Do we badly miss Bradley's steel?

[Bradwell canary 112]

How much do we miss his steely determination .?

Not the most skilful , but he had something about him that I am unable to see in any other player so far.

Who has his level of drive?

[Katie Borkins 1]

I know someone badly missing his sword...

[BroadstairsR 2,273]

Massive yes.

Not as good a ''footballer'' as either Howson or Dorrans that''s for sure, but far more influential/effective than both.

It was good money, but I would have preferred to unload either of the other two for it.

On his day and with his shooting boots on he was much more of an extra forward than anybody we currently have in midfield.

[Feedthewolf 5,885]

I''m going to stick my neck out and say ''no''. I would much rather Neil fill the squad with technically gifted players and we lack a bit of ''bite in the tackle'' than have a team with ''good engines'' who ''try hard and give 100%''. This mentality is why English football is so far behind the rest of Europe. With a couple of months to reflect, I greatly prefer the squad without BJ to the squad with him. Watch Mulumbu play and tell me there''s no steel in his game – but crucially, he is technically better than Johnson. Neil is building an exciting, continental-style squad, and I want him to stay here even if we get relegated. If his loyalty is strong enough, I''d build a dynasty around the guy.I''m glad that BJ finished his Norwich career on a high, having contributed greatly to getting us back where we belong and having a cracking day out at Wembley to remember us by. I wish him all the best at Derby City, but I''m glad he''s gone.

[BroadstairsR 2,273]

Agree fully with all of that (FtW) except that I am more concerned with the ''now.''

Our position has become perilous and the OP mentioned BJ''s ''steel.''

I fear that it might be missed in the scrap we will now have on our hands.

In the long run, no team can consistently compete at the top table with players that are not ''technically gifted,'' even though exceptions from Vinny Jones through to Robbie Savage and now Lee Cattermole might suggest otherwise.

[GJP 79]

At Wembley there was a moment when Johnson lunged into a tackle and missed both the ball and the man and Boro were then able to get a cross into the box.

Shortly after that the ball ended up coming out to the other side of the pitch where Howson stayed on his toes, stood the man up and blocked the attempted cross.

Johnson''s attempted tackle was of course more eye catching but Howson''s more subtle contribution was actually effective.

[Feedthewolf 5,885]

[quote user="BroadstairsR"]Agree fully with all of that (FtW) except that I am more concerned with the ''now.''

Our position has become perilous and the OP mentioned BJ''s ''steel.''

I fear that it might be missed in the scrap we will now have on our hands.

In the long run, no team can consistently compete at the top table with players that are not ''technically gifted,'' even though exceptions from Vinny Jones through to Robbie Savage and now Lee Cattermole might suggest otherwise.[/quote]I guess ''steel'' can be interpreted in more than one way – does it mean ''stamina, tacking ability and physical presence'', or does it mean ''leading by example and psychological strength''? Or a combination of the two? Either way, I don''t think we are greatly deficient in either area – however, we have a greater number of technically gifted players, a more attack-minded, high-pressing mentality, and a manager with (it seems at least) outstanding leadership skills.I think Neil has done a great job getting us to where we are with such limited resources – what we desperately need is a couple of defenders with a higher base technical level than our current crop (with the possible exception of Olsson). Our next priority must be a natural goalscorer (unless Mbokani proves to be more than just a short-term solution).

[morty 0]

[quote user="GJP"]At Wembley there was a moment when Johnson lunged into a tackle and missed both the ball and the man and Boro were then able to get a cross into the box.

Shortly after that the ball ended up coming out to the other side of the pitch where Howson stayed on his toes, stood the man up and blocked the attempted cross.

Johnson''s attempted tackle was of course more eye catching but Howson''s more subtle contribution was actually effective.[/quote]As much as I love Bradley, his form desperately faded after his suspension, at the back end of last season.

