Norwich City vs Leeds United: Match preview

[Excited Canary 19]

NORWICH CITY vs LEEDS UNITED on 20/11/10 at 15:00 BST.

This afternoons match brings Norwich City and Leeds United together in the Npower Championship.

LEEDS: After clinching promotion to the Championship on the last day of last year, the expectation of the team went through the roof. No fans are more passionate and expectant as the once great Leeds United. They started the season in decent fashion, finding themselves sitting in the play-offs, along side today’s opponents after beating Millwall in the derby. However, following a 5-2 demolishing by fellow Yorkshire club Barnsley, Leeds’ form dipped and even some of the most sane Leeds United fans were calling for Grayson’s head. Their fortunes didn’t improve however and a rather embarrassing 4-0 home defeat to Cardiff in front of the cameras lead to the team floundering in the bottom third of the division. However, that means nothing so early on in the Championship and after a few good results, they are back into the play-offs and this time above the Canaries!

Key player: Lucciano Becchio. When 30-goal a season striker Jermaine Beckford left on a free to Everton, Leeds fans were left wondering as too where they were going to get their goals from. They brought in Billy Paynter from Swindon, but thoughts were split on him as he had no Championship experience prior to joining the Yorkshire club. Paynter picked up a pre-season injury and it was all down to Becchio for Leeds United’s successes and the Argentine didn’t disappoint. Scoring 9 goals so far, 8 in the league, and including a 20 minute hat-trick in their most recent win against Bristol City has more than silenced his critics. Norwich centre-backs Leon Barnett and Elliot Ward will be in for a tough afternoon in trying to keep him quiet.

Recent form: LWWDW. Despite a demolishing from the high-flyers Cardiff, Leeds last 5 games have brought a productive points tally. Having jumped from 16th too 5th they must have done something right! They will be hoping to make it a third straight win on the road this afternoon, having already brushed aside Coventry and Scunthorpe. The other win was at home to Bristol City courtesy of a Becchio hat-rick and the draw was also at home, 2-2 with Hull who the Canaries lost 2-0 at home to earlier in the season.

Predicted line-up:

Schmeichel

Connolly

O’Brien

Bruce

McCartney

Snodgrass

Kilkenny

(Injury crisis)

Sam

Howson

Becchio

NORWICH: Paul Lambert will be attempting to make sure that the Canaries don’t make their run 1 win in 8 as they go out onto the Carrow Road turf this afternoon. 2 decent away draws at Millwall and Reading would usually be seen as good results, but with a bit of luck it could have easily been 6 points.

Predicted line-up:

Ruddy

R. Martin

Barnett

Ward

Drury?

Surman (Surprise return)

Fox

Crofts

Gill

Martin

Holt

Head to head:

Played: 47

Norwich win: 17

Leeds win: 18

Draw: 12

At Norwich:

Played:

Norwich win: 12

Leeds win: 5

Draw: 6

Last time out. Saturday March 27th 2010. Norwich City 1-0 Leeds United. A Chris Martin 87th minute header, gave the Canaries the points in the top of the table clash.

My prediction: Norwich City 2-1 Leeds. It will be a tough games for the Canaries, and despite a few injuries, I think they will come home with the 3 points.

Please feel free to update this thread with news, views, rumours and predictions.

Thank you,

Excited Canary

[Syteanric 1]

my first game since september today and i cant wait!

[city till i die 0]

loads of police about, havent seen horse''s for a while

[WeAreYellows49 0]

And we are missing this because of stinking colds and coughs, couldn''t have come at a worse time, but at least we will be all healed for the scum [:D]

No trouble in Dereham, although 5 coachloads of Leeds fans in town, packing out the Cherry Tree pub, but as of 1-15pm no trouble.

 

[WeAreYellows49 0]

Just confirmed on radio snorefolk that Surman is in [Y]

[city till i die 0]

yeah its like a new signing, cant be match fit tho

[WeAreYellows49 0]

He''ll be fine im sure, even if he''s only on for the 1st half, he makes a huge contribution

[Heffers Canary 0]

woohoo for surman starting, thats a big boost!

[WeAreYellows49 0]

Certainly is HC [:)]

[Heffers Canary 0]

I''m so nervous for today still though. Back on the shop floor at 3, got a Father Christmas lookalike in for the kids so it will be back to phone in my back pocket time!

[WeAreYellows49 0]

[quote user="Heffers Canary"]I''m so nervous for today still though. Back on the shop floor at 3, got a Father Christmas lookalike in for the kids so it will be back to phone in my back pocket time![/quote]

lol HC have fun, had enough of kids in town today, and Leeds fans, they were there by the coachload, our poor little markey town didn''t know what hit it this morning

[WeAreYellows49 0]

OTBC!!!!

[WeAreYellows49 0]

Oh dear City [:(]

[Herman 9,698]

Bugger,just got in to see that.Not happy.

[WeAreYellows49 0]

Glad we didn''t venture out today, I wouldn''t have been happy lol

[WeAreYellows49 0]

It''s gonna be one of those days today

[EssexWhite 0]

Sounds like a good game

[WeAreYellows49 0]

[quote user="EssexWhite"]Sounds like a good game[/quote]

Why aren''t you there?

[EssexWhite 0]

Couldn''t get tickets, you only gave us 2000 :@

Though tbf I can see why, you don''t need to give us tickets to fill the ground like Coventry did.

[paul moy 235]

Ward sounds really poor today. [:(]

[ron obvious 1,495]

Getting very concerned about Ruddy.

[ROBFLECK 132]

Best we can get out of this one is another late draw... doesn''t sound good

[ron obvious 1,495]

Cody''s scored (small cheer).

[WeAreYellows49 0]

[quote user="paul moy"]Ward sounds really poor today. [:(][/quote]

 

Don''t sound like any of them are shining

[WeAreYellows49 0]

[quote user="ron obvious"]

Getting very concerned about Ruddy.


[/quote]

He doesn''t fill me with confidence that''s for sure

[Herman 9,698]

We only play one half[:S]

[WeAreYellows49 0]

[quote user="EssexWhite"]Couldn''t get tickets, you only gave us 2000 :@ Though tbf I can see why, you don''t need to give us tickets to fill the ground like Coventry did.[/quote]

That sucks, been there a few times when I couldn''t get tickets.  Would have been a good atmosphere today as well.  Sounds like Leeds are outplaying us first half.  Second half we might see a different story.

Not sure why Norwich only play well for one half or the other lol would be nice to get 90 minutes consistently good football

[paul moy 235]

[quote user="WeAreYellows49"]

[quote user="paul moy"]Ward sounds really poor today. [:(][/quote]

 

Don''t sound like any of them are shining

[/quote]

Yep.  I think we need Hoolahan on pretty soon in the second half with Jackson perhaps.  

[WeAreYellows49 0]

[quote user="Herman "]We only play one half[:S][/quote]

 

Wonder why that is?

[WeAreYellows49 0]

[quote user="paul moy"][quote user="WeAreYellows49"]

[quote user="paul moy"]Ward sounds really poor today. [:(][/quote]

 

Don''t sound like any of them are shining

[/quote]

Yep.  I think we need Hoolahan on pretty soon in the second half with Jackson perhaps.  

[/quote]

Lacking that spark aren''t we?  Maybe Lambert will make changes 2nd half [:)]