v Norwich City (h) - 30/8/25

[RoversTilliDie]

16 hours ago, joey_big_nose said:

The Big win last Saturday settles the team. To be honest I am good with everyone in that starting XI except a bit concerned that our midfield is a little passive with Tavares in there. Hope he grows on me but seems to let the game go by him too much for my liking. Feels like he could be a good when we are on top, goes missing/becomes a liability when we are on the back foot type. Will watch him with interest.

 

Give him time, don't judge the newcomers on 3 matches.

[philipl]

Just now, RoversTilliDie said:

Give him time, don't judge the newcomers on 3 matches.

Or even word escaping from Brockhall in July that was Tavaeres was a horribly useless signing...

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

1 hour ago, philipl said:

Or even word escaping from Brockhall in July that was Tavaeres was a horribly useless signing...

I think that was DeNeve and I think they may be right.

[roverblue]

Yes from early showings DeNeve and Henrikson look well below the standard.

[roverblue]

Optimistic for Saturday, thought we did well against Brum then the big win last weekend. We look poor in attack but the new lads just signed plus rumours around a striker might change that by Saturday.

[joey_big_nose]

5 hours ago, RoversTilliDie said:

Give him time, don't judge the newcomers on 3 matches.

Im not writing him off, just some early thoughts.

De Neve and Henricksson have both been much worse than Tavares, but same as him i wont come till any conclusive judgements until christmas time.

So many examples of players who started poorly but improved significantly as they settled into the league.

[JBiz]

27 minutes ago, joey_big_nose said:

Im not writing him off, just some early thoughts.

De Neve and Henricksson have both been much worse than Tavares, but same as him i wont come till any conclusive judgements until christmas time.

So many examples of players who started poorly but improved significantly as they settled into the league.

Personally wouldn’t call less than an hour of football in the league “started poorly” but then that’s just me.

[RevidgeBlue]

20 minutes ago, JBiz said:

Personally wouldn’t call less than an hour of football in the league “started poorly” but then that’s just me.

Who you on about?

De Neve looks a very poor player, Tavares doesn't look too  bad, Henriksson could hardly have played worse against West Brom, to me that's "starting poorly" but, he has a bit of pedigree behind him which hopefully suggests he'll improve.

Edited 20 hours ago by RevidgeBlue

[Norn Iron Rover]

Tronstad had a poor start but turned out to be a great player for us.

[DE.]

Don't think De Neve is or ever will be up to the required standard, but conversely initial impressions of Alebiosu are good. He lacks somewhat in technical ability but he's got good energy and I can see him making things happen on the flank. Far too early to tell if he'll be an adequate replacement for Brittain, but there have been some promising signs. Not sure about Taveres yet, but think he'll be OK. McLoughlin and Miller should be steady signings, whilst Henriksson has shown he will need time to adapt. 

Baradji and Morishita are, on paper, excellent signings. Remains to be seen how they perform. 

We haven't been too bad defensively so far, but 2 of our first 3 games were pretty dire attacking-wise. The Hull match was a massive improvement, and hopefully we'll see that Rovers side turn up again against Norwich. 

I don't rate Norwich very highly, so I think if we put in another Hull performance we could win by 2 or 3. Otherwise a draw or narrow defeat. Certainly don't see the current Norwich team turning us over. 

[rigger]

37 minutes ago, DE. said:

Don't think De Neve is or ever will be up to the required standard, but conversely initial impressions of Alebiosu are good. He lacks somewhat in technical ability but he's got good energy and I can see him making things happen on the flank. Far too early to tell if he'll be an adequate replacement for Brittain, but there have been some promising signs. Not sure about Taveres yet, but think he'll be OK. McLoughlin and Miller should be steady signings, whilst Henriksson has shown he will need time to adapt. 

Baradji and Morishita are, on paper, excellent signings. Remains to be seen how they perform. 

We haven't been too bad defensively so far, but 2 of our first 3 games were pretty dire attacking-wise. The Hull match was a massive improvement, and hopefully we'll see that Rovers side turn up again against Norwich. 

I don't rate Norwich very highly, so I think if we put in another Hull performance we could win by 2 or 3. Otherwise a draw or narrow defeat. Certainly don't see the current Norwich team turning us over. 

So you have narrowed it down to a win, draw, or loss.

[RoversTilliDie]

7 hours ago, roverblue said:

Optimistic for Saturday, thought we did well against Brum then the big win last weekend. We look poor in attack but the new lads just signed plus rumours around a striker might change that by Saturday.

They had some speedy strikers Birmingham, caught us on the break for the winner, and Bradford are currently 0-2 up at Stoke, nobody gave them credit against us, they defended well after going 0-2 up.

[RoversTilliDie]

31 minutes ago, rigger said:

So you have narrowed it down to a win, draw, or loss.

