Creative Centre Midfielder

[Yelloow Since 72 54]

Like many others, I''ve always liked Fox''s passing, but it''s just a pity that is all there is. Under Lambert''s ''Diamond'', he had three targets up front to aim for and that suited him. He doesn''t surge forward with pace, he doesn''t tackle well, he doesn''t score goals (1 goal in 62 matches for City). He''s a good passer and that''s it. I did stay up to watch the match last night and there was nothing in his play to make me change my mind. He''s also 29 years old.

[Juggy 0]

This article sums it up for me: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1479118-epl-the-curious-case-of-nowich-citys-david-fox

Interesting poll too, 83.7% of voters said Fox should be playing more at the time, out of 165 votes. 

[RvWs 4 year contract 0]

I cant see Fox being here next season which is a bit of a shame really...

Howson and Fer would be a great midfield partnership next year.

I''d be happy with that.

[Juggy 0]

[quote user="Grant Holts 3 year contract"]I cant see Fox being here next season which is a bit of a shame really...[/quote]

Well I''d rather him not be here than be here and not being used at all. 

At 29 I''d be much happier seeing him leaving and playing for three or four years in the Championship, never know he might even end up with another promotion under his belt.

Same applies to all of the players from 2010/11, wish them all well. Some were clearly not cut out for this level, some didn''t look out of place. I didn''t think Fox ever looked out of place. Leon Barnett is another who isn''t a million miles away from being good enough but has just seems to make one big mistake per game. 

Then there are others who were clearly not good enough for this level. E.g. Elliott Ward, Chris Martin. But they have all played a big part. Shall miss David Fox when he leaves. Like I said earlier on in the thread, he will be remembered by me as right up there with Holt and Hoolahan. 

Just little Wes, the Norfolk Cafu, and John Ruddy left now really. 

[smooth 114]

Fox for me is that player who should be crying for his agent to get him that move, he needs to play. Personally I do not feel he can step up in our first season in the prem the away game at Swansea was the game he proved ha he was not in my eyes.

When fox is off the ball his positioning and defensive qualities were poor, Swansea strolled passed him by easily pulling him out of position. For me not good enough and I can''t wait for that next level. Last season I thought tettey and Howson would be our two and that didn''t happen. But I do feel that we will look a that player and with here two, Surman and Johnson we have players ahead of fox

[Bethnal Yellow and Green 1,557]

Even in Norwich''s first year back in the Premier, when the squad was significantly weaker, Fox started less than half Norwich''s league games.

 

I really like Fox as a player, it''s great to see someone in the deep playmaker role, I just don''t think he quite has the all round abilities to move the team forward. As I''ve said now a couple of times, Fer has a similar range of passing to Fox and with the ability to break the ball out of midfield with forward runs. To me, that is something Norwich have been missing more than a playermaker - someone who can run at defences from midfield to get opposing players out of their defensive positions.

[Buncey 1]

[quote user="Bethnal Yellow and Green"]

Even in Norwich''s first year back in the Premier, when the squad was significantly weaker, Fox started less than half Norwich''s league games.

 

I really like Fox as a player, it''s great to see someone in the deep playmaker role, I just don''t think he quite has the all round abilities to move the team forward. As I''ve said now a couple of times, Fer has a similar range of passing to Fox and with the ability to break the ball out of midfield with forward runs. To me, that is something Norwich have been missing more than a playermaker - someone who can run at defences from midfield to get opposing players out of their defensive positions.

[/quote]Not sure where you got your numbers from Bethnal but whoscored (which uses Opta) says he started 23 and played in 28. Regardless, he was an important player in what was a good side. I completely agree with you on our inability (last season) to pull defences. For all their positives, Snodgrass, Holt and Hoolahan are not the most mobile and we didn''t see the best out of Pilkington and Bennett. We often looked sluggish going forward. I hope Fer, Redmond, a less restricted Howson and a fully fit Tettey will change that.We have to accept that the style of football is moving away from that under Lambert''s and probably does not suit Fox''s qualities. For me that is a shame. He''s a good player, can probably cut it in the Premier League, definitely in the Championship, but he''s probably not going to be a good player for us. We''ve already seen other good players, like Holt, leave. Ultimately, what''s best for the team in the future is most important and I think Houghton is getting it right so far.

