Signings and Potential Signings

[TheMarshmallowMan 0]

Here''s another long article on Worthy''s options in the transfer market. This has been posted on one or two other locations, so I hope you haven''t read it before.

Now that the Summer has arrived and all work for my law course has ground to a halt, I''m free to make these really long, boring posts. Last time - Norwich''s survival chances. This time - Transfers!

From my last post, I got a lot of replies (I posted the same post on about three different boards) stating it''s "all about who Norwich sign" during the summer. So I''d thought I''d take a long look at the squad, who we''ve been linked to, who we could sign, and who we should sign.

The squad that took us into the Premiership is a bit on the small side. Let''s take a look:

1 Robert Green GK
2 Keith Briggs Def
3 Adam Drury Def
4 Malky Mackay Def
5 Craig Fleming Def
6 Darren Huckerby Forward
7 Phillip Mulryne Mid
8 Gary Holt Def
9 Iwan Roberts Forward (Released)
10 Zema Abbey Forward
11 Jim Brennan Midfielder
12 Paul Crichton Goalkeeper (Released)
14 Leon McKenzie Forward)
15 Mark Rivers Mid
16 Clint Easton Mid (Released)
17 Marc Edworthy Def
18 Paul McVeigh Forward
19 Mathias Svensson Forward
20 Damien Francis Mid
21 Dean Sinclair Mid
22 Ian Henderson Mid/For
23 Ryan Jarvis Forward
24 Jason Shackell Def
25 Peter Crouch Forward (Loan, Now Returned)
26 Kevin Cooper Midfielder (Loan, Now Returned)
27 Kevin Harper Midfielder (Loan, Now Returned)

Of those 27, three have been released. That''s 24. Of those 24, 3 more were loan signings, and have since returned to their original clubs (for now). That leaves us with 21.

Consider - 21 is really not that many. Certinatly not enough to make two teams, and even more certinatly not enough to make a Premiership side (of any quality). Compare that to Manchester United''s 40 strong squad, Middlesborough''s 37 strong squad and Manchester City''s 45 strong squad.

21 is even small for a division one side. Nottingham Forest have 33 players, Coventry City''s 38 players and Ipswich''s 34.

Also, we really need to consider who in our squad of 21 is actually up to Premiership standard. Let''s get that list back:

1 Robert Green GK *
2 Keith Briggs Def +
3 Adam Drury Def *
4 Malky Mackay Def *
5 Craig Fleming Def *
6 Darren Huckerby Forward *
7 Phillip Mulryne Mid *
8 Gary Holt Def *
10 Zema Abbey Forward
11 Jim Brennan Midfielder *
14 Leon McKenzie Forward +
15 Mark Rivers Mid
17 Marc Edworthy Def *
18 Paul McVeigh Forward
19 Mathias Svensson Forward *
20 Damien Francis Mid *
21 Dean Sinclair Mid +
22 Ian Henderson Mid/For +
23 Ryan Jarvis Forward +
24 Jason Shackell Def +

Key: * = Able to step up
+ = Star for the Future

So, with a quick count, you''ll notice I''ve marked 11 players exactly as being players able to make that step up - in my opinion. Let''s pick those 11 out.

1 Robert Green GK
3 Adam Drury Def
4 Malky Mackay Def
5 Craig Fleming Def
6 Darren Huckerby Forward
7 Phillip Mulryne Mid
8 Gary Holt Def
11 Jim Brennan Mid
17 Marc Edworthy Def
19 Mathias Svensson Forward
20 Damien Francis Mid

Of those 11, only two have any real Premiership experience. Svennson (with Charlton) and Huckerby (with Man City and Coventry). That''s one GK, five defs, three midfielders and two forwards.

So, we really do need to strengthen the squad. Quite considerably. We really could use another defender, a pair of midfielders and a pair of strikers, in my opinion, as well as cover for Green. But other than that, what would our ideal signing be?

What we''re looking for in a player, is someone who is cheap to acquire, cheap to keep,

[TheMarshmallowMan 0]

Someone''s just pointed out to me a type, I meant Jermaine Wright plays on the right, not the left.

Cheers!

