Eadie Losing his marbles?

I was tickled by Darren Eadie's claim's this week that, “every Saturday I always look at Norwich's opposing team and I always fancy City to beat them. I would take Norwich's team over every team in the division."

After wiping the tears of laughter from my eyes I decided to try and empty Mr Eadie's 'half-full' glass by pointing out the obvious. He is wrong.

How can our inconsistent, chuffed with a 4-0 loss, 'battered' them but still lost, mainly in-experienced and un-successful, small squad possibly be considered as good as Derby's, West Brom's, Birmingham's or Southampton's?

The fact that we go into this weekend's clash against Ian Dowie's 'honeymoon period' Coventry side, knowing full well that we are far from garunteed a result proves that this view is just fanciful. 

Okay, our performances in the last few week's have been encouraging and Peter Grant is obviously doing all that he can to push those sprightly buds of improvement into those infamous sought after 'three point' flowers (three-points-please-iniums) this spring but safety from relegation is still far from secured.

If City continue at current form, 8 points taken from the last 30 available, we are in for a nail-biting end to the season. However, if Grant's men can find the strength, concentration and determination to go with their recent good play, then hopefully we can consign the last few months as our 'bad spell' and Norwich City can start showing what they're going to be about next season.

If we are to do this our well documented defensive frailties at set-pieces must be eliminated. The unfortunate thing is that the defence has been playing well but poor lapses in concentration are costing us time and time again. The man who could, somewhat surprisingly, be the key to fixing this could be, Andy Hughes.

For all Jurgen Collin's improvement to his game this year he cannot match Hughes' vocal presence, leadership or experience in this division. He may not have what it takes to be a Norwich City midfielder but he is always well thought of for the effort and determination that he will always show for the team.

His best games for City have undoubtedly come at full-back and with Hughes there to help Dion Dublin organise things at the back, his experience could be vital.

I have also spoken in recent weeks of Jason Shackell playing a lot better with Dion alongside him but he must not become reliant on him, he must learn from him and try to replicate Dion's best qualities. If he loses his way this weekend, where Dion is unlikely to feature, he will be doing himself a massive injustice and will demonstrate that he will perhaps not be able to fulfil the talent that is not too far from reach for him.

At least he finally got his first goal from a set-piece on Tuesday, let's hope it's the first of many.

We're so close to turning the corner and there is plenty to be positive about so let's just hope lady-luck can give us a helping hand.

Rabbit's feet and three-leaved clover's at the ready on Saturday then! 

 

The Loan Files

 

Congratulations to Ryan Jarvis on his hat-trick for Leyton Orient on Tuesday night. What a way to endear yourself to your new supporters, a hat-trick away to their local rivals Millwall, to drag them out of the relegation zone, having conceded ten goals in their last three games.

If he continue's that kind of form through to his return to Carrow Road, he may still have a chance of making it with his boyhood club.

The chance to get that glorious goalscorers feeling regularly and the memory of his brilliant goal against Liverpool in the Premiership, must act as a giant carrot for Ryan to chase. 

Not such a good night for Ian Henderson after getting sent off for Rotherham but Ryan's exploits must show him he has to keep working and believing in himself or his dreams are going to be torn from his fingertips.

Matty Halliday and Rossi Jarvis are certainly seeing the tough end of English football with Torquay seven points adrift at the bottom of League Two and without a win in five matches.

Rossi is back at Carrow Road having some physio work on a back problem according to the Torquay website and Matty was taken off at half time on Tuesday night by manager Keith Curle in a tactical decision.

With the Devon club's fans finally getting their wish of chairman Chris Roberts' resignation this week there will be renewed hope at Plainmoor and we'll just have to hope Matty and Rossi can be part of a revival.

With Andrew Cave-Brown now back at Carrow Road, you can only presume Peter Grant feels he has a chance of being involved in the first-team squad to bring him back from regular first-team football, it leaves Andrew Fisk to continue his good form for Lynn.

Good luck to all the lads again this weekend.

Lets get the Green Flag flying high again!