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GJL Mid-Norfolk Canary

Could we have a ready-made replacement for Russell in.....

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Korey Smith?, at the base of the diamond.

Some of the weaker parts of Smith''s game last season I thought were in the attacking apects of midfield, passing and shooting in particular, whereas we all now about his energy and ability to cover ground or "legs" as Lambert would say, aswell as of course his tackling.

By moving him back into this position , it would then free up a place for the more creative Hughes or Fox?

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I may be wrong, but i thought Crofts was a defensive style midfielder? I was under the impression Lambert knew DR was leaving so got a simillar player in, in Crofts? as i said I could be well off the mark!

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[quote user="ryan1992"]

I may be wrong, but i thought Crofts was a defensive style midfielder? I was under the impression Lambert knew DR was leaving so got a simillar player in, in Crofts? as i said I could be well off the mark!

[/quote]

Not wishing to fall into the trap of judging a player before I''ve seen him (which I suppose I''m about to do!) but I had hoped that the signing of Crofts was aswell as Russell, not instead of him....like I say I''ve not seen much of him but I''d say it''s a tall ask to step into Russell''s shoes from League One?

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ryan, I made that point earlier re Crofts replacing Russell and I''m sure that was PL''s thinking all along and got in early because maybe, just maybe Russell told him a while ago he was leaving. He didn''t come along to the bus top parade as apparently he was on holiday although I''m not buying that. In the same way that Doc and Cureton we told no thanks, I suspect that Russells conversation was about a contract that he didn''t feel was good enough, therefore PL went elsewhere!

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[quote user="GJL Mid-Norfolk Canary"][quote user="ryan1992"]

I may be wrong, but i thought Crofts was a defensive style midfielder? I was under the impression Lambert knew DR was leaving so got a simillar player in, in Crofts? as i said I could be well off the mark!

[/quote]

Not wishing to fall into the trap of judging a player before I''ve seen him (which I suppose I''m about to do!) but I had hoped that the signing of Crofts was aswell as Russell, not instead of him....like I say I''ve not seen much of him but I''d say it''s a tall ask to step into Russell''s shoes from League One?

[/quote]

Thats where Russell just came from wasn''t it, League One?

And before someone says but he''s played in Championship before, i''d like to know which season he had a blinder in the Championship?

I just don''t think Russell is that difficult to replace.

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I really like Korey as a player but I do wonder if it''d be asking a bit too much of him at this stage to play that position in such a tough league. As well as he did last season he has only got that one full season under his belt and you''d have to wonder if he''s got the understanding and experience to play that role successfully. I also don''t think he''s got the same kind of strength as Darel Russell who really does have the ability to stand his ground and shrug off players.

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Made that point on the other post, I''m struggling to see where Russell set the world alight last season, I thought he did ok but I thought our midfield player last year was Korey and would be more upset if he went that''s for certain!

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I and many others thought russell was the unsung hero of our team last year.

Granted that was in league one but good luck to him where he goes.

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[quote user="GJP"]I really like Korey as a player but I do wonder if it''d be asking a bit too much of him at this stage to play that position in such a tough league. As well as he did last season he has only got that one full season under his belt and you''d have to wonder if he''s got the understanding and experience to play that role successfully. I also don''t think he''s got the same kind of strength as Darel Russell who really does have the ability to stand his ground and shrug off players.[/quote]

Yes. The times Korey played in the centre of midfield in a 4-4-2 he was much less effective than he was in that clearly-defined role on the right of the diamond. Can''t remember who it was - possibly Gareth Barry, or someone talking about him - but heard someone saying recently that experience is the key asset for playing the holding midfielder role and Korey obviously doesn''t have that yet.

We have a very special player in Korey Smith and we have to look after him. He may well play a little less next season than he did last, but that''s fine. We musn''t expect him to dominate the Championship as he did League One.

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[quote user="ldnboy"]I and many others thought russell was the unsung hero of our team last year. Granted that was in league one but good luck to him where he goes.[/quote]

DITTO! Rusty''s next move will prob be his last real £££ move in football and to remember he''s nearly 30 and has had 2 clubs in his career shows he''s loyal (remember WE pushed him out to Stoke because he was surplus to requirements and Stoke were a lesser team then). This time the deal has to be finacially sound for HIM so you can see why going after the bucks - I would. Leeds/Cardiff/etc can pay more than us so good luck to the lad...he''s been more than loyal to us.

I wish him well.

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I agree, Rusty has been a good servant to us, despite his wanting to leave last summer. We cannot afford to be held ransom every season by someone like him, he isn''t that good. Plus in Crofts, Smith, Hughes, Gill and even Tudor-Jones we have adequate cover.

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We don''t know about Crofts yet but we do know Hughes can play that position. Norwich had a really good record last year when Hughes played. My only fear is that he appears to struggle to stay fit. Here''s hoping a full pre-season with Lambert gets him fit and ready to go. Fitness issues aside Hughes is a hell of a good footballer.

 

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I''m happy with the signings of Fox, Crofts & Surman, I also rate the midfielders already on the books and believe there is enough quality but what worries me is how lightweight our midfield could be, Smith gets stuck in and i''ve heard Crofts is also tenacious but they''re both small players and unlike Russell don''t have that physical presence.

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I''m not sure Korey is right for teh holding role of the diamond. I don''t think his positioning and reading of the game is good enough just yet. Most holding midfielders tend to start their careers further up the pitch but as they get older and they slow down they take up that role as their reading of the game and general awareness is much better, plus it saves their legs.

I also think that if we were to take him out from the right hand side of the diamond we would loose that energy up and down the pitch. Hughes can fill in on the right side but he doesn''t cover as much ground as Korey does.

Davo

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