Strikers.

[Trevor Hockey's Beard 526]

Is there a team in the Prem which is NOT looking for another striker? They are like hens'' teeth and rocking horse ....

I am sure that we have been looking, but January is not a good time to be buying, and if NCFC was being run as a business I can imagine the plan would be to see where we are at the end of the season and strengthen accordingly.

[Bethnal Yellow and Green 1,557]

Naismith and Wes can easily play together - most of Naismith''s appearances this season have come on the left of the three behind Lukaku. That''s not to say he has played on the wing though - Everton have a very tight ''3'' in their 4-2-3-1.

I can see Naismith-Wes-Redmond playing behind Mbokani at some point this season - it would actually be similar to Everton''s Naismith-Barkley-Deulofeu three behind Lukaku.

We have also seen games where Redmond has played very narrowly on the right (if you look at the heat map for the Man U game, http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/35078521 , Redmond is almost central) - Naismith could quite easily play this role as well - coming in narrow to get close to the main striker and create overloads.

AN has shown he is incredibly flexible with tactics and Naismith is a pretty adaptable player, although a lack of pace means he''s unlikely to play like an out and out winger.

[Feedthewolf 4,844]

Nice insight, Bethnal. Thank you for that.

[It's Character Forming 1,160]

[quote user="Bethnal Yellow and Green"]From what I remember playing in the Europa League doesn''t mean you have to stop playing in the Premier League as well...[/quote]

 

Presumably Utrecht are in the Europa League ? 

[It's Character Forming 1,160]

[quote user="Bethnal Yellow and Green"]Naismith and Wes can easily play together - most of Naismith''s appearances this season have come on the left of the three behind Lukaku. That''s not to say he has played on the wing though - Everton have a very tight ''3'' in their 4-2-3-1. I can see Naismith-Wes-Redmond playing behind Mbokani at some point this season - it would actually be similar to Everton''s Naismith-Barkley-Deulofeu three behind Lukaku. We have also seen games where Redmond has played very narrowly on the right (if you look at the heat map for the Man U game, http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/35078521 , Redmond is almost central) - Naismith could quite easily play this role as well - coming in narrow to get close to the main striker and create overloads. AN has shown he is incredibly flexible with tactics and Naismith is a pretty adaptable player, although a lack of pace means he''s unlikely to play like an out and out winger.[/quote]

 

Thanks, I can see that working, obv with Tettey as DM plus one other in midfield, but defensively how do we cover the flanks would be the issue.  I guess it could work with Jarvis on the left and Redmond on the right (but flexible as you say).  Or do we play 2 pure DMs who therefore have to give cover on the flanks to an extent ?

 

I am never a fan of playing Wes on the wing because IMO he''s not able to contribute there.

 

Against Liverpool I guess AN may go for a slightly less attacking lineup.

[AJ 1,218]

Shame about Haller, from AN''s comments it sounds like the door is still open for him if he changes his mind - maybe we could be in for a deadline day surprise, who knows. Please Mr Haller, Give NCFC a chance!

[Woodman 92]

Yes, a very thinly veiled pop at Haller''s agent from AN. Realistically, he''s not going to be heading for a team challenging for the Champions League (maybe Leicester), and the Europa teams are Spurs, Liverpool and Man U, and you can''t see him going to any of them.

[Essjayess 307]

[quote user="AJ"]Shame about Haller, from AN''s comments it sounds like the door is still open for him if he changes his mind - maybe we could be in for a deadline day surprise, who knows. Please Mr Haller, Give NCFC a chance![/quote]That concerns me somewhat, its like Alex is saying "very little chance of getting him, but while its a slim chance we will still pursue him". I really do not want City to be wasting the last 9 or 10 days of this window chasing a striker who has already turned us down and who even Alex admits is unlikely to sign. If that happened the window would slam and we would be left with just Cam and Mbok, presuming Laffs is gonna move on.Much rather see us go after a Bamford or a Gayle. Im unsure about Bamford, hes done it in the Champs but unproven in the Prem. Gayle is a super little player, so underused at Palace by Pardew, hes leaving him out this weekend again it seems, despite Palaces woeful striker goal shortage. Think he has a "weve been linked to him for so long we no longer rate him as highly" problem from quite a few City fans.

