[Ska'dForLife-WBA]

The Day They Sent Old Albion Down: the Canaries relegate the Baggies at the Hawthorns, 21st April 1973

Ah, the fixture schedule. When you're plagued with injuries and in terrible form, it dumps two matches a week on you; when you're suddenly on fire and racing up the table, it hits you with fortnight-long breaks and cup postponements. Having lost just two league matches in 2016 and with performances finally starting to feel worthy of the results, it seemed Albion were really going places this spring, but now we're in for a frustratingly stop-start run of games, starting with Norwich on Saturday.

Norwich are a side who've won just once since the new year, and drawn twice, with all three results coming at Carrow Road. They're also a team desperately fighting the drop, while we look down on them from the secure perch of 39 points, having recently vanquished Manchester United and held our own at league leaders Leicester. Yes, you can pretty much file this match under "you know what's going to happen here, don't you?"

It'd be nice to think that we won't have a repeat of the dozy performances against QPR and Leicester last spring; it's entirely feasible that we could finally break the 50-point barrier this season, if the players are willing to go for it. Let's see what they're made of.

[aries22]

Don Howe never really got to grips with the Albion job. We still had some good players but we were in transition and decline and he didn't seem to know what to do about it. A shame, really. Let's hope we can subdue Norwich, play our better game and get three precious points for what, our second league double this season after Stoke?

[talkSAFT]

I can remember the journey home in silence after that 4-pointer, realising relegation was almost certain. What a sinking feeling!
(Good photo of bearded ex-Bluenose Trevor Hockey who had an absolute blinder that day).

[talkSAFT]

I hope our fans raise the roof if Mulumbu and Dozza are introduced. 2 fantastic players on our journey to Premier establishment.
I'd still like to see Youssouf in an Albion shirt. Darren Fletcher's been a great signing, but I prefer Mulumbu (pre-injury) and he's 3 years younger.

[Ska'dForLife-WBA]

Has Mulumbu really featured at all for Norwich this year? I know he had injury troubles earlier in the season, but whenever they've been on the box I still haven't seen anything of him. Not the game-changing signing they'd have been hoping for.

[Squirrel Regis]

Talksaft,
Mulumbu was one of my favourite players ever to wear the shirt but the last 2 years he has been terrible and with a heavy heart he had to go.
Better than Fletcher ? Your having a laugh mate.

[talkSAFT]

Talksaft,
Mulumbu was one of my favourite players ever to wear the shirt but the last 2 years he has been terrible and with a heavy heart he had to go.
Better than Fletcher ? Your having a laugh mate.

His last season, rcovering from injury, was poor by his standards, but Fergie was reported to be offering £10m for Youssuf 3 years ago when Fletcher was his permanent sub. (I wasn't having a laugh.)

[betterthanbaird]

Has Mulumbu really featured at all for Norwich this year?  I know he had injury troubles earlier in the season, but whenever they've been on the box I still haven't seen anything of him.  Not the game-changing signing they'd have been hoping for.

He's played in bits and pieces but not much, Dorrans has played more but probably starts more games on the bench than on the pitch.

I assume we'll lose this game, 3 months exactly since our last home loss and some of the players will probably start feeling too comfortable now.

[talkSAFT]

Half-time: poor show from both teams. With a bit more quality in passing we should beat these comfortably. Norwich don't seem to be treating this match with any urgency, but nor do we. Come on you Baggies! We should be thrashing them.

[aries22]

Well this is turning into a game of two halves.