It’s worth remembering that while the January window “slams” shut, it’s a full month. And ours was a success amid all the boredom.
Somehow Twitter was awash with bemusement over the Bennett deal. We signed him, Swansea didn’t. We have cover at centre-back and another one on the road back from injury. Loaning him back was a deal-maker. Plus, it keeps him playing a high level of football. The sigh of relief from Elliot Ward was heard across the county. Continue reading
So we’ve finally had it made official, Howson’s finally confirmed. The rumoured £750k plus add ons is a bit of a bargain, but then Leeds weren’t exactly in a position to barter for a higher price. Out of contract at the end of the season, and the little problem going by the name of Ken Bates. Their loss is very much our gain.
Our midfield appears to have most corners covered now, we have the bruiser, the maestro, the snapping runner and the string-puller. And one, soon to be two, young’uns out learning their trade. But of course if Howson’s now ex, much rumoured team-mate was interested I’m sure we could make room for him.
This blog was started with the main aim of sarcastically rambling about the goings-on at Carra but it’s becoming increasingly more difficult to fulfill that. Especially when we’re signing excellent young players to add to our good young squad. We’ll plough on nevertheless.
Presumably the only player who won’t be thrilled with the signing of Howson is the unrecognisable Andrew Crofts. He’s found himself on the periphery, enough time to grow some hair no less. An all-action midfielder coming through the doors is only going to knock him down a notch again.
Johnson appears to be Lambert’s go to guy, despite Crofts and Fox seeming to be a better fit. Fox and Howson sounds even better, mind. Johnson battling and presence seemingly makes up for his deficiencies elsewhere. And no doubt one of hits will go in sooner or later. The law of averages rule this universe, you know.
Talking of players being due one, Coventry away seems a long time ago now. There’s a bouncing ball with Fox’s name on it, surely. Then again, that’s exactly what Howson’s here for.
So it seems Lambert is at a bit of a loose end in this transfer window. Aside from the stock “the lads need a hand” and “they’ve done brilliant for me” (“How far we’ve come” was the only real notable absentee), the most important thing he said was regarding squad players and not signing them.
Unfortunately this will fall on many-a deaf ear. Come window-closing time people will be in bits bemoaning the lack of activity. I, and I hope many others would agree, would rather we did just as Lambert is planning. More specifically, not straining the wage budget with players that are no better than what we already have. Continue reading
So Naughton’s not been allowed to stay out to play at Carra past May. It’s safe to say that’s a blow. But, nevertheless, he’s here until the end of the season so it’s not all bad.
It presumably means the money we had intended to put aside for the impressive full-back is now available to be spent elsewhere. On another full-back maybe? With Tierney struggling, Drury being Drury and De Laet being De Laet, we’re a tad thin on the ground. Continue reading
What a big few games coming up, eh?
Ignoring Spurs, they’re all very winnable, starting tonight. A good Christmas and we could be almost comfortable going into January. Not that any chickens are being counted or laurels are being rested on, mind. Continue reading
So it seems Super Chrissy Martin’s fallen off the selection board to a point where he’s available for other teams to select.
I’m sure your mate down the pub’s mother’s friend-from-work’s son’s best mate’s brother knows why that’s so, but it’s a weird one. When The Big Wilba is Continue reading
As usual, all the right noises are coming out of Carra and Colney. We’ve grown to accept it as normal, but it wasn’t too long ago that we were always told how unlucky we had been regardless of performance. Or how rubbish we were and how rubbish we, the fans, were.
But we’ve finally got someone who can do it right, even if repetition is a severe side effect tic. Then again things were a little different this week, we were told this week that our keeper’s ready for an England call up. More of a story would have been a player’s manager saying there is “no chance he’s good enough for a call-up”. Nevertheless, we’ve got yet another goalkeeper peering over the fence of England training to add to the England youth-teamers and our past numero unos. It’s fair to say fortune is aiding it, or fortunate retirements are anyway, but he’s been solid (enough).
We’ve also been told, along with how “brilliant they’ve been”, that our young guns have really stepped up. Again, the opposite would be more of a story, if worrying but it’s not just the young’uns that have stepped up, the squad has collectively. The sight of a calendar keeps this all in check, mind.
But anyway, onto the weekend. I’ve heard it’s a biggy, I guess it is inasmuch as they all are at this level. But daylight between us and them would go down a treat, as would a couple for Morison. He don’t half deserve it. A clean sheet would give that wheel another nudge toward an England cap too, and the defence in front of him deserves it. Especially RMart.
