OK, so I'm getting worried...

[Canaryboy]

Well somebody had to crack, didn't they? 

One signing on a free transfer, 9 days until August, 17 days until the season kicks off. 

Oh and Dorrans, but that doesn't feel like a signing. 

I know that a lot of business gets done towards the end of the window, but it is surely highly unusual for a newly promoted side not to move early to freshen things up?

It is surely better to do business as early as possible, whenever possible, to get players integrated and ensure that they are at the required level of fitness? 

Just one decent signing please, to calm me down a bit! 

 

[KeiranShikari]

Still just boredom here but I think we'll all be much happier when we get that new cb in.

 

[Indy_Bones]

Whilst I genuinely believe it's more advantageous to get players in early, so they can adapt to their new surroundings, teammates and style of play, in truth the decision is often completely out of the hands of the buying club because it all depends on whether or not the selling club wants to play ball.

Hull could lead us on a long winded and merry chase to sign Brady which may only be concluded a short time before the opening match of the season, and we either accept this possibility and continue on in the firm belief that we will ultimately 'get our man', or we say 'screw this' and look at alternatives who may sign for quicker and potentially for less money (which is why I think Alonso's name has come up).

As long as we start the season with the right new signings we need to bolster the squad, and that those signings are ideally ready to play right from day one, then the month or so or frustration and boredom beforehand becomes entirely irrelevant, it's simply annoying at the time instead.

 

[splutcho]

It's a slow market to be fair. I don't see us spending anywhere near what people expect, I think we'll gamble on most of our current squad keeping us up as they've done before.

 

[dj161]

 I don't see us spending anywhere near what people expect, I think we'll gamble on most of our current squad keeping us up as they've done before.

I agree with this completely, the squad is good enough to keep us up despite going down before, it was poor motivational skills and a lack of an attacking game plan that got us relegated last time, something that shouldn't be a problem with Alex Neil in charge, be honest we all want to have a good season and finish as high as possible even break the top 10, but i'm sure that 99% of Norwich fans will take 17th place right now if it was offered

 

[KeiranShikari]

It's a slow market to be fair. I don't see us spending anywhere near what people expect, I think we'll gamble on most of our current squad keeping us up as they've done before.

The club have straight up said that we'd be signing 6-8 players, probably the bottom end. 

Wouldn't say we were gambling any less than a team like Watford bringing in 12 or 13.

 

[dj161]

I thought the club said 4-6 players?

 

[KeiranShikari]

Looking back at the article the exact quote from McNally was..

..“We’ll see what the summer brings but I think we would be happier if it was five, six or seven players joining than 10, 11, 12 to give us more chance to ensure they can fit in.”

 
i believe Neil has said there would be at least 4 more as well, obviously after the signings of Mulumbu and Dorrans.

 

[Gaffer]

I'm not too worried. A lot of transfers these days are just musical chairs that don't really lead to squad improvement. Would we have done so badly sticking with the likes of Andrew Surman? We need some players in to make sure we have 2 per position but it's not urgent as we'll be starting the season with the team who got us promoted.

 

[KeiranShikari]

We have loads of people in Surman's central position though, I was never super keen on him out wide. Would much rather use Bennett or the Murphy boys.

 

[dj161]

I think Surman playing on the left and given the attacking freedom that Johnson was given would do pretty well, certainly wouldn't want Bennett on the left side as he's never impressed playing on his weaker foot, he like Redmond is so much more productive on his natural right side, wouldn't be opposed to the Murphy's given a go out there, but I'd fully expect Johnson to play there for the majority of the season

 

[eatonparkboy]

I don't believe it is anything more than the continued effect of the stupid transfer window. Clubs can't release players if they don't get in better replacements. And it appears too many clubs treat the window as if 31 August is the only day you can do business. Then supporters get frustrated because we all want to see new signings irrespective of last seasons success.

It is very difficult to imagine anything other than a season of struggle without new signings particularly in defence where the one that relegated us (yes I know it was more to do with Hughton's ineptness) is till pretty much first and only choice.

 

[Moosheep]

To me it feels like the club are playing hard ball I the transfer market in an attempt to get the best deals possible. Great tactic if it pays off but will be seen as lack of ambition if it doesn't.   

 

[KeiranShikari]

It is very difficult to imagine anything other than a season of struggle without new signings particularly in defence where the one that relegated us (yes I know it was more to do with Hughton's ineptness) is till pretty much first and only choice.

You've lost me. Are you saying that Bassong was one of the main reasons we went down? He like many other players had shockers but we did keep a load of clean sheets that year. It was lack of goals that took us down.

Of course we all agree that we need another central defender.

