[Bispham Seasider]

Norwich City vs Blackpool, Football League Championship at Carrow Road. Saturday 15th August Kick-off 3pm.

Today the Blackpool squad flew down from Blackpool airport to Norwich airport minus Keith Southern who is now serving a three match ban for his sending off at Macclesfiled Town. Simon Grayson has yet to name either a captain for tomorrow or even the club captain for the season and has called for "eleven captains" tomorrow as Blackpool go for not only their first points of the season but their first goals.

Some of the players on the injury list are expected to come into contention for the game, though striker Stephen McPhee will definitely miss the trip. Grayson has not confirmed any names (as usual) and has also said that he would not throw anyone straight into the team so the team will be very similar to that which started the last two games, apart from Southern of course!

Norwich City is also of course where Wes Hoolahan now plys his trade and he will be looking to impress on his home league debut ironically against the Seasiders, but so will the new players in tangerine. Hoolahan has had a mixed start to his Norwich career, as he was taken off after an hour last Tuesday in the League Cup defeat at Milton Keynes Dons and some Norwich fans have criticised him for "over-playing" - something heard at Bloomfield Road quite a few times last season.

Whether Blackpool can even score tomorrow, never mind get a draw or win, will surely depend a lot on whether strikers Daniel Nardiello and/or Steve Kabba are back to full fitness and feature in the game. Playing as we have thus far this season a 4-5-1 formation, with Ben Burgess a lone striker has not worked, and Burgess has looked tired toward the end of the games. At least if one or both Nardiello and Kabba are back tomorrow it would give Grayson some options up front which he hasn't had at all yet in pre-season or as the season started.

Norwich City will be backed as usual by a large crowd. Despite having a poor season last year, they still kept up decent crowds and regularly get close to full houses at Carrow Road which holds just over 26,000. Last season the Seasiders won at Carrow Road, and the Tangerine Army were in full voice. They will need to be tomorrow, and are expected to take somewhere around 700ish.

[Dynamogal]

Oh my, "math" was never my best subject!

[Bispham Seasider]

I only just noticed that too! Whoops and I've no idea how to change it! Ah well......

[Dynamogal]

LOL - it's OK, it catches the eye! I think only a mod can change it (calling Art to the white courtesy phone. )

[Bispham Seasider]

Team news for todays ahem, math -

Blackpool -
1 Paul Rachubka

2 Danny Coid
6 Ian Evatt
24 Rob Edwards (capt)
20 Mohammed Camara

7 Adam Hammill
14 David Fox
16 Claus Bech Jorgenson
17 Jermaine Wright
12 Gary Taylor-Fletcher

27 Ben Burgess

subs
21 Matthew Gilks
5 Marlon Broomes
11 David Vaughan
19 Steve Kabba
22 Zeshan Rehman

Norwich City -
Marshall
Kennedy
Stefanovic
Clingan
Cureton
Hoolahan
Fotheringham (capt)
Lupoli
Bertrand
Omosuzi
Pattison

subs
Nelson
Shackell
Croft
Russell
Koroma

So the only change in the starting line-up from the Bristol City game is David Fox coming in for the suspended Keith Southern, with Rob Edwards taking the captains armband for today.

Whilst it is worrying that again we are relying on one lone striker, the one thing Fox has is a reasonable range of passes. Whether he is good enough for the Championship still remains to be seen. He didn't hold down a permanent place in the team last season. Good to see though that Steve Kabba is finally at least on the bench and we do have a strong bench today (just a pity though that the Football League clubs voted not to introduce seven subs this season as the Premier League did, but I suspsect that has a lot to do with some clubs in League One and Two who probably don't have enough first team players to justify having seven subs in a match.)

Anyway, not long to go. I must admit I'm dreading this match. Norwich have sold out so it will be a big crowd and they have some very good players. On the other hand they have also not yet scored this season! Come on you 'Pool!

[Dynamogal]

Hope it all "adds" up and we can put up the numbers!

[Dynamogal]

2:46 Shot by Jamie Cureton(Norwich) right-footed from left side of penalty area (18 yards), missed left.

Hoolahan has just had his first "hello again" encounter with Danny Coid!

[Dynamogal]

3:43 Jamie Cureton(Norwich) caught offside. Indirect free kick taken right-footed by Paul Rachubka(Blackpool) from own half, resulting in open play.

4:44 Cross by Matthew Pattison(Norwich), shot by Jamie Cureton(Norwich) right-footed from right side of penalty area (6 yards), hit bar.

5:02 Shot by Wesley Hoolahan(Norwich) volleyed left-footed from left side of penalty area (6 yards), over the bar.

5:53 Foul by Jermaine Wright(Blackpool) on Ryan Bertrand(Norwich). Direct free kick taken right-footed by David Marshall(Norwich) from own half, passed.

[Dynamogal]

8:24 Foul by John Kennedy(Norwich) on Ben Burgess(Blackpool). Direct free kick taken right-footed by Ian Evatt(Blackpool) from own half, resulting in open play.

10:02 Foul by Sammy Clingan(Norwich) on Claus Bech Jorgensen(Blackpool). Free kick crossed right-footed by Adam Hammill(Blackpool) from right channel, clearance by Wesley Hoolahan(Norwich).

11:09 Cross by Ben Burgess(Blackpool), header by Gary Taylor-Fletcher(Blackpool) from centre of penalty area (12 yards), save (caught) by David Marshall(Norwich).

[Dynamogal]

12:24 Shot by Adam Hammill(Blackpool) right-footed from right channel (25 yards), missed right.

13:09 Cross by Arturo Lupoli(Norwich), clearance by Ian Evatt(Blackpool).

13:16 Inswinging corner from left by-line taken right-footed by Mark Fotheringham(Norwich) to centre, clearance by Gary Taylor-Fletcher(Blackpool).

14:16 Cross by Ryan Bertrand(Norwich), clearance by Danny Coid(Blackpool).

14:21 Inswinging corner from left by-line taken right-footed by Mark Fotheringham(Norwich) to far post, clearance by Ben Burgess(Blackpool).

14:56 Inswinging corner from left by-line taken right-footed by Mark Fotheringham(Norwich) to near post, header by John Kennedy(Norwich) from left side of six-yard box (6 yards), missed right.