Grant Holt may well be back in the lone striker role against United with manager Chris Hughton convinced City cannot afford to be too cavalier in their approach.
David Cuffley
Friday, March 1, 2013
11:20 AM
Big game hunter Grant Holt is keen to make up for his Old Trafford disappointment of last season when the Canaries take on the Premier League leaders tomorrow.
Skipper Holt has scored on most of the big grounds – Stamford Bridge, Anfield, Goodison Park and the Emirates Stadium – since City resumed life in the top flight 18 months ago, but sat on the bench for the whole of last season’s 2-0 defeat at Manchester United while Steve Morison led the attack and Chris Martin made a brief appearance as substitute.
Now, with his 75th goal for the club under his belt after his stoppage-time winner against Everton at Carrow Road last Saturday, the 31-year-old is eager to grab his chance to make amends.
“I love going to bigger grounds. I was unlucky last season – I didn’t get on at Old Trafford so I’ve got a point to prove,” said Holt. “It’s the only one I haven’t really played at yet, so I hope we go there and I keep up my run of scoring at big grounds.”
Holt believes United, 12 points clear at the top of the table, will not be in the least apprehensive at facing a City team who beat them 1-0 in November.
“We know we beat them, but it’s Manchester United. They probably forgot about that game straight afterwards and moved on to the next one,” he said. “That’s what they do and we can only do that ourselves. We got three good points the other day but we move on.
“It’s one of the biggest challenges but we’ve done well. I think if you look at our record, we do not too badly at the so-called bigger clubs. We can only do what we do best, go up there with a plan, stick to that and see where it takes us.”
Holt may well be back in the lone striker role against United with manager Chris Hughton convinced City cannot afford to be too cavalier in their approach.
Playing as the spearhead in a more defensive formation has restricted Holt’s goal tally to five this season and handed him a different kind of workload.
Said Holt: “He (Hughton) has been open enough to tell everyone that he doesn’t expect me to score as many goals as I did last season and I’m there to do a job for the team and you’ve got to bite your lip and get on with it.
“The position the manager wants you to play, you’ve got to do it because there’s no way you don’t want to play.
“You can never truly say you’re happy with that position because obviously you want to score goals but there’s a job to be done and at the moment he thinks I’m the best person to do that job.
“You have to adapt to situations. Did I score at the weekend because we played 4-4-2? I don’t know, but if he goes with the 4-4-1-1 again this week, you’ve got to get on with it.”
ADVERTISEMENT
15 comments
You never know with Delia, MBA. She may be into middle-eastern or Moroccan cuisine. Goat cheese is quite trendy now, so there must be a few available goats to eat? Gives us something bovine to yak about, as we herd animals do! Want Tibet on it? ;-)
Report this comment
Mad Brewer
Saturday, March 2, 2013
Doh! Goal fest!! doubt goat will be on the menu, there may be some horse though!
Report this comment
MBA Marine
Saturday, March 2, 2013
Im going for a goat fest, 2-3 COYY
Report this comment
MBA Marine
Saturday, March 2, 2013
One thing we should NOT expect at Old Trafford is a penalty in our favour ( against us very likely ). Another three weeks without a penalty and we can celebrate our first anniversary without one. At least last season we converted 100% of the two we were awarded so we do really well considering the lack of match practice!
Report this comment
canary_canuck
Friday, March 1, 2013
The last time I saw Man U v City at Carrot Rood One of the Northern Monkey Fans fell off the stadium roof !! must have been in the 70's....
Report this comment
tom the taxi
Friday, March 1, 2013
Of course if Mr Lambert was involved, after the pudding we could have After 8s.
Report this comment
DocOhNo
Friday, March 1, 2013
There have been too many puddings posting recently.
Report this comment
DocOhNo
Friday, March 1, 2013
I'm hoping that Hoots will surprise us against ManU. Now that he has tried two up front and implimented plan B early in the second half, he has given himself so many different options! I agree with other posts, he should take the chance, go for it and who knows we could cause another big upset!! Wouldn't that just make my weekend. But if Hoots sticks with his one up front then lets also hope he will change his Plan A early enough to make a difference. You know what, we could just win this one. otbc
Report this comment
Canarygirl
Friday, March 1, 2013
I think Delia calls that `afters`, Doc. Or dessert. Just.
Report this comment
Mad Brewer
Friday, March 1, 2013
I agree Dubai Canary the only way to play Man Utd is to go at them,if we try and play too defensive they will just wear us down. I would rather go for the win and risk getting beat than sitting back and losing by the odd goal or two. I would play Holty and Lucifer up front with Snoddy and Pilks on the flanks with Special K on the bench to come on in the second half,cant see it happening though,never the less I have a good feeling about this game-you never know,probably the best time to play them.
Report this comment
canaryjon
Friday, March 1, 2013
Wouldn't it be funny if we scored the winner in Delia Time?
Report this comment
DocOhNo
Friday, March 1, 2013
United will most likely field a less that full strength team - as they will be saving their star players for Real Madrid a couple of days later. Norwich should go all out for the win - play an attacking line up and put United on teh back foot from the get go. Hope Pilks plays - he likes scoring against United, as does Kamara ! I don't mind if we lose trying to win, but I'll be disappointed if we lose playing with a lone striker. We have the ability to upset United, so lets take it to them from the start - you never know, we could cause a big upset tomorrow !
Report this comment
Dubai Canary
Friday, March 1, 2013
......He could also go 4-3-3 if wanted to win Holty, or give the “Chevron” a go!....Throw caution to the wind in this one..No body expects us to get any thing out of it anyway!..... except me!......
Report this comment
Stew Pydsodd
Friday, March 1, 2013
I think that we've seen the last of The Diamond Formation. It was fun while it lasted but it only really came into it's own if we had the upper hand.
Report this comment
Swiss Canary
Friday, March 1, 2013
You`ve "got to get on with it", Holty! Give those ManUs a hard time. P`raps Hoots will let you have one or both of your new pals to play with over the course of the game? You can show `em!! I have a bet on for your goal tally to reach double figures - it`s not too late!! Go for it.
Report this comment
Mad Brewer
Friday, March 1, 2013