[lake district canary 4,830]

[quote user="Feedthewolf"]I''m going to stick my neck out and say ''no''. I would much rather Neil fill the squad with technically gifted players and we lack a bit of ''bite in the tackle'' than have a team with ''good engines'' who ''try hard and give 100%''. This mentality is why English football is so far behind the rest of Europe. With a couple of months to reflect, I greatly prefer the squad without BJ to the squad with him. Watch Mulumbu play and tell me there''s no steel in his game – but crucially, he is technically better than Johnson. Neil is building an exciting, continental-style squad, and I want him to stay here even if we get relegated. If his loyalty is strong enough, I''d build a dynasty around the guy.I''m glad that BJ finished his Norwich career on a high, having contributed greatly to getting us back where we belong and having a cracking day out at Wembley to remember us by. I wish him all the best at Derby City, but I''m glad he''s gone.[/quote]

This^^^.  He won me over last season and it was a triumph of willpower and desire to have the kind of season he had, but looking at the players we have now, where would he fit in?   Brady and Jarvis both with pace and technique to spare.  Johnson would be a bit part player and maybe not even that, so it''s good that he''s gone and we can admire him from afar and the effect he will have on Derby.   It''s great to see popular ex-players doing well elsewhere and as long as they don''t turn up and do well against us, it''s all good.

[chicken 0]

Bradders is a good player. Is he a ''big'' loss? It''s really hard to say.

Looking at the squad we have now - who would you play him ahead of? Especially when you consider that his most successful spell last season was left midfield.

It would be harsh on either Jarvis or Brady to play him ahead of them. Both have played well in that position so far, Jarvis being almost undroppable IMHO.

Then you look to CM. We have five; Tettey, Howson, Dorrans, Mulumbu and O''Neil.

I think you can say that Howson is an attacking midfielder but has the engine to be box to box and hatfuls of skill and passing ability. Dorrans is similar but appears to be more of a CM and prefers to be a little deeper. Mulumbu is not as defensive as Tettey perhaps but is a better passer. Tettey is an out and out defensive midfielder - and certainly has the drive and steeliness that Johnson has, but not the attacking ability even if Johnson''s was more brutal than finesse.

So, as I said at the time that he left. I just don''t see where he would get into the side. He may have been used as a sub but even then if you have four or five midfielders you are still looking at having two of the other five on the bench, and whilst he may have been ahead of O''Neil, it''s questionable that he would have been ahead of Dorrans/Mulumbu or whoever else doesn''t quite make the starting line up. And that''s before you take into account Hoolahan and VOO (who could just be that physical presence for us as well, but with the finesse as well).

In fact, our bench alone is really competitive at the moment. Rudd is a dead cert. Then you have Mbokani/Jerome depending upon who is starting. If you start two strikers then Hoolahan and Grabban/Lafferty take a further two slots. If Brady starts at full back then Olsson is another.

[YorkshirePudding 0]

I thought this was going to be one of those James Bent spam posts going by the title...

But I also don''t think we have or will miss the presence of BJ, having him on the team wouldn''t have saved us the points that we''ve lost of late. It''s mostly been individual mistakes by defenders/goalkeeper that have cost us.

[ZLF 335]

the midfield is the one area of the squad that is genuinely prem quality - multiple options all better than BJ - it is hard to see who we would want to drop to accommodate his "enthusiasm" - and the last thing we want is another ill disciplined player out wide.

Very happy to see him doing well at derby - but our problems are definitely that we only sold him and kept the defence from the championship quality players.

[ricardo 8,034]

Badly missed IMO. The fact that the question has to be asked is confirmation enough.We have a midfield of lookalike short ar$e$ who can pass the ball nicely in front of a packed defence but offer little penetration going forward while looking lightweight defensively.Perhaps Mulumbu will redress the balance.

[Van wink 2,994]

Definitely missed, the sort of player that I would have loved to see come off the bench in the WBA game, different to what we have, can make an impact and lift the side and the crowd.

[Nicko 0]

No, no we don''t miss anything of Bradley Johnson''s.

He was poor in the Premier League last time round, and poor this time.

I''ve never understand Norwich fans love affair with ex-players. He was good in the Championship and helped get us promoted - but he''s gone now, get over it. We''re progressing.

