Norwich City fans won’t even have been that surprised that their team slipped up away at Watford even after racing into an early two goal lead, David Wagner’s Canaries losing 3-2 at Vicarage Road means the Norfolk-based outfit have now lost five of their last seven games in the Championship.
Not all hope is lost however – Norwich did win 1-0 at Carrow Road versus QPR in this run – but Wagner might well be forced into making a number of changes to his team when they travel to Bristol City on Sunday.
Here’s what the former Huddersfield Town manager’s predicted XI could look like for the match at Ashton Gate, with potentially as many as four alterations from the defeat earlier this week.
1
GK – Angus Gunn
Wagner has hinted in his pre-match presser before Watford that Angus Gunn could be fit for the game at the weekend, which will be music to the ears of Norwich fans.
His stand-in George Long has only managed to keep one clean sheet filling in for Gunn in the league, conceding three goals against Watford last time out in a display he’ll want to forget about.
Gunn should walk back into the line-up, hoping to give the Canaries a safe pair of gloves again in-between the sticks.
2
RB – Jack Stacey
Jack Stacey should retain his spot in Wagner’s line-up for the trip to Ashton Gate, despite a poor showing from the ex-AFC Bournemouth man away at Watford last time out.
Norwich’s number three did still win four of his six duels on the night, the experienced Stacey in line therefore for a start against Bristol City to hopefully sure up a shaky Canaries backline.
3
CB – Shane Duffy
Shane Duffy will also start against Bristol City, even after his side’s collapse against Watford midweek.
The Irishman won four of his six aerial duels on the night, Norwich not undone on the night by a lack of physicality. Duffy will hope his efforts in defence against Bristol result in the Canaries picking up a much-needed win, rather than leaving another game on the losing side.
4
CB – Danny Batth
The former Sunderland man opened his Norwich account in the game at Vicarage Road on Tuesday night, scoring a headed goal from a Gabriel Sara corner.
Batth was also imposing in the air – winning all of three of his aerial duels on the night – and will hope he’s done enough to start again away at Ashton Gate, eager to help his team keep a clean sheet and gain a much-needed three points.
5
LB – Dimitrios Giannoulis
Wagner will also most likely keep Dimitrios Giannoulis in his starting line-up for the trip to Bristol on Sunday, the Greek full-back did have an off-day versus Watford but Norwich’s number 30 has performed competently this campaign in other matches.
The 1-0 home win against QPR before the Watford away loss saw Giannoulis shine in a spirited defensive display from the Canaries, clearing the ball away four times to stop the ball entering the back of Long’s net.
6
CM – Kenny McLean
Wagner also spoke of the potential that Adam Forshaw could be back in contention for a start this time around in his pre-match thoughts, but Kenny McLean should be retained by his manager despite all this talk.
McLean was nowhere near his best at Vicarage Road – only winning 25% of his duels in the contest – but Norwich’s captain has excelled in other games this campaign.
Averaging an impressive 7.4 ball recoveries per 90 minutes this season, McLean should still have enough about him to remain in his manager’s good books and start versus Liam Manning’s Robins on Sunday.
7
CM – Gabriel Sara
Gabriel Sara is a shoo-in for a start on Sunday, the Brazilian midfielder a standout performer for Norwich in an otherwise underperforming Canaries collective this season.
This season alone, Sara has five goals and eight assists from a holding midfield role for his mid-table team. Moreover, per 90 minutes this campaign, the South American star has averaged 5.8 ball recoveries to help his side gain an advantage when games have been slipping out of reach.
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8
RM – Jonathan Rowe
Norwich supporters will be praying that Wagner’s comments stating that Rowe could be back fit for the game on Sunday come true, the Canaries desperately missing their star winger ever since he’s been sidelined.
Onel Hernandez has been Norwich’s right winger in Rowe’s absence, with the Cuban midfielder failing to impress filling in.
Hernandez registered one off-target attempt against the Hornets, Wagner faced with an easy selection call to make by dropping the lacklustre midfielder for Rowe to come back into the team.
9
CAM – Ashley Barnes
With Hwang Ui-Jo ruled out of Sunday’s clash, Ashley Barnes will come into the lineup to plug the notable gap left by the South Korean attacker.
Barnes did have to play the majority of the match against the Hornets after Hwang hobbled off, failing to register a single shot on goal during a forgettable 73-minute spell on the pitch.
Wagner will hope – over a full 90 minutes – that the ex-Burnley man can offer more in the number ten role than he did at Watford and add to his two goals for the campaign.
10
LM – Borja Sainz
Christian Fassnacht could be another casualty from the line-up in midfield for the Canaries, the Swiss winger way off the pace against Watford.
Norwich’s number 16 was weak in challenging Hornets shirts advancing past him – the 30-year-old was dribbled past six times in total across his 83-minute stint on the pitch – and so Borja Sainz could walk into the side in his place.
Pink Un football journalist Samuel Seaman gave Fassnacht a 3/10 match rating for his dire display, with the left winger fearful he could dropped for the game at Ashton Gate.
Sainz also offered more going forward for Wagner’s men even in a 13-minute cameo, hitting a shot on target at the Watford goal from just eight touches of the ball.
11
ST – Adam Idah
Norwich’s under-fire German manager will also want to see more from the misfiring figure of Adam Idah up top at the weekend, Idah having a game to forget against the Hornets with the Watford defence easily marshalling him out of the game.
Idah would only muster up 13 touches in the game during a poor 67 minutes on the pitch at Vicarage Road, registering a measly one shot on target too.
Still, with Norwich lacking a prolific talisman ever since the summer sale of Teemu Pukki, the Irishman will more than likely remain as Wagner’s lone striker for the game in Bristol.
Norwich City’s predicted lineup in full vs Bristol City: GK – Gunn; RB – Stacey, CB – Duffy, CB – Batth, LB – Giannoulis; CM – Sara, CM – McLean; RM – Rowe, CAM – Barnes, LM – Sainz; ST – Idah
