As we know Norwich completed back to back promotions and have had a comfortable first season back in the top flight.
Although you can not never make a direct comparison between two different clubs I thought it might be interesting to see how little or how much Norwich changed their side at each step on the way as we look to emulate their record.
These were the 11 players who made the most appearances in their League 1 winning season.
GK Fraser Forster 38
DF Russell Martin 26
DF Gary Doherty 39
DF Michael Nelson 28
DF Adam Drury 35
MF Darel Russell 34
MF Korey Smith 36
MF Simon Lappin 42
MF Wes Hoolahan 36
FW Grant Holt 39
FW Chris Martin 36
Then in 2010/11 City signed 10 new players. Seven in the summer and 3 in January. They moved on 8 including Doc and Darel Russell while Forster, who was on loan, went to Celtic.
Their 11 players in the 2010/11 promotion season with the most starts were:
GK John Ruddy 46
DF Russell Martin 49
DF Elliott Ward 41
DF Leon Barnett 26
DF Adam Drury 21
MF David Fox 33
MF Andrew Crofts 44
MF Simon Lappin 22/
MF Wes Hoolahan 39
FW Grant Holt 46
FW Chris Martin 23
Players surviving from the previous season in bold. So six of the previous season's main players also played a significant role in the 2010/11 success. The other five were all purchases, four in the summer and one, Barnett, in the January window.
This current season Norwich's most used XI (up to 1 March) have been
GK John Ruddy 25
RB Kyle Naughton 22
CB Russell Martin 25
CB Bradley Johnson 19
LB Marc Tierney 17
DM David Fox 21
RM Anthony Pilkington 20
AM Wes Hoolahan 22
LM Andrew Surman 17
FW Steve Morison 20
FW Grant Holt 17
Players in bold are those that also featured often in league 1.
Just three survivors from two seasons before. Norwich bought 10 new players this term and moved on 13.
Another thing of note is how British the Norwich first team is. All the of 2011/12 XI are from the British Isles and seven are English. None of the three sides listed here include a non-British Isles player.
Discuss
Comments
Then why don't you???;-) See other thread
Mind you I don't see what Henry seeks to prove from Norwich (who (IMHO) are going to be in trouble next season.) Consistency is only of use if the consistently used players deliver positive results.
Do people think we should be raiding the relegated teams and the best of league 1, or going for championship players who are probably going to cost a bit?
I also think Norwich, like us, did a lot of business at the start of the season they won League 1.
Solly I could see as a PL player not sure who else
Would also be interesting to see a comparison with Southampton as well.
Certainly think we have a similar number of player who can step up to the Championship with relative ease and maybe the likes of Solly, Morrison, Wiggins and Kerm (despite his age) could step up again.
would be nice to keep it british too (sorry bullfrog, you can stay though, at least for the championship anyway) ha!
Just how did Doherty win a league title.
On another note, Lambert has bought well from the lower divisions, when they went into the Championship he signed Fox and Crofts from L1 who have been big successes and this season, the likes of Pilkington and Johnson have also performed well. We have a very exciting summer and expect us to use the League 1 market at some stage to sign one or two.
Of course, it's all speculation...............................
Hamer, Solly, Wiggins, Morrison and Kermorgant may be able to play in the Prem and I would never write off Waggy's work ethic and determination to make the best of himself by the time we get there if we get there.
Yes sides evolve but how quickly?
Time will tell.......................
As has been pointed out our success has been mainly due to defence, but that isn't totally down to the back 5, we have defended from the front when we haven't had the ball (Curbs philosophy) The defenders look like they should all step up in the Championship and our style of defending as a unit isn't likely to change. Midfield certainly though has question marks, whilst attack may need an inspired signing. I reckon we need 5 signings to the squad. There is 3 obvious outs without even thinking about it. (Euell, Doc, Hayes), I can also see someone expecting to get a chance of cutting it in the Champs going.
Up to March 1 as said in original post.
