Yes, but if we didn't have FML and Duncan on the Not606 as 'harbingers of doom' and our inevitable relegation - where would we be ???
To be fair I have been posting on this forum and the old 606 since its invention and have backed us to either get promoted or stay up at the start of nearly every season for well over a decade. My scepticism is based on the bungling of our board and inability to strengthen the squad when we had the chance. Like refusing to buy centre backs and sticking with Rusty, more recently signing a goalscorer instead of hoping Oliviera will find form again month after month. Last season we really struggled to score goals mainly down to tactics but partly because of personnel, selling ALL of our creative players and two highest scorers will not improve that situation. Pritchard Both Murphys Howson Jerome Maddisson all sold , none of the players signed look like scoring Srbeny has 1 goal add to the mix the loss of Gunn for our young inexperienced keeper Matthews and probably other players leaving then it doesn't take a rocket surgeon to see we are going further backwards. I would be amazed if we are anywhere near the top 12 next season and for a club of our size and the fanbase and ticket prices we deserve better. Leitner wasn't great and I'm not bothered if we sign him and would rather try and buy the best young talent from League 1 than buy yet more Germans. Trybull is the only good signing so far .
Excellent post DD and well said. I do agree with a lot of what you say, but I'd rather 'keep my powder dry' until we play Stoke at home!!! Worth a read - http://norwichcity.myfootballwriter...-but-the-money-must-be-used-and-spent-wisely/
Like DD, I really can't feel optimistic. Whilst our board has bungled plenty, all player related bungling beyond the expensive unsellables is now squarely the fault of Webber and Farke. It was quite clear from the first half of the season that we couldn't score upfront, our solution was to sell a season campaigner and replace him with a player who has modest promise but doesn't even sound a fit for what Farke wants as a striker. In selling our two most prolific scorers and creators, just why should we be feeling optimistic? It doesn't take a Brain Scientist to see goals could from a low base be even harder to come by. Of course for me It's too early to hit the full panic button. If for example Marriott arrives he won't be cheap, but he is full of promise, coupled with the fact as he's English there is a better chance he could hit the ground running. I don't see the loss of Gunn as such a problem, Matthews comes in with more experience than Gunn did last season and off the back of a great spell on loan. Is Matthews as good as Gunn, maybe not, but I think probably good enough. "I would be amazed if we are anywhere near the top 12 next season and for a club of our size and the fanbase and ticket prices we deserve better." Unfortunately I also can't see us doing any better than 12th if that and whilst no one is entitled to a top half place, DD's right we should expect more. I'd strike a balance between the Germans and young British, Lietner I'm on the fence about. He didn't exactly pull up trees, if there are doubts about hi long term fitness then lets give him a swerve. Bah!
I have been banging the drum for us to bid on Marriott and told that it would be an unrealistic ask . Even if he cost half of Josh's fee at about £5m I think it would be a risk worth taking , I would happily sell Nelson to boost the coffers as well. I would love to be proven wrong and Farke gets off to a flyer with Srbeny smashing in hat tricks supplied by Hernandes and Mclean but it's not very likely. If we don't spend a sizeable chunk of the war chest swooping for a hot shot striker with bags of potential and great scoring record preferably in England then we won't win many games. I'm not concerned about the defence I think we have some good players .
that's where we differ, I'm less concerned about the defence, but they still looked pretty ropey anytime we tried to be anything other than totally defensive. Look at the tail end of the season, anytime we scored more than 1 we were hopelessly open. Bah!
I'll reserve judgement on next season until I see who comes in. Any striker is going to be a gamble because most likely they won't have any previous Championship experience. That's also true is Buendias and McLean. Ben Marshall would which would be an advantage. Srbeny has now had 3 months here and hopefully will be ready to go. My target would be a play-offs place but my expectation is around 10th.
Some really good posts today and everyone is being allowed to have their opinion, with no being told they're wrong/name calling etc. I'm with Rick and will say a top 10 finish, as I was very impressed by Hernandez and with Thompson set to return (hopefully for more than a few weeks!!), it will be like having a 3rd new player.
€1.5m sounds a bit steep , we barely got that from selling Marley Watkins . We can't fork out crazy prices like that when we just trousered €40m this month.
I can't help but feel we should be going for some more young English players from league 1 and 2 that understand English football a bit better. Easier to gel to start off with. There must be some gems out there somewhere
Quite right! I also suspect playing in the German top tier was the attraction. They just got promoted this season.
Not that surprising that Ducksch would choose the top German league over the second league here. I doubt that any amount of money we offer would make a difference. Plan B time. SW's big test this window. Edit: DF says things are moving forward despite the Ducksch setback according to the EDP: http://www.edp24.co.uk/sport/norwich-city/farke-expects-arrivals-soon-1-5571884
Whilst I agree with the sentiment, will those players be able to adapt to Farkes style? It is a more continental style and to me that requires a continental type of player. Lge 1 & 2 players may have strengths well suited to the championship in general but Farkes more technical way of playing? (I call it more technical, but so far it just seems very pedestrian passing for the sake of it, no real revalations so far) For me there is a big question still whether Farkes football can cope with the rigours of the championship, especially with bargain bucket players. Bah!
We'll have to see whether transactions are still in the 'bargain bucket' category now. Marriott could be a possibility, but, as you say, it would depend on whether he'd be a good fit in DF's style of play. We need more than a goal-scoring striker though to replace Maddison and Murphy's goals and then improve our overall goal-scoring. That's another test for both SW and DF.