Time for PEACEFUL reflection . . . . .

[chicken 0]

I think a lot of people have been well out of line in their criticism of some of our players, especially those that have proven themselves.

However I want to have a look at what we have achieved this season and the players that have done it. So here are the players in order of league appearances and goals:

GK: Ruddy(age 25) - 35apps, Rudd (age 21) - 2apps, Steer(age 19) - apps.

DF:

Martin(age 26) - 31apps

Naughton(age 23) - 30apps

Whitbread (age 28) - 18apps

Tierney(age 26) and Barnett(age 26) - 17apps, Barnett has one goal.

Ward(age 27) and Drury(age 33) - 12apps

Ayala(age 21) - 7apps

De Laet with one goal and R. Bennett(age 22) both with 6apps.

Francomb (age 20) - 0apps.

MF:

E. Bennett (age 23) with one goal and Hoolahan (age 29) with three goals - both with 31apps

Pilkington (age 23) and 8 goals in 29apps.

Fox (age 28) - 28apps.

Johnson (age 24) - 26apps and two goals.

Surman (age 25) 25apps and four goals.

Crofts(age 27) 23apps.

Howson (age 23) 9apps with one goal.

Lappin (age 29) 2apps.

K. Smith (age 21), Adeyemi(age 20), Matt Ball(age 18), Dawkin (age 19) all with no appearances this season.

ST:

Holt (age 31) - 34apps and 13 goals.

Morison (age 28) - 32 apps and 8 goals.

Jackson (age 24) - 20apps and 2 goals.

Wilbraham (age 32) - 9 apps with 1 goal.

Vaughan (age 23) - 5 apps.

C. Martin (age 24) - 4 apps.

 

When you look through that squad, you begin to realise what has been done with the players in the squad. It''s all very well stating that this player should be sold and that player should be released etc but reality suggests that it would be a fool to dissmiss any of the players that have played a large role this season so easily.

Morison - much moaned about, in my opinion is far too valuable to this squad to be sold so readily. As much as people like to love Wilbraham at 32 is not going to get better, nor is he going to be a player that will be able to start every game as time goes on. In terms of the strikers you could quite easily suggest C. Martin is likely to go and you could argue that it''s doubtful you will see Wilbraham next season in a Norwich shirt and there is some doubt too about Jackson.

For me, if Morison had been able to maintain his early season form he could have been on a goal tally somewhere near Holt''s.

But you have to look at the squad as a whole. If you are to strengthen where are you to do it? We defenitely need a more out and out goalscorer unless Vaughan can prove his fitness and credentials. Even then you are looking at Holt, Morison and him as being the main contributers up front and one injury makes that look very thin.

Defence is the key area needing strengthening for me. Mainly because we have three players out of contract in Ward, Whitbread and Drury and Naughton returning to Spurs upon the conclusion of his season long loan. That there is a championship winning defence. It would leave us with R.Martin, L.Barnett, R.Bennett, Ayala and Tierney as the senior defenders left. That''s no where near enough in terms of numbers or quality. Especially when you consider that Barnett clearly isn''t favoured at this level.

Midfield is a little calmer now we have Howson, although I would like to see Fox retained or a good replacement for him made. It''s also possible that we could loose Lappin and Crofts who do not appear to be viewed as up to the standards of this level, if we loose them we will almost certainly need another player in the Johnson mold.

So before people write off any players just consider how much of an overhaul our squad really needs elsewhere. It will not be possible to replace all of the players that are likely to leave along with the current goat you want to beat.

Lastly, this season I think the squad and management have faced some stiff learning curves. Behind the scenes you don''t know who has really made that step up or who is really struggling - that will play a part too. I don''t think Lambert is blameless for some of our results either and I think he understands that.

His comments in the article today are nothing short of how he normally approaches stupid questions posed to him, which is honest. If asked how far could Norwich City FC go right now I would also argue ''I don''t know''. It depends on so many things, how much the club can afford to pay in wages, who the club can bring to the club for those wages that would be an improvement on what we have or could keep in out of contract players not to mention fees in terms of buying players in.

Anything could happen over the summer which could change our outlook on next season. But right now, if we finish where we are currently I would give the simple aim of finishing in the top half of the table next season. Something we have shown we could do already with a stronger squad. Europe is a bit of a dream right now, we have just witnessed a pretty poor premiership in terms of the quality teams being very stop start and a lot of very poor teams slogging it out for every other place. The Euro''s may inject a new energy as sometimes can be the case and next season could be very much harder than this which places even more importance on the summer signings.

But whatever you do, don''t dissmiss players quite so easily as some are.

[Rudolph Hucker 0]

Liked this post, it made sense.

[Bill 1,788]

Yep, alot of sense there Mr ChickenA couple or so points to addWe are a massive 9 points above that much desired 17th spot. More realistically we are three points off 9th spot. No mean feat when you consider what many were predicting an even expecting. Looking at the squad you outline that is one hell of an achievement, with it being composed of players such as Fox, Crofts, Ruddy, tierney who were not exactly setting the world alight before they joined City.We have to an extent being handicapped by the enforced paying off of our debts and the £5m paid is bonuses after last seasons promotion. i doubt the latter will be so high and we should have an extra £5m plus this season from prize money. If we are still here for 2013/14 then those debt repayments will not be due and so the money available will be higher.This is going to be a long process of slowly replacing the squad, mostly determined by absolute need as your comments about the defence highlight, rather than long term development.But how ever hard it will be, it''s a battle many of us dreamed of and could never have seriously imagined would have happened on 8th Aug 2009.I expect about a half dozen players to come in (and go out) with a bit held over till Jan 2013 for a couple more.

[chicken 0]

Just realised that according to the list I compiled we have 24 out of the 25 slots filled for the allowed squad numbers. It''s 25 if you include Naughton who will be returning to Spurs.

This season may have been a bit different as I think Ayala didn''t count as he was not 21 before the outbreak of the season.