Norwich City vs Wolves Betting Pick | English Premier

English Premier

2012-03-24 - Norwich City vs Wolves

A Sports Betting Pick by Auls

Norwich City v Wolves
Football: English Premier League
Saturday 24 March 2012 - Kick Off 3pm

Norwich City

Norwich City have hit a tough run of form, but they will be glad that Paul Lambert has already led them through to a position of relative safety and there is no real pressure on them during the last 9 games of the season. Most fans would have snapped your hand off if they were offered this position back in August so that has to be the way to look at their season as a whole rather than their recent poor form.

The Canaries are perched in 14th in the Premier League, but they have gained 36 points and are 13 points clear of Bolton in the relegation zone. It is likely that they will want to add at least another 5 points to that total to ensure survival, but I think they are already pretty close to securing their future. Norwich are 5-5-4 at home this season, scoring 21 goals and conceding 18.

The team have failed to win any of their last 5 games in all competitions and they do come into this game having lost 4 of those. Norwich have won just 1 of their last 6 home games in the Premier League and the point has to be made that they were largely outplayed when earning a 1-1 draw against Wigan Athletic here last time out. Goals have begun to be a bit of problem for them at Carrow Road, with the team only scoring more than 1 goal in 1 of their last 6 games here.

Anthony Pilkington should take his place in the team despite suffering a hamstring injury at Newcastle United last week, but Daniel Ayala and Marc Tierney remain absent.

Wolves

I think a lot of Wolves fans will be wondering what the owners were thinking when they replaced Mick McCarthy as manager with his assistant, Terry Connor. It did seem at the time that it was a move that was not going to see too many changes in fortunes for the side and it has transpired that way. There are now just 9 games left for Wolves to maintain their Premier League future.

A heavy defeat to Manchester United sent Wolves to the bottom of the League table in terms of goal difference, but they will be aware that there are only 3 points that separate them from QPR in 17th, although they do have a vastly inferior goal difference. They bring a 2-5-7 away record into this game, scoring 13 goals and conceding 28, making them the second joint lowest scorers away from home in the League so far.

Wolves came back from 2-0 down at Newcastle United to earn a 2-2 draw in Terry Connor's first game as the full time manager, but it has been all downhill from there. They have lost 3 Premier League games in a row, but it is the manner of the defeats that will really worry the supporters as both Fulham and Manchester United have won 5-0, while Blackburn, another struggling team, won 0-2 at Molineux. Wolves have picked up 4 points from the last 24 available in the League, although they have performed decently away from home. Before the loss at Fulham, Wolves were unbeaten in 5 away Premier League games.

Roland Zubar is suspended for a foolish sending off last week against United so Roger Johnson is set to return to the side for the first time since arriving at training with alcohol coming off his breath. David Davis, Karl Henry and Jamie O'Hara are out which leaves Wolves short of bodies in midfield.

Head to Head

Norwich City and Wolves have already shared a 2-2 draw from earlier this season, but this will be their first meeting at Carrow Road in 3 seasons.

Norwich won that game 5-2, but they had failed to beat Wolves in 4 previous home games.

Prediction

This is purely a pick based on value rather than any real feeling about it, but I don't think Wolves should be odds against to avoid defeat against a Norwich City side that have been out of form in recent games.

Wolves have looked absolutely shocking at the back in their recent games and that is a big concern for me, especially considering they have conceded 5 goals in 3 of their last 5 League games. However, I feel the players may thrive a little more outside of their home ground where the tension of the supporters is clearly making home games a hindrance and not an advantage for them.

Norwich have had a great season in terms of what was expected and Paul Lambert has to be given credit for that. However, they are out of form at the moment and were fortunate to escape the game against Wigan with a point.

Goals have also dried up a little bit of late and that does all point to Wolves having a chance to get something from the game. The team were not expected to get anything from Manchester United last week, but will have to defend better in this game, especially from set pieces.

If Wolves can do that, they still have the likes of Kevin Doyle and Steven Fletcher that can grab goals and I feel the away side will get something positive from the game to give them a little bit of confidence that they can escape the hole they have dug for themselves.

The Statistics :

NORWICH LAST SIX HOME FORM
	DATE	RESULT		OPPOSITION
	2012-03-11	D	1-1	H v Wigan
	2012-02-26	L	1-2	H v Man_Utd
	2012-02-04	W	2-0	H v Bolton
	2012-01-21	D	0-0	H v Chelsea
	2011-12-31	D	1-1	H v Fulham
	2011-12-27	L	0-2	H v Tottenham

WOLVES LAST SIX AWAY FORM
	DATE	RESULT		OPPOSITION
	2012-03-04	L	5-0	A v Fulham
	2012-02-25	D	2-2	A v Newcastle
	2012-02-04	W	1-2	A v QPR
	2012-01-14	D	1-1	A v Tottenham
	2011-12-31	D	1-1	A v Bolton
	2011-12-27	D	1-1	A v Arsenal