Ernie

Seeing the line up I might give this one a miss to.

Can you just turn up and pay at the gate?

I think most people will agree we still need/like a quality center back and perhaps competion/cover for Ruddy so fingers crossed I still hope this will happen, either way I dont think we could have anyone better in charge who I really do believe will keep us in this league.

[quote user="Jonzey"] Ok, I am officially bored. Therefore I would like to know who would make your all time best Norwich XI, but only filled from players you''ve seen play live. Mine would be: Gunn Culverhouse   Mackay   Bruce   Bowen Ruel Fox   Gary Holt   Crook   Huckerby D. Ashton   Sutton     [/quote]   Keelan John Ryan Bruce Watson Bowen Ruel Fox Martin Peters Crook Huckerby Reeves Sutton  

Born at home Neasden N.W. London 1965, moved to Surbiton, Surrey, Poringland (moved my loyalties from supporting Chelsea to Norwich who I have supported ever since!) Norwich, London, New York, London, New York, London, Bacton.

[quote user="Harry the Green Wizard"][quote user="I am a Banana"] I don''t mean from just this season but since whenever you started watching Norwich City.   I''m not sure why but even in January when it looked like we were going to Sign E.Bennett I was so excited. I''ve just seen the video of his goals and I like him even more!!! Now we are going to sign him I just can''t wait, maybe his number on the back of my new shirt...[;)] ? [/quote] Martin Peters. [/quote] Ditto

Didnt see the earlier thread, sorry.  For what its worth, first/second choice strikers Holt, Jackson, Vaughan, Morrison now this is where I start to struggle Martin does have ability and could possibly cut it in the Premier, Cody from what little I have seen reminds me a bit like a young Bellamy a little terrier, is he good enough, I dont know.  Daley see Jarvis, Henderson etc.  Wilbraham, how long a contract did we offer him?  Johnson not good enough.  So in short I keep Holt, Jackson, Vaughan, Morrison, Martin, sell/move on Wilbraham, Johnson, Daley and possibly loan out Cody (unless we get a good offer for him as he cost peanuts).  But what do I know, I think I''ll just leave it down to Lambert!  Nice problem to have though.

From my reckoning we have 8 strikers Holt, Jackson, Martin, Wilbraham, Johnson, Cody and now Vaughan and Morrison.  My question is what would be your favourite line up and back up?  I dont think I missed anyone, apologises if I have.

I for one have been banging on about the need for a striker and now we gone and got 2!  I also wont be slagging them off before they have even kicked a ball in anger as I am sure Lambert hasnt brought them in if he didnt think they would bring something to the party, plus I want my £50 too!

After Scunthorpe we have 3 games in 6 days, Swansea (A) on Sat, Watford (A) on Tues, then Forest (H) on Fri.  Well I know they are professional footballers but that does seem a bit harsh and all of them very tough games.  Hopefully everyone will stay fit and we could possibly rotate a few to get through those games with the results we need.  Still think we can do it, I for one believe!

Whats the hell''s going on?  Dion you surely cant be an Indian giver, can you?

Doesnt it make you feel proud!

I to thought he played well just needs a goal.

There is absolutely no question in my mind that we should sign a striker on loan unless he meets Lamberts requirements, hungry, something to prove, wants to be here etc and of course we will just have to wait and see if he can still pull a rabit out of the hat given the difficulty he is having with this at present.  Of course as I posted months ago it really would have been much easier to have tried to sign a striker in Jan rather than concentrating all our efforts on Bennet (not saying that he wouldn''t have been a good signing) considering the number of midfield options we have although no out and out winger unless you count McNamee, but we didn''t so as many people have said its time to move on.  We still have that belief, togetherness, drive and desire in the squad and management to achieve promotion so I for one will support them all the way and if Lambert does manage to sign a forward well then all the better.

