Forestieri chopped down by Carvalhal
STEAMING Sheffield Wednesday boss Carlos Carvalhal left wantaway striker Fernando Forestieri in no doubt about his future after drawing a blank in East Anglia.
The Italian had refused to travel with the squad to yesterday’s game amid speculation linking him with a move to rivals Derby County.
And Wednesday boss Carvalhal said: “The message of the chairman is very clear, we will not be selling our players this season.
“Our team is much more than 11 players on the pitch. The answer of the team all the time is very strong.”
“I’m very happy. It’s not just the point we received, it’s two clean sheets so far and there have been good signs.”
The hosts started on the front foot, with the influential figure of Cameron Jerome a lively threat for the hosts.
Jerome fired a warning shot on the 15-minute mark, heading over from a set piece but the Owls hit back through Almen Abdi, whose long ranger was well blocked by Ryan Bennett.
Alex Neil’s side, who began life back in the Championship with a 4-1 win at Blackburn, almost led before the break when Sam Hutchinson struck his own bar.
After Martin Olsson went off in the 34th minute, the Canaries were dealt a blow for the start of the second half when one-time England goalkeeper John Ruddy failed to emerge – new recruit Michael McGovern stepped up for his debut.
And the Northern Ireland keeper was tested on the hour when Daniel Pudil unleashed from distance but the shot-stopper saved comfortably.
But the Owls edged the second period, with Gary Hooper well denied by substitute goalkeeper McGovern.
Norwich boss Neil said: “We wanted to win the game. The way it went, however, I don’t think it’s a bad point.
“When we had the ball, we didn’t make enough passes to move up the pitch. That’s what let us down today.
“Martin’s hurt his hamstring and John hurt his groin. That left me with only one sub.”
But if he doesn’t bring in the out-in-the-cold Liverpool striker – or someone else with a similar goals record – then it’s going to be a long, hard season for Palace.
Baggies’ £12million man Salomon Rondon only scored nine goals last season but two in his last two might suggest the Venezuela international has finally settled.
And he was certainly the biggest threat, forcing Wales hero Wayne Hennessey into a flying save after only 10 minutes before he finally made it three-in-three.
Edging in front of Scott Dann, his glancing header from sub James McClean’s free-kick found the corner of the net with Hennessey rooted to the spot.
It was all Tony Pulis needed to pick up his first three points of the season and to leave Pardew stepping up his search for a proven goalscorer.
The Reds turned down an opening £25m bid for the hitman but the clubs are still talking and if it takes another £7m to clinch the deal then that will still be a cheap purchase in these days when the Premier League is awash with money.
Otherwise they could be completing a dismal Wembley hat-trick as the two previous beaten FA Cup finalists, Hull City and Aston Villa, were both relegated the following season.
Admittedly the new season is only a day old but that trip down Wembley Way glossed over a calamitous 2016 in which Pardew’s men have won only two of their last 20 Premier League matches.
In truth, Palace created very little – their biggest threat came from set-pieces with Connor Wickham heading wide from new signing Andros Townsend’s free-kick and a Jason Puncheon cross from the other side of the pitch forced Claudio Jacob to head behind.
Wifried Zaha, a bright but largely ineffective weapon, dillied and dallied with a couple of chances that a confident Benteke would have gobbled up.
Pulis also has his eye on the Belgium forward and his need looks almost as pressing despite Rondon’s newfound scoring touch. The Baggies ended last season without a win in nine and one of these days Pulis is going to lose his record of never being relegated.
He said: “The club has a lot of players who have been here for a long time, given fantastic service but they need competition, that’s what this club needs.
“I have been here 22 years, no, not 22 years, 22 months, and the club has almost stagnated and needed to get on the front foot. We are trying to do business.”
Palace boss Pardew admitted Yannick Bolasie looks to be on his way out. He said: “The deal is not quite done but it looks like something is going to happen.
“We have to understand our record for scoring goals is not great and we need to address that.” CRYSTAL PALACE: WEST BROM: WEST BROM’S NEXT GAME: