Predicting Alex Neil’s starting eleven for Saturday’s season opener

Saturday afternoon brings the long-awaited return of domestic football for Norwich City fans as their side travel to Ewood Park to face Blackburn Rovers. With the lack of summer additions - City bringing in just Sergi Canos and Michael McGovern - it is beginning to look like the side will follow a very similar outlook to that of last season and, with that in mind, I take a look at the starting line-up that I think boss Alex Neil is likely to opt for:

John Ruddy

The arrival of McGovern has put John Ruddy’s position under threat, but I think that Neil will stick with the latter for the first few games, at the very least. McGovern is still very new to the club and has only participated in a couple of pre-season friendlies, and due to this I think that the goal-keeping position will still be seen as Ruddy’s place to lose. I wouldn’t be surprised, however, if over the course of the season McGovern slowly makes the position his own - unless Ruddy is able to recapture his long lost form of 2011-2013.

Ivo Pinto

Ivo Pinto finished last season strongly whilst Stephen Whittaker continued to be an outcast and thus the selection of the Portuguese for Saturday’s opener seems an obvious one. If there was ever any doubt, Whittaker’s nightmare first-half performance in last weekend’s friendly defeat to Hannover will surely have made the decision even easier.

Timm Klose

First name on the team sheet. The majority of Norwich fans are pleasantly shocked that we have managed to hold onto Klose and there is no doubt that he is far too good for Championship football. We are almost single-handedly relying on the Swiss to keep our defence in check, and this will be no different on Saturday.

Ryan Bennett

The decision of who is given the honour of partnering Klose is difficult. In Ryan Bennett, Sebastien Bassong, Michael Turner and, when fit, Russell Martin we have four fairly average but competent Championship level centre-backs. Despite his errors last season I would probably opt for Bassong - his return to the side was crucial to our promotion two years ago - but I think that Neil will give Ryan Bennett the nod.

Martin Olsson

Another tricky one. All media reports are suggesting that Olsson, or more specifically his agent, is desperately looking for a move out of the club and Sky Sports News this week claimed that City had rejected an offer from West Ham for his services. However, as it stands, Olsson is still a City player and for as long as this remains to be the case I think that we should make full use of him. The only alternative option is to give Harry Toffolo his league debut but with what is set to be a very tricky trip to Blackburn on the cards, I think, and hope, that Neil will favour the experience of the Swede.

Jonny Howson

Last season’s Player of the Year, Jonny Howson will surely be an ever-present once more during this campaign. His ability to drive the team forward, along with his goal-threat from midfield will be crucial to any success City have this season - and we are extremely lucky to still have him at the club.

Alexander Tettey

Following the departure of Gary O’Neil, it is pretty much a fight between Alex Tettey and Yousouff Mulumbu for the holding midfield role that is so hugely important to Alex Neil’s system. Considering Mulumbu’s failure to make a mark last season and Tettey’s consistent displays during the 2014/15 Championship season, it would be a huge surprise if the Norwegian doesn’t feature in Saturday’s starting eleven.

Graham Dorrans

I personally would like to see some pace and width in the midfield in the form of one of the Murphy twins but I think that last Saturday’s friendly, in which Jacob Murphy was substituted with less than 20 minutes on the clock, may persuade Neil to go with the more conservative option of Graham Dorrans. Dorrans, who was brought on to replace Murphy, will likely sit alongside Tettey allowing Howson to play slightly more advanced in a central midfield trio. The only issue I see with this is that it leaves us desperately short of any sort of pace, and with no out and out wingers.

Steven Naismith

Since joining City in January there is no doubt that Steven Naimsith has been a huge disappointment. He has, however, been a consistent feature in Neil’s pre-season plans and I expect him to start on Saturday. If we do go for the central three then Naismith will probably be played as a wide right forward, trying to support Jerome at all opportunities. We all know the Scot has quality and we can only hope that he begins to demonstrate this at a level lower.

Wesley Hoolahan

Star of our pre-season, scoring 3 goals during last week’s friendlies against Coventry and Hannover, Wes looks set to once again be our main attacking outlet. He is perhaps our one attacking player of genuine quality who can cut through Championship defences at ease and with no wingers we will be hugely reliant on Wes to supply our strikers with service.

Cameron Jerome

Due to a severe lack of options, Cameron Jerome’s place as City’s starting striker pretty much picks itself. The only other senior alternative is Kyle Lafferty who has been consistently overlooked by Neil during his time at the club. With our midfield lacking in speed, it will be hoped that Jerome’s pace can make up for this, enabling us to stretch the Blackburn defence.