We still need 6 new players

[tom cavendish 0]

1 left-back 1 right-back1 central defender 1 strong and mobile defensive midfielder 1 wide midfielder1 goalscorer that can create his own chances

[Chelmsford Canary 0]

2 off your list, we won''t be signing...

RB and strong midfielder are already covered personally

[Mr Brownstone 0]

We''ll never qualify for the Champions League at this rate!

Hughton Out!

[Boyo 0]

I reckon with Whittaker coming in thats RB covered (Whittaker and Russell Martin), but I agree with the rest.  If one of the others wasn''t going to sign though I would say that maybe we might not get another central midfielder in.

[ricardo 7,401]

I very much doubt that we need or will sign more than another couple of players. 1 forward, 1 defender.But who knows, I could be wrong.

[paul moy 235]

One fast tricky forward is definitely required IMO.

[Mister Chops 7]

[quote user="paul moy"]One fast tricky forward is definitely required IMO.[/quote]We should have a look at the lower leagues... maybe Coventry City.

[paul moy 235]

[quote user="Mister Chops"][quote user="paul moy"]One fast tricky forward is definitely required IMO.[/quote]

We should have a look at the lower leagues... maybe Coventry City.
[/quote]

Well, I was tempted but perhaps Chris Martin can do the job.....

[Highland Canary 76]

I agree I think we still need five or six new faces - but if I was to pick three LB, CH and srtiker positions, in my opinion, are of the highest priority.

[lappinitup 629]

[quote user="Mister Chops"][quote user="paul moy"]One fast tricky forward is definitely required IMO.[/quote]We should have a look at the lower leagues... maybe Coventry City.[/quote]They''ve just signed Stephen Elliot and John Fleck so they should have one or two spare.....

[Canary_on_the Trent 0]

A strong holding midfielder is required. Bradley Johnson did well for the most part but his lack of technical ability was a hindrance at times.

Against the top sides he was used as a ball-winner & chaser when we didn''t have much of the ball but against some of the mid-table sides where we saw more of the ball he was found wanting for me.

[Mahogany 0]

Really depends on the formation/s Hughton is planning on using.

For me a Russell Martin is now a centre back who can fill in at RB so I don''t think we need another CB. I don''t really know enough about Whittaker to say whether he is good enough to be first choice so if not then another RB is needed.

Whatever formation we are going to use we need another LB as it is the only position we don''t have cover for. A ball winner would be nice, but we have so many good CM''s now i don''t know when we would play them. Another winger would be nice, but far from necessary.

From the signing of Butterfield it looks like we are going to be playing a number 10 what with having several players that excel there. That means our formation may well be 1 up front, if that''s the case then another striker would be a waste, if we''re going to stick with the diamond then maybe another striker would be nice, but again not necessary

[paul moy 235]

Perhaps we are going to dump all the forwards and play the Spain way....

[SnakepitCanary 0]

We do need to strengthen in certain areas, if I was the manager I''d sign:

A left back

A right back (depending on what role R Martin will have next season, I can see him being used as a centre back)

A defensive midfielder

A winger

One/two centre backs (depending on who leaves)

One/two strikers

Potentially upto 8 for me still. That might be abit extreme actually, but this is depending on how many players Hughton sells.

 

[Katie Borkins 1]

We finished 12th last season, disappointing by anyone''s standards.  I think we need to look at:

GK
LB
CB
CB
RB
LM
CM
CM
RM
Holt
CF

None of these positions are sacred cows or shoe-ins and at the end of the day, if you don''t ask, you don''t get.  We need a high energy 4-4-2 where each player runs himself ragged, chasing down the opposition like a dog with a bone and each player prepared to do or die for the cause, which requires eleven captains on the field of play and a team spirit second to none.   

I''ve been watching Norwich City since 1948 and I''ve never seen a poorer team than last year''s effort.  I''ve seen more commitment from a half-erect penis.

 

[nutty nigel 7,619]

[quote user="Bore Bore Bor"]

We finished 12th last season, disappointing by anyone''s standards.  I think we need to look at:

GK
LB
CB
CB
RB
LM
CM
CM
RM
Holt
CF

None of these positions are sacred cows or shoe-ins and at the end of the day, if you don''t ask, you don''t get.  We need a high energy 4-4-2 where each player runs himself ragged, chasing down the opposition like a dog with a bone and each player prepared to do or die for the cause, which requires eleven captains on the field of play and a team spirit second to none.   

I''ve been watching Norwich City since 1948 and I''ve never seen a poorer team than last year''s effort.  I''ve seen more commitment from a half-erect penis.

 

[/quote]

 

I remember those days with fondness now.....

 

[:$]

 

 

[Billabong 0]

i''m not sure what our budget is but we can spread it thick or spread it thin.

