Squad Analysis

[Cricketer 0]

Hello All a friend of mine does an article for the people over at Vital Football Norwich and he has updated it and sent it to me I thought I would it post it on here as he doesn''t have an account on the pink un I think i think its a great article as he isn''t pushy and makes wild claims anyway enough rambling from me have a good weekend all regards Mike

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Now the end of the season is here comes a time of relaxation for fans knowing we are safe and recharging our batteries to do it all again.

While the season may have closed we now enter silly season where people are spotted in Asda`s , getting petrol or even having a round of golf at Dunston Hall.

With news that Lee Camp,Simeon Jackson,Korey Smith,Tom Adeyemi,Elliott Ward,George Francomb and Marc Tierney are all leaving our next seasons squad begins to take shape in ernest.

With our below squad list including adding Van Wolfswinkel i will have a brief look at the players who may just be moved on and what we maybe looking for.

This is our squad list at the moment

Goalkeeper

John Ruddy,Mark Bunn,Declan Rudd,Jed Steer

Defender

Russell Martin , Steven Whittaker , Sebastien Bassong , Michael Turner , Javier Garrido , Leon Barnett , Ryan Bennett , Daniel Ayala

Midfielder

Bradley Johnson , Jonny Howson , Andrew Surman , David Fox , Jacob Butterfield , Alexander Tettey

Attacking Midfielder And Wingers

Robert Snodgrass , Anthony Pilkington , Elliott Bennett , Wes Hoolahan

Striker

Grant Holt , Luciano Becchio , James Vaughan , Ricky Van Wolfswinkel

Firstly is the Goalkeepers Ruddy is undisputed number one with Bunn a more than capable back up rumours have been circling that next season Rudd may go back to Preston on a full season loan which would be great news for him and us as he gets game time and the chance to dislodge Mark Bunn with his performances.

I would expect Steer to move out on loan with a call back notice should anything occur that rules out Ruddy or Bunn.

Second is defence i would expect the likes of Ayala and Barnett being moved on permanently. Leading us to the left back slot alot of good things have been said about Ipswich`s attacking full back Cresswell rivalry aside a good young player who will go onto better things other good young left backs include Aidan White at Leeds,Sam Byram at Leeds ( can play either side ) and John Brayford of Derby County all players who can make the step up with guidance especially from the likes of Garrido.

In the centre backs slot we have Turner and Bassong as our star two Ryan Bennett has been excellent since coming in to the team meaning we do need one more. if you went the experience route which i think is more beneficial in this position Curtis Davies at Birmingham would be a good shout others include Ivan Ramis at relegated Wigan is they sorely missed him after his injury and Scott Dann at Blackburn.

If you went the loan route and younger Nathaniel Chalobah who was on loan at Watford this past season is very good young and hungry player can also fill in the defensive midfield position aswell and they be willing to further his education in the premiership.

In midfield i think we see may see Fox and Surman depart these players need to be playing first team football especially Surman after his injury nightmare Fox deserves a lot of credit especially for what he did in the first season at the foot of diamond shame he wasn`t used more this season he is no bench warmer. I would also expect Butterfield to go out on a season loan as we haven`t seen anything of him from his loan reports to state he is ready for the premier league

This means we in a ideal world would need another creative midfielder a holding midfielder and another winger we have been linked recently with excellent players such Alan Maher,Steven Defour,Marco Van Ginkel and Nacer Chadlii and latest rumours include Aiden McGeady, Sergio Canales and Andros Guardado

Their is also some talent here as well the likes of Liam Bridcutt at Brighton , Nathan Redmond at Birmingham , Anthony Knockaert at Leicester and Jonathan Williams at newly promoted Crystal Palace three players such as Thomas Ince and Martin Phillips at Blackpool and Callum McManaman at Wigan are probably out of our financial reach.

Another good young player is Yohan Mallo at Saint Etienne in France can play either wing and is very good going forward.

We have been linked along with Swansea with Bournemouth`s Harry Arter who is apparently a creative midfielder if a legend like Micheal Laudrup thinks he is good its more than enough for me after all he should know a true legend in that position in his day.

Now we come to strikers Vaughan we have no idea can he settle here or not if he cant then goodbye and good luck with your future career if he stays can he get ahead of the current strikers ? if we sign another quality striker he would be fighting out for that fourth slot in the pecking order and he really needs to be playing games so it is a interesting one to see what will happen

That leaves us with Holt , Becchio and new boy Van Wolfswinkel with Holt and Becchio being in the same target man mould type i think we really need to be looking at one experienced forward who is a poacher and if Vaughan does leave for pastures new a younger striker to get some experience to replace what im sure will probably be Holt`s last season.

Rumours of Darren Bent have surfaced unless he proves his fitness and wages i can`t see that happening with question marks over his attitude not really a canary player. Another linked has been Arouna Kone at Wigan 6.5m release clause is not bad for a forward who has got 13 goals in a relegated side he is quick and can play the lone role others for me include going back into the transfer saga for Gary Hooper a true goal poacher is something we miss a player who loiters about and suddenly pops up when it matters he is probably more in the mould of Van Wolfswinkel but with less technical ability.

Younger players would be Philip Hosiner is Austria Alex Schalk in Holland Max Clayton at Crewe and Dwight Gayle at Peterbourgh but these players are unproven i know fans are not keen on Kone but he scored 13 premiership goals in a relegated team not something that can be dismissed at the price and with Hooper he has tested himself against the very best and has the Champions League experience behind him.

Charlie Austin at Burnley is another proven lower league goal scorer that cant b ignored either.

All in all silly season certainly will get into full effect within the next few weeks meaning players we have never heard of will be linked and many we cant even spell or pronounce but all in all whoever arrives will always receive the backing from our fans which is why if Carlsberg did fans they would visit Carrow Road on a home match day.

Thanks must go to the likes of Ward,Tierney,Smith,Jackson and Adeyemi all hugely influential in our promotion years and without them we may not have done it so i am sure all our fans would like to say thanks for their contributions.

Hope everyone enjoys the summer break and look forward to the first home friendly to start the rollercoaster ride all over again.

Best Regards To All

Stuart Gent ( Twitter @Stuart20022 )