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Three questions about Norwich City

Norwich is in the position Fulham wish they were. However, historically Fulham seem to have their number. Is this the start of something great for Fulham? David Wyatt is a long time Norwich supporter and sat down with us to talk about it.

Charlie Crowhurst

Cottagers Confidential: Norwich is off to a great start to the season. Have your expectations for the season changed, or are you right where you expected to be?

David Wyatt: I think we're doing a little better than I first thought, especially after the opening day loss against Wolves. You never know how you're going to react as a squad to relegation. However on paper it looked as though we had one of the best teams in the league and I think we're proving that's true. We brought in Neil Adams at the end of last year and as a Norwich man through and through, he seems to have brought everyone together. The players have bought into his philosophy and the fans have bought into his free-flowing adaptable attacking football. I thought we'd be around the play-offs but being right there at the top is a welcome sight if not a total surprise.

CC: When looking for a new manager, Norwich promoted a successful youth coach with ties to the club but little experience. Fulham fans are hoping that our club does the same. How has Neil Adams done? What is his style like?

DW: Neil Adams has done a terrific job since being appointed. He was put in a very difficult position last season with the run of fixtures and inheriting a team that was low on confidence. However he has everyone singing from the same hymn sheet and we have two players at each position, which obviously breeds positive competitive tussles. He plays a very attacking style of football and the goals have started to come. At points we will look really shaky as a defensive unit but overall we have a philosophy that if you score 2 we'll score 3. It obviously gets the fans onside and the players seem to really be buying into it. He has changed the system and personnel dependent on game situations and most of his moves have paid off. An early season victory at Portman road obviously gave the fans a lot of confidence in his management of the team and we're hoping that continues. A strong start, but he needs to maintain it and when we do hit a bad patch, how he reacts will tell us a lot.

CC: In recent history Fulham always seems to have Norwich's number. Do you have any explanation as to why that is and do you expect anything different on Saturday?

DW: I really have no idea why we can't beat Fulham, I think it's almost become a psychological barrier that we deem unbreakable. I was dreading this game to be completely honest, as it really could affect our momentum. However if we are going to break this curse, it's going to be this weekend. You've improved recently, but you still look quite unsettled and inconsistent and we're playing some fantastic football. Saying that, I would have preferred to play you a month ago before you made the managerial change.

CC: Finally if you could predict a lineup and score that would be great.

DW: I think we'll break the curse, I'm going out on a limb here. So a 2-1 victory for Norwich. I imagine the starting line-up will be very similar to recent games, so:

Ruddy, Martin, Turner, Hooiveld, Olsson, Tettey, Johnson, Redmond, Hoolahan, Jerome, Grabban