I think we have a reasonable squad, not the best but not the worst. I would like to see the bulk of the budget spent on one quality central defender and one quality striker.

In my mind, the midfield can already take care of itself and if we spread things thin on multiple, average players, we will only end up with nothing better than we already have.

[Hog 0]

Trouble with making two big signings will be the wages and ego''s, it could mess up the team spirit....

[chicken 0]

I''m with Ricardo on this one. I can''t see any more desperate additions other than another defender and another striker maybe. It very much depends on if anyone else wants to or will be moved on.

As for people banging on about a wide player - we have Bennett, Pilkington, Surman and Lappin who can play out wide. We also have Hoolahan and now Butterworth who can also play on the wing. Midfield is the last place we need to be looking at right now unless we loose another player from there.

In addition to the wingers we also have Howson, Johnson, Smith, Fox and Crofts who all play in a central midfield position and that are counted towards our squad quota.

I can see Chris Martin going along with Crofts and maybe Barnett. If that happens we will defenitely need more defensive cover along with taking the oppertunity to look for a striker we know can push Holt and Morison for the starting birth in terms of goals. Maybe this will be Vaughan. I would also hope someone with a bit of pace or a younger understudy to Holt.

[Indy_Bones 441]

[quote user="chicken"]As for people banging on about a wide player - we have Bennett, Pilkington, Surman and Lappin who can play out wide. We also have Hoolahan and now Butterfield who can also play on the wing.[/quote]Errr...no.We have Pilks and Bennett who are ''proper'' wingers, where they try to use pace and/or skill to go past players and either cut inside to shoot or look for the cross. None of the others you mention apart from maybe Butterfield play anything like this and even he''s a central midfielder/no 10.It''s not about people being ''able'' to play in a position, it''s about excelling in that position. Lappin CAN do a job at left back occasionally, but it doesn''t mean I''d want him there on a regular basis nor that he wouldn''t be there were it not for injuries etc. Hell, Henry was initially a winger but that doesn''t mean he should have covered there if the likes of Pires and co were injured...The days of Wes on the wing are long gone, Lappin and Surman both struggle for the pace to play a wing role as against a left sided midfielder role and Butterfield tends to play through the centre AFAIK, although could probably do a decent enough job out there if pushed.This is why some of us think cover is needed here otherwise we''re having to make do with players in roles that they aren''t best suited to. I don''t even think we need someone top class, simply someone quick with a decent pass and decent cross and that''s the cover sorted for a relatively low fee.[quote]I can see Chris Martin going along with Crofts and maybe Barnett. If that happens we will defenitely need more defensive cover along with taking the oppertunity to look for a striker we know can push Holt and Morison for the starting birth in terms of goals. Maybe this will be Vaughan. I would also hope someone with a bit of pace or a younger understudy to Holt.[/quote]I agree on needing a CB (or at least an RB so R.Martin/Whittaker can play in the centre), but both Vaughan and Jackson aren''t slow so not sure why we need yet another ''quick'' striker, and I''m guessing that CH will be playing 1 striker with a withdrawn number 10 such as Butterfield, Wes or even C.Martin, therefore Holt and Morison will aready be fighting it out for that single striker spot - along with Jacko and Vaughan.LB, CB/RB and Winger for cover will just about wrap things up in my mind.I also think that Barnett may be moved on, although Crofts and C.Martin are perfectly good squad players and shouldn''t be so easily written off.

[Chelmsford Canary 0]

It''s very good looking at what we need, we also need to look at what is going.

25 man squad needs to be thought about, not sure how many places are left.

Like the comments by BBB!

[York Canary 28]

[quote user="ricardo"]I very much doubt that we need or will sign more than another couple of players. 1 forward, 1 defender.But who knows, I could be wrong.[/quote]No Ricardo, I think you''re right. Anyone thinking we will sign 6 or more players is kidding themselves. CH has already said he will watch us training and add if necessary, but I doubt he''ll suddenly think ''sh*t we need 6 more players''. As long as Ayala and Vaughan have no major problems we should be golden. Obviously need a left-back to replace Drury (think he had another season in him personally) and possibly a centre-back, but we do have Whittake who can cover both. Someone to replace Martin if he leaves because we already lost Wilby. The other option that many people have highlighted is a defensive midfielder possibly. Some kind of balance between Fox and Johnson/Crofts. I''d like to see what happens with Korey as I think that''s his best position because of his energy and he can pass as proved at Barnsley.

[Legend Iwan 30]

CC, we have two places left. I''d expect another two maybe three are on their way out so we have plenty of room.

Agree with the comments we need another winger. Last season we were very lucky with injuries to our midfield. We could easily find Pilkington and Bennett out for a long space of time, and I certainly wouldn''t be happy with Lappin and Surman as their replacements.

