Seeing as our return to the top flight is just a matter of days away, it won't be long before we see some genuinely world class footballers tread the Carrow Road turf. Now it would be easy for me to say Grant Holt is world class but of course he isn't - he's better than that! Anyway, I thought I'd ask everyone who the best three players they've ever seen in the flesh play against City are. Here's my top three... 3) Thierry Henry - Arsenal Outstanding footballer, the pace of a cheetah, wonderful first touch and goals galore. The guy had it all and played in arguably the best team I've ever seen play against City - the Arsenal 'Invincibles' of 2004. 2) Gianfranco Zola - Chelsea I only saw him play against us on one occasion at Stamford Bridge, but his goal that day was the stuff of make-believe! Every single Norwich fan in the ground applauded his back-heel volley that day. Not only a brilliant footballer with a low centre of gravity, but a charming bloke off the pitch as well as on it. Never booked! 1) Paul Gascoigne - Tottenham I saw 'Gazza' play City on a few occasions in the late 80s, early 90s, and I've never seen another footballer who could 'take my breath away' with what he could do with a football. Again, a low centre of gravity was key, but his strength and pace were phenomenal and his vision and creativity a marvel. Such a shame it all went pear-shaped (both his body and his career) but unfortunately he was a bit of a knobhead! I always wonder how he would have turned out had Ferguson managed to get him to Old Trafford instead of heading for the bright lights of London... we'll never know for sure but I bet he'd have double the England caps he eventually had. Pure genius. England's Maradona.
No Gary Lineker, Denis Bergkamp, Lothar Mathaus (although he did not play well lol), Alan Shearer, Kenny Dalgish, Glen Hoddle, Ian Rush, Christiano Ronaldo, Eric Cantana? So difficult to call this. So many possibilities
lothar mattheus was dreadful in the game at carrow road! couldn't believe i was watching a world cup winning captain from just three years prior... lineker - good, bergkamp - incredibly good, shearer - very, very good, dalglish - not sure i witnessed him play against us - my first game was in 87-88, hoddle - only saw him play for chelsea and swindon and he was past it by then, rush - very good, ronaldo - average against us, cantona - very, very good. i stand by my top 3!
Unfortunately Linker has to be in that group. Don't know what we had done to upset him, but I can't remember him not scoring against us. Bergkamp, Shearer, Rush, all spring to mind. One player I remember having an outstanding game against us was John Chidoze (sp?). I think that was probably the game that really ended Greg Downs' time here.
maestro, i agree lineker was a great striker, but was he really one of the best players you've ever seen?! he was a poacher - his all-round game wasn't that good. he just had that knack for being in the right place at the right time - not that thats a bad thing! it made him a world class striker!!
I remember Peter Beardsley giving us the run around, firstly in the blue of Everton followed by black and white of Newcastle. The word 'nemesis' springs to mind - shame we never signed him, he used to play out of his skin at Carrow Road.
IMO Peter Beardsley was one of the most underated players of all time and he was rated quite highly lol. He was a superb footballer. Ugly as ****, but a superb footballer. Also in that catagory you'd have to put Le Tiss. He never had one of his match winning performances against us, but just knowing what he could do was enough. My mum watched George Best against us and Denis Law, but that was before my time so doesn't count. (Was also at Old Trafford not Carrow Raod so not sure it would count anyway).
Maybe not in the elite group, but on the level just below would like to give Ian Wright, Chris Waddle, Roy Keane (as a player), Teddy Sheringham, Ray Wilkins & Henrik Larsson a mention. Some of them we didn't like at the time and some of them we don't like now, but all were superb players.
chris waddle was class, as was beardsley. i used to wear my collar up on my football shirt when i was a kid, not cos of cantona, but cos of waddle i did not have a mullet...
The ones I'd have picked have all been mentioned already, so I'll put a shout in for Bryan Robson, Peter Schmeichel and Ryan Giggs.
I didn't witness it, but somebody here may have (Dave? ) but in the late 70's The England team that won the world cup in 66 played against Norwich for Martin Peter's Testimonial. Must be one or two in there? Gordon Banks? Bobby Moore? Bobby Charlton? Geoff Hurst? etal.
For me it has to be Cristiano Ronaldo - although he wasn't the player he is now back then. Thierry Henry - actually saw him score a header and he was a quality player back then! Mainly as I can't think of anyone else, J J Okotcha - I remember when he played against us for Hull he was just a class above everyone else and really stood out for me.
