New signings Mathias Normann and Ozan Kabak need to be thrown straight into Premier League battle – that was the message as we surveyed Norwich City fans online.
We asked Canaries supporters to pick their preferred XI for Saturday’s game at Arsenal, sparking a lively selection debate on the Pink Un pages on Twitter and Facebook.
Sticking with the 4-3-3 formation that Daniel Farke has started the season with was the preferred choice among a variety of suggestions, with just a few suggesting switching to a formation with a three-man central defence.
The team which started the 2-1 defeat to Leicester prior to the international break also remained for the majority – but with Normann and Kabak included in the vast majority of the XIs.
Schalke loanee Kabak was the defender to feature most often and skipper Grant Hanley just edged Ben Gibson for the other centre-back slot.
Kabak was away with Turkey during the break but played just 45 minutes, coming on at half-time of a 6-1 defeat in the Netherlands on Tuesday, with his team losing 3-0 and already down to 10 men.
Hanley played every minute of Scotland’s three games, helping him get up to speed after missing all of pre-season, while Gibson has been able to focus on working on the training pitches at Colney.
Defensive midfielder Normann was also named in the vast majority of the line-ups, just ahead of Chelsea loanee Billy Gilmour in the midfield stakes, with both in action for Norway and Scotland respectively during the break.
It was Pierre Lees-Melou that most expected to drop out, with Kenny McLean featuring in more of the suggested XIs – although it remains to be seen if the injury issue which saw McLean return early from Scotland duty will rule him out of the trip to London.
Otherwise, the team largely stayed the same, with every one of the 26 City fans taking part naming Max Aarons and Milot Rashica, and just one person going for Angus Gunn ahead of Tim Krul.
Manchester United loanee Brandon Williams was overwhelmingly picked ahead of Dimitris Giannoulis – who may also be a doubt, with reports in Greece of a neck complaint while on international duty.
Christos Tzolis and Josh Sargent were included in a fair few line-ups but Todd Cantwell and Teemu Pukki retain the edge for now.
SURVEY RESULT (4-3-3): Krul; Aarons, Hanley, Kabak, Williams; Gilmour, Normann, McLean; Cantwell, Pukki, Rashica
T @T_ncfc1902 (4-3-3)
Krul; Aarons, Kabak, Gibson, Williams; Normann, Gilmour, McLean; Tzolis, Sargent, Rashica
Dropping Hanley over Gibson purely because he’s been on international duty and Gibson hasn’t. Think that side can compete.
Jez @J2arlow (4-3-3)
Krul; Aarons, Hanley, Kabak, Williams; Gilmour, Normann, Lees-Melou; Cantwell, Pukki, Rashica
Roberth Kristiansen @Robbiesen (4-2-3-1)
Krul; Aarons, Kabak, Omobamidele, Williams; Normann, McLean; Tzolis, Cantwell, Rashica; Sargent
Craig A Bailey @craigabailey76 (4-3-3)
Krul; Aarons, Hanley, Gibson, Williams; Lees-Melou, Normann, McLean; Cantwell, Pukki, Rashica
Is my guess. Fitness pending.
NickRunning @RunABitNick (4-3-3)
Krul; Aarons, Kabak, Gibson, Giannoulis; Gilmour, Normann, McLean; Rashica, Pukki, Cantwell
Stephen Winter @stephenwinter25 (5-4-1)
Krul; Aarons, Hanley, Gibson, Kabak, Williams; Cantwell, Gilmour, Normann, Rashica; Pukki
Adam Symonds @_AdamSymonds (4-3-2-1)
Krul; Aarons, Hanley, Gibson, Williams; Lees-Melou, Gilmour, McLean/Rupp; Cantwell, Rashica; Pukki
I can't see many players being dropped if they've been at training this week. Normann & Kabak haven't trained yet. Sargent is travelling.