[HertsCanary93 222]

I think we are more or less covered in the centre of the park... remembering we can only really pick two or maybe three of;

Howson

Butterfield

Fox

Hoolahan

Johnson

Surman

Crofts/Lappin (albeit maybe leaving)

Smith/Adeyemi (may get look ins with new manager)

This is even excluding the wingmen who on occasion play more centrally.

Therefore depending on what formations Hughton plans on using I believe there is only really room for one more midfield player (and that at a stretch) in there, unless more than one move on...

Would rather see us cover left and centre back position''s first as despite having some fantastic young prospects at the back... I''m a firm believer that every team needs a strong, experienced leader of a centre back, especially in the prem, which we may be missing.

Vaughan will seem like a new signing for us up top and I still really rate Jackson as a player... Remembering we really didn''t struggle to score last season I can''t see us spending big on a forward, but may instead sign a cheaper young or squad player to cover what role Wilbrahimavic played last season.

In short... Who really knows, with a new manager its hard to predict what he will do and what sort of players he goes for... After Butterfield though, I''m feeling very excited!

[Lavanche 0]

[quote user="Indy_Bones"]Errr...no.We have Pilks and Bennett who are ''proper'' wingers, where they try to use pace and/or skill to go past players and either cut inside to shoot or look for the cross. None of the others you mention apart from maybe Butterfield play anything like this and even he''s a central midfielder/no 10.It''s not about people being ''able'' to play in a position, it''s about excelling in that position. Lappin CAN do a job at left back occasionally, but it doesn''t mean I''d want him there on a regular basis nor that he wouldn''t be there were it not for injuries etc. Hell, Henry was initially a winger but that doesn''t mean he should have covered there if the likes of Pires and co were injured...The days of Wes on the wing are long gone, Lappin and Surman both struggle for the pace to play a wing role as against a left sided midfielder role and Butterfield tends to play through the centre AFAIK, although could probably do a decent enough job out there if pushed.This is why some of us think cover is needed here otherwise we''re having to make do with players in roles that they aren''t best suited to. I don''t even think we need someone top class, simply someone quick with a decent pass and decent cross and that''s the cover sorted for a relatively low fee.[/quote]Surman is proper winger. All wingers are not fast, but Surman has good crosses and can cut into middle and shoot well and Hoolahan is cover for him and Pilks is first 11 in tactics with need of speed (Lappin probably covers more LB than LM/LW). Imo we dont need LW. Surman is wise player and what he lacks in pace he covers with his positioning and he isnt that slow either. I have seen him to play himself open for a cross or shot outside frequently when we did lack Tierney and Pilks and in my books he is more a LW / pure LM than CM or CAM. Most of our tactics used doesn''t even use real Winger, so we have left side covered quite well.On right side we have only Howson and Crofts as a cover for Bennet and there I totally agree with you. There we lack another proper winger and should get one. Preferably a bit more offencive player than E.Bennet.(Sorry if I repeat myself in so many topics, but there just are too many topics with same subject..)What comes to rest of "new players". I just want to see new fullback. Whittaker for me isnt enough as Martin is more CB type and in modern football you need fullbacks that are good in both ends. On left side we have Tierney and Whittaker (He is equally solid on left than right) + Lappin ( I truly think this is place where he is at his best  now) so depending what is up whit Tierney''s health issues, we dont need new LB.For Strikers and CBs....Holt, Morison, Vaughan, Jackson and Martin  - STBennet, Ayala, Ward, Martin, Barnett - CBThat is 10 places from the squad. With 4 fullbacks and 2 Goalkeepers, it just leaves us 9 men middlefield and its not sure yet if we use only 1 striker in most of games.Howson, Hoolahan, Butterfield, Surman, Pilkington, Bennet, Jonhnson, Fox, Crofts. Thats 9 men. 10 if you count Lappin as a middlefielder instead of fullback and I really would like to see that another winger on right side.If we dont sell, we really cant strenghten our squad on ST and CB department. Okay it can be that there wont be fourth fullback and Martin is only cover for Whittaker or other way around. And it can be that we sell Barnett, which I highly doubt. Then we would need new CB. But where we left in previous season I would say no for CBs.With strikers, it again depends if C.Martin leaves and even if he left I, wouldnt be sure if we need ST instead of winger that can make goals. Again it is all about which tactic our boss wants to use most of his games.What team with 4 - 4 - 2 woul need is:2  - GK  (This we have covered and under 21 keeper) Ruddy, Rudd, Steer4 - Fullbacks ( We have 3 natural and under 21 as cover)  Whittaker, Tierney, Martin , Francomb4 - CB (We have 4 natural) Ayala, Ward, Bennet, Barnett4 - CM (We have 7 natural + 2 youth players for cover) Howson, Hoolahan, Butterfield, Fox, Johnson, Smith, Crofts, Adeyemi, Dawkin4 - Wingers (We have 4 natural) E,Bennet, Pilkington, Surman, Lappin4 - Strikers (We have 5) Holt, Morison, Vaughan, Jackson, C.MartinThat leaves only 3 spots open and we have used them already by signing Butterfield and getting aged Smith and Martin back from loan.Okay most likely we will sell at least 1 player, probably even 2 or 3 players. Crofts and C.Martin + Smith on the loan would be my picks, but Hughton can decide to sell no-one. Anyway when we sell someone there is still that lack in our fullback area and right winger. So imo at least three players need to be sold if we want to get new striker or CB. Again if Martin is RB instead of CB and we sell Barnett for example we must buy new CB instead of RB. Also even if we would sell 3 players C.Martin and Crofts included, I would take defencive middlefielder before striker.So there is my few thoughts for this conversation.

