Right then, who should we sign?

Jimmy smith

Jimmy smith

Active Member
Noone got 1 goal and 1 assist last season despite only a few players in their squad making more appearances than him. I agree, we could have done better last summer and we obviously can now.

I think we can take a bit of a risk on that 4th striker, even if we bag ourselves another RVW I would imagine the other 3 would compensate. Can't say I knew anything about Embolo before I read that. Took a look and he looks good, although they always do on YouTube. I wouldn't say he seems Drogbaesque though, closer to Wellbeck or Berahino.

Don't need Drogba, we have Jerome. Would still be after billions of pounds I'm sure.
I guess it would depend on whether he had the hunger to produce for us. Cambiasso was awesome at Leicester though.

I meant that Embolo has the strength that is required for a lone front man. He's like a Jerome with better finishing :p Drogba in his younger days was a bit more than just an aerial threat as well. He had the strength and composure with the ball at his feet and the pace that Embolo shows.

I'd happily spend £10m on him if I was in charge of the finances at Norwich.
 
Canaryboy

Canaryboy

Well-Known Member
Surely we should be looking at Glen Johnson? He's just turned down a move to Turkey because he wants to remain in England. I know he was on £100k a week at Liverpool but unless a top 6 club needs home grown players for the 8 player quota, what's the harm in offering him £30k a week and seeing what happens? 

Also there have been several keepers released including Steve Harper, I'd sign a keeper on a one year deal and get Declan Rudd out on loan for the season. 
 
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Jimmy smith

Jimmy smith

Active Member
Would take Johnson but I don't think he'd be interested.

The Harper suggestion isn't bad if Rudd can get a championship loan move.
 
The Great Mass Debater

The Great Mass Debater

New Member
I found this interesting - top 10 players (minimum appearences) in the Championship according to WhoScored.com  Not a single Norwich player to be found... Indeed BJ is our first entrant at 17th. Tettey at least topped one category - number of yellows (joint with Lansbury and Bellusci). Bizarrely Blackpool had the second highest shots per game average. Guessing they must have been silly ones - yes further investigation sees them bottom with fewest shots on target - must just have been regular hopeful punts.

http://www.whoscored.com/Regions/252/Tournaments/7/Seasons/4312/Stages/9156/PlayerStatistics/England-Championship-2014-2015
 
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Jimmy smith

Jimmy smith

Active Member
I found this interesting - top 10 players (minimum appearences) in the Championship according to WhoScored.com  Not a single Norwich player to be found... Indeed BJ is our first entrant at 17th. Tettey at least topped one category - number of yellows (joint with Lansbury and Bellusci). Bizarrely Blackpool had the second highest shots per game average. Guessing they must have been silly ones

http://www.whoscored.com/Regions/252/Tournaments/7/Seasons/4312/Stages/9156/PlayerStatistics/England-Championship-2014-2015
I think it's too generous to defenders that win headers. 6 out of that 10 are defenders you would define as strong in the air. Add Gestede and Deeney who are also most known for their heading prowess and you have just Tom Ince and Benik Afobe left.

Edit: by the looks of it, it doesn't include the 3 playoff matches either.
 
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KeiranShikari

KeiranShikari

New Member
Glen Johnson. Dear God, no. He'd have me a nervous wreck every time the ball moved into the left side of the pitch. I'd unironically prefer Whittaker and that's without considering what money he would be on.
 
ZLF

ZLF

Well-Known Member
I think it's too generous to defenders that win headers. 6 out of that 10 are defenders you would define as strong in the air. Add Gestede and Deeney who are also most known for their heading prowess and you have just Tom Ince and Benik Afobe left.

Edit: by the looks of it, it doesn't include the 3 playoff matches either.
I agree on this - headers won is definitely over valued on their individual scoring algorithm - and scores are one thing that I tend not to look at because the relative weightings really do matter.   
 
S

SussexYellow

Active Member
Yep the algorithm has got to be iffy.

Calum Wilson and Yann Kermogant, both key players for Bournemouth sitting 43rd and 48th. Behind Seb Bassong at 42nd based on I assume just his Norwich appearences.
 
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The Great Mass Debater

The Great Mass Debater

New Member
Interesting to take a look at the Premiership - their top 10 has predominantly small diminuitive players with only really Phil Jones a player who heads the ball. According to that table Mile Jedniak is the 7th best performer in the league!
 
G

GJP

Well-Known Member
Glen Johnson. Dear God, no. He'd have me a nervous wreck every time the ball moved into the left side of the pitch. I'd unironically prefer Whittaker and that's without considering what money he would be on.
Damn right. I wouldn't want the hugely experienced Premier League and international defender with Premier League, FA Cup and League Cup medals anywhere near us.
 
G

GJP

Well-Known Member
You cannot do what Johnson has done in the game if you can't play your position.
 
KeiranShikari

KeiranShikari

New Member
Okay, I'll agree to this hypothetical transfer if you can get me the Glen Johnson of 3 or 4 years ago. He's never been a good defender, that's why Chelsea got rid. 

He'll end up in some crap foreign league as I don't think there are any QPRs in the Premier League this time around.
 
G

GJP

Well-Known Member
Never been a good defender.

But played as a Premier League defender for 10 years.
 
KeiranShikari

KeiranShikari

New Member
Defenders are supposed to stop goals going in. Have you seen much of Glen Johnson over the last couple of years? 

Even in his early days I wondered why he wasn't a straight up winger. 
 
G

GJP

Well-Known Member
He's got a mistake in him, for sure.

But we haven't got a defender who hasn't. Nor will we sign one who hasn't.
 
KeiranShikari

KeiranShikari

New Member
Amongst all #LFC players with >150 apps in the EPL era, only Jamie Redknapp has a higher Lose% than Glen Johnson

— Dan Kennett (@DanKennett)

June 10, 2015

Although I guess you could say that 150 appearances for Liverpool makes him good enough to play for Norwich, even if his legs are going.

Well, he won't be signing anyway so there's nothing to worry about.
 
Canaryboy

Canaryboy

Well-Known Member
Johnson may have come into criticism for not being up to par at times for England or Liverpool in recent years, but there's a huge difference between performing for those sides who both have fans with massive expectations (e.g. winning the Premier League, or a World Cup), and performing for Norwich who ultimately would be content with 17th next season (although hopeful of much better). I think if we signed him he'd soon look like a big fish in a small pond and he'd stand out as one of our better players.

He has perceived defensive weaknesses, but esteemed for his ability going forward. That's the exact same criticism that gets leveled at Olsson, and he wouldn't be considered good enough for Liverpool and England either, if Johnson was as good at defending as he is going forward then we wouldn't have the luxury of debating him as a potential target, because Liverpool would have extended his contract. 

We'd have to be wary of him not being bothered and just wanting one final payday like Shaun Wright-Phillips though, who was also once a top 4 player and regular England international but showed little evidence of it at QPR, so no 4 year deals or anything silly like that! 

Comparing him with Whittaker is just silly though. If Whittaker had signed for Liverpool he'd of managed far fewer appearances than Paul Konchesky managed, with the rate at which Liverpool discard their flops (several each summer) Johnson must be a good player just to have managed 200+ games. Whittaker has looked decent in a far weaker league, whilst playing with one of the leagues strongest sides, but is just not up to scratch for the Premier League and needs replacing. In my opinion. 
 
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