These are the twelve players with over 30 league appearances during Southampton's 2010/11 season in League One:
GK Kelvin Davis (46 apps)
DF Danny Butterfield (34)
DF Dan Harding (36)
DF Jose Fonte (43)
DF Radhi Jaidi (31)
MF Guly do Prado (34)
MF Dean Hammond (41)
MF Adam Lallana (36)
MF Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (34)
MF Richard Chaplow (33)
FW Lee Barnard (36)
FW Rickie Lambert (45)
Southampton brought in three key new players last summer; Jack Cork, Jos Hooiveld (initially on loan) and Danny Fox, whilst releasing at least eight players from their League One squad. Here are the XI with the most appearances over the season:
GK Kelvin Davis (45 apps)
DF Frazer Richardson (34)
DF Jose Fonte (42)
DF Jos Hooiveld (39)
DF Danny Fox (41)
MF Jack Cork (46)
MF Guly do Prado (42)
MF Dean Hammond (43)
MF Adam Lallana (41)
MF Morgan Schneiderlin (41)
FW Rickie Lambert (42)
Interesting to note, the above highlights how important it is to keep the majority of your players fit through the season and find a balanced and settled side.
Other than that, draw what conclusion you will. Six players were present through both seasons, whilst three were new arrivals. On top of that, two players that appeared to not be able to play a regular part in the League 1 season, played a vital part in winning promotion from the Championship. Motivation for Dale Stephens, amongst others?
All that can be said about this, is that to have a strong spine that is able to step up a division is all important. I think we have. I'm not sure if we have enough energy in midfield, apart from another forward, be that in the shape of a Billy Sharpe or Simeon Jackson, the midfield is where our emphasis needs to be.
Think it proves what most on here would suspect that we'll need at least 5-6 new players to challenge at the right end of the Championship next season, 3-4 for mid-table. Less than three good new players and we'll be at the wrong end of the table.
we don't possess a hoolihan/holt or lallana/lambert at the moment (thankfully nor do most of the championship).
Indeed, their team has extraordinarily little PL experience, which says a lot about the job Lambert has done. You wonder how well they will do next season, especially if he gets poached by a larger club.
As a matter of interest how many of their League One players are still at Carrow Road even if they do not play regularly ?Much of our current team could do a job as squad members in the CCC but not necessarily as regulars.
Lambert is ruthless in dumping players he did not rate such as the Doc . Injuries made him rethink about Ginger Pele in League One but as soon as they went up his days were numbered even though he was in the L1 team of the year and 3rd in their POTY vote .Another example of this was our current captain Jacko when he was at Colchester and Lambert moved him quickly out to Notts County.
I think Powell has a similar mentality and does not give away much in his public statements when he always makes positive
comments about his players. For example I remember him saying good things about Dailly ,Doherty and Fortune in press conferences at the back end of last season and then he replaced them by bringing in Cort ,Morrison and Taylor in the close season .
I hope this window SCP follows this approach and improves us again by beefing up our squad with 6-8 players .
GK C Ankergren 46
RB Iñigo Calderón 50
CB Adam El-Abd 40
CB Gordon Greer 36
LB Marcos Painter 54
RM Elliott Bennett 51
CM Gary Dicker 44
CM Liam Bridcutt 37
LM Matt Sparrow 28
ST Ashley Barnes 38
ST Glenn Murray 45
And 2011/12
GK Peter Brezovan 24
RB Iñigo Calderón 37
CB Lewis Dunk 36
CB Gordon Greer 47
LB Marcos Painter 18
RM Craig Noone 21
CM Alan Navarro 29
CM Liam Bridcutt 43
LM Will Buckley 22
ST Ashley Barnes 41
ST C.Mackail-Smith 44
Brighton lost Bennett to Norwich and Murray to Palace. Ankergren also played 22 games in goal
I'm staggered he hasn't done better. The couple of times I saw him for Peterborough the season before he looked a real class act.
Oh yeah, didn't notice the date. Cheers.
Only CMS and Buckley were summer signings, so Brighton did not make as many changes as Norwich yet had a successful season.
On an added note, Hamer is a superior keeper to Ankergren and Brezovan, expect BHA to sign a new keeper this summer.
Which maybe accounts for the low appearance numbers of a few BHA players compared to Saints and Norwich in the Championship although it could be injuries or just poor form.
Brighton losing Murray on a free must have been a blow. His move to Palace still seems odd and looking at what Lambert and Holt did you have to wonder how BHA would have done had they kept him. Agree CMS looked good but not the continuity that Murray would have been.