[Fuzzar 1,702]

I too feel Gayle, for the right price, would be a very good signing.

[Bethnal Yellow and Green 1,557]

It is possible for Norwich to chase multiple targets at once, so don''t think there is a huge risk in hanging on in for the Haller deal. If the club believe he is still worth chasing that is.

Palace aren''t going to let Gayle go until they sign another striker, so just as much risk in that deal. Norwich waited and waited for him last summer, only for it to all fall through at the last minute as Palace couldn''t land a replacement.

[morty 0]

[quote user="Bethnal Yellow and Green"]It is possible for Norwich to chase multiple targets at once, so don''t think there is a huge risk in hanging on in for the Haller deal. If the club believe he is still worth chasing that is.

Palace aren''t going to let Gayle go until they sign another striker, so just as much risk in that deal. Norwich waited and waited for him last summer, only for it to all fall through at the last minute as Palace couldn''t land a replacement.[/quote]Indeed, as I was saying somewhere else, its not like our season is hanging on making this signing. We have already done good business, and in my eyes, anything else is a bonus.

[lappinitup 629]

[quote user="Essjayess"]we would be left with just Cam and Mbok, presuming Laffs is gonna move on.[/quote]It''s all part of AN''s master plan. With more defensive cover now, Russ Martin can now be freed from his defensive duties and moved up to striker (where secretively he has always wanted to play, although not a lot of people know that). AN knows it has worked here before with Chris Sutton, Dion Dublin and more recently, The Doc. With three goals already, it''s time to unleash our secret weapon unto those unsuspecting Prem defences. [:P]

[OldRobert 38]

[quote user="lappinitup"][quote user="Essjayess"]we would be left with just Cam and Mbok, presuming Laffs is gonna move on.[/quote]It''s all part of AN''s master plan. With more defensive cover now, Russ Martin can now be freed from his defensive duties and moved up to striker (where secretively he has always wanted to play, although not a lot of people know that). AN knows it has worked here before with Chris Sutton, Dion Dublin and more recently, The Doc. With three goals already, it''s time to unleash our secret weapon unto those unsuspecting Prem defences. [:P][/quote]Behave Lapps![;)]

[It's Character Forming 1,160]

[quote user="lappinitup"][quote user="Essjayess"]we would be left with just Cam and Mbok, presuming Laffs is gonna move on.[/quote]
It''s all part of AN''s master plan. With more defensive cover now, Russ Martin can now be freed from his defensive duties and moved up to striker (where secretively he has always wanted to play, although not a lot of people know that). AN knows it has worked here before with Chris Sutton, Dion Dublin and more recently, The Doc. With three goals already, it''s time to unleash our secret weapon unto those unsuspecting Prem defences. [:P]
[/quote]

 

I can look back at the time when we were in the Prem and playing the Doc as a striker at the start of games with wry amusement now.  It has taken plenty of therapy in the meantime, mind.

[......and Smith must score. 1,335]

[quote user="morty"][quote user="Bethnal Yellow and Green"]It is possible for Norwich to chase multiple targets at once, so don''t think there is a huge risk in hanging on in for the Haller deal. If the club believe he is still worth chasing that is.

Palace aren''t going to let Gayle go until they sign another striker, so just as much risk in that deal. Norwich waited and waited for him last summer, only for it to all fall through at the last minute as Palace couldn''t land a replacement.[/quote]Indeed, as I was saying somewhere else, its not like our season is hanging on making this signing. We have already done good business, and in my eyes, anything else is a bonus.[/quote]Yes, we''ve done good business - better than most thought we would - but I still think we''re crying out for someone who can simply put the ball in the net. They don''t come cheap but I''m sure we can rustle up a decent wedge without risking administration [;)]Not sure if Gayle is the answer. He seems to have been on the radar for ever. I suppose Rhodes or McCormack at a reasonable price- certainly less than is being bandied about - would fit the bill but it wouldn''t surprise me if we suddenly announce a signing that nobody expected.

[It's Character Forming 1,160]

And given that we''ve wrapped up our important business in the first half of the window, I think we can conclude that the club has learnt from the mistakes in the summer of pushing out opening offers very late in the window.  I suspect with Haller we''ve left the door open, but it shouldn''t be taking up much if any time right now.  So I also wouldn''t be surprised if something comes up that hasn''t been mooted before now.