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Best Ever XI, revisited

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According to Wikipedia, in 2008, supporters cast votes to determine the greatest ever Norwich City team.

Kevin Keelan (1963–80)
Ian Culverhouse (1985–94)
Steve Bruce (1984–87)
Duncan Forbes (1968–81)
Mark Bowen (1987–96)
Darren Huckerby (2003–08)
Ian Crook (1986–97)
Martin Peters (1975–80)
Darren Eadie (1993–99)
Chris Sutton (1991–94)
Iwan Roberts (1997–2004)

Just out of interest, and to defeat some lockdown boredom, now another decade of football and plenty of players have come and gone, who from this list would still make your side? And who would you consider better than those on the list?

Holt over Roberts? Hoolahan over Ian Crook?

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The fact that quite a few from the past five years seem eligible for consideration is testament to our current policies/scouting:

Madisson, Buendia, Pukki, Krul, Aarons? With Cantwell potentially in the pipeline??

 

Edited by BroadstairsR

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4 minutes ago, BroadstairsR said:

The fact that quite a few from the past five years seem eligible for consideration is testament to our current policies/scouting:

Madisson, Buendia, Pukki, Krul, Aarons? With Cantwell potentially in the pipeline??

 

I think this points to a difficulty with defining what is meant by best XI.

Maddison for instance is significantly more talented than almost all players I've seen in a Norwich shirt. Yet he was only here for one season really so does he get in? If it is on pure talent, certainly, if it is on impact at Norwich City then probably not.

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I think Max Aarons will go on to have a career that no other RB in City’s history will have come close to. He is already consistently excellent every single game he plays with little exception. I don’t think I’ve seen quite his quality here in my lifetime to be honest, even at this stage of his career. 

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38 minutes ago, AJ said:

According to Wikipedia, in 2008, supporters cast votes to determine the greatest ever Norwich City team.

Kevin Keelan (1963–80)
Ian Culverhouse (1985–94)
Steve Bruce (1984–87)
Duncan Forbes (1968–81)
Mark Bowen (1987–96)
Darren Huckerby (2003–08)
Ian Crook (1986–97)
Martin Peters (1975–80)
Darren Eadie (1993–99)
Chris Sutton (1991–94)
Iwan Roberts (1997–2004)

Just out of interest, and to defeat some lockdown boredom, now another decade of football and plenty of players have come and gone, who from this list would still make your side? And who would you consider better than those on the list?

Holt over Roberts? Hoolahan over Ian Crook?

,Controversial to some, but I would change the front (last) 3. Great players and servants all, but I would go with Pukki, Holt and Emi (imagine him and Hucks causing mayhem) but (off the top of my head)  I wish to take time out to consider Ted McDougall, James Maddison, Max Aarons, and Steve Goble 🙂 

I also appreciate that older posters (who didn't have t'internet in 2008 😉 ) may come up with other names (Ron Davies for example) 

Chippy still gets in front of Wessi for me btw

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They may or may not be be the best 11, but 

51 minutes ago, AJ said:

According to Wikipedia, in 2008, supporters cast votes to determine the greatest ever Norwich City team.

Kevin Keelan (1963–80)
Ian Culverhouse (1985–94)
Steve Bruce (1984–87)
Duncan Forbes (1968–81)
Mark Bowen (1987–96)
Darren Huckerby (2003–08)
Ian Crook (1986–97)
Martin Peters (1975–80)
Darren Eadie (1993–99)
Chris Sutton (1991–94)
Iwan Roberts (1997–2004)

Just out of interest, and to defeat some lockdown boredom, now another decade of football and plenty of players have come and gone, who from this list would still make your side? And who would you consider better than those on the list?

Holt over Roberts? Hoolahan over Ian Crook?

Duncan in the best ever eleven! Lovely bloke but..... I can think of numerous more talented centre halves. 

That team has some great players but I doubt it would win anything. Picking a team that would win the Premier League would look very different 

Woods

Aarons 

Watson 

Bruce

Bowen

 

Barham

Buendia or Maddison 

Peters or Phelan 

Huckerby

 

Ashton or Sutton 

Boyer

 

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I alway find these lists misleading. They ask for a top 11 implying a team and then go on to choose a random set of fans favourites over many decades. Holt anybody ?

I liked Forbes - and Fogo at the time. Peters scored a world cup final goal - how many other Canary players have done similar - and even more when actually a NCFC player (Hoolahan springs to mind).

