Is anyone else suprised Wilbraham is still here?

[GJP 79]

[quote user="Who Let The Fox Out"]

[quote user="Indy"]MacNamee did a good job for us.[/quote]

 

I''m sorry but what good job did McNamee do for us? In 5 starts and 12 sub appearances he didn''t have a single assist.

[/quote]

Stats don''t show you everything though because it was McNamee crosses that directly resulted in own goals by Swansea and Barnsley.

 

It was his introduction that gave us a lot more inspiration and creativity away to Watford near the end of the season. He also put in a hard-working performance in against Reading away.

 

He had his moments but he was always likely, for whatever reason, to be one of those players who would receive more stick for having a bad game than he would have praise for having a good game.

 

Never a key player but still someone who was able to offer us a different dimension which we benefitted from on a few occasions.

[GJP 79]

[quote user="G"][quote user="G"]

[quote user="LeJuge"][quote user="諾維奇城"]It''s obvious Lambert likes him and prefers to play two target men upfront, which is why i think he has signed Morison who is a simlar type player but with more strengh,skill and a better finishing ability. No harm in keeping him as back-up (for now)....[/quote]

I can''t really think of any time over the last two years when Lambert has played two target men up front, unless you are referring to the 5 ft 10 inch Chris Martin as a target man. I think it is pushing it to even refer to Holt as a target man, he is an all round striker who as a result is good in the air.


[/quote]

 

I think Lambert played Wilbraham and Holt upfront together a couple times, not sure though. Against QPR?

[/quote]

 

Wasn''t QPR but it was somebody.

[/quote]

It was QPR.

 

Chris Martin played behind Holt and Wilbraham.

[Chunky Norwich 0]

I''ll be very surprised to see how Holt, Morrison, Vaughaun and Jackson go into 2. Then you have C Martin as a 5th who is champing at the fringes. Will Wilbraham even be needed, whatever his ability? Do you really need 6 strikers in a 25-man squad?

[Cantiaci Canary 557]

What sticks more in my mind than the Leicester goal was the winner against Millwall at Carrow Road. His strength, positioning and intelligence set up that Lansbury strike.

 

He''s the sort of lad that will stir things up and give defenders something to think about as a late substitute.

[alysha 0]

I''m pretty sure Holt and Wilbraham were the starting front two for QPR. If I remember rightly we had only signed him a few days prior to that game.

I actually don''t understand all the criticism surrounding Wilbraham; at the end of the day, he didn''t command a huge transfer fee, in this day and age he was practically bought in for peanuts - Lambert knew he wasn''t buying a natural goal scorer but a good target man who will work hard and make life difficult for defenders. I didn''t expect loads of goals from him, I doubt Lambert did either and even Wilbraham himself knew he wasn''t going to set the Championship alight, so any criticism made at him last year was really a dig at Lambert, because in my opinion, Wilbraham did what he was paid to do. Off the top of my head, in a poor first half at Leeds away, he was a player that stood out, he was holding the ball up well and relieving some of the pressure we were experiencing in that first half. I believe he also played vital parts in the build up play with both of our late goals against Cardiff and Millwall.

I''m not saying I think Wilbraham will feature much in the Premiership, but I think he did everything that was asked of him last season and is a useful player to have in the squad.

[CambridgeCanary 0]

[quote user="LeJuge"][quote user="CambridgeCanary"]Well LeJuge, Wilby and Holt started 3 or 4 games together last season and Holt and Vokes started at Watford so perhaps you can''t remember two target strikers starting together least season but it has happened.[/quote]

That still in no way supports the statement: "It''s obvious Lambert likes him and prefers to play two target men upfront".

In fact, I suspect that Lambert is one of the least obvious managers in the game. The only obvious thing about Lambert is that he doesn''t like to make things obvious. Obviously!

Vokes started against Watford because Hoolohan was out, he effectively played three strikers because Pacheco played behind the strikers. So, like I said, Lambert will only play two target men in a front three.

As for Wilbraham starting with Holt, at the time we only had three strikers fit.... Vokes got recalled after only a few games and Chris Martin was injured. It is inevitable that he wouldn''t want to start

So, ''obviously'' prefers to play two target men? Or does so when he has to? I will put £100 on Lambert playing a Morison/Holt & Vaughan/Jackson front two at least twice as frequently than a Morison/Holt/Wilbraham & Morison/Holt/Wilbraham partneship next year. I''d genuinely have that bet, but doubt many people would want to give me £100 that easily!!
[/quote]

Don''t be obtuse.  You know exacttly the point.   You said that you could not remember Lambert starting a match with two target men.  I answered that point and only that point. I was not supporting the point you now quote so don''t put words in my mouth.

And yes, something along the lines of "Fair enough, I had forgotten those several times that Lambert started a match with two target men" is appropriate

[shiplee15 0]

I am surprised yes but as long as Lambo is happy to have him here then so am I.

I was beginning to like what I saw until he got injured against Leicester last year and to be honest think he deserves a chance, like everyone else who will be in the 25.

[xxxx 0]

I dont think we would  buy a player in January then tell him to find a new club a few months later , looked out of his depth at Championship level and we would need a massive injury list for him to feature in the Premiership , waste of a squad number.

[YellowLittle1 0]

I think he deserves his chance, this will be his last chance for Premier League football, and he has done nothing wrong in a Norwich shirt to really not give him it. I think it''s healthy, and he is probably a good character to have around the place.