I'm not predicting anything, usually goes pear shaped when I make predictions.

[RoversTilliDie]

4 hours ago, Norn Iron Rover said:

Tronstad had a poor start but turned out to be a great player for us.

Tronstad is class, when hes on form.

[RoversTilliDie]

On 24/08/2025 at 23:20, because of boxing day said:

The style and slick passing of Norwich last season in the corresponding match was so impressive. It was so easy on the eye. 1-1 draw last year. A very late Weimann equaliser. Our midfielders must not be as easily bypassed by the quick interlinking that has been a Norwich hallmark of late or we may be chasing the game. 

And the season before that, they took us to the cleaners down the right winger, and won 0-1.

[RoversTilliDie]

11 hours ago, philipl said:

Terrifying that this game doesn't make the cut for the past encounters table:

Even more terrifying that Chris Sutton was playing central defence for Norwich

And that Rovers replaced Norwich at the top of the Premier League table at 5 o-clock that afternoon.

Remember that one, awesome football from Rovers, let's hope Norwich don't remember it, and get revenge.

[J*B]

Toth

Alebiosu Hyam McLoughlin Riberio

Tronstad Tavares

Hedges Cantwell Morishitma

Ohashi

Winnable game. 

[norwichblue]

Norwich dispatched by Saints at home in the cup. Seen a couple of grumbles online for Manning out already. Hope their poor form carries into Saturday 🤞🏻

[RoversTilliDie]

18 minutes ago, norwichblue said:

Norwich dispatched by Saints at home in the cup. Seen a couple of grumbles online for Manning out already. Hope their poor form carries into Saturday 🤞🏻

Let's not count on it, probably a weakened Norwich.

[RoversTilliDie]

1 hour ago, RoversTilliDie said:

They had some speedy strikers Birmingham, caught us on the break for the winner, and Bradford are currently 0-2 up at Stoke, nobody gave them credit against us, they defended well after going 0-2 up.

My mistake 0-3 Bradford.

[oneandycrawford]

8 hours ago, RoversTilliDie said:

Remember that one, awesome football from Rovers, let's hope Norwich don't remember it, and get revenge.

One of my favourite Rovers games - the Shearer chip and the look on the Norwich keepers face.

Edited 7 hours ago by oneandycrawford

[benhben]

16 hours ago, RevidgeBlue said:

Who you on about?

De Neve looks a very poor player, Tavares doesn't look too  bad, Henriksson could hardly have played worse against West Brom, to me that's "starting poorly" but, he has a bit of pedigree behind him which hopefully suggests he'll improve.

I went to the Bradford cup game,  Henriksson was one of the worst players I've seen in a Rovers shirt. Literally couldn't control a ball, kept bouncing off his knees and shins. He also looked like he was running in treacle. Hadn't his season already started so he's had a full pre season and arguable further on in fitness than our players? Looked an absolute shocker to be honest. Hopefully it was nerves and confidence thing but I'm not sure.

De Neve looked like another Hedges, runs around a lot but lost the ball repeatedly. Then scored a tidy finish. Hard to judge until he plays more but he looked more mobile than Henriksson.

Thats the risk with buying loads of foreign unknowns. Some may adapt quickly, some adapt slowly and some are just shite. 

Edited 3 hours ago by benhben

[Mercer]

Whilst you can only beat the opposition in front of you, Hull were unbelievably lethargic and poor and if I was a Hull fan, I would be somewhat concerned.  So difficult to use that game as a marker.

As for Norwich, think they can be as good as they can be average.  New manager so I guess their players are still adapting to different style of play, tactics etc.

As others have pointed out, not difficult to envisage any one of the three possible outcomes.  If I'd to plump for one, it would be the draw.

As for our 9 new signings, it's early days but already written-off Forshaw and big question marks in place over De Neve in particular and Henriksson.  4 look steadyish atm whilst 2 have still to kick a ball for us.

[rog of the rovers]

Rovers have played just 14 Championship games since Norwich City last visited Ewood on 1st March (for Ismael's first game in charge) the team that day was

Pears; Brittain, Carter, Hyam, Ribero; Forshaw (Tronstad), Travis; Dolan (Dennis), Cantwell (Weimann), Kargbo (Hedges); Gueye (Ohashi).

Of the 16 players used that day

• 6 have left (or are due to leave e.g. Pears)
• 3 of the 4 unused subs have also departed - Rankin-Costello, Woodrow and Sanderson. Only Toth remains
• Carter and Forshaw unlikely to feature due to injury
• Leaving just 8 survivors from only fourteen games ago!

The grand reset has happened quickly! 

Edited 2 hours ago by rog of the rovers

[...]

19 hours ago, Norn Iron Rover said:

Tronstad had a poor start but turned out to be a great player for us.

As did Callum Brittain