Jump to content
Sign in to follow this  
leroy van hoopsmond

the player in the hole

Recommended Posts

hi, this is my first post after reading on here for a while, and i know this is probably the 29475649365th time that the man behind the striker has been discussed

i really do hope we get Toivonen, or perhaps someone like Gylfi Sigurdsson, perfect behind the striker and has a good shot on them

have we been linked with anyone else recently? and who else would you guys want in?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I''ve tried to think of some realistic names, but it is impossible as the amount of budget Norwich have really isn''t clear and the club''s pulling power is also difficult to work out (managed to get RvW but not Toivonen).

 

Whoever ther play is the ability to shoot well from distance is paramount, this will forced opposing defences to break their shape to close the player off (also means defences won''t be able to sit on their 18 yard line).

 

A player who instantly comes to mind (to me) is Kiyotake, can dribble past defenders, pick a pass and shoot from distance - however, would cost 10 Euros (£8.6m) and getting a teams star player this late in the window is incredibly tough. I still hold out hope for Quagliarella, but I would say that is 99% not happening. Sigurdsson would be great also, but as he is getting regular games at Tottenham still I would highly doubt any deal being possible.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
It looks like Hughton has signed Fer for the role in behind the striker. Although he looks more like a box to box central midfielder to me.

Clearly he would be better placed in the central midfield position, but I do wonder how much Hughton would stem Fer''s box to box instincts as he has done with Howson, if he were played there.

If you ask me, if the manager thinks Howson is a good enough player at this level, and he does pick him week in week out, why not play him in the hole. He is meant to be an attacking midfielder after all.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
[quote user="Bethnal Yellow and Green"]

I''ve tried to think of some realistic names, but it is impossible as the amount of budget Norwich have really isn''t clear and the club''s pulling power is also difficult to work out (managed to get RvW but not Toivonen).

 Whoever ther play is the ability to shoot well from distance is paramount, this will forced opposing defences to break their shape to close the player off (also means defences won''t be able to sit on their 18 yard line).

 A player who instantly comes to mind (to me) is Kiyotake, can dribble past defenders, pick a pass and shoot from distance - however, would cost 10 Euros (£8.6m) and getting a teams star player this late in the window is incredibly tough. I still hold out hope for Quagliarella, but I would say that is 99% not happening. Sigurdsson would be great also, but as he is getting regular games at Tottenham still I would highly doubt any deal being possible.[/quote]

From your description, this is what Howson did in the second half against Hull.  He had several shots from distance and seemed to be trying to do what you describe.   On form and unless we get someone else in, he is a key figure in it for me this season.   He has a good shot and on form he looks classy.    I wonder if he and Fer will develop a good partnership in the midfield with perhaps a third covering player behind them in the form of Tettey, Johnson or a.n.other.  A kind of  4  1 4 1 ?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Well I think i''m right in saying that the Toivonen deal is still open, so it may go down to the wire

And you''re right, this type of player we have in our heads won''t be cheap

Sigurdsson seems to be getting game time at spurs but the fact they almost signed Willian may cast doubts, i would like to get a player like him or similar on loan from somewhere.

I did hear talks a while ago about us taking Nick Powell on loan, im not too sure if this will happen, or if he is good enough either

I still think we''ll have someone singed for this position by the end of the window

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
[quote user="lake district canary"][quote user="Bethnal Yellow and Green"]

I''ve tried to think of some realistic names, but it is impossible as the amount of budget Norwich have really isn''t clear and the club''s pulling power is also difficult to work out (managed to get RvW but not Toivonen).

 Whoever ther play is the ability to shoot well from distance is paramount, this will forced opposing defences to break their shape to close the player off (also means defences won''t be able to sit on their 18 yard line).

 A player who instantly comes to mind (to me) is Kiyotake, can dribble past defenders, pick a pass and shoot from distance - however, would cost 10 Euros (£8.6m) and getting a teams star player this late in the window is incredibly tough. I still hold out hope for Quagliarella, but I would say that is 99% not happening. Sigurdsson would be great also, but as he is getting regular games at Tottenham still I would highly doubt any deal being possible.[/quote]


From your description, this is what Howson did in the second half against Hull.  He had several shots from distance and seemed to be trying to do what you describe.   On form and unless we get someone else in, he is a key figure in it for me this season.   He has a good shot and on form he looks classy.    I wonder if he and Fer will develop a good partnership in the midfield with perhaps a third covering player behind them in the form of Tettey, Johnson or a.n.other.  A kind of  4  1 4 1 ?


[/quote]

I like Howson a lot, he was by far Norwich''s best player on Saturday and when he moved further forward against Everton was again Norwich''s most creative player. However, I think this position on the pitch is the one that has gone unstrengthen the longest - Howson is a good player, but he doesn''t quite have that ability to unpick a defence (although he was the most likely on Saturday). I would like to see Norwich really push the boat out in this position to bring in someone of the level of Fer, RvW, Snodgrass or Bassong - to me it is last missing piece for Norwich.

 

I don''t think Fer was brought in to play in this position, although he is somewhat capable there (he played behind a lone striker in the U21s in the summer and scored a couple of goals) - his strongest position is slightly deeper in midfield and along with Tettey could provide an excellent base to Norwich''s midfield.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
I agree with Bethnal that if we play Howson behind striker we lack ability to break defences and efficient playmaking.