The real question for me is what was the best NCFC team/squad ever in its day (hint it's a team game) - and without a doubt that has to be to a man the team of the early 80's that with only a handful of games to go (the Wimbledon defeat still sticks in my mind) very so very nearly won the adolescent EPL! That table was with it just 5 games to go (we were top if I recall) still sends shivers down my spine  !  Football fantasy or what!

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20 minutes ago, dylanisabaddog said:

Duncan in the best ever eleven! Lovely bloke but..... I can think of numerous more talented centre halves.

I agree there have been better centre halves, but with Duncan Forbes, it is more the role as captain and inspiration for the team that makes him stand out to people that class him in the best 11. Actually, Stringer was imo the better defender at the time, but the two of them together superb - but with Forbes, we were stronger as a team.

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Just now, lake district canary said:

I agree there have been better centre halves, but with Duncan Forbes, it is more the role as captain and inspiration for the team that makes him stand out to people that class him in the best 11. Actually, Stringer was imo the better defender at the time, but the two of them together superb - but with Forbes, we were stronger as a team.

Don't worry Lakey. On reflection I think Dylan realizes he is soooo wrong and regrets his choices. In fact everyone else is wrong because they don't agree with me............. 🙂 

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37 minutes ago, Crabbycanary3 said:

,Controversial to some, but I would change the front (last) 3. Great players and servants all, but I would go with Pukki, Holt and Emi (imagine him and Hucks causing mayhem) but (off the top of my head)  I wish to take time out to consider Ted McDougall, James Maddison, Max Aarons, and Steve Goble 🙂 

I also appreciate that older posters (who didn't have t'internet in 2008 😉 ) may come up with other names (Ron Davies for example) 

Chippy still gets in front of Wessi for me btw

I cant see dropping Chris Sutton.  The other two maybe, Darren Eadie was my favorite Norwich player as a teen but Emi is world class. 

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I don't think Aarons is remotely close to how good Culverhouse was - yet. As a defender, Culverhouse was incredible, and he had great deadball delivery too. But I'd have Emi or Wes (probably Wes) in to replace Crook, Holt to replace Roberts and Maddison to replace Eadie.

Dave Watson was a much better centre back than Big Dunc. I also think Adam Drury was a better left back than Bowen.

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No room for Raymond de Waard in there?!!

These things are always difficult- from that original XI I’d certainly include Holt for Iwan, maybe Emi for Eadie but less sure on that.

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Not much wrong with the Wikipedia list except I would pick Andy Linnigan in front of Forbes and Ron Davies instead of Roberts.

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5 minutes ago, sgncfc said:

I don't think Aarons is remotely close to how good Culverhouse was - yet. As a defender, Culverhouse was incredible, and he had great deadball delivery too. But I'd have Emi or Wes (probably Wes) in to replace Crook, Holt to replace Roberts and Maddison to replace Eadie.

Dave Watson was a much better centre back than Big Dunc. I also think Adam Drury was a better left back than Bowen.

We saw Culverhouse throughout his best years, and even then not a chance he would attract attention from Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, Paris St Germain, Manchester United... the list goes on. Aarons is technically way better already imo - different level. Loved watching Culverhouse etc as a lad and they were golden times, but today Max is something really special, and at just 21 too!

Cant speak of the strikers back in the 60’s etc because I wasn’t around. But of the modern and recent era strikers none have Teemu’s strike rate - Sutton about 1 in 3, Pukki 1 in 2, and Holty somewhere in between. 

So, Pukki and Holty surely have to get the nod with Sutton on the subs bench.

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1 hour ago, king canary said:

I think this points to a difficulty with defining what is meant by best XI.

Maddison for instance is significantly more talented than almost all players I've seen in a Norwich shirt. Yet he was only here for one season really so does he get in? If it is on pure talent, certainly, if it is on impact at Norwich City then probably not.

This.

Realistically, any player needs to have had an impact at Premier League level and/or contributed significantly over a significant length of time. I'd say only Holt and Hoolahan have a genuine shout of making this side.

Players like Pukki, Krul, Aarons, Cantwell and Buendia will need to stay a little longer as well as playing for us in the Premier League in a non-disastrous season to stand any chance of making it.

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16 minutes ago, sgncfc said:

I don't think Aarons is remotely close to how good Culverhouse was - yet. As a defender, Culverhouse was incredible, and he had great deadball delivery too. But I'd have Emi or Wes (probably Wes) in to replace Crook, Holt to replace Roberts and Maddison to replace Eadie.

Dave Watson was a much better centre back than Big Dunc. I also think Adam Drury was a better left back than Bowen.