[Bethnal Yellow and Green 1,557]

[quote user="Buncey"][quote user="Bethnal Yellow and Green"]

Even in Norwich''s first year back in the Premier, when the squad was significantly weaker, Fox started less than half Norwich''s league games.

 

I really like Fox as a player, it''s great to see someone in the deep playmaker role, I just don''t think he quite has the all round abilities to move the team forward. As I''ve said now a couple of times, Fer has a similar range of passing to Fox and with the ability to break the ball out of midfield with forward runs. To me, that is something Norwich have been missing more than a playermaker - someone who can run at defences from midfield to get opposing players out of their defensive positions.

[/quote]

Not sure where you got your numbers from Bethnal but whoscored (which uses Opta) says he started 23 and played in 28. Regardless, he was an important player in what was a good side.

I completely agree with you on our inability (last season) to pull defences. For all their positives, Snodgrass, Holt and Hoolahan are not the most mobile and we didn''t see the best out of Pilkington and Bennett. We often looked sluggish going forward. I hope Fer, Redmond, a less restricted Howson and a fully fit Tettey will change that.

We have to accept that the style of football is moving away from that under Lambert''s and probably does not suit Fox''s qualities. For me that is a shame. He''s a good player, can probably cut it in the Premier League, definitely in the Championship, but he''s probably not going to be a good player for us. We''ve already seen other good players, like Holt, leave. Ultimately, what''s best for the team in the future is most important and I think Houghton is getting it right so far.
[/quote]

 

My bad, I pulled it from Wiki as I was on the relevant page for something else, will teach me to use better sources in the future. I was surprised as I felt he was involved more than that - but I did have memories of Lambert rotating him out a number of times, which as he only started about 60% of games ties into that.

[Rolf Harris 31]

Fox isn''t good enough and I think this is a problem for next season not this one as we already have butterfield hoolahan and howson.

[Yelloow Since 72 54]

I think Fer will make a huge difference this year and that, plus the pace of Redmond, Olsson and even RvW will prevent opposing defences playing such a high line.

[Rolf Harris 31]

[quote user="Yelloow Since 72"]I think Fer will make a huge difference this year and that, plus the pace of Redmond, Olsson and even RvW will prevent opposing defences playing such a high line.[/quote]The lack of pace on the counter hampered are playing style last season.

[The Great Mass Debater 1,078]

If we were to get another quality midfielder who can do more than one thing, I think that would mean Howson would have to be considered as an attaking midfielder. Feedback from Leeds when we signed him was he was brilliant in this position, but wasnt very good at CM. If we were playing one up front that would leave us with Hoolahan, Howson and Butterfield competing for that AM position. Quite like the sound of that

[The Great Mass Debater 1,078]

Would an aggressive pusuit of Will Hughes at Derby be a worthwhile investment?

It looks like we''re going to be unsuccessful in our attempts to land Toivonen/Quag/Alderweireld.

If we have some money burning a hole in our pocket, why not go with what we''ve got, and make an investment in one of the countries most promising youngsters?

Id rather we did that than splurge the cash on some second rate alternatives to the above

[can u sit down please 0]

Huddlestone off to Hull.

I would''ve had him in a heartbeat. Can pass and get stuck in and would be an upgrade on Fox.

With regular games he would be brilliant. People may say about him not having pace but personally, I would say that''s the main attribute for a CM.

[Tetteys Jig 830]

We need one of them ''is he a midfielder or a striker'' type players, not one who is a striker that doesn''t score enough (Shelvey) but one that is a Midfielder that scores too many (Toivonen)

[Bethnal Yellow and Green 1,557]

[quote user="Jimmy Smith"]We need one of them ''is he a midfielder or a striker'' type players, not one who is a striker that doesn''t score enough (Shelvey) but one that is a Midfielder that scores too many (Toivonen)[/quote]

 

In what world is Shelvey a striker?

 

He is a midfielder who was forced to play higher up the pitch due to injuries at Liverpool (think Rodgers got it from Roeder''s big book of tactics a al Darrel Russell)

[KeelansGlove 0]

Agreed we need this option, CH will not play 2 up and currently I can see similar problems looming to last year. Someone has to link with Hooper or RVW AND be our second highest goalscorer !

