Transfer Rumours The Rumour Mill, summer 2021

Exactly CS. But if, as Normann said in his interview, he likes to dictate play and take the initiative in transition, what's the point of playing both him and Gilmour?

 

I think we're all hoping what his primary role is...

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"Hope"

Us doom goblins have already written him off before a ball is kicked based on his interview and the words of the hapless German "coach" if you can even call him.that.

Get your head out the clouds and embrace your inner moaning old git

 

He would hopefully have been the one tracking back to mark the striker and nip in cut out the crosses from the left back position. So many of those goals came because Hanley and Gibson were watching the ball and not the players running into space behind them. A DM should be able to see those runs and anticipate cut backs from wide positions.

Perhaps he would also have made that "tactical foul" on Iheanacho, that Farke spoke about in the build up to the Leicester 2nd goal too?

It's all specualtion, but Id say if he is any good as a DM, he might have stopped at least 2 or 3 of the goals we have conceded. He may even have helped to stop others at the source, filling in or helping to double up in the full back position as Skipp did so well last year.

 

Got this reply about Normann from a Norwegian fan on twitter. Sounds promising.

Normann himself has stated that he is defensive, Farke has mentioned he wanted a DM. As others have said on here too, any other attributes are a bonus.

 

We don't know if they will both play. Unlike Rob, I see Normann as our defensive 'Quarterback', himself a lynchpin in the centre of midfield playing the Skipp role when we haven't got the ball but also coordinating with the CMs to cover the flanks until the FBs can so that a 7 man defensive block is in place. Once the ball is won the midfield needs to advance the ball and Normann is the pivot for that, using the CMs when space isn't available or passing out to the flanks or playing through balls when it is, as a deep lying playmaker. When the ball is lost, he and the CMs revert to their defensive roles to break up attacks and screen the defence.

 

Newcastle just spent over £25m on a centre back and Torino are skint factor in that we have a coach that has lots of contacts in Germany and it looks plausible.

That would be about £75m on players which for us is absolutely insane.

That's with Gibson and Gianoulis from last season Buendia's fee taken into account and Normann and the young Turk coming out of next seasons budget depending on survival and performance.

Exciting times for little ol Norj

 

I'd suggest we will see the best of Gilmour now he will be playing further up. E can concentrate on finding space in midfield, rather than being unsure about his primary duties as a DM. Mclean and Gilmour are good passers who are also pretty tough in the tackle, add to that Normann who is tough in the tackle but also a good passer, we have ourselves a decent midfield. We have reasonable back up too with Sørensen, Rupp and Lees-Melou.

 

I don’t disagree, necessarily, but stopping two or three wouldn’t necessarily have won us any points.

And I don’t think a DM would have stopped either Leicester goals, because the first was a rapid attack following a left back mistake which a DM shouldn’t be covering and the second was a counterattack down the wing, with the problem being the left back didn’t close down Albrighton enough (and got a horrendously unfortunate deflection causing a goal from somewhere where you would very rarely score).

So realistically I think it would have been the matches we got hammered, and the only difference would have been the improved goal difference (which I accept still has value - damage limitation is important).

My point, though, is that realistically we have not got the millions needed to buy players who don’t make mistakes. So we need to (1) accept mistakes happen and some goals will be conceded in this league, (2) cut out conceding the goals we should not have conceded, but (3) also score more.

I think the board is united over point (2) and agrees a DM will help there. But I think one or two posters are over focused on (2), based on three games where actually to get points we needed to score more.

Don’t get me wrong, there will be other matches where solid defending will make the difference. I am just saying that with the players we have and playing to their strengths, we will always have to write off at least one match each season against the likes of Man City and Liverpool.

Posters like Robbie have tunnel vision and are Hughton-esque in their inflexibility and inability to accept that there is more than one way to skin a cat.

 

By our standards this has been an insane transfer window, and with less than two days left, only Buendia has left the building. Have been no rumours concerning Aarons or Cantwell for some time now. If they both stay then we have a much stronger squad than two years ago.

 

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Dusseldorf is the nearest airport to Gelsenkirchen (Schalke)...

 

Fair enough, I have to disagree re Leicester goals though. Yes, goal 1 was a counter attack, but we were being pressed anyway. A DM should have been alert to the danger and begun tracking back as soon as we lost it. Gibson was dragged across and Vardy dropped off from Hanley into loads of space. That kind of movement is where a DM comes into play. A DM, tracking back, should have seen the space Vardy dropped into and anticipated the ball being cut back.

As for goal 2, Farke even said it in the post match interview. Gilmour, who was playing DM for us, should have fouled Iheanacho. Mclean tried, but he had already passed it by then. Hopefully, Normann would have been stronger in the original tackle.

It's all spitballing ifs and buts tbh, but I feel we may have got something on Sat with a proper DM.

I get your point about not putting ALL our hopes on the lad. Its good to have something to be excited about though

Anyway, at least our display on Saturday was good and we should, hopefully have a couple of players to make our squad stronger in the next game! Here's hoping this Kabek (if we get him) is an imprvement on Hanley/Gibson. I don't necessarily think they have been bad, as such, but it would be good to get someone who can actually compete with them, rather than simply come in as back up.

 

1 goal from open play in the previous 13 premier league games all losses 1 penalty and conceded 34


The trouble is strikers are insanely expensive so buying a top International consistent goal scorer is beyond our reach .

We have given our selves a much better chance of survival than 2 seasons ago but it's still a massive task .

If it doesn't work we will probably need to sell a few to balance the books but I certainly don't fear relegation .

 

Having signed a DM and now possibly a CB(fingers crossed) , what are you going to moan about next ? Maybe get "one trick pony" to give you some advice.

 

Ozan Kabak: He's currently in Norwich. City confident they will complete a loan move from Schalke for the Turkey CB - albeit there's still work to do.

Permanent option also in pipeline. Would be some signing TBH. Latest in here...

#NCFC @TheAthleticUK
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I reckon, if we get relegated, if we sell Aarons and Cantwell we will be fine. Normann and Kabek will return to their clubs. Gilmour and Williams, the same. Cantwell and Aarons would bring in anywhere from £60-80m.

We are in a far better position now by making ourselves harder to score against. Lets just hope that's the case

Onwards and upwards! Hopefully get a point or better at Arsenal, then push on from there

 

The spend to date seems way beyond our usual outlay. Should we be confident that DF/SW have got it right and these signings will se us safe or will we go down with debt? Selling both Aarons and Cantwell would secure us financially but this seems to be one of the biggest gambles ever. Rumours about both players and possible transfers have disappeared of late but we might get fresh speculation in January?

 

This has to be the most expensive Norwich squad ever assembled, certainly in my lifetime.