[DumbleDelia is Magic 0]

Another good analysis there Andrew. However, I would have to disagree with a couple of your potential signings. Bramble?? I''d rather have Iwan back in there. Quite awful defender. Djemba-Djemba- Would he want to come? He might start to break into the United squad soon. Solksjaer? Nope. Too expensive and wouldn''t want to come. However, I would love to sign a lot of your players. Purse, cooper, Bentley and Crouch would be good signings. I think we''d have to be very lucky to get Pennant or Huth.

I do see your point about Bentley playing with Hucks. Would it work? However, I wouldn''t have thought Worthy would play them together. Great pace but no height or hold up play. I would have thought Hucks would be on the wing with Bentley and Sven/ Crouch if we got him up front.

Can I add a player to your list too? Bryan Hughes. Available on a free from Birmingham. Can play in centre mid or on the right. Great player.

[chicken 0]

Dean Sinclair is gone also, thats another one to strike off the list! That means we are down to 20!!!! But do not dispair I am sure that Worthy is quietly working away to get more players in.

If the situation is still the same two weeks after the european championship then I will be a little worried. We just have to wait to see who is put up on the market to make more money available for tournament successes!

Thats when there will be bargins to be had. I think we might loan one or two of our youngsters out as well, but I think that depends upon how many players we can and do bring in.

[Who ? 0]

Just to let you know, I''m an Albion fan, and I''ve just been reading some of the threads about us both being linked with the same players. I''m letting you know in advance which players have already been linked with Albion at this moment in time. This isn''t an attacking post, I''m just letting you know so that you can''t accuse us of copying your transfer targets.

Purse (linked before end of season)
B. Hughes (seen at the Hawthorns presumably for talks on 10th May)
Allback (fans from both teams have been announcing this one)
Petit (linked in the press and on the net just under a week ago)
Kanu (linked today in press, with us making an official inquiry)
Pahars (fans speculation)
Ganea (linked a few days before you were)
Traore (£1m bid made officially)
Dickov (everybody wants him, but we were the first club to place a bid for him)
Arca (Official Sunderland site has linked us with a move for him, as have many of our fans)
Bentley (Norwich announced a bid before we did, but Wenger revealed that Albion had made a bid, so it is unknown when the bid was made)
A. Cole (assistant manager watching him on last day of season)
S. John (Also being watched on L.D.o.S by assistant manager)
McCann of Southampton (fans speculation)
Olivier Doll (fans speculation)
Aliadiere (linked with us before bentley as a possible loan)
Matt Jansen (linked as a possible loan target in Jan, linked again as soon as promotion was won)
Thompson (fans speculation)
Parlour (Albion put in a bid but he turned down the opportunity)
Matteo (fans specualtion)
Tiatto (linked just after the scimeca signing was completed)
Jamie McClen (fans speculation)
"Killer" Kilbane (linked with club about 3 weeks ago)
Kieron Richardson (fans speculation)
Konchesky (fans specualtion, but he is on transfer list, rumour started a while ago)
Huth (linked on approx. 14th May, only specualtion)
Tim de Cler (fans specualtion)
Carrick (although highly unlikely to come off, he has been linked)
Cahill (ditto)
Harte (ditto, again ;))
Earnshaw (Cardiff are in big debt, fans specualtion)

There are others but those are the ones I can remeber off the top of my head. Some are unrealistic, I know, but they are who we have been linked with.

This is not a post "having a go" at you or your club, I''m just telling you these because you seem to think every player your linked with, we will be too and I want to give you some insight into the fans and media''s opinions.

[DumbleDelia is Magic 0]

Just a couple then Who? !!

[Arganth 0]

At the end of the day we''re both similar sized clubs who have both just been promoted. As a result it''s only natural that we''ll be linked with the same players - it''s lazy journalism at it''s most obvious.

[nolegs 0]

A thought provoking analysis of available players,many of which I would love to see in the green and yellow,but TIGHTARSE BUMBLE!Come on get real tell me you put that one in to provoke replies!Have you watched him in the black and white too many dodgey free kicks on the edge of the box too many aimless hoofs up the pitch in all just too much Mr.Bramble ...no thanks...not at any price