Cardiff V Norwich: Match Preview

Norwich City goes into this tough away fixture against Cardiff looking for their first win of the season. Most experts will concur that Norwich have played some excellent football, but their failure to take chances has left them with one point after two league games. On top of that they have been knocked out of the League cup at the first hurdle. Dejan Stefanovic has recently stated that Norwich should have six points from all their efforts, but at the end of the day goals win games and Norwich haven't done it so far. Norwich will hope that the chances can be taken and city will have their first three points of the season.

Speculation is mounting about the possibility of Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink being offered a one year contract. The former Bluebirds striker watched Norwich's 1-1 draw against Blackpool and has been training with club all this week. The official line is he is just keeping fit, but there are many different clubs than Norwich where Jimmy Floyd could just be keeping fit. Somehow it seems more likely that Hasselbaink is here to prove to Roeder he fit enough for one more year. That said even if Jimmy is offered a deal he is highly unlikely to play at the weekend as he can't possibly be match fit.

In terms of team selection there isn't expected to be major changes despite the failure to win against Blackpool. Sammy Clinghan picked up a slight knock playing for Northern Ireland, but he has been declared fit to play. The back four look set to remain as they were, so the big questions will be over who fills in on the right wing and who to play up front. Pattison was the man given the role on Saturday and did quite well, but that is not his natural position. That said I feel Lee Croft has to work for his place after being wasteful in front of goal, so the answer for me is Darel Russell. I expect Roeder to make only one change and replace the wasteful Lupoli with the clinical Russell.

Below will me the team I will pick. This is not the team I expect Roeder to pick, but I think it would work well and give us good balance.

My team is as follows:

Marshall

Bertrand Stefanovic Kennedy Omozusi

Hoolahan Fozzy Clinghan Russell

Lupoli Cureton

Subs:

Nelson(GK)

Shackell

Pattison

Croft

Koroma

Prediction

I predict Norwich will record a narrow win.