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Canary Willo

Kei Karama - Verdict, would you sign?

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Heart says yes, head says no, going to go with my head.

I like him but but can''t help but feel he is not the answer. Would back him if he stayed but I am sure we should be aiming for higher quality.

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[quote user="Salopian"]No - he''s quick and enthusiastic, but a little lacking in technique - and too old to improve much[/quote]

Disagree.   Players can develop - if they have the mind to - right up to the end of their careers.   If a player''s attitude is positive about their ability to improve - and put in the hard work to make it happen - they can improve quite significantly.   I have serious issues with the people who keep saying about our players "not good enough, get rid".    Its like the players are not real to them, but players are real people and can have ups and downs, can improve and if they get into a bad mind set they can get worse too.   

The saying sport is 10% physical and 90% mental is right imo,  its all in the mind and attitude to what they are doing.   They can all improve, get better - its a shame a lot of fans would rather just write them off  if they are not in the team, or are struggling for form.  I suppose we''re all amateur manager wannabes, but the first thing to remember is that players are human too, not pawns or  computerised toys, to play with until you are bored of them then throw them away.   They can improve - and most do, given the chance.

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If we were to go into next season with Kamara as a starter I''d be worried. However if he''s willing to just be cover for a couple of games and to use his energy and enthusiasm in the last 10 minutes of games and he''s cheap enough, then why not?

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[quote user="NorthWalesCanary"]If we were to go into next season with Kamara as a starter I''d be worried. [/quote]

 

Completely agree.   

 

But with RvW thats not what we would be buying him for - esp as I beleive we will continue to start 451 next season.

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I wouldn''t sign him. Really enthusiastic player, seems a lovely bloke, but I think he''s found his level with the MLS. Great that he got a run in the PL though. Deserved that.

Like someone else said, if we stayed up and went into next season with Kamara as a big part of our plans, I would be concerned.

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[quote user="lake district canary"][quote user="Salopian"]No - he''s quick and enthusiastic, but a little lacking in technique - and too old to improve much[/quote]

Disagree.   Players can develop - if they have the mind to - right up to the end of their careers.   If a player''s attitude is positive about their ability to improve - and put in the hard work to make it happen - they can improve quite significantly.   I have serious issues with the people who keep saying about our players "not good enough, get rid".    Its like the players are not real to them, but players are real people and can have ups and downs, can improve and if they get into a bad mind set they can get worse too.   

The saying sport is 10% physical and 90% mental is right imo,  its all in the mind and attitude to what they are doing.   They can all improve, get better - its a shame a lot of fans would rather just write them off  if they are not in the team, or are struggling for form.  I suppose we''re all amateur manager wannabes, but the first thing to remember is that players are human too, not pawns or  computerised toys, to play with until you are bored of them then throw them away.   They can improve - and most do, given the chance.

[/quote]

I do agree with all of this. I''ve said similar things about the disrespect on the Holt threads.

I wonder if it''s the prevalence of this football manager games where players are bought and sold as commodities rather than people? It is a recent phenomenon and I find it as unnecessary as it is unpleasant.

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Remember this he''s got all the strengths and attributes of a striker but he''s been playing as a winger for all of his career. 

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Nop and for one reason. People have used the word desire and hunger.

There is one incident in the Swansea game at 2-1 when snodders crosses the ball across the 6 yard box and KK is in front of the last man but shows now desire or hunger to get to the ball almost jogs to get on the end of it and we don''t go 3-1 up.

For that reason no.

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I also wonder how many of us could take a job in a foreign country and perform to top standard on day one? Kamara has come to a strange part of a strange country performing in a different style to a different level and I think he had done well.

The question is what is he capable of after a full preseason and having been fully integrated? I would like to find out. I think he has shown enough to see more. He may not make it long term but I''d be happy to see him in the squad next season.

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May be if we put a few more through balls to the guy he might use his extremely good pace to chip in a couple of  more goals for the club. 

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I''d have him as a squad player. He could be someone who can come on and change a game just through the aerial threat that he offers.

 

But Holt is still the best centreforward at the club and if this battle for Premier League survival drags on to the bitter end he is the man I would want leading the line.

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Yes, sign him up! He''s been involved in 5 of our last 6 goals. I really think he could offer us something different next season even if he was only our 3rd or 4th choice striker.

1) Scored against Everton

2) Pretty much set up Holt''s winner vs Everton too (although I think Bassong got credited with the final touch)

3) Very nearly scored the goal vs Sunderland but Wes nicked it on the line. Gets credited with an assist.

4) Won us the free kick which led to Turner''s goal vs Swansea

5) Won us the free kick which led to Turner''s goal vs Arsenal

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[quote user="Josh"]Yes, sign him up! He''s been involved in 5 of our last 6 goals. I really think he could offer us something different next season even if he was only our 3rd or 4th choice striker.

1) Scored against Everton

2) Pretty much set up Holt''s winner vs Everton too (although I think Bassong got credited with the final touch)

3) Very nearly scored the goal vs Sunderland but Wes nicked it on the line. Gets credited with an assist.

