[QUOTE=Superman wears Grant Holt pyjamas in bed;4998918]rvw's game isn't based on those traits. fer's traits certainly are but he's got great feet too for such a physically big man and we need someone who can boss a midfield in that manner. redmond is technically gifted with pace as well but he's got the touch, not sure about the vision yet but he's young and will develop. olsson is a speedmeister so i'll give you that one but he's an attacking full back and i'm sure his footwork isn't bad. hughton seems to be going for players with a mixture of capabilities. once again, your dream of a team of spanish dwarves is some way away i'm afraid but surely even you can admit the new signings and i'd argue, the loss of holt, suggest a more fluid approach, even if its not perfect in your eyes yet.[/QUOTE] I don't think you can hand on heart say he is going for a mix, a mix in positions yes, there's still a far bigger reliance on speed or/and power over technique and passing. I wouldn't go as far to say Redmond is technically gifted, he'll give the ball away quite regularly if pressed. He's not been signed to pass a ball, he's here to do exactly the same as already here, just better. That's not me being negative, its just the truth. I certainly think he'll be good at what he does. I know this is an alien concept but you can actually boss a midfield without being stronger than the opposition, its called teamwork and it involves players who don't feel the need to give the ball away every thirty seconds trying to score. That's a genuine bossing of a midfield. Saying someones footwork is not bad is hardly a ringing endorsement of there skills, particularly with your history in interpretation of our players ability, it is tantamount to a neutral saying he's utter crap. The fact is, I do like the signings, they are the most ambitious this club has ever made, BUT they are really just better versions of what we have already. Its not a genuine mix of skillsets. It is becoming clearer to me that with the names mentioned and the types of player that we are being linked with he is still intending to play defensive again but with an emphasis on counter attack, it is an understandable step to make as it is the easiest and closest progression upwards. (Lets face it we were pretty much on the bottom rung in terms of footballing ambition and entertainment). Not my cup of tea, I can't abide all this face forward and run crap whenever there's the slightest bit of space ahead (OK at times,just not all of the time), infected within the English game. I can't imagine Hughton will sign a single player who will spread the play left to right and back and forth. That would be a genuine addition of a skillset and a true mix, not one, but two or three players in that central midfield to go with the likes of Fer and Redmond.
so basically you want us to sign joe allen, or someone of his mind set. and it depends what you mean by 'technically gifted'. if you mean 'being able to pass the ball' then yes, joe allen is technically gifted, as is scott parker. if you're talking about close ball control and dribbling with skill as i am, then redmond is just that. you want pass pass pass, i want pass, chance, goal. as for 'controlling the midfield', i totally agree with you about the teamwork element but we do not have a midfield of individuals strong enough to do that on a consistent basis as a team yet. fer has the ability to do that and if over time we could add more quality alongside him then we are looking at a very dominant midfield. johnson nor tettey are capable of controlling a game in the premier league, and if they do, its very rare and they have to be right on it. my comment about footwork is in relation to who olsson is replacing - tierney - and even though i've not seen enormous amounts of him, olsson is a far more rounded talent combining decent ball control with electric pace. i'm not too sure of him defensively so i need to see a bit more of him. basically, you don't like the manager so you look for the negative in his dealings. that's fine, that's who you are, but why bother always looking for the negative when actually, there are far more positives to look upon? bayern munich were playing a similar game-style you are talking about - 'face forward and run'. ok, they have the flair, skill and work rate to match up with any team in the world but as a counter attacking force they are the best team in europe. are they poor to watch? counter attacking football at its best is the most glorious thing to watch. you mention you want someone to spread the play in midfield yet on another thread you don't want us to play with wingers who slam in crosses all the time. i'm confused. we aren't going to be able to break down teams with intricate play all the time - you need different styles. as always, you seem to want the finished article overnight. if its just a few signs you were after, who were you expecting us to sign this summer, cos i'm seeing good signs myself! give us some names of people who YOU would have specifically brought in to change the make up of our squad completely. doesn't matter if they are unrealistic, just give us some names. i happen to think hughton is doing a pretty good job of targeting players who will enhance our squad and begin to improve every aspect of the team from defence to attack, technique to pace and it's not gone unnoticed by fans of other clubs either. i didn't expect this calibre of player this summer if i'm being honest, maybe one or two but not consistently linked with and hopefully signing a few more.
