Contrast (noun) ‘the state of being strikingly different from something else in juxtaposition or close association’. This is the only word I can really use to compare the Ipswich game on Sunday to Wednesday’s bore fest of a game against Wigan. Ipswich was pulsating, full of crunching challenges and relentlessness. Wigan was like a midweek training game where players only put in 70%. It was evident that the recent busy schedule finally caught up with us on Wednesday and Alex Neil confirmed this.
For some reason I was more confident for the Ipswich game than I was for Wigan. I think some people got slightly too confident when we played Wigan due to their league position when they actually have a pretty decent team with a good manager. Of course, if we were at full strength then we would have beaten Wigan but our past month has been non-stop and we have done pretty damn well. I think a lot of our recent success has to be thanks to Alex Neil who has worked magic since coming into Norwich and was this week rewarded with Championship manager of the month.
It was also horrible news to hear that Lewis Grabban may miss the rest of the season due to an ankle problem. Alex Neil today confirmed that he is wary of setting a time period on the injury and he seemed unsure if he will appear in a Norwich shirt again this season. My reaction would have been very different if you had told me this news about 2 months ago, but Grabban’s form under Alex Neil has been superb and we really missed him against Wigan, especially his movement upfront.
Millwall away awaits then, hardly an attractive away fixture but one that requires massive concentration to avoid a possible banana skin of a game. Millwall currently lie 23rd in the table 6 points adrift of safety and haven’t won a game in 5, losing 4 of them. It’s fair to say on paper that we should be winning this game with ease but I have a feeling it’s not going to be that easy. Millwall are fighting for their lives with a manger that has a decent track record in this division and a passionate fan base that will be roaring their team on come Saturday.
It’s been evident this season that the ‘lesser teams’ have come to Carrow Road not to win but to simply get something from the game. More often than not teams have succeeded with their plan as we find it tough to play teams who refuse to play expansive football; I think Millwall will be a different game this weekend though. Despite them finding themselves at the wrong end of the table I can’t see Ian Holloway setting his team up this weekend to simply hold on, they will be going for it – they need the points as badly as we do.
As I have already said we really missed Grabban against Wigan, we lacked movement upfront to really get in behind the solid Wigan defence. I really hope that Jerome is slightly more mobile against Millwall instead of simply running along the defensive line, if it means he has to drop deeper to collect the ball, so be it. I expect to see either Hoolahan or Hooper start this weekend to link the midfield with the strike force a lot better than what we saw against Wigan.
Finally let’s talk about Bassong and the midfield. Bassong seemed to be struggling with an injury on Wednesday that he played through for some time in the second half, I wouldn’t be surprised if we see Bassong given a rest this weekend and the introduction of Turner, with some massive games coming up we can’t overwork one of our best performers. The midfield on Wednesday was definitely our downfall with the fantastic Bradley Johnson dropping way too deep to play the ‘Tettey role’ and Howson and Hoolahan often becoming lost in the middle of the park, I would love to see Vadis Odidja Ofoe introduced and to replicate Tettey’s role in the team. Playing Johnson deep is just a waste as he contributes far more going forwards.
My Preferred Starting XI:
All in all this game is going to be a tough one but I fully expect us to bounce back with a win. I’m going for a 1-3 victory with Jerome stepping up to the mark and bagging a few goals. OTBC!
