Alex Neil hopes video nasty can pep up his Norwich side
Norwich manager Alex Neil hopes a DVD rerun of his side's horror show at Newcastle will help them get back to winning ways against West Brom on Saturday.
The Canaries were stuffed 6-2 at St James' Park last Sunday as the Magpies recorded their first Barclays Premier League victory to move off the foot of the table.
Following a promising start to life back in the top flight after coming up via the play-offs, Neil's side have not won in four league matches and are just three points clear of the drop zone.
Neil, the former Hamilton player-manager, accepts he got his own share of things wrong against Newcastle, where the decision to replace defensive midfielder Alexander Tettey with playmaker Wes Hoolahan when chasing the game at 3-2 backfired as the hosts soon netted twice on the break in as many minutes.
However, the 34-year-old sees no reason why Norwich cannot put that disappointment behind them and produce the required performance against the Baggies, who were beaten 3-0 in a Capital One Cup tie at Carrow Road last month.
"We focused on the negatives when we looked back at the game," Neil said. "We know what we are good at, that is keeping the ball - we create chances, we go forward well and we have scored a lot of goals this season, so that doesn't need attention.
"I think the other side is what needed attention and that is what we have focused on more this week. I don't think anybody enjoys that.
"It is the heaviest defeat I have experienced as a manager, so you have to stick your chest out and make sure in the next game you go and perform a lot better and hopefully go and win."
Neil revealed while midfielder Youssouf Mulumbu had shown no ill effects from his run-out with the academy side at Leicester in midweek after recovery from a fractured metatarsal, the 28-year-old would not be rushed back to face his old club, having signed in the summer on a free transfer.
Saido Berahino's goal gave West Brom a 1-0 win against Sunderland last time out and the England Under-21 forward's strike was only the seventh time the Baggies have scored this season in the Premier League.
Baggies boss Tony Pulis acknowledges his team have not been as lethal in front of goal this season but believes he saw some positive signs last weekend.
"From last year, where we looked like a potent side going forward and looked like we were going to score goals, we've not done that. But Saturday was encouraging," said Pulis.
"I think in the Premier League we got more crosses in than any other team last weekend, so we just need to get our players back and get them working up and down the pitch, especially the wide players.
"It hasn't helped with Salomon (Rondon) being away. He's had those six weeks away in South America (on international duty), flying there and then flying back. He hasn't had time really to settle down and take his boots off and relax, and that's been difficult."
Pulis will check on James Morrison ahead of the trip to East Anglia. Morrison has been struggling with an ankle problem this month but he trained on Thursday and the Baggies head coach has not ruled out the possibility of the Scotland midfielder returning to the squad on Saturday.
Source: PAR