4) Won us the free kick which led to Turner''s goal vs Swansea

5) Won us the free kick which led to Turner''s goal vs Arsenal[/quote]

No, no, no - much too positive.   Better to say he''s not good enough.    None of our current players are good enough, apparently, oh, except maybe Bassong and Ruddy - but apparently, they''ll be off to a better team as soon as they can.   [:(]

[;)]

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I would sign him up without hesitation.

 

He has more than enough in his locker to be a useful member of the squad and all at a very good price. There is also something unique about his character that can only reflect positively upon our Club, both on and off the pitch.

 

With respect to his contribution on the field of play, he can only get better IMO and if he doesn''t quite make it at this level then it will be a close run thing and he will likely be in demand elsewhere to the extent that we will have lost nothing.

 

His impact in the Everton game alone might turn out to be worth his cost.

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[quote user="Josh"]Yes, sign him up! He''s been involved in 5 of our last 6 goals. I really think he could offer us something different next season even if he was only our 3rd or 4th choice striker.

1) Scored against Everton

2) Pretty much set up Holt''s winner vs Everton too (although I think Bassong got credited with the final touch)3) Very nearly scored the goal vs Sunderland but Wes nicked it on the line. Gets credited with an assist.

4) Won us the free kick which led to Turner''s goal vs Swansea

5) Won us the free kick which led to Turner''s goal vs Arsenal[/quote]You''ve forgot to mention Kei''s sublime pass to Bennett to set up Snoddy''s goal against Swansea. I like Kei Kamara. He wins a lot of balls in the air and a lot of his knock-downs actually find our players. But his biggest asset I can see is his ability to find space in a crowded penalty area. He has a bit of the Martin Peters about him in that regard.The fact that Chris Hughton has selected him over Grant Holt speaks volumes. He is improving with every game. What is there not to like?

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lappinitup - Indeed I have, that was a quality pass to Benno which led to Snods goal vs Swansea.

So he has been very much involved in all of our last 6 goals. The facts speak for themselves. So as you say, what is there not to like?

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yes.

I knew he had been involved in many of our goals since arriving, but without thinking into it too much, I didn''t realize it was 6/6. I suppose it might be one of those things where it takes just a little mention.

his potential as an impact sub next season will be great next season IMO. and to finish this season off I would put him infront of holt right now, unless holt manages to calm down and gains back his sensibility on the pitch.

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Rarely, if ever, have i read so much twaddle on these boards. And i''ve read a lot over the years. As has been pointed out by a couple of the more enlightened posters, he''s been involved in almost everything good we''ve done in an attacking sense since he joined. And he''s pretty useful defensively too. And that''s despite him having had to make big adjustments in his personal and professional life.

His impact from the bench against Everton was startling and was the primary reason why the game turned on its head. Since then he has performed to a consistently good to high standard, demonstrating technique, desire and athleticism. He holds the ball up well, can play in tight spaces, commits defenders and wins vital free kicks in dangerous areas (from which we have scored on more than one occasion). Then there are the "intangibles" as others have pointed out. And please, anyone who knows anything about football will tell you that Snodgrass was more culpable for the Swansea miss. He delayed the pass way too long then scuffed it in with not enough pace and behind KK. KK had bent his run (away from Snodgrass) perfectly to lose the defender and was readying himself for a firm ball out in front for him to run on to and tap in. That was what he was expecting and that''s what should have been delivered, and would have been delivered 49 times out of 50 in training. Having correctly bent his run away from Snodgrass to find space, and having expected a firm ball for him to run on to, he was forced to recalibrate his mind to Snodgrass''s woeful imprecision (on this occasion only - Snodgrass is an excellent player by the way), stop, shift his weight and run in pretty much the opposite direction to that which he was anticipating. That is why he was caught slightly on his heels and couldnt react in time. Perhaps, just perhaps, had it happened in the first 20 minutes, he could have reacted a fraction more quickly but that is a reflection of fatigue and nothing else and the defender might well have been able to block his attempt in any case. He can and will improve his fitness if given a full pre-season but given that he''s operating in the lone striker role i dont see his fitness as a big concern right now. He wasnt the only player in that game suffering with fatigue in the second half. To sum up this man would prove excellent value for money and is already performing to a high standard. He is good enough to start premiership matches and do well but would probably prove more potent as an impact player from the bench. For the money he''d be a bargain provided he maintains his level. And if he manages to improve, which is very possible, he''d be a steal. SIGN HIM!

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Yes,  I still think he has the potential to get better, despite age, he needs to get abit sharper, abit more ruthless. However, would he be a regular starter? Nope, he''s going to have hard time keeping Holt, The Wolf and anyone else we might be teeing up to sign over the summer. Yet still an interesting option to mix things up from the bench.

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When I say I wouldn''t sign Kamara it isn''t because I don''t think he has made a positive impact this season - he has. But with RvW coming in the summer and Holt and Becchio on long-term contracts it would give Norwich 4 strikers (not to mention Jackson and Martin who I presume are off). Personally I would like to see another striker come in who is of higher quality that Holt, Becchio and Kamara (who are all of fairly similar ability in my opinion).

