Clarets v Canaries Match Preview.

[The Bedlington Terrier]

Clarets Mad - Clarets v Canaries Match Preview.
Venue: Carrow Road, Norwich, NR1 1JE.
Kick-off – 12.30pm – Saturday, 4th February 2023.

Following last week’s trip to Ipswich for the FA CUP it’s back to business in the Championship as the Clarets and their legions of travelling fans make the return trip to East Anglia. This time it’s the Canaries who entertain Vincent Kompany’s table-topping Burnley team who stand a remarkable twenty points in front of promotion hopefuls Norwich City. This away fixture is the first of 7 games for the Clarets in 3 and a half weeks. Bonkers or what?

Canary co-owner Delia Smith of cookery fame replaced Dean Smith with former Huddersfield Town boss David Wagner at the turn of the year, and for the East Anglian outfit this is a “must-win” game if the Canaries are to get their promotion push back on track. Burnley on the other hand, will regard this game as a “rather not lose” match, so the pressure is very much on the home team to get a result.

The good news for Clarets fans is that Burnley will benefit from an almost fully fit squad to choose from. Johann Berg Gudmundsson and Manuel Benson remain doubtful, but it is hoped one or both will be fit to play. It was noticeable by their absence that the potent threat they constantly pose from the right wing was missing at Portman Road last Saturday. Vincent Kompany who usually plays with one central striker can chose from a smorgasbord of striking talent selecting from either Rodriguez, Barnes, Foster, Tella, Dervisoglu or latest recruit Michael Obafemi. An embarrassment of riches indeed.

All things considered it seems that Burnley boss Vincent Kompany has yet again a serious selection dilemma on his hands. Scott Twine is knocking on the door for a starting berth, Jack Cork is suspended, so it will be interesting to see how the Clarets line-up for Saturday’s lunchtime kick off. The Canaries will no doubt select the Clarets fans’ favourite pantomime villain Grant Hanley who gifted Burnley a goal in the October reverse fixture which Burnley won 1-0 at Turf Moor. Former Claret Ben Gibson may well line up alongside Hanley in the heart of the Canaries defence.

One’s to watch: Wagner has reunited former Sao Paulo pair Gabriel Sara and Gunners’ loan signing Marquinhos, Teemu Pukki is a regular scorer in the Championship and poses a constant threat and like Burnley the Canaries have a large squad to select from with tactical options galore.

For the Clarets Lyle Foster, Michael Obafemi and Scott Twine will all be looking to shine. The Clarets are scoring freely from all around the team and it’s hard not to see an attacking selection from Vincent Kompany not scoring a goal or two at Carrow Road.

Verdict: Despite the Canaries urgent need to win, a draw or an away win seems the likeliest outcome to this encounter for me, and without sitting on the fence I back the Clarets to win 3-1, with the Clarets new cult hero Anass Zaroury running riot.

Footnote: I mean no disrespect to Norwich City or their fans, but the Canaries really are the perennial yo-yo club, seemingly stuck in some sort of eternal purgatory in-between the English Premier League and the Championship.

They always appear to me to be too strong for the second tier, yet not strong enough to maintain continual survival in the top tier of English football.

I realise both Burnley and Norwich City were relegated from the English Premier League last season, but the Clarets under the auspices of Vincent Kompany look set for an immediate return; three points on Saturday would do the Canaries cause a power of good, but I expect the Clarets relentless march back to the lucre of the EPL will continue.

An opinion and post from The Editor’s Chair – Clarets Mad.

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[kritichris]

VK has reported a lot of players are out through injury and illness but hasn't released details. It popped up on my phone but I've lost the link.


found it..


https://www.burnleyexpress.net/sport...trikes-4012247

[The Bedlington Terrier]

VK has reported a lot of players are out through injury and illness but hasn't released details. It popped up on my phone but I've lost the link.


found it..


https://www.burnleyexpress.net/sport...trikes-4012247

I think the little tinker might be playing mind games, pick the bones out of this lot:

Goalkeepers:

Arijanet Muric.

Bailey Peacock-Farrell.

Denis Franchi.

Defenders:

Charlie Taylor.

Taylor Harwood Bellis.

Connor Roberts.

Hjalmar Ekdal.

Ameen Al-Dahil.

Vitinho.

Ian Maatsen.

Jordan Beyer.

Midfielders:

Jack Cork.

Johann Berg Gudmundsson.

Josh Brownhill.

Josh Cullen.

Samuel Bastien.

Strikers:

Jay Rodriguez.

Ashley Barnes.

Scott Twine.

Lyle Foster.

Manuel Benson.

Anass Zaroury.

Nathan Tella.

Darko Churlinov.

Halil Dervisoglu.

Michael Obafemi.

Surely VK is having a giraffe.

[The Bedlington Terrier]

Vinny playing the old Fergie trick for tomorrow, "half the squad's in doubt, we can hardly put a starting eleven out!"

[outwoodclaret]

Norwich have racked up 4 goals in each of their previous two games away to PNE and Coventry. They raced into 3-0 leads in both matches with midfielder Kieran Dowell netting a total of 3 goals in the two fixtures and Teemu Pukki helping himself to a brace at Deepdale. New boss Wagner will be hoping for a similar fast start against the Clarets in his first game in charge at Carrow Road. Could be tin helmets time for the Burnley defence in the opening half hour and it will be interesting to see what line up VK starts with.

[wanderlust]

T'awreet lads. Been on holiday for a while but finances dictated I had to come back in time to catch the arse end of the transfer window which has been a joyous affair. Loving the Rovers saga in particular - you couldn't make it up

Anyhoo Norwich. There's no doubt that they've had the new manager bounce thing and are playing much better under Wagner so it will be a tough game. They've cleared out a fair bit of dead wood - including Cantwell who slowed them down IMO - but the only addition of note is Marquinhos on loan from Arsenal who is a tricky winger/forward. They look more solid under Wagner but they are playing a more progressive style especially at home so it's going to be an interesting battle of two teams trying to impose their game plan.
Should be a quality game - but I think you have enough to win it.

[kritichris]

Starting 11 looks like one we'd put out for a cup game against lowly opposition.

[wanderlust]

Thank you Tim Krul.
I mean WTF was that?

[wanderlust]

That's the 26th consecutive game that Burnley have scored a goal.

[wanderlust]

Nice away win although Norwich were poor. Some great individual performances but haven't been impressed with Foster so far - nothing sticks.
Meanwhile at Everton they've scored a goal made in Burnley: Dwight McNeil's cross headed in by James Tarkowski, celebrated by Sean Dyche.