Norwich City welcome Barnsley to Carrow Road this afternoon, looking for a little revenge over The Tykes after a 2-1 defeat at Oakwell, earlier in the season.
Alan Irvine takes charge for the first time proper, having basically just fielded Alex Neil’s side and tactics against Blackburn, due to Neil’s late sacking a week ago.
What Irvine has done is immediately return Timm Klose to the squad. Neil dropped Klose last week, despite the smoke screen of a back injury, with the player posting a picture of himself in an acrobatic position on some equipment at Colney in the days prior to the match.
Irvine insists that this is his final game in charge because he hasn’t been asked to do anymore than these two games (yet).
Whether that changes will depend on how well the club are doing with their infamous restructuring process. Someone needs to be taking training next week, as Irvine pointed out on Friday at Colney. I expect someone will be in touch soon, Alan.
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NORWICH
Graham Dorrans and Nelson Oliveira have trained all week and are back in the squad, along with the recalled Timm Klose.
Irvine said that a couple of players have suffered with illness this week but that he’s hoping they will be available for Saturday (no names).
BARNSLEY
Barnsley will be hoping Marc Roberts can play despite an ankle injury and Andy Yiadom (knee) should also be fit.
Left-back Aidy White remains sidelined as he recovers from pelvic surgery.
WHAT TO EXPECT
If I’m honest, I simply don’t know what we’ll get here.
Will Irvine stick to Neil’s signature formation of 4-2-3-1 or does he prefer something else?
I’d like to see something else and I’d like to see a few different players involved. James Maddison is a player that many fans, me included, want to see given a bit of game time in the Championship because we want to see if he’s up to it, or not.
I’m not suggesting he should start, not with Hoolahan and Pritchard available but if Wes gets tired after 70 odd minutes and the game is going well, then why not?
This may, or may not be Irvine’s last game in charge. After Barnsley, we’ve got an international break and two weeks in which you’d hope the board will be working hard to sort things out. If they can’t, in that time frame, then Irvine may be asked to stick around a while longer.
Barnsley turned us over with aplomb last year, so let’s get at them and right that wrong.
OTBC
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