Norwich vs Blackburn Preview

Norwich Vs Blackburn
Barclays Premier League
Venue: Carrow Road Date: Saturday, 29 October Kick-off: 1500 BST
Coverage: Highlights on Match of the Day; updates on BBC Radio 5 live & live commentary on local radio; text commentary on BBC Sport website and mobiles


TEAM NEWS
Norwich boss Paul Lambert has no fresh injury concerns, but Zak Whitbread is not ready to return from a hamstring injury.

Grant Holt may return to the starting line-up after coming off the bench to score at Liverpool last week.

Scott Dann is available for Blackburn after recovering from a calf injury and Steven Nzonzi returns from suspension.

But Vince Grella (hip), Ryan Nelsen (knee), Michel Salgado (hamstring), and David Dunn (calf) remain out of action.

MATCH PREVIEW
I spent four of my formative years as a television commentator living in Norwich. Like no other place I've experienced, the entire feel and atmosphere around the city is determined by the fortunes of its football club. It's a city which wears a smile or a frown in tune with the highs and lows of the Canaries - and right now Norwich is beaming, for the team has grabbed this Premier League by its lapels and has shown no fear.


Having watched Norwich regularly for the Football League Show over the previous two seasons, I'm not surprised at how City have adapted to the step-up.

More impressive to me than the Anfield draw - or heroic away defeats at Chelsea and Manchester United - is how they've calmly picked up points from their mid-to-lower ranking peers. The style and manner of the victory at Bolton and home wins over both Sunderland and Swansea recently suggest, more so than the headline-grabbing performances against the big boys, that the Canaries are equipped to not just stay in the division, but to finish a decent way up the table.

Blackburn are as far-removed from feel-good Norwich as possible at the moment. Wednesday's long-haul League Cup win over Newcastle will only partially have lifted the mood around a club where the vitriol has flowed freely, both on the terraces and in cyberspace, aimed at manager Steve Kean and Blackburn's owners.

Kean's had the best part of a year in charge of the club now, and this season's run of six defeats from nine Premier League matches has done little to help his cause. Neither will rumours of a midweek altercation between a member of the coaching staff and supporters, which Kean has vowed to investigate.

Blackburn's season is certainly saveable, but calm - on and off the pitch - is needed. Badly. A squad boasting Robinson, Samba, N'Zonzi and Pedersen has the ability to do better, providing the club can find cohesion and togetherness. They could do worse than learn from this weekend's opponents.

MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head

These two clubs have only met on 37 occasions. They first met in the FA Cup first round in 1912, Blackburn winning 4-1. Their first ever league match came in 1936 in the old Division Two when the Lancastrians were again the victors.
Their first meeting in the Premier League, in 1992, saw Blackburn demolish Norwich 7-1 at Ewood Park.
But the East Anglians got their revenge a year later, winning 3-2 at Blackburn. That was the last time Norwich have won at Ewood Park.
Norwich

Norwich have only lost one of their past five Premier League matches - a 2-0 defeat at Old Trafford.
But they have failed to keep a clean sheet in their 10 league and cup matches this season.
They are most vulnerable to conceding goals in the last five minutes of a match.
The Canaries have not scored after the 63rd minute this season.
Blackburn

Blackburn have failed to score in just two of their 11 matches this season so far - but they, like Norwich, are yet to keep a clean sheet.
Rovers have lost six of their nine Premier League games so far, and have not won since beating Arsenal 4-3 at Ewood Park on 17 September.
Yakubu Aiyegbeni and Mauro Formica are the club's joint top scorers in the Premier League, with two goals each.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/15413656.stm

sorry this isnt my own this week, but normal service will be resumed next week

M'on the canaries!!