[Tetteys Jig 830]

The article pointing to Fox, Holloway clling him a ''nice''footballer sums him up. He''s perhaps not got enough brute strength about him to play for us in which we need a bit more brute force against some teams in the league with more quality than us (on paper at least) Having Fox there brings a calmness to proceedings, but it''s not like he is a david silva type ''break the defence down'' passer. He''s more a Joe Allen type who can calmly knock it about, but not the most dynamic.

I''d like him to have a role in some games versus weaker opposition that we struggle to break down and maybe a few games off the bench. It''d be a shame if he went now without a last chance to see what he''s capable of as he is the best passer we''ve got.

[The Great Mass Debater 1,078]

[quote user="can u sit down please"]Huddlestone off to Hull.

I would''ve had him in a heartbeat. Can pass and get stuck in and would be an upgrade on Fox.

With regular games he would be brilliant. People may say about him not having pace but personally, I would say that''s the main attribute for a CM.[/quote]

For me we already have a Huddlestone player in Johnson. Physicality and one hell of a shot which is almost always nowhere near on target

[Bethnal Yellow and Green 1,557]

[quote user="The Great Mass Debater"][quote user="can u sit down please"]Huddlestone off to Hull. I would''ve had him in a heartbeat. Can pass and get stuck in and would be an upgrade on Fox. With regular games he would be brilliant. People may say about him not having pace but personally, I would say that''s the main attribute for a CM.[/quote] For me we already have a Huddlestone player in Johnson. Physicality and one hell of a shot which is almost always nowhere near on target[/quote]

Very different kinds of players, Huddlestone has much, much better distribution than Johnson - but has none of his mobility. Johnson''s greatest strength is Huddlestone''s biggest weakness and vice versa.

 

Although Huddlestone is a good passer of the ball I wouldn''t want him due to the fact he is so slow, doesn''t have the stanima to cover the amount of ground you would want from a central midfielder and is almost certainly going to pick up a prolonged injury at some point during the season.

[littleyellowbirdie 2,510]

I think Jonny Howson is going to fly in the CAM spot this season.

[I am a Banana 0]

Should have signed Shelvey!

 

Shelvey, Fer & Howson/// [y]

[The Great Mass Debater 1,078]

[quote user="The Great Mass Debater"]Would an aggressive pusuit of Will Hughes at Derby be a worthwhile investment?

It looks like we''re going to be unsuccessful in our attempts to land Toivonen/Quag/Alderweireld.

If we have some money burning a hole in our pocket, why not go with what we''ve got, and make an investment in one of the countries most promising youngsters?

Id rather we did that than splurge the cash on some second rate alternatives to the above[/quote]

 

Liverpool circling for 10m according to Teamtalk this morning. Too much for us at that price, but hey Liverpool seem more than happy to massively overpay for players. They''ll probably sell him for 2 million next season... 

[Gaz06 0]

Why do people think Howson is a CAM? I think he is no good in that role, and plays best when he''s driving from midfield. You want that CAM or number 10 slot filled by a player who is going to link the midfield and attack. I dont think Howson does that very well and often just runs around like a headless chicken.

[Robornio 106]

I saw the other day that Valencia have transfer listed Pablo Piatti, as part of their cost cutting. Now there is an Attacking Midfielder we should be going after. He''s electric!!!

[Alfie54 76]

I would have loved Huddlestone here too, I guess we''ll get a chance to see him in action on Saturday, He looked as slim/fit as I''ve seen him at the Hull shirt holding thing, if he gets lots of games I think he will prove to be an absolute steal!

[Joanna Grey 0]

But he is more of a winger than anything else.

[Joanna Grey 0]

^^^Piatti^^^

[Citizen Journalist Foghorn 0]

--- Grant Holt''s 3 year contract said: Howson and Fer would be a great midfield partnership next year.I''d be happy with that.

I still don''t see it with Howson, in those defensive central midfield positions we employ he has looked very ordinary in the vast majority of games.

[Citizen Journalist Foghorn 0]

Jimmy Smith: Having Fox there brings a calmness to proceedings, but it''s not like he is a david silva type ''break the defence down'' passer. He''s more a Joe Allen type who can calmly knock it about, but not the most dynamic.

Actually his passing is very dynamic... his passing accuracy is high, and he plays forward passes often, long passes and generally releases the ball quickly.

The opposite of the BJ approach, who either dallies on the ball before passing sideways or lumps it forward. Even Tettey who is very good at a simple sideways pass keeping possession.

In the end he does not offer the defensive attributes the manager values for the position he would play.