All this defender talk !!

[Snakepit Ric 0]

I honestly don''t think it''s our worry , although Martin hasn''t been great this season.

I think it lies with the attacking players and would rather see us going for a creative centre midfielder and a striker with a bit of confidence about him , maybe inngs or similar (high on confidence and finding the net)

I for one would try offload becchio and Elmander and bring in one possibley on loan and a permanent striker.

Anyone agree or still think we should be looking at defenders as our first choice ?!

[ZLF 271]

Yarp - agree on the centre mid bit,  less so the striker.

[nutty nigel 7,509]

I agree. The defence have been ok it''s goal scoring and winning the midfield battles that''s the problem. I think Fer can be creative. Probably just as creative as Wes. But neither of them can if they''re part of only a two in the central midfield. Hopefully a return to fitness of Tettey and Howson will allow Fer to play a more creative game. Failing that another central midfielder is a must for me.

[norfolkngood 1,086]

I think we have the players we don''t have a high pressing high motivating manger !

 

[The Masked Raccoon 0]

2nd clean sheet in two homes games still not bad. Lost it completely in midfield. Johnson doesn''t hold and distribute at all. How the heck are we going to feed the boys up front it we can''t even put a foot on the ball in the center of the park and distribute?

[CDMullins 436]

[quote user="nutty nigel"]I agree. The defence have been ok it''s goal scoring and winning the midfield battles that''s the problem. I think Fer can be creative. Probably just as creative as Wes. But neither of them can if they''re part of only a two in the central midfield. Hopefully a return to fitness of Tettey and Howson will allow Fer to play a more creative game. Failing that another central midfielder is a must for me.[/quote]Agree Re-The defense, I think its good enough to see us safe this season. However, we do need a new right back for next season. Lost count of the number of times, Russell Martin showed Remy onto his RIGHT foot, to have a shot on goal.I understand showing a player onto his left doesnt work, when that player is better than you. However, you must atleast be aware that the player is always going to go onto his right to attempt to shoot, and block accordingly

[The ghost of Michael Theoklitos 0]

[quote user="nutty nigel"]I agree. The defence have been ok it''s goal scoring and winning the midfield battles that''s the problem. I think Fer can be creative. Probably just as creative as Wes. But neither of them can if they''re part of only a two in the central midfield. Hopefully a return to fitness of Tettey and Howson will allow Fer to play a more creative game. Failing that another central midfielder is a must for me.[/quote][Y] [Y]Concerning that the only names we''ve heard have been central defenders though.I wonder if we have one on the radar?

[Bethnal Yellow and Green 1,557]

With only three centrebacks at the club and one of them currently injured there is a definte need for a fouth. I suspect that will be someone on loan for now with a permanent to come in the summer (possibly two if Turner''s contract isn''t renewed).

 

Central midfield is a definite concern, although things wouldn''t be so bad if Howson was fit - Norwich''s worst performances have all happened whilst he''s been out and there is no one who can cover him. Fer, started well but it is obvious that he is struggling with fitness now - the Dutch league is less games and a much low intensity. The step up in level and pace of the game has hit him at times, but it doesn''t stop the fact he is a cracking player and could become a great. Tettey''s return is also a big bonus but it is a real shame that Norwich haven''t had their three best central midfielders fit at the same time for pretty much all of the season.

[YellowBlood 0]

We urgently need a creative central midfielder in my opinion. That''s where we need to improve, not the defence. If we get an injury to one of the current centre backs then simply move Martin there and bring Whittaker back in at right back.

Doesn''t even look like we''re looking at strengthening there unfortunately. Disappointing to say the least.

[Salopian 1]

I think that, barring injuries, we don''t really need another CB, even now Ayala has gone. We have the three specialists plus Martin. Turner must be back fairly soon.

I think that at RB we do need someone. Whittaker has been alarming at times and Martin struggles. The options seem to be Gutierrez, who has played there, or Bennett, when he returns. If a good one can be found, this must be one priority.

I agree with many posters that we need creativity in the central midfield. Tettey seems on the way back, and thus may encourage Fer, who has become a shadow of what he was before Tettey was injured. If Howson is out much longer we can probably discount him for much of the rest of the season, as he will need time to recover fitness and then gently have a few games before he becomes fully fit. We have few options when one, e.g. Howson, is injured. Bradley is a whole-hearted player, but is not very creative. We need cover here.

