advantage.

 

Training video posted

Obviously can't judge too much from training, but pressing a feature and finishing from crosses/cutbacks.

Kabak and Gibson in training so we at least have 2 fit CBs. Pukki, Cantwell, Sargent, Tzolis, Giannoulis, Williams Gilmour, Byram, Dowell, Idah, Sorensen, McLean, Placheta. Gunn, Krul. I think a young GK and outfielder were involved too?

No Hanley, Normann, Rashica, or more worryingly Aarons. Not sure I spotted Rupp or PLM either. Rupp wasn't out with covid last game, he was in the stands.

Krul
Byram Kabak Gibson Williams
Sorensen McLean Gilmour
Sargent Pukki Cantwell?

At a guess?

 

The Canaries trip to the London Stadium on December 18 was called off after a rise in Covid cases and injuries within the City squad.

Norwich have confirmed that the fixture will now be played on Wednesday, January 12, with kick-off at 7.45pm.

 

Are we using this thread or is someone going to do a new one for tomorrows match?