I agree that Culverhouse was streets ahead of Aarons defensively, but let's say Culverhouse was 25 today and with the way the modern game and modern full-back is, I don't think he displaces Aarons in the current Norwich XI personally.

I agree about making space for Emi or Wes, I'd probably switch Crook and Eadie for those two and leave Maddison out. I can't really comment on Watson v Forbes because I'm not old enough.

I can comment on Drury v Bowen though, and all I have to say is, what are you smoking?!

For me, Keelan, Bowen, Huckerby and Peters can be written into the Best XI in stone.

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26 minutes ago, sgncfc said:

I don't think Aarons is remotely close to how good Culverhouse was - yet. As a defender, Culverhouse was incredible, and he had great deadball delivery too. But I'd have Emi or Wes (probably Wes) in to replace Crook, Holt to replace Roberts and Maddison to replace Eadie.

Dave Watson was a much better centre back than Big Dunc. I also think Adam Drury was a better left back than Bowen.

Culverhouse v Max is an interesting one.  Perhaps you're right but I hope Max will eventually be better.

I go for Bowen because he played most of his 400 games at the highest level and scored 30 ish goals. But Drury was a superb defender and he had to cope with the fact that Hucks was in front of him😂

As for Lakey rooting for Big Dunc. Words fail me. 

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Depends a lot on which era you come from for me the early  70s were the best so would be better to have the best team from each decade 

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Surprised nobody has mentioned Suggett, Fleck, Paddon, Boyer or maybe Curran and Reeves. 

It's difficult to call but definitely Suggett for me and probably Paddon. 

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Whenever I think about this I always give myself the caveat of never including any players who are at the club at the time I list my XI.

Makes it a bit easier.

Would currently pick a simple 4-4-2 as follows-

Woods

Culverhouse

Bruce

Watson

Bowen

Townsend

Peters

Sutton

Drinkell

Crook

Huckerby

 

 

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Keelan and Peters nailed on to be in the team, lots of strikers to consider, Hugh Curran a real favourite of mine. However, many choices not only on playing ability but in longevity and influence on the club, Dave Stringer must also be considered

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This is almost impossible - I guess we may get more consensus with an A team and a sub B team (two players that could be substituted for each other.....that way Aarons and Culverhouse could be interchanged). I agree about length of time played with us as well as different eras.

In 50 years, I haven't seen a better centre half pair than Bruce and Watson. They were the real defensive guard which allowed us to play such expansive football in that era. Likewise, Bowen and Culverhouse. Woods has to be on the list but you just cannot leave out Keelan. 

The biggest problem is when you get to midfield and attackers.- so many great players and difficult to decide. 

For me then (A and B):

Keelan / Woods

Aarons/ Culverhouse

Bruce / Poulson(?)

Watson / Stringer

Bowen / Drury

Hoolahan / Crook

Peters / Townsend 

Huckerby / Buendia

Sutton / Roberts

Holt / Drinkell

Pukki / McDougal

 

So still no place here for Maddison, Eadie, Phelan, Davies, Suggett, Paddon, Boyer, Fleck, Ashton....

 

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It’s near on impossible! My criteria would be to have played at least 100 games so the likes of Madders wouldn’t get in my team, great player but best 11 would need to have some criteria!

I can’t even start with a goalkeeper, Keelan, but easy to change for Gunn or Woods or Ruddy!

 

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Gunn, Aarons, Bruce, Watson, Bertrand, Fox, Maddison, Townsend, Huckerby, Sutton, Pukki - subs Bellamy, Eadie, Polston, Hoolahan and Gordon. Now that team would compete, perhaps not my favourite XI - but i think the best I saw in Norwich shirts

Edited by Newtopia

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30 minutes ago, Newtopia said:

Gunn, Aarons, Bruce, Watson, Bertrand, Fox, Maddison, Townsend, Huckerby, Sutton, Pukki - subs Bellamy, Eadie, Paulson, Hoolahan and Gordon. Now that team would compete, perhaps not my favourite XI - but i think the best I saw in Norwich shirts

Interesting Newtopia, why Bertrand may I ask? (I'm not angling for an argument btw, just genuinely interested in your choice)

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2 hours ago, Crabbycanary3 said:

Interesting Newtopia, why Bertrand may I ask? (I'm not angling for an argument btw, just genuinely interested in your choice)

I loved Bowen most, I just thought Bertrand was the best left back I saw play for us.  At the time I thought he would go on play for England, he was as good going forward, good with his feet, a solid defender, and left footed.  

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2 hours ago, Crabbycanary3 said:

Come on guys, I know it's picky but it's Polston

Whoops!

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