[quote user="Al Catraz"]I agree with most of what has been said on here and of course like everybody else I hold a high opinion of Lambert too. However, that doesn''t mean his judgement is always perfect and his signings of Wilbraham, Jackson and MacNamee are IMO far from being the best or even shrewd. Of course, I realise that in saying that I invite the sort of instant facetiousness that Keelan''s Glove ''s very reasonable post did earlier in this thread but I really couldn''t give a fig. My concern is this : when the game is ebbing away and we need to throw on players who can clinch three points for us (never mind enhance our goal difference) who have we got on the bench apart from non-impact subs such as Jackson and Wheelie - yes, I know he scored the other night and I hope he scores loads more and shows what a shrewd signing he turned out to be .......but the facts speak for themselves, neither Jackson nor Wilbraham are fit for purpose - that''s not to say they won''t be in the future but right now we need a striker who can make that difference, who does have an eye for goal and whose arrival at the club will give us that turbo charged boost to take us across the line in the final ten matches of the season and a fecking great pot of £90M gold at the end of the rainbow. Personally, I think that Lambert does recognise this and I still believe he will come up with a trump card.[/quote] You get it, I get and Lambert gets it otherwise why would he bother trying to sign another striker?  Its called the big picture, if we signed anyone of the good suggestions mentioned are people really going to moan because I sometimes wonder.  How can some fans seriously argue that it might not be a good thing, unsettle the team spirt, take time to gel and get upto speed well thats just aload of crock.  Anybody who''s played the game will tell if your in a team doing well with a real chance of winning something that you get another quality player joining your squad that can give you just that little bit extra they wouldnt be welcomed with open arms?  What do think the rest of the Norwich squad said when we signed Huckerby and Crouch, oh no dont want them in our team!  We want options, we need options, we have 10 games to go to get to the land of milk and honey lets get behind the team all the way but please stop trying to argue that a quality striker could be a bad thing.  Yes its getting boring yes its doing my head in but for very different reasons.

I think Lansbury is no doubt a very talented player with hugh potential but can go missing in some games, but what I love the most is that Lambert has had the balls to drop him (much like he did with Martin) which will hopefully give him that little extra spur to up his game and not to take his place forgranted.  Competion for places we have now is a massive plus, especially as we have a manager that has no regard for player reputations.  You play well you keep the shirt you dont someone else will come in its that simple.  Still want that other striker though!

[quote user="blahblahblah"]Do we still need a striker, Ernie ?  :) [/quote] I think you know the answer to that. Just ask Lambert!  Onwards and upwards.

Fantastics result(s) last night.  I must say very impressed with Hoolahan''s headed goal (normally a Holt type goal), Holts penalty really was pick that out of the back of the net, last but least Aaron scored with a nice turn and shot!

11 games to go and the pressure''s building.  It''s one thing getting out of league 1, tough though it may be, but promotion to the Premier league, thats a whole new ball game.  Lamberts a quick learner I''m sure next time when he''s getting peeved with stupid questions he will be more composed.

[quote user="CambsCanary"]"Agree with alot of what you say but Lambert did say he had 3 transfer targets the last one being Elliot so he wasnt actively looking for another striker and as you have pointed out we already had a very strong, creative midfield.  I appreciate signing a decent striker is the hardest position to fill particually in Jan but as we know its even harder now." Very true. I suspect that what happened was this: 1.Lambert hoped that Martin would stay fit, especially given the probably exorbitant cost of signing a striker in January. In the event of injury, he knew we had an abundance of midfielders, especially with Surman due to come back, so we could play 4-5-1 successfully. 2. Wilbraham was bought as a cheap emergency back-up for Holt, in case of Holt being suspended/injured, to allow us at least to hold the ball up (an aspect sadly missing away at Millwall last season, I well remember, where McDonald and Martin couldn''t hold it up at all). 3. Lambert identified a lack of speed in the team as a weakness. After all, none of our midfield is especially quick, and McNamee has looked pretty lost over the past couple of months. Elliott Bennett was therefore targeted as a quick winger option.[/quote] Martin getting injured has in some ways forced Lamberts hand but my point is that Martin had only scored 4 league goals before he got injured. Cant argue with points 2 or 3 though completely agree.