[Lavanche 0]

Ah and to add that we can ofc try to find cheap under 20 prospect for striker and cover our main men. For defenders I think we have more than enough young prospects [:P]

[Legend Iwan 30]

Lavanche, I agree a defensive midfielder is a requirement this summer (along with striker, winger and LB) and there''s been a mention on here about Guirane N''Daw linking up with Hughton after his time at Birmingham, but I reckon someone like Celtic''s Wanyama would be better - especially as he can fill in as a defender.

It seems Hughton likes to use the wings predominately so a strong central partnering with Howson/Butterfield will be vital.

[smooth 114]

I agree that the whittaker and R Martin duo may cover right back for a season, whittaker can cover left back also.But I do think priority this usmmer is the spine of the team and they need to be brought in.Maybe in January look at winger and full back.Simply -But we need a more solid midifeld, we need that Tiote style player desperately, number 1 priority.The list of our midfielders shows that we are weak in this regard and although we believe we have a lot of players, that is the one position we are very short on and no question is needed.Striker is number 2 priority with pace, bit of strength but more than that. I want him to be selfish and driving for the goal, have a great track record from shooting from distance etc.Centre half, we need a leader, RB and Ayala are the two I want to see with Ward and Barnett as cover, but I want a leader to partern RB at this stage, who can change the porr defensive record we had last year.

[Lets be aving you! 0]

For me, just a left back and a striker needed. Possibly then at the utmost another defender, especially if anyone gets injured before the window closes. Getting in too many players risks spreading our slim (relative to others'') budget too thinly at the expense of quality.

 

I can see Howson playing the "Scott Parker" withdrawn midfielder role that Johnson and Fox tended to perform last season, leaving Bennett/Pilkington/Hoolahan/Butterfield/Surman to share the other 3 midfield berths. This means that Johnson and Fox may struggle to make too many appearances this season, but I would still be happy to have them playing as they are proven at this level.

 

There is a good degree of flexibility in the midfield. For example, Pilkington has played both wings, Bennett played excellently in the middle of the park in the second half against Swansea, Hoolahan has played in the hole and as a withdrawn striker ("No 10"), Butterfield in interview said that he liked playing in the hole and as a No 10, etc. Strikes me we are therefore extremely well covered in midfield, both in terms of options and types of player.

 

I can see the striker being brought in as being a young understudy to Holt, though who I don''t know who. As others have mentioned, a run of injuries to our strikers could, with our midield riches, just as easily be covered by using a withdrawn striker like Hoolahan, Pilkington or Butterfield.

 

I am quietly confident that Hughton is the sort of manager who will make the very most of whatever is at his disposal.

[Jim Smith 2,339]

I think those expecting us to bring in another 6-8 players are kidding themselves. Do you not listen to Hughton when he talks of "evolution not revolution." Personally, I think if you looked at the squad we have now and we had to "go with what we''ve got" tomorrow then we are still in pretty good shape and I would be confident that we have enough about us to have a good chance of staying in the division.

If there is one obvious hole its at left back as i do not think we would want to rely on Lappin playing there on a regular basis. I therefore expect that gap to be filled. The other area where you could maybe say we are one short is up front. having said that we have 4 strikers plus Martin and Wes and Butterfield can also play off the front man so I am not actually so sure we need further players in this area. If we do, then some genuine pace is what is needed.

Other than that I think it depends on who moves out. I have it on good authority that we are after a centre back which would suggest that maybe Barnett or Ward might be candidates to leave. I think Crofts/Lappin may not see much game time this season so may possibly also move on or go on loan somewhere. I think maybe Korey and one of Rudd and Steer may go out on loan.

In summary therefore i don;t see more than a LB and a CB coming in unless other players move on before the season starts.