[Nicko 0]

[quote user="Nicko"]No, no we don''t miss anything of Bradley Johnson''s.

He was poor in the Premier League last time round, and poor this time.

I''ve never understand Norwich fans love affair with ex-players. He was good in the Championship and helped get us promoted - but he''s gone now, get over it. We''re progressing.[/quote]

Meant I''ll obviously,.

[hogesar 10,766]

I do think we miss him, but even though I''m a massive fan of his I can only really attribute missing him to our poorest performances. All our best performances has been down to moving the ball quickly throughout the zones and the midfield movement and ability to control and pass the ball quickly being fundamental to the way we play. BJ would unfortunately have limited us wherever he played in these games. 

The games I miss him in are the one''s like the Newcastle and Southampton where I think his tenacity and determination would have made for a much more even game than they were. 

He was one of my favourite NCFC players of recent years and i''ve defended him throughout his time here as some of his critics were hugely unfair. The problem I have is I don''t think we''d have significantly more points with him here.

[GJP 79]

Johnson was involved in a few games when we got turned over.

Good for winning headers but otherwise I don''t think he offers anything the others don''t. And in truth the rest are all better players.

For all the talk of his hard working style you''d often see Howson and Tettey run past him - going forward or tracking back.

[Capt. Pants 5,013]

No. And I''m a big Bradders fan. Despite poor results I''m enjoying the way we are playing this season and I don''t think that would have been the case had BJ been in midfield or wide left. However, he can be a game changer and despite all the above I reckon he would have been worth another 6 points over the season through his vital goals. Best of luck to him and he''ll always get a warm welcome back at CR (from the fans anyway).

[hogesar 10,766]

Well they might have ran past him GJP but didn''t score anywhere near the same goals last season!

[Prince of Darkness 0]

Badly missed was yet another screw up in the transfer window. Does the summer window go down as one of the worst in the clubs history?

[Yellowfuture 71]

Prince of Darkness wrote the following post at 05/11/2015 9:56 PM:

Badly missed was yet another screw up in the transfer window. Does the summer window go down as one of the worst in the clubs history?

No. Next question?

[Feedthewolf 5,885]

[quote user="Prince of Darkness "]Badly missed was yet another screw up in the transfer window. Does the summer window go down as one of the worst in the clubs history?[/quote]Your username is rather misleading, isn''t it? I''d have expected you to be miserable and negative.

[GJP 79]

[quote user="hogesar"]Well they might have ran past him GJP but didn''t score anywhere near the same goals last season![/quote]

That is true. Although Howson did get a few more assists than Johnson.

But you can''t take Johnson''s goals away from him. He had a great season in that respect.

[Yellowfuture 71]

Feedthewolf wrote the following post at 05/11/2015 10:06 PM:

Prince of Darkness wrote:

Badly missed was yet another screw up in the transfer window. Does the summer window go down as one of the worst in the clubs history?

"Your username is rather misleading, isn''t it? I''d have expected you to be miserable and negative."

😄

[Lessingham Canary 108]

Don''t think we miss him IMO, he is perfect for the championship, at times he could be reckless, and as previously said he would struggle in the prem, as did last time. Was fully deserving of his player of the season award though, served us well but his time is up.

[hogesar 10,766]

How many assists did Howson get? Always felt he was involved in a lot of goals but unsure how many would count as his actual assists!

[GJP 79]

I cba to check but it was 6 or 7 assists and 9 goals, iirc.

[smooth 114]

No mulumbu adds the steel we need. Brady has got steel to add to his quality on the left.

What we need is quality and I am glad AN realises that. We need game winners and threats.

Bradley Johnson had his season, some players can only reach so far. He would not have been that player for us this season.

[Lewis DW 30]

It''s amazing how a decent tally of goals can gloss over a players ability. When not playing the ''lampard'' role, Bradley Johnson was passionate and influential but also massive defence liability. He was easy to bypass in the middle of the park and totally out of his depth in the PL.