Are you including Loza and Morris in your players over 21, 1950? I think they will both go out on loan this year as will Turner if he is still here. If Lafferty goes on loan again, we would have 21 senior players by my count. That would still amount to 'one in one out' until the loans are arranged and RvW's situation is sorted. As for the wages issue, the five teams on parachute payments have more leeway than most Championship teams (Fulham and Turner, for example).
I am not including any youngsters. I am including a third GK who we will have to buy and having written the rest down it is certainly 25. As far as loans are concerned I have little doubt that AN would want to sell Turner and Lafferty or send them out on loan if that fails but again that depends very much upon somebody wanting them and being prepared to pay transfer fees, loan fees and the same level of wages. There will be a lot of players released by Premiership and Championship Clubs and Clubs looking for players might think that there are better and cheaper options available than Turner and Lafferty.
I'd be surprised if AN wants to sacrifice one of the 25 places to a 3rd keeper, as you can use emergency loans for keeper injuries in the PL. I know Hughton did have a 3rd keeper, but I think that's part of his 'cautious approach'. I can see the other 24 if you include Turner and Lafferty. I wonder if Lafferty or RvW might come back if Hooper left. It's certainly a tricky puzzle to work out.
I would be astonished if we didn't have a 3rd keeper on the books - it is certainly common practice in the Premiership. Even one injury or suspension leaves you searching around for somebody to put on the bench and another injury leaves you in complete chaos. The GK is such an important position that you cannot afford to take risks in the Premiership especially as our 2nd choice keeper has only made 10 appearances for the Club and has not featured in a league game for us since 2011/12 season.
Unfortunately I think that Bunn suffered from the fact that he was an inch or two too short. In fairness to him I feel it is right to let him go and try and get more game time at a lower league Club. Being 3rd choice keeper must be a soul destroying experience and Bunn has served his time. You really need an older keeper who is approaching the end of his career and is happy with a one year contract.
Tremmell, just released by Swansea, is a good example although I suspect that if they got him Rudd might get pushed down the pecking order if Ruddy got injured
I think the squad we went up with this year is much better than the squad last season. You think about it we lost Fer, Snodgrass, Pilks and RVW who were first team players. (May have missed someone out) And we bought in Dorrans, Jerome, Grabban and O'Neil We have an in form Bassong back. We have a manager who can get the best out of Wes, Whittaker, Johnson, Redmond and Howson. And obviously a better manager. Premature as it may be, I am confident in saying as it stands we are in better shape then we were the season we got relegated. Because of that I'd rather we spend big on a winger and a centre half. I want us to get a really commanding centre back who will lead the line. I still have reservations on Russell Martin as captain and a centre back. I like him but I do think he is the weakest player in our starting 11. I'd also like us to get cover for Tettey and Olsson.
http://norwichcityrumours.co.uk/ "Alex Neil is looking at younger options in his squad and the top target is Sam Byram of Leeds who has played both RB and RM this season."
Keepers: Ruddy, Rudd Defence: Turner, Bassong, Martin, Bennett, Whittaker, Miquel Midfield: Ofoe, Tettey, Johnson, Dorrans, Howson, O'Neill, Bennett, Hoolahan, Redmond, Andreu Strikers: RvW, Lafferty, Jerome, Grabban, Hooper, Loza Underage: Toffolo, Thompson, McGeehan, McGrandles, Murphy and Murphy 2 + 6 + 10 + 6 is 24 senior players, presuming I've not missed anyone. Definitely a bloated squad in most areas. Now he's overage Loza has to step up to be a full member of the first team or leave on loan/permanently. 7 defenders is probably the aim. 3 CBs plus Martin, 2 full backs, Whittaker as cover for both sides and Toffolo as a young option. If we sign a new "first choice" centre back and right back, that would really leave both Miquel and Turner as surplus. We might be able to justify one staying, but surely not both. Might come down to who is easier to shift, but I see neither being significantly involved without an injury crisis. Midfield, with Johnson, Tettey, Dorrans all naturally able to play as DMs, and Howson if we're short, I don't see what O'Neill brings to the table any longer. Andreu and Ofoe either need to be contending for starting berths or you'd think at least one is replaced by a new signing.
Agree with the first highlighted part 100%. But regarding the second, I'd far rather see replacemnents brought in for both Martin and Whittaker. Both are more than adequate cover, but as we're up a division, I'd be far happier with a new RB, a new CB, then Bassong and Olsson. With Tettey in front of them.
With Garrido off now, cover for Olsson is necessary, plus another 1st team level CB alongside Bassong. Our midfield is quality and I'm less inclined to mix it up however I'd love to see Olsson moved forward. His attack and delivery since AN arrived has been excellent. I wonder if a left wing role might be a future option for him and give us balance. That leaves RB to consider. Will Martin happily go back there and is Whittaker "safe" enough in that role in the PL? Can't decide. Regarding forwards, I like Hooper's consistency (and accuracy) for a PL role where chances are going to be fewer. Jerome's a shoe in but I think the others will be considered surplus if the right offers come in. Certainly it will be one in, one out with our squad numbers anyway.
I must admit I remain surprised with the anti-Rusty (I know that's exaggerating it a little) chat. Martin and Bassong both had an absolute stormer this second half of the season. Yes, both make the occasional error but frankly so do most CBs, even Kompany. If they weren't making errors, they wouldn't be playing for us... I get what people are saying about needing a "commanding CB", but isn't that what Bassong already does? He's massive. Martin has only struggled when up against monster centre-forwards whose job is to bully and harrass. Yes, he's vulnerable there, but the difference is with Martin and Bassong together we have a very mobile back line and the reason we had the best defensive record in the second half of the season is that. I think the PL, on the whole, has fewer "target men", centre-forwards who are going to win every single header. So I actually think the Martin-Bassong partnership is better suited to the PL. My priorities would be right-winger, back-up left back/left wing and striker. Reserve CB is fourth in my list to be honest, together with a reserve right back. In my ideal world, we would pay decent money for three or four signings, and then stick with the same starting line-up. No-one should walk into our current first team on the strength of their transfer fee alone.
I would target a AM rather than RW where we are well served. Other than that your targets are broadly the same as mine. But if AN allows Redmond to move more central, as he seemed to do in the playoffs, then I would reconsider. With his pace, playing centrally would give a lot of PL defences pause for thought.
The only concerns I have with Martin is his Ariel ability, even thought he does win a lot in the air there has been games where he has in some cases cost us a goal because he loses out to the striker, also his pace, it is not that bad for a chapionship CB but now we're in the prem I would feel more reasured if we were to get in a CB with bassong who was faster.
I genuinely think Martin has been pretty much as good as Bassong this season. In a way, I'm less convinced by Bassong in the Premier League. Don't get me wrong, I think he's been excellent this season. However, in my opinion, he does make mistakes (like holding onto the ball too long, for example) every game. Almost always this season, he has (or his teammates have) been able to atone for those mistakes before they cost us. In the Prem though, I think higher-caliber teams/players will punish us far easier than teams/players in the Champ. Bassong has made some outstanding performances this season, but he always has a mistake in him. For me though, Martin is more consistent (if less outstanding at times). Hope that (sort of) makes sense in some way!