[ricardo 7,395]

I don''t see him featuring in the Premier League. Way out of his depth.

[G 0]

[quote user="GJP"][quote user="G"][quote user="G"]

[quote user="LeJuge"][quote user="諾維奇城"]It''s obvious Lambert likes him and prefers to play two target men upfront, which is why i think he has signed Morison who is a simlar type player but with more strengh,skill and a better finishing ability. No harm in keeping him as back-up (for now)....[/quote]

I can''t really think of any time over the last two years when Lambert has played two target men up front, unless you are referring to the 5 ft 10 inch Chris Martin as a target man. I think it is pushing it to even refer to Holt as a target man, he is an all round striker who as a result is good in the air.


[/quote]

 

I think Lambert played Wilbraham and Holt upfront together a couple times, not sure though. Against QPR?

[/quote]

 

Wasn''t QPR but it was somebody.

[/quote]

It was QPR.

 

Chris Martin played behind Holt and Wilbraham.

[/quote]

 

And Leicester, he''s another option, i''d rather Cody than him but Lambert obviously doesn''t mind two target men, can''t see him playing much unless something changes and he scores some goals.

[Dave 0]

Alby is hardly likely to go he''s only been here 6 months

It was also quoted at the time that hopefully he will play premiership football

I think he will be a decent squad player and is fairly decent in midfield as well as up front

[norfolkbroadslim 223]

Both Wilbraham and Lappin are definitely not good enough for the Premier League. 

[Icecream Snow 761]

I think it''s more a case of Naughton/de Laet/Bennett/Pilkington/Vaughan are all about 22 and Bradley Johnson is 24.Then

when you think of the personalities the dressing room has lost, people

like Matthew Gill and Michael Nelson, we have a very young squad.My

guess would be that Wilbraham has character, I doubt he''s being kept

for his footballing ability. I mean if we''d signed Steve Morison in

January like we tried to, I doubt he''d be at the club.

[grantroederdisaster 0]

Wilbrahams a Lambert signing and he done what Lambert expected of him last season so he will be part of the squad although I suspect he''ll only get the odd sub appearance at the most!

Therefore no I''m not that surprised!

[Evesham Canary 0]

[quote user="Canary_on_the Trent"]McNamee didn''t do a good job for us last season. He offered very little in terms of end product and the fact he barely featured after x-mas supports that.

Wilbraham isn''t a flashy player but his hold up play was good. He''s strong, has a decent first touch and puts himself about. In tough away games at Leicester, Boro & Leeds he took pressure from the back 4 because we were able to go back to front to gain field position and relieve pressure. Also in games where we were searching for an equaliser or winning goal he gave us another presence in and around the box. Watch the goals against Cardiff, Reading, Millwall.[/quote]A bit harsh on Macnamee - he made several telling contributions before Christmas - teeing up own goals against Swansea & Barnsley and he totalled transformed the Burnley game when he came on at half with us 2-0 down, he tore Daniel Fox to pieces & he is one of the better Champs left backs.

[G 0]

Macnamee cannot start a game, i think we''ve found that out... i hope.

 

Also anyone see his crosses one game, cant remember. Don''t think he got one into the box after countless attempts.

[LeJuge 0]

[quote user="G"]

Macnamee cannot start a game, i think we''ve found that out... i hope.

 

Also anyone see his crosses one game, cant remember. Don''t think he got one into the box after countless attempts.

[/quote]When he first signed for us a Watford fan told me that he was sold because his asthma prevented him from playing 90 minutes regularly, and he pretty much was only useful as a sub as a result. He became a super sub for Watford.I have no idea whether he started frequently for Swindon, but it sounds like he has pretty much based a career around trying to do what he can in 10 minutes or 20 minutes.Don''t know if it is true, but it would make sense to me, he was a bit of a super sub for us in League 1. Pretty certain that the Premiership is way above his level though, maybe Champs but if I were him I''d play where I could score the odd goal and be appreciated.... which is League 1 basically.

[Petriix 2,835]

[quote user="ricardo"]I don''t see him featuring in the Premier League. Way out of his depth.[/quote]Given his height I think the depth analogy is perhaps inappropriate.On a serious note though, I find this kind of sweeping dismissal of one of our players a touch ridiculous. He was only bought in January when we were clearly pushing for promotion, there have been some well reasoned points made in this thread suggesting why he might feature more than some would have expected and he has been heavily involved in pre-season in marked contrast to other players who clearly will not be in the 25 man squad.I admit that his lack of finishing ability frustrated me a little last season but it is clear that he has a lot of other attributes which might prove useful in the Premier League.

[William Darby 0]

[quote user="Frank"][quote user="ricardo"]I don''t see him featuring in the Premier League. Way out of his depth.[/quote]Given his height I think the depth analogy is perhaps inappropriate.On a serious note though, I find this kind of sweeping dismissal of one of our players a touch ridiculous. He was only bought in January when we were clearly pushing for promotion, there have been some well reasoned points made in this thread suggesting why he might feature more than some would have expected and he has been heavily involved in pre-season in marked contrast to other players who clearly will not be in the 25 man squad.I admit that his lack of finishing ability frustrated me a little last season but it is clear that he has a lot of other attributes which might prove useful in the Premier League.[/quote]He''s got a licence to drive a coach?

[Canary23 0]

No he can''t drive a coach that would be ridiculous! He does however make a mean cup of tea!