baker 0 Posted October 15, 2018 I thought I would have a look at the evolution of the Norwich playing squad from Gunn’s management to present in the light of many fans thinking our current squad is inferior. Also bearing in mind that we were promoted from the Championship twice in this period. Players are listed in chronological order. I have tried to slot our current players at the end of the chains where they seem positionally best suited. Goalie: Theoklitos/Alnwick, Forster, Ruddy, Gunn, Krul Backup goalie: Rudd, Bunn, Rudd, McGovernRight back: Otsemebor, Martin, Naughton, Martin, Whittaker, Wisdom, Pinto, AaronsLeft back: Drury, Tierney, Garrido, Olsson, Brady, Dijks, LewisCB1: Doherty, Whitbread, Turner, Martin, HanleyCB2: Nelson, Ward, Bassong, KloseCB3: Askou, Barnett, Ayala, Bennett, ZimmermannHolder: Russell, Crofts, Tettey >>> Godfrey or Thompson??CM 1: Gill, Fox, Howson, Vrancic/ LeitnerCM 2: Smith, Lansbury, Surman, Johnson, Dorrans, Reed, Thompson/McLeanCM 3: Adeyemi/Tudor Jones, Fer, Odjidja, O’Neill, Mulumbu, TrybullWide mid/wing: Lappin, Pilkington, Brady, Josh Murphy, HernandezWide mid/wing: McNamee, E Bennett, Snodgrass, Redmond, Ja Murphy, MarshallPlaymaker: Hoolahan, Pritchard, Maddison, Buendia/CantwellPlaymker2/ high mid: McVeigh, Pacheco, Butterfield, Andreu, StiepermannF1: Holt, Elmander, Jerome, RhodesF2: Martin, Kamara, RVW, Grabban, Oliveira, PukkiF3: McDonald, Jackson, Hooper, Naismith, SrbenyF4: Cureton, Johnson, Wilbraham, Morison, Becchio, Lafferty, Mbokani, Watkins I don’t think our current squad is noticeably weaker than those of the past. It is definitely one of the most exciting for a Norwich fan though because of the amount of former youth players involved and because of the team spirit which is epitomized by Zimmermann and Klose. With the exception of Maddison I don’t think we have seen a central midfielder as cultured as Leitner for a long time and Pukki really does have the “Grant Holt” feel about him. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nuff Said 5,118 Posted October 15, 2018 Interesting perspective. There are some great players on that list, and also a couple of ‘who?’s. Why did Butterfield never play for us? He’s got over 160 appearances for Derby, Middlesbrough and Huddersfield.I think we can agree that with the exception of Grant Holt, the Gunn era saw us buy some sh*t players. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
king canary 7,602 Posted October 15, 2018 Yeah Gunn was having to rebuild a decimated squad after Roeder but he bought quite a lot of rubbish. Michael Nelson was another solid signing though. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted October 15, 2018 Of course some individuals will be better than others but I still think it is the sum of the parts that counts.And some of those parts go on to progress with us and on to better things.Saunders proved that you can take some ordinary players and make them into a unit that can do things.I have no idea where and why Gunn got his information about some of his purchases but it is fair to say most didn''t achieve much with us. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
king canary 7,602 Posted October 15, 2018 @KGThat is why Lambert was such a success with us imo- got a team performing as much more than the sum of its parts. Hughton on the other hand spent more money on ''better'' parts but couldn''t get them playing together as they should. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
westcoastcanary 173 Posted October 15, 2018 [quote user="Nuff Said"] .......... Why did Butterfield never play for us? He’s got over 160 appearances for Derby, Middlesbrough and Huddersfield. [/quote]My understanding has always been that Butterfield was, like Snodgrass, a Lambert target, though PL left before Butterfield actually signed. If he was bought with an eye to the future, it was clearly a mistake, since anyone less content to wait for his opportunity behind the likes of Hoolahan, Surman, Howson, Bradley J, et.al is hard to imagine. He was youngster like Canos (and Maddison), who''d got the taste for starting eleven football in the lower leagues and wanted and expected to be playing. Doesn''t seem that much has changed, judging by his reported comments (DerbyshireLive) when joining Sheffield Wed on loan from Derby last season: "I spoke to my agent and just said Derby’s style of play was not really the way I like to play my football. I just had a feeling that he (Gary Rowett) wanted to play a more direct, physical style," Butterfield said. "I said I didn’t want to spend the season on the bench and my agent made some calls and I had a few options." Rowett responded to Butterfield''s comments."The player probably didn''t mean it in the way he said it. He meant it as a positive for the club he has joined and in all fairness it wasn''t his decision necessarily to leave," Rowett said after Derby''s 5-0 victory over Hull......Rowett added: "They are not the best comments to make if you are going on loan. If you are going permanently, then may be."What I would say is that it was not about a style of play, it was just that we felt Butterfield hadn''t been as effective as he should have been."When you see the performance (against Hull), if you can tell me that is not a good style of football and style of play then I would be very, very surprised." Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ec-p 90 Posted October 15, 2018 I’m still not over the Becchio signing. Still think he could’ve made a difference for us, after being top scorer for Leeds that season. Oh well, as with all clubs, some signings just don’t fit I guess. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
king canary 7,602 Posted October 15, 2018 Butterfield wasn''t bought in as one for the future- he was a 22 year old with nearly 100 league appearances to his name by that point.Yes he was a Lambert signing but he''d also been very badly injured the season before he joined us and I don''t think he got fit enough to really push for a place in the team. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lincoln canary (& Golden Coppel) 0 Posted October 15, 2018 Where''s Simon Whaley!?What an injustice not to mention him. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hogesar 9,657 Posted October 15, 2018 [quote user="lincolncanary"]Where''s Simon Whaley!?What an injustice not to mention him.[/quote]Didn''t he have a pretty good time at Preston, signed for us, and literally decimate into the world of nothing-ness and retired a year later at something like 26 years old after a couple of poor loan moves? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
king canary 7,602 Posted October 15, 2018 *cough*Might be some info in here lads, just saying...https://www.alongcomenorwich.com/articles/the-we-barely-knew-thee-xi Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hoola Han Solo 448 Posted October 15, 2018 He’s now player-manager at non-league Eagley. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nuff Said 5,118 Posted October 15, 2018 “Where''s Simon Whaley!? ”You could come up with a children’s book on similar lines... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites