Before the summer I'm sure I heard a soundbite from Webber about how we had a Plan A, B and C for every signing we wanted to make. It sounds like we're rapidly moving into Plan B and beyond. Two RBs from the Netherlands we'd been chasing have gone elsewhere, as have Ducksch and apparently Marshall. Similarly, I can't see how we'd sign Marriott - we have essentially no negotiating position. We can't pay the most in wages, we can't offer the greatest chance of promotion, we can't blow other teams out of the running with our offer to Peterborough. Unless he really likes possession football, or really clicks with Farke, we've got no chance. Rhodes, whilst not somebody I'd be excited about, fits more with the club's recruitment policy. He's out of favour and available for below the market rate. Get it right and there's a 20-goal a season striker there. Get it wrong and then hopefully a loan/purchase deal isn't too costly.
SW and DF have a lot at stake this season after one which was about 'restructuring' for parachute payments. Maddison made both possible, but he's gone now. The future has to be different in many ways. With the bid for Ducksch understandably failing, I just can't see that we have enough money to buy Marriott. We did find the money for Hanley though (and he's been worth every penny) so it could be. Much will depend on how much of the £30m+ has to go to balancing the budget. The Rhodes loan is more viable, but that is beginning to look less likely as a deal seems difficult. It's hard to see a Plan D beyond those three now. With Marshall unlikely now, much now depends on the Wilson loan or a plan C there. Buendia can play wide as well, but we're likely to lose Wildschut as well so we may need a Plan D unless Leitner's ability to play WR or Vrancic and Steipermann's ability to play WL is factored in. Then there's the need for another RB. Buendia and McLean will bring new possibilities to the attack, but it's still hard to see where the extra goals will come from with both Maddison and Murphy gone. It still comes down to both a new striker and a new style of play IMO. The possibilities are nicely summed up here: http://norwichcity.myfootballwriter...he-daniel-farke-era-enters-its-second-season/
The Kilmarnock winger supposed available for £300k is another option I could see coming back into discussions in the coming weeks too. Wildschut was never in the picture last season, I can't see him coming in from the cold. It seems like a striker, RB and winger are the current priorities, which seems about right. I'd like two strikers, but that'll surely depend on Oliveira leaving. I don't think we can afford Oliveira, "Rhodes", Srbeny, Morris and another striker. One striker on a permanent deal, one on loan seems the most likely. A quick glance at the list of players Farke worked with at BD2 unfortunately doesn't yield anybody we could likely go after in those positions. They've either gone on to big things, or faded completely into obscurity. For example their second choice striker after Ducksch now plays in the Hungarian second division...
Jones is a left-sided CM who can also play WL or as a second striker. He's hardly a prolific scorer (7 goals in 64 games) and given that we already have Vrancic and Steipermann who can also play WL I'm not sure he's what we're looking for. Meanwhile, our chances of signing Marriott seem small from this report: http://www.pinkun.com/norwich-city/norwich-city-transfer-rumours-marriott-1-5577583 Back to Rhodes then or Plan C?
As far as I can see these are two teams we could field next season as things stand: Matthews Pinto Hanley Klose Lewis Tettey Trybull Hernandez Leitner Buendia Srbreny McGovern Aarons Zimmerman Raggett Husband Godfrey Vrancic Wilschut McLean Cantwell ????
He spent most of last season on the left of the attacking trio in a 4-3-3, or on the left of a 4-5-1. He's frequently described as a winger by the press. Whether he's quite in the Murphy mould I don't know, but certainly he's a very different player to Vrancic. Hull are apparently interested in Jones as a replacement for Harry Wilson.
Interesting MB analysis of Leitner's abilities, including "second highest average key passes per game (1.8) to Maddison (2.8), being dispossessed fewer times than City’s number 23 and effectively being Farke’s most efficient possession pivot". http://www.eveningnews24.co.uk/spor...ner-arrival-would-mean-for-canaries-1-5576944
Another name into the mix too, "free-scoring Cork midfielder" Kieran Sadlier. 23 years old, 12 goals in 23 from the left wing last season.
Glad Leitner has been confirmed! Like the look of Sadlier. Early career at West Ham and he seems a natural replacement for Josh.
Buendia in, McLean in, Leitner in... I'm now standing by for the announcement of our crucial 20+ per season striker.
£3m for Rhodes just as a loan fee with £2m plus wages They must think we are total mugs they paid £8m for him . I would rather spend that on Marriott https://www.thestar.co.uk/sport/foo...day-are-demanding-for-jordan-rhodes-1-9223449
That's a ridiculous suggestion from Wednesday. Is he their 5th choice striker? No way in hell are NCFC paying a fraction of that to loan Rhodes.
