I enjoyed the memories in this one but the shocking thing is the standard of our players back then! http://www.edp24.co.uk/sport/norwic...y_s_promotion_winning_class_of_2011_1_4165546 So many of them are now without a club or plying their trade in quite low leagues... Very few of them would get into our squad now (the Grant Holt of then, the Hoolahan of then and maybe the Chris Martin and Andrew Surman of now). Shows how far we have come, but also what an incredible job they and Lambert did the next season.
You are not wrong. Huge kudos to Lambert for getting that squad promoted. Makes you realise how much stronger the squad that AN inherited is which is not to diminish his achievement last season as despite having a considerably stronger squad he had to play catch up. Does give us a bit of perspective about our current lack of activity in the transfer window currently even though I reckon Mulumbu may well prove to be the best signing we have made in an awfully long time.
Here's another one to add to that reflection - our signings just after we got promoted. Would you be happy with these this summer? Morison - £2.2m - no thanks Vaughan - £1.6m - no thanks Pilks - £1.6m - definitely the Pilks of old, but not now E Bennett - £1.2m - obviously we still have him in the squad, but I don't think I'd be too excited if he was our newly signed winger... Ayala - £600k - probably would be happy with him now actually, even though his performance in the play-off wasn't great, but wouldn't want the Ayala of back then! De Laet - loan - no thanks Johnson - free - yes please!!! Naughton - loan - yes, his stock has fallen a little at Swansea partly because of injuries, but he'd be a good signing I think Then from the January window: Howson - £800k - a definite yes from me! R Bennet - £2.7m - same as E Bennett, I don't think I'd be desperately excited with this signing
By my count the only player that played for us in our first season back in the PL that played PL football last year was Naughton. Says a lot about the management and team spirit.
Were some of the players we had then right at the peak/ beginning to wane when we got up? Interesting to see though
Other than Hoolahan and Holt, not really I think - if you remember we had the youngest average age of any team. Although a few like maybe Tierney and Whitbread were probably at the top of their game too
I'd take the impact Morison had on us, got us lots of important goals in the first half of the season, kept holt out of the team for a while. It's a shame it was a flash in the pan because I don't think we'd have been as comfortable without his contribution
I'll never forget his header for the winner away to WBA. I was at the game and even though their keeper got a hand to the ball, it was so powerful that it still nestled in the back of the net - who supplied the cross - none other than GH!!!!!
Great finish against Arsenal too! I agree Billy he deserves plaudits for his efforts, but I still don't think I'd be happy us signing someone of his calibre now
That's why I liked that team so much. Complete underdogs and yet their achievements have set Norwich up for complete security in the future. That team essentially saved Norwich City over the course of 2 seasons! It's a shame a lot of them didn't go on to bigger and better things, it just goes to show how well things clicked during that period.
Can't remember the match, Swansea or Blackburn (?) and Morison slammed an amazing volley in off the underside of the bar from the edge of the box
Good Pink'un article about AN wanting Elliot Bennett to develop his skills as a RB. If he can, it's like getting a right-sided Brady for free.
Yes, I saw that too, Rick. However, despite being useful cover in that position, if they pull their fingers out and sign a top level CB, then it should be largely academic as Russ Martin could then revert to the RB position?
I think Russ will play both positions again this season, but EB's pace could be very useful against pacey wingers as well as his ability to put in crosses when he gets forward.
I have thought for some time that he is a natural full back. His defending has always been very good, and his pace allows him to attack safely as he can get back to cover if it breaks down.
Same here Eadie, I remember saying a few times to friends that Benno is the best tackling winger I'd seen. I guess he was never a winger really, a right mid really.
Always felt Bennett's passing was the principal problem - perhaps as fullback you get a fraction extra time on the ball which might help him there, I don't know. I still worry about E Bennett's positioning, even if he's pacey and a great tackler, but if it's a cheap way to have cover at fullback and he can improve on some of those weaknesses (positioning is often about experience as much as instinct) then I agree we could have a decent rightback out of nowhere. Fair play to the guy if he's prepared to change his position.
I guess if Neil feels confident enough to consider Bennett as part of the 4 full-backs a squad normally have, we could probably make do with Martin, Bennett, Whittaker and Olsson, with Miquel and Toffolo if we're desperate. That becomes even more plausible if we sign a CB to challenge Russ and make him playing centrally less essential. The only advantage then of Brady signing is that he's more likely to challenge Olsson for a starting berth rather than relying on Whittaker as backup. And he offers another option further forward. Seeing as Brady has apparently played behind the strikers on occasion too, right-sided Brady seems a good description!
Bennetts passing at times was excellent, he played in the hole at the Liberty the first year we were back in the PL and was superb. He's s player I've always really liked and have felt would be good at RB. Positioning can be coached into him and his pace allows him to be caught further out of position and still make up for it. Also it's not like Whitaker's defensive positioning is that strong anyway.