[quote user="CambsCanary"][quote user="Ernie"]Tin hat time............most people just see it as a moan, a criticism of Lambert etc and will constantly recite look at where we were, the little money we have had to spend etc etc but dont seem to be able to see the bigger picture that we might not get a better chance at automatic promotion for years, its what I call little old Norwich mentality.[/quote] Yes, most people on here readily admit that we don''t have much quality up front beyond Grant Holt. Chris Martin blows hot and cold (mostly cold this season), and Jackson & Wilbraham have had comparatively few games to make much of a difference either way. The contentious bit is extrapolating this to say that we should already have resolved this by splashing oodles of money at a striker. To reiterate the point that''s being lost: the 2 million was available only AS FROM JANUARY. Lambert presumably looked in the January transfer window (as did lots of managers), but was doubtless quoted silly prices, as tends to happen in the January window. The same goes for now ... most Premier League clubs are holding on to their players, and the dross left to loan in will probably cos and arm and a leg, (and likely take a few matches to gel with anyone else at the club). Or maybe we should''ve blown all of last summer''s transfer budget on one great striker, instead of on Crofts, Ward, Fox, Surman, Ruddy??? If so, we''d more likely be battling relegation. So, rationally, it''s difficult to see that it''s PL''s fault or "down to a little old Norwich" attitude. The best you could say is that it''s Foulger''s fault for not having come up with the readies last summer, but personally I think that''s a tad harsh.[/quote] Agree with alot of what you say but Lambert did say he had 3 transfer targets the last one being Elliot so he wasnt actively looking for another striker and as you have pointed out we already had a very strong, creative midfield.  I appreciate signing a decent striker is the hardest position to fill particually in Jan but as we know its even harder now.

Broadstairs I completely agree with your viewpoint and have been saying this for months.  Even Lambert now acknowledges our need another striker particually since Martin has been injured as he is clearly looking to bring one in on loan, my arguement is we should have done this in Jan as what we had wasnt good enough, Holt apart and Martin when hes under pressure to perform.  Tin hat time............most people just see it as a moan, a criticism of Lambert etc and will constantly recite look at where we were, the little money we have had to spend etc etc but dont seem to be able to see the bigger picture that we might not get a better chance at automatic promotion for years, its what I call little old Norwich mentality. Norwich were for many many years an established top flight team that had even competed in Europe and hadnt even been in the 3rd tier except for last year for 50 years.  Lets get back to where I believe we belong, the Premier league.

All valid points.  I believe one of the problems we have had is the number of changes in personel in defence, however with Ruddy''s performances of late and a settled back four we could well improve on the number of clean sheets.  The style of our play which is very attacking does tend to leave us more open at the back. Biggest point though, what if we lose Holt?

[quote user="The Great Drinkell"] [quote user="priceyrice"]Guys some of you on here really blow my mind sometimes. A1 i agree with you enitrely, hes a dick and has been to our club espicially over the years, however quality forward and at his age has the experience to help us witht he final push and can guarantee he knows where the net is blindfolded beteer then Martin has this season. Not even going to get onto the other forwards. Can any of you name a better loan signing who is also realistic. I have yet to seen one on this board. OC comments show how hard it is to get a quality striker, Blake hasnt made it near the bench for a while now yet OC stuill doesnt want to let him go, i am sure the chairman will be pushing for the loan though. It just shows this time of the season there is no risk in loaning out a player who could be part of their fight for survival in the prem. Well lower league teams are not going to let their best players go out on loan I was starting to think we wern''t going to make any loan moves and after this it''s going to be hard to find a better player than Blake to bring in. Shame he didn''t want to come, lets hope Holt stays fit and we stick with the 4 5 1 [/quote] I''ll again put forward the name of Craig McKail-Smith [/quote]Cracking goal for Posh at the weekend, already got what 20 plus, 27 years old.  Seems to tick alot of boxes.  Would they sell and if so how much?

I''d sign him in a heatbeat, young, hungry, talented and could step up to the Prem if we got promoted.