Norwich’s new intake may hold key to safety
Norwich City's Premier League survival prospects could ultimately hinge on how astute an operator Chris Hughton was in the transfer market.
City remain on the periphery of the developing fight towards the lower reaches, with only Aston Villa making significant capital last weekend on a points gap which, for the Canaries, now stands at six to the current bottom three.
Hughton whisked his senior squad to Abu Dhabi Sunday for a four-day warm weather training camp. A chance to bond and re-assess just how much a turbulent campaign has tested body and soul before returning to England's shores for the final battles ahead.
City were frustrated in their attempts to bolster a rather sparse forward unit with multi-million pound enquiries in the January window for Celtic's Gary Hooper and Sporting Lisbon's Ricky van Wolfswinkel. Undeterred, Norwich trained their sights on 19-goal Leeds striker Luciano Becchio and Sporting Kansas City’s Kei Kamara. Fresh blood and an injection of raw energy to a frontline where Grant Holt’s four-goal league tally underlines the scale of the task facing the Norwich manager to embellish defensive caution with a layer of attacking potency.
Becchio started against Fulham in the goalless affair at Carrow Road last time out. Kamara was kept in reserve until the closing stages after a rapid elevation to the squad following Holt's untimely back spasms on the eve of the Cottagers' visit.
Neither should be judged too hastily. Kamara had only arrived in the country during the previous week and two training sessions were barely enough time to introduce himself to his new teammates let alone tilt a Premier League game in the Canaries’ favour. Becchio, perhaps unfairly, had to shoulder the burden of that lone front-running role in his first extended exposure to top-flight football after operating previously with distinction in the Championship. Hughton revealed post-match he had planned to pair Becchio in tandem with Holt from the start.
Yet, for the growing constituency of Norwich supporters who continue to glance nervously over shoulders with each passing winless week, there is plenty of succour in Hughton’s track record since replacing Paul Lambert.
Unless Holt plunders goals in the multiples between now and the final day of reckoning, the City skipper is unlikely to seal a fourth consecutive player-of-the-year award. Robert Snodgrass is the front-runner, with Sebastien Bassong the only genuine alternative in the eyes of many observers. Both arrived at Carrow Road on Hughton's watch – although the pursuit of Snodgrass began at least a season earlier with the club's previous hierarchy identifying the ex-Leeds midfielder as a man who could make a seamless transition from the Football League.
Look beyond those two and there is a common thread linking most of Hughton's arrivals this season Mark Bunn, Michael Turner, Javier Garrido, Alex Tettey, Steven Whittaker - all have left a lasting imprint in certain games and on certain points of Norwich's timeline. To a greater or lesser degree, they have all been positive additions to the existing core of a dressing room which successfully dragged the Canaries from the depths of League One. Jacob Butterfield’s initial lengthy injury lay-off has forced him to head out on a series of loan moves for regular match action. Experienced keeper Lee Camp is yet to feature in the first team, but boasts the pedigree to provide stiff competition for Bunn in John Ruddy’s thigh injury absence.
Just how smoothly the recent arrivals integrate will have a major impact on what unfolds between now and May. But Hughton’s trading ability should inspire confidence for the road ahead.
To comment, you must be a registered user. Please Sign In or Register