 

Norwich need to build a better squad and I don''t think Kamara adds a lot extra to the exisiting players at Norwich - we can expect to see another 3 or 4 players coming in this summer after RvW - by keeping KK it takes up valuable wages and an even more valuable squad place (Norwich had more than 25 players over 21 already at the beginning of the season and Rudd and Korey will both be over that age come next season). Before too many players come into Norwich a lot have to be cleared out and it''s hard to see who, apart from the two mentioned previous, could be sold. Do Norwich really need 5 strikers? When most games will see them line up in a 4-2-3-1?

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Yeah, agreed Bethnal. For me it''s far less to do with his ability as such than it is to do with the type of player he is. If we keep both Holt and Becchio, with RVW coming in, we''d have three "lead the line" strikers already. Admittedly Kamara might add an injection of pace absent in both Holt and Becchio''s game but I don''t think he''d add anything to the team unless we sell Holt/Becchio or spend money on other areas of the squad and just need a relatively cheap 4th striker.

I''d prefer to see us bring in someone who can ''play off'' one of the big lads we''ve got here already.

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That was meant to read "but I don''t think he''d add anything SIGNIFICANT to the team unless we sell...."

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I think he could be one of the better impact sub strikers in the league next season once he has fully settled down, that with the price of 1.5m it is certainly worth a squad spot.

yes we have RVW as a starter, and we also need a good back up (hooper?) and with it i can see either holt or becchio going, but not both.

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we should remember when stating that, at 28, there is no room for improvement, that all his coaching has been to MLS standards. with better coaching, and i would hope that is what he will get with us, i would assume there is scope for improvement, but this will not be immediate. the trick is to gauge just how much improvement he is capable of within our coaching regime.

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[quote user="Eric Gates is a hermaphrodite"]Rarely, if ever, have i read so much twaddle on these boards. And i''ve read a lot over the years. As has been pointed out by a couple of the more enlightened posters, he''s been involved in almost everything good we''ve done in an attacking sense since he joined. And he''s pretty useful defensively too. And that''s despite him having had to make big adjustments in his personal and professional life. His impact from the bench against Everton was startling and was the primary reason why the game turned on its head. Since then he has performed to a consistently good to high standard, demonstrating technique, desire and athleticism. He holds the ball up well, can play in tight spaces, commits defenders and wins vital free kicks in dangerous areas (from which we have scored on more than one occasion). Then there are the "intangibles" as others have pointed out. And please, anyone who knows anything about football will tell you that Snodgrass was more culpable for the Swansea miss. He delayed the pass way too long then scuffed it in with not enough pace and behind KK. KK had bent his run (away from Snodgrass) perfectly to lose the defender and was readying himself for a firm ball out in front for him to run on to and tap in. That was what he was expecting and that''s what should have been delivered, and would have been delivered 49 times out of 50 in training. Having correctly bent his run away from Snodgrass to find space, and having expected a firm ball for him to run on to, he was forced to recalibrate his mind to Snodgrass''s woeful imprecision (on this occasion only - Snodgrass is an excellent player by the way), stop, shift his weight and run in pretty much the opposite direction to that which he was anticipating. That is why he was caught slightly on his heels and couldnt react in time. Perhaps, just perhaps, had it happened in the first 20 minutes, he could have reacted a fraction more quickly but that is a reflection of fatigue and nothing else and the defender might well have been able to block his attempt in any case. He can and will improve his fitness if given a full pre-season but given that he''s operating in the lone striker role i dont see his fitness as a big concern right now. He wasnt the only player in that game suffering with fatigue in the second half. To sum up this man would prove excellent value for money and is already performing to a high standard. He is good enough to start premiership matches and do well but would probably prove more potent as an impact player from the bench. For the money he''d be a bargain provided he maintains his level. And if he manages to improve, which is very possible, he''d be a steal. SIGN HIM![/quote]

 

That was exactly how I saw the miss against Swansea.  If only Snoddy has played it into the space ahead of Kei.

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I agree with Aggy in the sense that we need to buy someone to play off a main striker, a goal scoring support striker like Michu (hard to find at a cheap price I know). That way Hughton can play his one up front and still have someone who can score goals playing behind.

Still, I think we should sign Kamara, he does add something different. That''s important in this league, you need options. I would much rather have Kamara on our bench than any of Becchio, Vaughan, Jackson, Martin etc. I''m just wondering whether Hughton might cash in on Becchio over the summer, it''s a bit harsh but he obviously doesn''t rate him.

So RVW, Holt, Kamara and a goalscoring support striker. I''d like to see this! It would be nice to have 5 forwards including Becchio, but there''s not much point if Hughton doesn''t play him.

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quote user="It''s Character Forming"

That was exactly how I saw the miss against Swansea.  If only Snoddy has played it into the space ahead of Kei.

Same, from the upper Barclay it looked like a poorly placed and weak pace from Snoddy. It definitely needed more pace anyway.

Ps. Spot on post by Eric Gates!

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