and i really would love to hear some names! i'm very interested to know what you would do as you have a completely different mind set to myself
No, no, no, I want pass, pass, pass, not give the ball away and create a better chance, I believe in choices and player decisions, not directives to run, pass, give the ball away defend for another 5 mins. The reason we don't have a team to boss a team the way I described is because we never sign the players who can do it. Never mind this "yet" business, it won't happen unless someone actually wants it to happen. If Hughton wanted it, he'd of gone for those players. Your original assessment was that that he's signed mixed skills, he hasn't, they are just better players. A player like Redmond would benefit immensely from midfielders with a passing emphasis, it means less work for him defending, receiving the ball further up the pitch and something to interact with to get him space, PLUS he would have the option to counter attack when opportunity is genuinely there. Choices. I sadly don't have a scouting network or the time at my disposal to research players. When I do, I'll look into it a bit more. I don't personally enjoy the German teams to watch, whats exciting about a player running with the ball with barely anyone around him, worse still are the Brazilians who have been gradually ruined over the years. I was quite appalled to see what they have been reduced too recently. When you talk about improving every aspect from defence to attack, he's only improving the same aspects we already had, not every aspect. I won't include Wolfswinkle in this as he is a gifted all round player with good touch and technique It is total bollocks about me expecting a finished article, I'd be happy if we just made just a slight change in the footballing direction. I've just not seen evidence on the TYPE of players we have signed so far, even though I think they are (for us) very good players. I don't have to go on about how great Van Wolfswinkle is, everybody else does that for me, I don't have to go on about what a promising player Redmond is, everybody else does, same for Fer, the Belgian, Toivenon et al. I'm more interested in the things I see as being missing, it's not just negativity.
Right do we think Fer will sign tomorrow? I would think the club would like to getty finalised in between coming back from Austria and flying to the US on Monday
I will say, that all the reports coming from Holland and general press etc is he will be signing and he will be unveiled tomorrow. There has been nothing to suggest other wise!
It's all a lot of guess work as to how Hughton intends to play next season. I would be disappointed if it was as defensive as this season. You'd hope that the way he set the team up in the last 2 games of last season would be the direction he is heading in, with the players generally told to sit higher up the pitch and get the ball forward quicker. With Fer all but in, I'm going to continue to hold out hope that Fox will get some game time next season. He is probably the best passer in the team and with some pace on the wings in Redmond and the all round quality player of RvW up front, I'd love to see Foxy pinging balls around the pitch. I live more in hope than expectation though.
Saw a rumour kicking around twitter that our medical team had passed him but wanted to see further details about his operation last year before they signed off
I'd be surprised if Fox plays for us again, he might get a cup game. He'd be fantastic with Fer alongside him, much more freedom, ideal for Redmond. I don't understand the desperation to get the ball forward quicker. I think the players sitting further up the pitch was only a small reason we failed to score, it was the inflexible movement which did far more harm, you don't need players to start further up the pitch, just finish the move further up there.
I agree cArrabuh, I can't see fox featuring. Another lambert signing, I can see him staying though but not featuring
I'm sure there's a perfectly reasonable explanation why there is no inFermation Ferthcoming conFerming his signing! Bah!
carrabuh, you have an ideal end vision for the team, which i think most of us genuinely like, but i don't think you'll ever be happy supporting norwich in the premier league. as for fox, who knows! i'd like to see more of him if he's fit but i genuinely don't think he'll be at the club long term. should be an important part of the squad if on form but when he gets a chance in the team he fluffed it last season.
He was good against Peterborough. His usual passing self. I don't think anyone who played Luton can say they played to their potential. It was a major off day and Luton took their chance. I agree he is unlikely to play much next season, if he isn't already at a new club by then. Hope I'm wrong.
Pyjamas, I do not expect Spain, its really not that big a deal to be able to pass a ball across the back four and midfield particularly with 5 in there. It's not flair, its not about producing magic from nothing or individualism, in fact it's quite the opposite, its a very disciplined approach. You don't need fantastic players to have a bit of patience and think for a change.
