Now we have some money in the coffers to spend on players (although i honestly don't think MM will spend any of Cressy's fee on players), where do we really need to strengthen so we can push on and finally make the play offs? In my opinion... GK - Gherken is adequate (nothing fanatstic, but good enough for the time being) RB - Definitely need (Chambers not a right back, Vesseli not good enough) LB - Definitely need (Mings is not good enough) CB - Berra/Smith/Chambers are all good enough CM - Hyam/Skuse/Tabb/Wordy - In my opinion, none are going to get us to the next level and is an area we need to strengthen Wide men - Anderson/Henshall/Stewart/Hunt/Taylor - I'm happy here, a decent quota For - McG/Murphy/Marriott/Nouble - I don't think Nouble and Murphy are the players to get us up, i'm hoping Marriott can improve enough to be a quality forward. I think we need to find a new striker, to accompany McG. So, to summarise, i think we still need a RB, LB, CM (maybe 2) and a forward. I would love to see us splash on a quality player, and would love to see the money being spent on Britt Assombalonga of Peterboro, and hopefully a quality CM.
I think we need a few cheap/free players to bolster the squad and any money would be kept until the right deal cone up or if a long term injury to an important first team player...
A creative mid-fielder, the role that Joniesta played so well on loan last season, and we need someone to paint the turnstiles again, they haven't seen a lick of paint for a while...
I would say that priority #1 should be for a new #1 between the sticks. Harsh on Gerks after a decent season but he isn't a keeper that would make it in a promotion winning side and we need better to be able to really progress As for other areas, I like how Mick has looked to work with what he has rather than add for the sake of it and I think we are in the main fine with the personnel we have going forward. Though a bit of added quality in these areas, in this order of priorty 1. GK (As above) 2. LB (even if old experienced head ala when we signed Kennedy but need another body there now) 3. CM (Ball playing midfielder that can control tempo of the game - Woody has opportunity to put himself in the mix) 4. ST (Out an out striker with a bit of pace and physical presence to be good foil for McG) I would say that one or more will be loans from Premier league sides but overall it is shaping up and a couple of additions to raise the bar would certainly put us in good shape for the coming season
According to the EADT, Mick is chasing ex Palace Left Back Jon Parr who currently plays in Norway! We are also interested in signing the Notts County GK who's name I cant even pronounce let alone spell!
Here is the link if anyones interested! http://www.twtd.co.uk/ipswich-town-news/25375/town-target-palace-defender-parr
I would like to see a GK, LB, creative CM (ala Joniesta) and Penalty box ST to notch those 6 yard tap-ins. RB we have Hewitt who I reckon could have a huge season, I can see Chambo moving in the centre with Berra and unfortunately Tommy moving to the bench with Jonny Parr LB.
Im with Guru on the main requirements. An above average keeper, a LB, creativity in midfield and a poacher. Going a bit further I would add a RB to compete with Hewitt. Our widemen didnt convince me last season either - the only real cross were deep and came from Cresswell so lets hope our new additions can have an impact here.
tbh, If we do get JP in at Left back for nowt, and the guy who nobody can pronounce in Goal for nearly nowt, I would like to see us spend any money we having on the CM and ST. Then perhaps 3/4 loan players to bulk the squad up. That to me would be a very successful summer business wise.
hey, how's your summer going? i see you boys got a cracking deal for cresswell. sounds like you'll pocket at least £3m, possibly a lot more if he fulfils the add ons. looks like you might bring in the norwegian lad johnathan parr to replace him. he's a quality left back. doesn't quite have the same class going forward as cresswell but a better defender imo. i also notice you've signed cameron stewart. could have been a belter of a player but i'm afraid he has 'lee martin syndrome' and will no doubt annoy the hell out of you all season unless he can recapture his early promise. alex henshall i haven't seen play for a long while, at least 3 years or so - no idea how he'll do but for the sake of his career he needed to get away from citeh. any news on mcgoldrick's injury? is he back in training yet? one bit of bad news for you - i understand you're signing notts county keeper bialkowski. he is absolute dog turd. incredibly error prone, couldn't catch a cold. i hope he plays in the derby
Its going ok supers, like you say the cressy deal looks good, If anybody can the best out of Stewart and Henshall its Mighty Mick and TC. Im really excited about getting Jonny P for nowt, thats excellent, as for Didsy, He should be back for latter end of Preseason, he is about 2/3 weeks behind everybody else apparently.
To be fair the LB & GK's are replacements for players we have sold/ let go this summer. The creavity is the replacement for Williams and a poacher and RB we have needed for the last 2 gazillion seasons so really its only really replacing old with new and a couple of new additions.
Pleased that at long last we have got pacey Wingers and as you say all we need now is some creativity in the middle of the park and a Striker!
You see I wouldn't have described him as a creative midfielder, he rarely split defences open with a good pass, it was just his direct running which caused problems, our tactic seems to be keep solid give him the ball and let him go it alone, i'd like to see us much more fluid as an attacking force rather than just relying on individuals or set pieces!! agree with the turnstiles though thank god we've got some money in from the Cressy transfer
Anyone else look at that squad and think it's really really average bar CBs?? If we didn't have Mick in charge I'd be pretty worried with that squad but I geuss it's the chicken and egg argument!! It does look to at least to have some balance to it though. I think i'd be in agreement with Guru and TB on the main areas. I'd really like to see Hewitt and Wordy given more of a chance next season, think they could be good players for us. I'm still not 100% convinced by our wingers though, we only have 1 RW and that's Anderson who has yet to really impress and on the left we have Hunt who again didn't exactly set the world alight, Henshaw who I have no idea about plus Stewart who I thought was a good player but has clearly got some mixed reviews the past few years. I think the league is alot stronger this season and if we're going to make the Play Offs we're gonna need a bit more quality. In terms of the creative midfielder if Skuse had any urgency he could be that player unfortunately he's far too negative and timid IMO, whenever he plays we seem to lack balance in the middle.
" RB we have Hewitt who I reckon could have a huge season, I can see Chambo moving in the centre with Berra and unfortunately Tommy moving to the bench with Jonny Parr LB. " Echo this, however, I can see either Smith or Berra being sold for a decent sized fee this summer sadly. Hewitt will be immense at RB next season I'm sure. For me, new keeper, LB, creative mid and striker.
Interesting to read what you guys want to happen with your team. It's going to be a great season, can't wait for it to start.
You could make a good argument to have any position on the field except CB that could be treated as top priority, but for the first time in ages last season we saw a squad that was more than the sum of its parts and we can afford to be selective on who we bring in, so you could also make decent arguments to say the players we have are good enough for what we need. My priorities though would be a natural RB - if only to guide and mentor Hewitt and a 'danger player' whether that means someone creative in the middle or a really effective winger crucially with a good final ball to feed to Murphy and McG.
How come you have such an encyclopaedic knowledge of all these players, how they’ve developed and how they’re likely to turn out? You’ve been correct in a fair few of your assessments of potential signing of ours before, which is not something you’d expect of a Norwich fan.
