Naismith

[Canary World]

According to the BBC he is about to sign.

So who makes way for him?

If he is the answer what is the question?

 

[morty]

Either Howson or Hoolahan I would have thought.

The question would be "Why aren't we scoring enough goals at this level?" And if we are going to play a single striker then we need more goals from the No10 / midfield.

 

[Canaryboy]

According to the BBC he is about to sign.

So who makes way for him?

If he is the answer what is the question?

If we swap 'answer' for 'solution', and 'question' with 'problem', then I'd suggest that the problem is that Hoolahan is our only quality second striker and being 34 in May his game time needs to be seriously managed if we are to get the best out of him and prolong his career. 

So Naismith solves the problem of needing to have two quality players in each position if you want strength in depth. 

And I think it is Vadis Odidja-Ofoe who will now find it incredibly difficult to get minutes if we do sign Naismith, shame as he hasn't ever had a run to prove himself, but that's mainly down to him having a body made out of fine China. I think he'll be out on loan. 

Although he doesn't really get any minutes anyway, so possibly a combination of Dorrans and Howson each getting a bit less playing time. 

 

[splutcho]

Everything I've heard from Everton fans is very positive. Will be pleased if this comes off.

 

[KeiranShikari]

He's an option in pretty much any midfield or attacking role.

 

[morty]

 

[Killiecanary]

Chuffed beyond measure with this if it comes off.  Also looks like we may be about to spend £3 million on a right back from Dinamo Zagreb. 

Certainly seems like we may have learnt our lessons from last summer and are getting things sorted quickly and early.  

 

[Watling the Gnome]

I expect Vadis and Dorrans to be the losers here. Wes may revert to a subs role too. We need aggression and direct play to make some of those half chances count and I think he will feast off Brady's delivery (and Jarvis as well.)

Am well pleased with this signing.

 

[Canaryboy]

Naismith is the Hoolahan competition (then successor?) that Norwich fans have been calling for, for about 5 years. 

I think its a huge signing. We had serious trouble trying to attract a quality second striker / attacking midfielder under Hughton (although Wes went criminally underused by him in his final season). 

If we can also succeed in bringing in the quality centre back that we also failed to recruit under Hughton then things will start getting exciting. 

If it is true that we are also after a right back and that right back proves to be better than we already have, then we could potentially be looking more like a mid-table team in the second half of this season?

 

[Killiecanary]

I think Wes and Naismith are different types of player who happen to fill the same position - I certainly don't expect them to play often together in the same team, but I think Naismith might be more likely to play in the games where Wes might be less likely to start anyway (as well as competition for Wes generally). Morty and I had a brief discussion earlier about what those games might be an another thread...but one thing I am sure of is that Naisy is not going to be coming here to sit on another bench.  He will expect to start much more often than he has been doing at Everton - otherwise why would he come?

also we need to accept that Wes is getting on - he is likely to be reduced more to impact sub appearances over the next year or two I suspect anyway.  

As someone who watched Steven Naismith break into the Kilmarnock team as a 17 year old and then score a dozen goals in a team that made very few chances I am delighted to see him here.  

By the way - it's now on wiki that he left Everton in December 2015 to join Norwich so it MUST be true?

 

[Fenway Frank]

So if this is a done deal, would he be our player by the weekend ? 

 

[morty]

So if this is a done deal, would he be our player by the weekend ? 

I suppose in theory, yes.

But its not a done deal till we see the photo of him in green and yellow!

 

[morty]

His wife has tweeted about moving house....

 

[Brian Fantana]

In terms of who makes way we do have a few players who are listed in the squad but who we all know will not figure for us so it does make sense to cycle them through and bring in some names we might actually play - the example is Lafferty, I am not sure who has to die for him to get a game.

In general I am pleased with this signing, good player who puts in a shift whenever he is called upon and he offers a much needed option in attack. To be honest I think he is more of a concern to Laffs, Hooper, Grabban etc than Vadis - I still have hope Vadis will come into his own.

 

[KeiranShikari]

 Agreed, it wouldn't be Vadis packing his bags just yet.

If we're willing to spend this much on him I imagine exit deals for one or more of the fringe players might have already been agreed. Hooper to Wednesday, If the rumours are anything to go by Lafferty to Leeds. Wouldn't be surprised to see Elliott Bennett go in this window too, Naismith would be more effective down the right than him you would imagine.

Unless we get a ridiculous offer from somebody I think we'll keep hold of Grabban. Could perhaps see us trying to use him as leverage in the quest for Afobe but I'm not sure how up for joining Wolves he'd be.

 

[morty]

I would be quite happy to see Hooper, Lafferty and Grabban go. Though, in the case of Grabban, if we sell to Bournmouth I still have a nagging doubt about selling to a relegation rival.

 

[Brian Fantana]

I would be quite happy to see Hooper, Lafferty and Grabban go. Though, in the case of Grabban, if we sell to Bournmouth I still have a nagging doubt about selling to a relegation rival.

I agree on the Grabban point, it causes me concern what he could do but then I watch him and am not sure he could score in 100games. A tough choice but I would rather have Naismith over Grabban and if one out means one in then we will have to take the gamble.

 

[Canaryboy]

We are being linked with Patrick Bamford after he terminated his Palace loan. If he arrives I'd consider that to be Grabban's replacement.

If Bournemouth are still prepared to pay £7m for Grabban then bite their hand off. 

Lafferty will be out on loan to get football before the Euro's, I reckon Sheff Wed will extend Hooper's loan until the end of the season with an agreed price at the end of the season, he's only just started to play well for them and I think he has a lot to prove before they'll pay out millions for him. 

I wonder whether Jarvis signing a permanent has been done to bring in a domestic loan, possibly Bamford? 

 

[morty]

I agree on the Grabban point, it causes me concern what he could do but then I watch him and am not sure he could score in 100games. A tough choice but I would rather have Naismith over Grabban and if one out means one in then we will have to take the gamble.

I dunno. A new start for him, a new lease of life. He could score 5 or 6 goals that could keep them up.

 

[morty]

We are being linked with Patrick Bamford after he terminated his Palace loan. If he arrives I'd consider that to be Grabban's replacement.

If Bournemouth are still prepared to pay £7m for Grabban then bite their hand off. 

Lafferty will be out on loan to get football before the Euro's, I reckon Sheff Wed will extend Hooper's loan until the end of the season with an agreed price at the end of the season, he's only just started to play well for them and I think he has a lot to prove before they'll pay out millions for him. 

I wonder whether Jarvis signing a permanent has been done to bring in a domestic loan, possibly Bamford? 

I'm not so sure I could get overly excited about Bamford, if I am honest.