Peter Verhey @IAmTheVerhey (5-2-3)
Krul; Aarons, Kabak, Hanley, Gibson, Williams; Lees-Melou, Gilmour; Rashica, Pukki, Cantwell
Dom Spencer @SouthernCanary_ (4-2-3-1)
Gunn; Aarons, Kabak, Gibson, Williams; Norman, McLean; Rashica, Dowell, Tzolis; Pukki
Jay @thejaydawson (4-2-3-1)
Krul; Aarons, Kabak, Gibson/Hanley, Giannoulis; Gilmour, Normann; Rashica, Cantwell, Tzolis; Pukki
Be interesting to see if the best could come out of Pukki in the 4-2-3-1 system again, just think it suits him more, Sargeant looks an exciting player anyhow!
Damon Rudd @damonrudd (4-3-3)
Krul; Aarons, Kabak, Hanley, Williams; Gilmour, Lees-Melou, Mclean; Rashica, Pukki, Tzolis
Mark Townsend @Markkk57 (3-4-2-1)
Krul; Hanley Gibson, Kabak; Aarons, Gilmour, Normann, Williams; Cantwell, Rashica; Sargent
Canarycrazy @Canarycrazy1 (4-1-3-1-1)
Krul; Aarons, Hanley, Kabak, Williams; Norman; Rachica, Gilmour, Cantwell; Tzolis; Pukki
Jake @NCFCJake (4-3-3)
Krul; Aarons, Kabak, Hanley, Williams; Lees-Melou, Normann, Gilmour; Rashica, Sargent, Cantwell
But Farke will still play Pukki unfortunately.
Darren Flatt @DarrenFlatt1972 (4-3-3)
Krul: Aarons, Gibson, Hanley, Williams; McLean, Normann, Gilmour; Cantwell, Pukki, Rashica
Adam Durrant @AdamDurrant6 (4-3-3)
Krul; Aarons, Kabak, Gibson, Williams; Gilmour, Normann; Cantwell; Rashica, Sargent, Tzolis
Liam Last @Weslast
Sad to see Giannoulis suddenly dropped out of a lot of people's teams, played very well at times
Lee Whiddett @leeroypatel (4-3-3)
Krul; Aarons, Kabak, Hanley, Williams; McLean, Normann, Lees-Melou; Rashica, Pukki, Cantwell
Simon Meadows @galactico555 (3-4-2-1)
Krul; Kabak, Gibson, Hanley; Aarons, Normann, McLean, Williams; Rashica, Cantwell, Sargent
Mark @markinthedesert
Impossible to pick this one with so many away who may not start due to fatigue or slight knocks, for example Sargeant's game is on Thursday morning.
Andy R @CanaryAndy03 (4-2-1-3)
Krul; Aarons, Hanley, Kabak, Williams; McLean, Normann; Gilmour; Rasicha, Sargent, Tzolis
Lee @LeeJ02ncfc (3-4-3)
Krul; Hanley, Kabak, Gibson; Aarons, Gilmour, Normann, Williams; Rashica, Sargent, Cantwell
Darren Wilson @delboycanary
Forgive me but hardly anyone at Colney training this week so I’ll leave it to DF to decide.
wintheleague_21 @Wintheleague21 (4-3-3)
Krul; Aarons, Kabak, Hanley, Giannoulis; Normann, McLean, Gilmour; Rashica, Tzolis, Pukki
Lewie Rhodes @ShadowplayLR93 (4-1-2-3)
Krul; Aarons, Kabak, Hanley, Williams; Normann; Gilmour, Lees-Melou; Rashica, Pukki, Tzolis
Edward Couzens-Lake (4-1-4-1)
Krul; Aarons, Hanley, Kabak, Gianoulis; Normann; Tzolis, Cantwell, Gilmour, Rashica; Pukki
Dom de Souza (4-2-3-1)
Who knows what the new signings will be like in the Premier League but going on hype and experience I'll go with....
Krul; Aarons, Gibson, Kabak, Williams; Normann, Sorenson; Rashica, Gilmour, Tzolis; Sargent
Oliver Charles Kernan (4-2-3-1)
Krul; Aarons, Gibson, Kabak, Giannoulis; Norman, Gilmour; Cantwell, Rashica, Tzolis; Pukki/Sargent
Paul Eaton (4-2-3-1)
Krul; Aarons, Gibson, Kabak, Giannoulis; Normann, Gilmour; Tzolis, Rashica, Dowell; Pukki
- Head to pinkun.com on Friday afternoon for live coverage of Daniel Farke's pre-match press conference from around 1.15pm
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