Norwich hope to give returning players game time

Norwich City have a number of players returning from injury and illness Sunady's cup tie with Charlton.  Manager Dean Smith admits it is a 'real balancing act', but hints that he may see the game as an opportunity to give minutes to players who haven't been in action since early December: https://www.canaries.co.uk/content/several-players-set-to-return-from-injury-an-illness-for-fa-cup-tie-with-charlton

The Norwich City preview notes that in encounters between the two teams Charlton have won more games than Norwich: https://www.canaries.co.uk/content/match-preview-charlton-athletic-v-norwich-city

How strong a side will Norwich put out?

Johnnie Jackson says it is difficult to predict how strong a side Norwich City will put out for Sunday's FA Cup game: https://londonnewsonline.co.uk/difficult-to-predict-charlton-boss-on-norwich-selection-his-first-fa-cup-memories/

The SLP's Louis Mendez has been giving the lowdown to the Canaries on Charlton, including DJ who played for them, although his remarks about him are somewhat qualified: https://www.canaries.co.uk/content/ask-the-expert-charlton-athletic

Norwich City and their part in our downfall

VOTV editor Rick Everitt looks at the history of Charlton's encounters with Norwich City and how they have influenced our current fate: https://www.votvonline.com/home/the-2021-22-blogs/5-1-feeling-green-you-can-blame-norwich-for-a-lot/

An unfortunate 0-1 home defeat to the Canaries in a game we had dominated effectively ended our chances of automatic promotion to the Championship in 2010 and we then failed in the play offs.

The Rickster writes: 'Failure to return to the Championship in 2010 caused the old board of directors, led by Richard Murray, to disintegrate. It had been badly split since early 2008, when Derek Chappell removed Murray from the chair of the plc with the unanimous support of his colleagues, which also led to the resignation of chief executive Peter Varney.'

'However, in 2009, the directors, including Murray, had clubbed together to inject £7m in one last effort at stabilising the club. Many of them were barely on speaking terms with him by then, but after the play-off defeat of 2010 the money, and patience, had run out. They all wrote off the rest of their debts, together with the notional value of shares held by fans, and left Murray to sell the club on, which he did on December 31^st to Tony Jimenez and Michael Slater, although it turned out to be a bit more complicated than that.'

'All of the ownership travails of the last decade follow from that sale.'

Strong side against Norwich

Johnnie Jackson expects to put out a strong side against Norwich City in the FA Cup, but it is likely that Stephen Henderson will be in goal.  Jackson praised the performance of Nathan Harness in the pizza trophy: https://londonnewsonline.co.uk/charlton-athletic-set-to-give-it-everything-as-strong-side-expected-for-norwich-city-fa-cup-tie/

Charlton exit League Cup

A young Charlton side lost 4-1 to Norwich City to Carrow Road tonight, not a surprising result. The Addicks went 1-0 ahead through Lee Novak. Returning from suspension, he provided a rasping shot into the top-left corner from Tarique Fosu's pass, but then Norwich equalised and it was 1-1 at half time.

Josh Magennis came on after 57 minutes and gave the home side some problems, but his presence did not prevent the defeat. Indeed, the best chance for Charlton to get back into the game when they were 2-1 down and Magennis headed wide.

The Canaries had 59 per cent of the possession, twenty shots to four (nine to two on target) and ten corners to five.

The home support gets the prize for the silliest chant of the season so far: 'You're just a small club in Millwall.'

This morning a Canary supporting friend who no longer lives in Norwich posted that he had taken his two boys to their first game. He had to explain to them that it 'wasn't always like this' and described Charlton as 'lacklustre'. He also said, 'We gifted them a goal after five minutes and they looked genuinely puzzled.'

A report from Louis Mendez can be found here: Much changed team

His reports are always good, but he increasingly reminds me of the US vice-president who asked to describe his role said 'You die, I fly.' In the case of Mendez, it sometimes seems like a case of travel a long distance to irrelevant match and stay in the local doss house (although he did do better on his Devon break).

Our priority is promotion.

Robinson gives it large on Carabao Cup

Karl Robinson has made it clear that he can't take seriously a competition for which the draw is at 4.15 a.m. in the morning, not to mention the mistakes that have been made in relation to Charlton in the two draws so far. It was a bit much asking us to put two teams out in the first round.

Needless to say, both squads are depleted: Key men missing

The Canaries have had an indifferent start to the season and are currently 17th after just one win. There also seems to be trouble in relation to the youth players: Youth players defended

I suppose it will be a nice night out for Addicks who have retired to or work in Norfolk, of which there are a few. I was surprised to hear of disturbances in the sleepy seaside town of Cromer which I have always enjoyed visiting, but it has been alleged that members of the travelling community were involved.

Rod Liddle is a Millwall supporter who writes in The Times and the Spectator. To be fair, he has been supportive of the campaign against Roland. In a recent Spectator article he discussed Millwall chants. This must have perplexed the rather conservative and elderly readership, but I suspect they like anything that is politically incorrect. A chant against Gillingham fans involved the placement of lucky heather where the sun doesn't shine.

Enough of the stream of consciousness about this largely irrelevant competition. Goodness knows what the result will be, anything could happen, but I will go for 4-2 to Norwich.

Odds are: Norwich 3/10, Draw 17/4, Charlton 9/1. I don't bet, but if I did, it would almost be worth a punt on the Addicks pulling off a surprise.

Should you be going tonight, please note that the normal route off the A47 to Carrow Road is affected by a road closure.

Big changes at Norwich

Karl Robinson is to make wholesale changes at Carrow Road on Tuesday for the League Cup tie, just as he did at Exeter: Back up squad

This is sensible given the relative importance of the League Cup. We probably wouldn't win with a full first team squad and could pick up injuries.

Norwich may recall Rudd

Norwich City could recall Declan Rudd in the January transfer window. It would be their last chance to make some money out of the keeper who has interested Championship clubs: Nervous wait

Charlton could make an offer themselves, particularly given Rudd has expressed an interest in staying, but he could cost a significant amount.