Norwich City vs Ipswich Town (Home) Sunday 18th February.

[morty]

Apart from the obvious bragging rights, a pretty important match in our, however unlikely, march towards the play offs. And, most likely, the final nail in the coffin of Ipswich's season. I'd like to think we will be up for this, Ipswich are a workmanlike Championship side, but it wasn't that many games ago that they were 8 points ahead of us, we are the side in better form.

Can't see many changes to the side we had out last time, though hoping Pinto is fit, as we could do with Reed back in midfield, as Tettey walking a bit of a yellow card / suspension tightrope.

 

[Fenway Frank]

Bad news, I’m feeling confident

 

[Dubai Mark]

Considering how little confidence I have had for the most part of this season, I'm now changing big time and cannot see anything other than a comfortable City win ......we are way better than we were when we went to Poorman Road and I doubt very much if they are....

 

[OldRobert]

I don't care how we do it, as long as we win. The thought of the web footed wonders lording it on their little platform fills me with gloom, so for heavens sake, OTBC, and as somebody once said: "Let's be 'avin you".

 

[GJP]

Expecting a tough, tight game. Hard to see them coming here and committing many bodies forward.

 

[hogesar]

I imagine breaking them down will be difficult.

 

[Fenway Frank]

I imagine breaking them down will be difficult.

Yeah, I think they’ll park the bus. The only player they have that makes me slightly nervous is Celina but he’ll probably be on the bench anyway

 

[gerryinromania]

Having a family-ish get together yesterday. One of the men is a rabid Binner, 45ish. WE talked football and mentioned MM contract. I asked, would they be looking at our way, and going Continental and young coach. Answer. No way, we are too big and have too much history to do that. I quietly replied that I really did understand his viewpoint my brother in law asked if he'd been living in a cave half his life. Strange creatures abound

 

[OldRobert]

Rabid would seem to be the operative word GIR!

 

[morty]

Having a family-ish get together yesterday. One of the men is a rabid Binner, 45ish. WE talked football and mentioned MM contract. I asked, would they be looking at our way, and going Continental and young coach. Answer. No way, we are too big and have too much history to do that. I quietly replied that I really did understand his viewpoint my brother in law asked if he'd been living in a cave half his life. Strange creatures abound

I could almost feel sorry for them, well nearly. I remember them waving tenners at us singing "We're flucking loaded" when the boy Marcus took over, we weren't particularly great at the time and it felt like they were going to really eclipse us. But fast forward 16 years and it really is getting difficult for them to justify their position as a bigger club. They really are in disarray, a fortune in debt, falling gates, limping by from year to year with loanees, and in all truth, probably punching above their weight thanks to McCarthy. It all feels like Evans is just waiting, and hoping they get lucky and fluke promotion, and he will pocket any money they get to recover the debt.

Brilliant

 

[Number 9]

When does McCarthy contract end? Imagine if he left and they brought in the next cheapest manager. Blue square here they come

 

[OldRobert]

And from what I see on TWTD, the webbed feet brigade really believe they'd do better without MM. Delusional imho.

 

[Canaryboy]

Mick McCarthy is under rated.... every season he has to try and polish a turd, this summer he got a few million to spend for the first time in about half a decade.

Wouldn't want his 1980's football at Carrow Road, but I guarantee if they part ways in the summer McCarthy will stay in the Championship longer than Ipswich.

 

[Din]

A bit worried by how confident I am for this game, but f*ck it we're better than this lot. I find it amusing reading their forum that a lot of their fans actually think there's not a lot between us and them in terms of quality. Admittedly as well the league table suggests the same but since we clicked just after Christmas we've been miles above any level they've played at this season, and hopefully we can prove that on Sunday and overtake them in the table in the process.

I think the team picks itself to an extent really:

Gunn
Pinto Hanley Zimmermann Klose Lewis
Leitner Tettey
Maddison
Oliveira Murphy

Subs: McGovern, Stiepermann, Reed, Vrancic, Hoolahan, Hernandez, Srbeny
​

Would like to see Wes return to the bench as all the binners hate him and he's been the difference in this fixture before. Despite what happened last game Nelson I think should keep his place and despite his seeming lack of motivation you wouldn't think he'd need much to be up for this. Pinto has to come back though it is harsh on Reed. Maddison - do what you do best mate.

Can't see this being a particularly great game. Ipswich will come and park the bus and even at home we're hardly the most attack-minded side there is. Literally couldn't care less what happens though as long as we do them in. This game would be absolutely perfect though for a Nelson Oliveira winning goal. COYY!

 

[Canaryboy]

I'm actually going for 0-0.

One of their players will run his studs down Maddison's knee in the 5th minute then he'll be completely ineffective for the game as a result, taking out our primary goal threat in the process.

We'll have something like 65% of the possession and a load of corners, but Ipswich will basically play with 8 centre backs and we won't be able to find a way through.

 

[Canaryboy]

But I don't care.... because they still can't beat us

 

[morty]

Nah, 2 nil Norwich, with Olivera rifling in an absolute thunderbastard

 

[OldRobert]

^This

 

[Scott]

I am strangely optimistic for Sunday, usually come derby day I’m a bag of nerves but not this time around... really looking forward to it! Come on you yellows!! 2-1 win, Maddison and Oliviera to break the drought!

 

[hogesar]

The concerning thing is whenever us Norwich fans as a collective are confident, we go and fluck it up.