Blues boss Paul Lambert says he knows which of his keepers will be starting at Rochdale tomorrow.

Lambert handed on-loan Wolves man Will Norris his Town league debut at Southend a week ago on Saturday with Tomas Holy dropping to the bench.

“I know who will play,” he said. “I’ve got two lads who are on really top form. I left Tomas out because I need Will to be under pressure to play a game and get used to it as well.

“Tomas has been playing excellent for us and Will is an excellent goalkeeper as well, so it didn’t faze me to think who could I put in, but I know I’ve got two really top goalkeepers on top form.”

He believes it is beneficial to have two keepers on form and having recently tasted first-team action.

“That’s why I said that if anything happened to Tomas, then Will had to be ready as well, but Will’s got to be ready.

“I knew what a good goalkeeper Will Norris was because I’d seen him before, and I’ve seen him the last few months now in training, I’ve watched him training, and not just as a goalkeeper but as a guy as well. The two of them are really good guys more importantly, the character of the guys is really good.”

Is Norris a different sort of keeper to Holy? “He’s three-foot shorter, have you not noticed that yourself! The two of them are good guys and good characters, that’s for sure.

“The two of them kick the ball an absolute mile, two really good shot-stoppers which I think is really important.

“Tomas obviously has the height advantage, but Will’s got his attributes over Tomas and vice-versa, but again the two of them are really, really good.”

Lambert seems likely to give Norris another game at Spotland with Holy probably returning for the FA Cup tie at home to Lincoln City on Saturday.

Photos: TWTD

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