 

 

[The Great Mass Debater]

I agree with this completely, the squad is good enough to keep us up despite going down before, it was poor motivational skills and a lack of an attacking game plan that got us relegated last time, something that shouldn't be a problem with Alex Neil in charge, be honest we all want to have a good season and finish as high as possible even break the top 10, but i'm sure that 99% of Norwich fans will take 17th place right now if it was offered

Agreed, I dont think we need to panic, dont think we have the same need to rebuild as other promoted teams. Nevertheless you dont want things to go stale or look like you are unambitious. We have a number of players in the team though with something to prove, so don think there'll be any complacency from current squad members.

Id rather we passed on new signings if they weren't well researched or thought through rather than gambling in desperation or for the sake of it. Think we can afford to carefully scrutinise potential signings and we shouldnt feel pressurised because we've been promoted. I would hope this is what the club is doing

 

[The Great Mass Debater]

To me it feels like the club are playing hard ball I the transfer market in an attempt to get the best deals possible. Great tactic if it pays off but will be seen as lack of ambition if it doesn't.   

The prospect of this backfiring increases with each day that passes however and the deadline looms. Its a sellers market. At this stage we can afford to be patient, but having a deadline means it will soon be used against us

 

[The Great Mass Debater]

You've lost me. Are you saying that Bassong was one of the main reasons we went down? He like many other players had shockers but we did keep a load of clean sheets that year. It was lack of goals that took us down.

Of course we all agree that we need another central defender.

 

Think is the defence was ok because we had 9 players in it.

The lesser the proportion of your team devoted to defending the better the players that are need to be. I would hope Alex Neil is going to have us playing in an aggressive in your face style and will be hoping to give some of the big boys a bloody nose. I dont see him setting the team up with an isolated lone striker and 9 outfield players hemmed in our own half defending for their lives and frightened to venture past the halfway line.

Mulumbu and Tettey will give us a good screen, but we're likely to be vulnerable at the back if the team is allowed to attack. There's been some natural waste, players are 2 years older and that makes a difference to players like Turner, Bassong and Whittaker.

We deinitely need some defensive re-inforecements if we're going to be allowed to attack this year

 

[eatonparkboy]

You've lost me. Are you saying that Bassong was one of the main reasons we went down? He like many other players had shockers but we did keep a load of clean sheets that year. It was lack of goals that took us down.

Of course we all agree that we need another central defender.

 

The lack of goals was because of the mentioned clean sheets and inept attitude of the manager who tried to protect the defence with a midfield whose first job was to defend rather than support the strike force. And to that end. many supporters hounded RVW and Hooper who were left stranded most of the time on their own while others like you defended inept performances from the likes of Bassong who normally had four midfield players to protect him as well as two full backs. And despite the clean sheets mentioned we managed to concede 62 goals.

It isn't the fault of any of the defenders. They basically are not good enough individually or as a unit to withstand a constant battering from very talented forward players that play in the Prem.

My point was and still is that at the moment we going back into the Prem with the same defence that was part of our relegated side.

 

[KeiranShikari]

It's not the same though, is it. Martin's position has changed and Bassong has confidence. Not only that but the mentality and setup is different, they're now pressing as opposed to sitting. Instead of sitting in front of them Tettey is now dropping inbetween the two whilst the fullbacks go forward. We defend better as a team now, not only getting masses of bodies behind the ball like under Hughton.

Can Martin perform at CB in the Premier League? Dunno. I've said on a number of occasions that I prefer him against the more technical strikers and not the powerhouses which teams hit at every opportunity. In that sense I do believe he might be more suited to the Premier League.

Of course time hasn't been kind to the likes of Turner, he was pretty huge in our better defensive displays. 

No need to worry yet though, I'm sure another cb is on the cards. Probably a fullback too.

 

[Suffolk Canary]

Has anyone else noticed that Burnley had a lot of difficulties trying to bring new players in last summer (i know partly because they built a new training ground, but they still struggled with a decent amount of cash to burn)  and since we've brought in this head of transfer recruitment guy from Burnely we're suddenly finding it extremely difficult to bring anyone in??  

I don't think you can accuse anyone of being 'impatient' for starting to get worried. Watford have already signed about 8 players, which is obviously not something we should replicate, but it shows that it's perfectly possible to bring good players in even for a newly promoted club. There's no excuse for such a lack of activity at such a late stage. Yes Hull are being knobs about Brady, but if so then we should've moved on to the next target. You can't help but wonder if McNally's tightness is coming back to bite us, as no clubs seem interested in doing business with us.  

I'm trying my best to sit tight, but it's proving more difficult by the day. What worries my the most is that the rumours are only getting quieter..