Michael Bailey seems to think so!!!! An excerpt from the article in today's Archant publication - "The striker has played almost all season as the Lions’ lone striker – something Sporting’s goal chart exemplifies. And that hands RVW the lead role at Sporting. A reluctant hero. A loner, isolated, and left with what often looks an impossible job – scoring goals for a struggling side. He arrived in Portugal from Utrecht in 2011 with the rather loose moniker of ‘the next Robin van Persie’ – and while the claim is both bold and simplistic, Van Wolfswinkel’s intelligent and at times almost graceful movement certainly hints at similarities to the lead Oranje hit man. His runs are not really his strength, more the key to it – scoring goals. They come instinctively and within prime range of goal. RVW operates in an area no wider than the penalty area, no further back than his midfield allows. And in that area, he darts and breaks off the shoulders of defenders, between the centre-back pairing or the channels bordered by centre-half and full-back, asking to be either played through on goal or to dispatch their service. His aim is creating space, taking a touch and getting a shot away on target." Read the full article here - http://www.edp24.co.uk/sport/norwic...excited_about_ricky_van_wolfswinkel_1_2012462
interesting he'll get a good supply next year when we acquire an attacking midfielder, in the Mousa Dembele mould, and a new left winger
That's my worry, he operates within the 18 yard area. Where does holt operate most of the time, wider than the area. For us to get full use out of him and for him not to be an expensive flop we need to spend some serious money on his supply line cause at the moment it won't be anywhere near good enough quality or tactical.
although the hatrick against braga, at least one of the goals was a header? you're right, i'm sure sporting have some better technical players than us in the mid-field.
If you look at his goals he does bang a few in from outside the box and score headers. I think that having someone capable of making quick darts in good areas will give the midfield more scope to play through balls with a greater margin of error than those sent through for Holty. I htink that having someone with his skill set up front will make the midfields job a bit easier and I suspect that his ability will end up making them look good.
How good is he? Only time will tell but one of my initial impressions is that if he is as good as some people are trying to make out he would not be currently playing for a mid table side in Portugal or coming to us in the summer.
A bit negative 1950 but I see your point. I think it is a tad harsh to call Sporting a mid-table Portuguese club although I know that the table does not lie. They are a huge club in Portugal BUT they are skint and having to sell off the family silver. Going by his record in Holland and Portugal RvW looks good on paper and what I have seen of him (which is not a vast amount) he looks a decent player on grass. Only time will tell if he is a Suarez (in terms of ability coming from a lesser league) or not. I think that his purchase is a calculated risk in that we had to act quickly if we wanted him and Sporting were in dire need of cash and he wanted t oget a shot at the EPL so it suited all parties. either way I'd rather gamble on a young up and coming player than pay a similar fee and huge wages for someone on the way down.
I completely agree with the part in bold. However, I don't think it's at all fair to call Sporting a "mid-table side" in Portugal - since the advent of the Premier League they have won the Primeira Liga twice and have only been outside the top three in that league on four occasions. They were UEFA cup runners up in 2005! They are the third biggest club in Portugal by a long shot (in terms of trophies). Their current predicament, as we well know, is entirely financial. Their players weren't playing well because they were unpaid - since we paid for RVW they are unbeaten! They are a decent squad with undoubted quality. I think the only question is whether RVW can use that quality in the Prem.
1950, sporting may well be struggling this season, but they are one of the 3 top teams in portugal along with benfica and Porto, as you will know. He plays in a 50k stadium. (edit - Rob has pointed this out now) I think the fact he is coming to us shows he wants to play in the Premier League with a good chance of starting games, rather than benchwarming. on a side note, i have just read that they were formed in 1906, the same as NCFC.
I think there have been groans of disbelief that 'little' Norwich had the audacity to get in first and capture his signature, Spurs and Liverpool fans defo fancied their chances of landing him and I imagine there would have been others, both here and elsewhere in Europe.
I can see where you are coming from Cromer but he was quite clearly available in January but nobody snapped him up. Spurs were desperate for a striker at that time - perhaps they remained unconvinced that he was the answer to their problem? To those who suggest I am being negative - why should I change the habit of a lifetime? As for the descriptions of Sporting Lisbon - sounds a bit like Glasgow Rangers to me.
I heard he wasn't "clearly" available - rumour had it Sporting demanded £12.5m or to come back in the summer, I seem to remember. It was only once they had stopped paying staff wages that they realised they had no option and we stepped in. Not sure if that is all true, but that was what I heard and it matches the facts we have. Tottenham obviously felt they needn't pay £12.5m in January. I agree it sounds like Rangers, but good players have come from there too!
In January I believe he very nearly joined Fiorentina for more money, Sporting called it off after a deal to loan another striker fell through. Clearly the financial issues that the Sporting faced finally go the better of them and we were able to step in and take advantage with our new found financial stability.
Spurs were desperate for a striker as were Liverpool. Fees are always inflated in Jan but surely if either Club thought he was the answer to their problem and/or is as good as some people are now trying to make out one of them would have just handed over £12.5m or even £13m or even £15m just to get him signed up and solve their problem.
my personal feeling is that we have stolen a march on several interested parties and have got ourselves a heck of a player.if we had waited until July, quite a number of higher placed teams would have been jostling for his signature and we would have been left on the outside looking in. big kudos to the board for this.
So it could be that we haven't got a player worth 12.5m (yet) only one worth about 8m. Well that still sounds pretty fecking good.
It's worth remembering that he had a release clause for 22m euros in his contract at Sporting, so the indications are that he is something special. Whatever else, he's very different to the strikers already here.
Liverpool won't have been that desperate after they got Sturridge. Tottenham were "desperate" for a striker in the summer and didn't get one, presumably because they never found the right price. I'm guessing, but there is every indication that they wanted RvW, but were not prepared to pay £12.5m, like us. Levy is a tough negotiator and the new Liverpool are unlikely to just "throw in another £2.5m" because they desperately want him. Of course, I could all be wrong, but it doesn't add up given that we know Tottenham made a last minute attempt to scupper our deal last month and Liverpool got a striker