The two main strikers have good records and obvious skills. I don''t think we need another, with a number of players who could play at " number 10", including Elmander, Snodgrass (-has done for Scotland) and Gutierrez. If the strikers are not scoring at the moment, it is probably the quality in the midfield, and a lack of service, which is to blame.

[Ray 111]

CDMullins,

Remy was playing the central striker role, so if he appears on the wing then effectively RM is covering him and Ameobi. IMO RM he doesn''t get the help/cover he should from other players down our right side.

[CDMullins 436]

[quote user="Ray"]CDMullins,

Remy was playing the central striker role, so if he appears on the wing then effectively RM is covering him and Ameobi. IMO RM he doesn''t get the help/cover he should from other players down our right side.[/quote]Even so, you dont show a striker of his obvious quality, inside to shoot!Let him play the ball out to Ameobi, gives us a chance to defend the second phase

[Feedthewolf 4,844]

We definitely don''t need another striker IMO. Once Howson is fit again we should revert to 4-5-1 with Tettey, Fer and Howson in the middle, with Hooper up top. Although Howson is a strong forward runner from midfield, we need someone with the ability to pick a pass. Much as Fer is a great player, we need the versatility to be able to give him a rest. If Hoolahan''s days here are over, we need a player of his ilk more than anything else (except maybe a cover CB on loan). See what Ben Arfa did to us last night – a player of that ilk is what we need. He won''t come cheap, but that''s by far the biggest gap in our squad IMO.

[Ray 111]

CDMullins,

Would depend on the cover you had, etc, however you have a point, although this may be under instruction and not the players natural choice?

[Buzz Killington 0]

Last night was our 8th clean sheet this season. That suggests our defense can cope. However, if we''re low on numbers, we need to sign a defender. Simple. In terms of strikers, I think we have a more than capable strike force, but they''ll never score while we play so deep, make them tackle back and try to create their own chances. Poor old RVW is forever following the ball, just trying to get a kick. He should be in and out of the box, trying to put away the chances we''ve created. I also think Snoddy, Fer, Howson, Redmond, e Bennett, can all be creative, but make wrong decisions, and misplace passes far too often. I''d suggest that CH may be a good manager. But we need coaching on how to attack. It doesn''t matter who we sign, if we''re not going to let them play.

[Fergodsake 0]

I just dont understand why we sold Ayala, he might not be great but we created an artificial gap in the squad which we now need to fill. This takes up significant resources and time, clubs actually have only a moderate amount of money, scouting and even administrative resources in a transfer window and we are wasting some of ours on a Centre half when we have kept 8 clean sheets this season.The midfield is in a mess, we have two players who we cant fit in to the squad effectively there, in the form of Hoolahan who cant defend and doesnt want to be here and BJ who cant distrubute, have had injury hits for two of the others and have one who is exhausted. Oh and if you play a three man midfield having only 5 in your squad of which only 4 can effectively play you are always destined for a disaster. On my count we have 7 wingers on the books atm. Snoddy, Pilks, Redmond, E Bennett, Gutierrez, Murphy and Murphy. But only three genuine multi role central midfielders. I cant even begin to express how p-issed off I will be if we dont bring anyone in. I also find it more surprising that we havent apparently looked for a linking striker or no 10 between the forwards and the midfield if we want to play 4-4-2, isnt that what the quag and toivonen bids were about? Werent they supposed to be the 2nd strikers to RVW and Hooper? I''m literally at a loss as to what the strategy is... or even if there is a strategy.

[CambridgeCanary 0]

[quote user="Feedthewolf"]We definitely don''t need another striker IMO. Once Howson is fit again we should revert to 4-5-1 with Tettey, Fer and Howson in the middle, with Hooper up top. Although Howson is a strong forward runner from midfield, we need someone with the ability to pick a pass. Much as Fer is a great player, we need the versatility to be able to give him a rest. If Hoolahan''s days here are over, we need a player of his ilk more than anything else (except maybe a cover CB on loan). See what Ben Arfa did to us last night – a player of that ilk is what we need. He won''t come cheap, but that''s by far the biggest gap in our squad IMO.[/quote]

I could not agree more. Exactly right.

[Snakepit Ric 0]

Great replies here. I''m still disappointed we''ve not been linked with a creative player. Times running out and I can''t see it happening.

A centre back is about all I can see ,

Agree with the Martin points never been his biggest fan and Whittaker in my opinion is just not good enough and too slow ,

Elmander has not done much IMO and wouldn''t want him signed permanent !!