One game at a time and all that.
What with Sir Paul doing his best Ranieri impression, he’s being courted as not knowing his best eleven and/or picking as per the opposition. The three points collected yesterday has gone some way to vindicating his newest philosophy but has also shown his disdain and no time for sentiment.
And I for am all for it.
Dropping Holt on the face of it ‘took a lot of bottle’. But The Big Man hasnt got off to the bruising, gut-busting best we all know and love. His effort can’t and never will be questioned, but it hasn’t quite happened for him yet, regardless of how vague and unspecific that sounds.
We know what he can produce and so do Messrs Terry and Ivanovic, but the use of CMartin with him plainly hasn’t worked. Arguably, the dropping of CMart was the crudest. But the fact that Holt has “been brilliant for me” as Sir Paul never ceases to tell us, he hasn’t allowed the last two seasons of machine-like prolifacy impact his choice of starting eleven.
Quite simply, there is no place for sentiment in football if you’re to succeed at this game. Lappin has fallen foul of it. Since he’s one of the few remaining from previous reigns, some have a special place in their footballing-heart for him. “He played more in League One than anyone else” they argue. Wonderful as that must have been for him, League One this aint.
Now this is no sleight at The Spanish One, despite my views of the guy. He’s merely my example. The same went for Rusty, he returned gloves-on-hands and we lauded it because a little part of us rememebered him from green-gloved years gone by. We’re fickle and easily won over. Doherty was a chief recipient of this, although thankfully not from us all.
He was here for a good/bad few years and this somehow led people to overlook his patently obvious deficiencies. If he was on a season-long loan and played the way he did for the majority of his ill-fated Norwich career, he would be mentioned in the same breath as Koroma and Leijer.
Worthy would never have dreamed have dropping a player like Holt. Neither would Roeder or Grant. Gunn would have filled in every teamsheet with Holt’s name on it in about July. Lambert knows what we need to do to both restrict the opposition and to impose ourselves.
He also can’t help but put himself well ahead of scores of our previous managers.
We’ve got a history of throwing goalkeepers off the production line but we’re in a bit of a quandary at the minute.
Sir Paul has today said he has “no fears” about putting in the y-less-one so that’s not a problem. His talent and ability has been obvious for a few years now, he’s been a mainstay on the youth international scene for a while too, culminating in a session on the bench for the Under 21’s.
All this despite only having played a handful of senior games.
Whilst most of us are happy to have him between the sticks at home to the Baggies, a bigger problem could be who’s in the gloves on the bench. We’re Norwich, the unlikely unfortunate events happen to us; if we were to encounter an injury to a goalkeeper it will happen when we don’t have one on the bench. And if we’re to keep up our penalty record this season, Rudd can’t be the one give it away.
Not now Cody’s gone.
Our other goalkeeping prospect is away on loan. Big Bryan’s Big Son has been pinched an’all.
If you’ve got some gloves, bring along Sunday, eh?
Undeniably, it’s a big chance for the y-less-one. Ruddy- however well we like to think he’s doing- has a knack of undermining himself with little errors. Little errors with big consequences, as they always are for goalkeepers.
A good performance and he could give himself the chance to really begin to fulfil his potential.
A Youthful Adam drury
With the transfer window on its last legs, our hands could be forced back into it by the flurry of injuries in our back line.
But if we don’t we just might get by. Our hands may even be tied to do just that since QPR and Man City appear to be bulk-buying. It’s becoming a bit Dale Winton, 2 days to get as much in your trolley as you can.
If we don’t, our options are scarce, but still there. The aging Drury has played centre-back as and when required and the same goes for Russell Martin.
But, given how many midfielders we find ourselves with, two holding midfielders may just do the job until we’re back up to strength. Johnson putting his weight about and handing the ball to a deep-sitting Fox would be an option I would consider if I was in Sir Paul’s shoes.
Not that Fox is Lambert’s flavour of the week given he was one of the “unfortunates” who faced Franchise FC. But he’s straight into my team week-in week-out.
Then again, maybe we’d sit even deeper than we used to, but three at the back means we’d have many more out-balls. Two sitting deep, two wide men and Patches nestled in behind the top two. But then we’re creating space in the centre of the park, something we can’t afford to do at this level.
Luckily for us, Sir Paul is the man with the white board. Difficult as it is to say given the enormity of what he’s already done, it could be his biggest few days at our Fine Club. Despite how simple as it sounds, he’ll be earning his keep by deciding to stick or twist.
I’m just glad it’s him and not me.