In that case we would have to sign someone to make plays at CM position as we do not have anyone there really who could be profiled as a playmaker.

In some way it probably would be easier to find deep lying playmaker in current market than a pure 10, but Kiyotake could be good shout I''m afraid he would just get same treatment as Hoolahan as he is quite similar player. Same mold player I would have wanted before this season was Adam Maher, but as he moved already for PSV it is quite impossible to move him anymore.

Rémy Cabella is also very similar with Kiyotake and Hoolahan, but mayby a bit more "goal greedy", same goes for Gerginio Winjaldum and totally to the other way Óliver Torres who doesnt make a lot of goals, but is great playmaker. Atletico was looking place to loan him earlier this season, if you believe Marca, but he still is in their first squad.

But they are not fitting player Hughton have been looking trough this summer. All too small for his taste I guess and ofc all would cost us (except Oliver''s loan) around 10 million if not more. Not to mention they are all quite young and he has looked for already peaked player thus far.

Someone like Siem de Jong probably would fit his plans, but is too hard and expensive to release from Ajax. Same goes for Roman Eremenko from Spartak. Type we are looking is very rare if we want quality. Mayby we could go for risk and try sign someone like Dennis Praet from Anderlecht, who is very talented, but doesnt have that great "portfolio" yet.

Dont know. There is lot of fish out there who are out of radar and as I''m not that interested of 185cm strong and powerful version of number 10''s I haven''t really paid attention who is comming up the ranks or near moving for the bigger or smaller stage to get new challenges in that category of players. I had high hopes for Toivonen signing as we would know what we get with that move, but as it seems he wont come I would hope we still keep looking player like him. You never know with cheeky bid you could get someone like Ganso or Yoann Gourcuff who are looking new opportunities to get their carreer back into track and who are considered way over our range but are not really that far away from talent and hype of RvW. Far fetched, but you get the point.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Can''t Hooper fill that spot? I think he''ll be too good to leave out.

1 Ruddy

4 across the back

2 Wide midfielders (Snods / Redmund)

1 Defensive Midfielder (Johnson)

1 in the Middle (Fer)

1 In the hole - (Hoops)

1 Up front - (Wolf)

I could see this working with fluidity between Fer and Hooper.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Too much is made of ''The Hole'' as there doesn''t need to be one. It''s just that Hughton won''t play two up front that there has been endless discussions on it.

It must be Hooper, otherwise why did Norwich buy him?

I''d play Wolf and Hooper in a 4-4-2, but I like watching football.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
I dont know how many times this needs to be said, but most of modern teams use only one up. Both of London teams that are considered playing best football in England (Arsenal - Tottenham) and Real Madrid who is notoriously playing attacking football even when they would get a result with less risky way.

I personaly dont think Hooper has a skillset suitable of being linkup player. I would prefer Elmander or even RvW before him. The Greek fellow who played with Hooper whose name I cant spell without Wikipedia and I''m too lazy for that today was their linkup player who drifted wide and hold up the ball to give others time to get up. Hooper didnt get involved that much with playmaking and as said so many time we lack creativity to create chances from midfield, so I think it would be begging for troubles to put player in a whole who is not used to create chances.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
[quote user="Lavanche"]I dont know how many times this needs to be said, but most of modern teams use only one up. Both of London teams that are considered playing best football in England (Arsenal - Tottenham) and Real Madrid who is notoriously playing attacking football even when they would get a result with less risky way.

I personaly dont think Hooper has a skillset suitable of being linkup player. I would prefer Elmander or even RvW before him. The Greek fellow who played with Hooper whose name I cant spell without Wikipedia and I''m too lazy for that today was their linkup player who drifted wide and hold up the ball to give others time to get up. Hooper didnt get involved that much with playmaking and as said so many time we lack creativity to create chances from midfield, so I think it would be begging for troubles to put player in a whole who is not used to create chances.[/quote]

You maybe right, but why did Hughton buy Hooper if he doesn''t want to play him in the hole or in a 4-4-2? I was expecting Hooper to be in one of those roles, but if that doesn''t happen, then why have we bought him????

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
For me he is backup striker. We need two decent players for each spot and arguably three for striking spot.

He wasnt really that expensive and as you watch other teams they have decent names who mainly sit on the bench waiting for chance to prove themselves better than first choise striker and almost never play together.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
[quote user="Lavanche"]For me he is backup striker. We need two decent players for each spot and arguably three for striking spot.

He wasnt really that expensive and as you watch other teams they have decent names who mainly sit on the bench waiting for chance to prove themselves better than first choise striker and almost never play together.[/quote]

If that''s the case - and I suspect you''re right - then Hooper will hardly play as the Wolf will start every week. How this was sold to Hooper I''m not sure as his career is likely to stall and he would of been better going to QPR or staying where he was. While I wouldn''t advocate playing 4-4-2 every week, with our strikers at our disposal, we should make the most of them. Norwich should not be paying £5M for ''occasional'' players as that is a slippery slope.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Well probably if we are behind we at least use two strkers and mayby few times during the season too for rotation sake.

And ofc I can be horrible wrong and Hughton goes for 4-4-2.

And I''m quite sure Hooper is confident chap and trust that he can compete with RvW and Elmander for that spot.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
Sign in to follow this  

×
×
  • Create New...