It’s the silly season. You know the period.
The fixtures are out, the transfer window has yet to spring into meaningful action and transfer rumours abound as those “in the know” accounts on social media purport to know someone who knows something about a pending transfer.
In truth, finding anything meaningful or new to write about is difficult. Yet, all of us can’t help wondering what the forthcoming season will provide.
Certainly, there are grounds for optimism. And why shouldn’t there be?
The nadir of late autumn 2014, which produced just seven points from ten games, now seems a distant memory.
“Alex who?” galvanised the Canaries like no other preceding Norwich City manager (certainly in my living memory) has done before, turning the second half of the 2014-15 season into one that will undoubtedly be talked about for generations to come.
To be frank, it was nothing short of a miracle with a fitting finale at “the home of football” – Wembley.
Yet, as we all know, the toughest of tough test lies ahead. Just how will Alex fare in the Premier League? How will he respond to that first away defeat and the occasional big tonking, which are likely to come our way in the forthcoming months?
The squad he inherited is certainly better equipped, with far more Premier League experience than the last time we were promoted.
Yet, almost certainly, he will want to bring his own influence to the squad – which manager doesn’t – over the summer period.
If there’s one thing we’ve all learnt during his brief tenure it’s that he has a meticulous eye for preparation – whoever the opposition – rarely seen before at Carrow Road. And it’s that which is highly likely to set him apart from his counterparts at Bournemouth and Watford.
Whoever joins the Canaries between now and the close of the transfer window, will, undoubtedly, have gone under the thorough “Alex Neil” review process.
Yet, I’m predicting right now, that there will be one issue that will be debated and argued about more than any other pending arrival. One that’s likely to be more divisive than any heavy defeat or ‘wrong’ team selection during the forthcoming campaign.
And, it’s not new. It’s the future role, if any, of Wesley Hoolahan during 2015-16.
Fellow MFW colleague, Duncan Edwards, penned an excellent article on the virtues of Wesley and the issues of relating to the common perceptions of what a Premier League footballer should be.
Wes certainly doesn’t tick all the boxes.
Yet, no player gets to play over 250 games over a seven year period for the Canaries without having something special about them.
Nevertheless, it’s worth reflecting that during our last Premier League tenure, Wes started only just over half (63 out of 114) of all our games, with a further 19 appearances from the bench.
Sure, injuries and previous managerial team selections both played a part but, contrary to common belief, Wes wasn’t a permanent feature in the starting elevens back then and he’s highly unlikely to be so again.
Of course, Wes has been at Norwich for long enough for us to know, certainly better than most media and TV pundits, what he can do and, more importantly, what he can’t.
He’s neither as good as some make out nor as poor as others suggest.
The extent of his involvement next season will largely be influenced by what team formations Alex prefers and, as we all know, Wes isn’t a man for all formations.
His best role is central, ‘in the hole’, behind a lone striker. Here he can find the space to play those little threaded passes to open up opposing defences.
Yet, in the Premier League, most teams go with a single striker and, more importantly, a five man midfield. Space between the lines of the back four and the midfield (Wes’s territory) is at a premium.
Very quickly, Wes has no room in which to play and work his magic. Suddenly, he’s no longer involved, instead isolated and peripheral.
The truth is, of course, it’s a team game. It’s rarely just about one individual. Without the other ten ‘doing their bit’ it’s easy to target those who are seemingly less involved in the game.
Wes on his game, makes Norwich tick. He’s a joy to behold. Use him wrongly and it really is like playing with ten men.
Therefore, as Old Father Time marches on for Wesley, I’m predicting a diminished role during the forthcoming season.
Regrettably, he’s no longer one of the one of the first names on the team sheet. Nor is his influence so great that you have to build your team around him.
I’m predicting ten starts and fifteen more from the bench.
Part of me hopes that I’m wrong. Yet part of me also thinks that this could be one of the divisive fan issue over the forthcoming months.
Yet, whatever your view on Wes, Alex, of course, knows best.
Plenty has been said about Wes, but this is something of a rarity: a balanced assessment. Good stuff.
Just before the Wes fan club leaps in to say that Paul Lambert trusted & played him while Chris Hughton didn’t, a quick stat. In Lambert’s Premier League season (2011-12) Wes started 33 games. The next season (Hughton’s first, 2012-13) Wes started….33 games.
We’ve had the Wes eulogies before but I think this piece strikes a sensible balance in recognising the strengths and weaknesses. Fine servant but it was a travesty that he was voted 2nd ahead of Jerome in last season’s BB trophy.
Stewart – those 33s are starts+subs I think. Wes actually started more games under the Hught but was maybe less effective because of the system/style under CH.
With Mulumbu coming in, Wes will probably be a bit part player again – let’s hope it’s his best bits.
Technically, I should say he made 33 appearances in each of those seasons. The point remains, I think.
While no one doubts the impact that Sir Alex had on the season, I feel that calling it a miracle is a bit over the top and a little insulting to Neil Adams.
If memory serves, we were 7th at the time he took over and, yes it’s true that we were struggling, but we weren’t a million miles away.
As regards Wes, I think your 10 starts may be generous unless we have a good Capital One Cup run.
Hard to disagree with any of Gary’s nicely balanced piece – and most of the comments also – but as one of those responsible for some of the ‘eulogies’ as referred to by ‘Cosmo’I feel it my duty to fight the Wessi corner.
I’m all for balance but, no doubt swayed by my son’s unswerving adoration of Wes (who he considers the World’s finest living human being), I’m content to overlook his foibles – the occasional jink down a blind alley, losing possession on the edge of our penalty box, giving the ball away cheaply and/or getting swatted aside by a 6 footer – and instead marvel at the dancing feet, the mazy dribbles and the slide-rule passes.
I agree his game-time may be limited but Junior and I will therefore be doubly determined to soak up every single second of Wes in the Premier League.
Now, where are those pills…?!
Thanks for the comments Stewart and Cosmo P.
Curiously, I believe that the season stats for Wes are:-
2011-12 – 25 starts, 8 subs.
2012-13 – 28 starts, 5 subs.
2013-14 – 10 starts, 6 subs.
So, there you have it, the more starts by Wes, the higher up the League we finish! If only it were that simple.
@4 Derek P – no slight on Neil Adams intended. Eithout his 37 points from 24 games, we wouldn’t have finished third.
However, I think it’s also fair to add, had we continued to accumulate 1.54 points per game over the remaining 22 games of the season, we’d have finished with 71 points, which wouldn’t have been sufficient for a play off place.
Hindsight, I know.
Maybe, upon reflection, “miracle” was a poor choice of word. Nevertheless, let’s not kid ourselves that we would have been OK without a change, as I very much doubt we would have got to where we needed to be.
Gary F. – congrats on getting through a Wes-inspired piece without mentioning the word ‘diamond’. Not sure AN believes in such luxuries when it comes to formation.
Some (like Gary G. – and he’s not alone) consider Wes to be a shining jewel to treasure without question, while others see him as tarnished by the Lambert-Villa incident – and the non-celebration for his goal at Villa Park.
As we’ve seen recently on this site, Wes is public enemy number 1 with Watford fans – now that makes him priceless surely?
Good article, thank you. The only bit I might take some persuading over is the homework done on potential incoming players, and I only have the tiniest of evidence to back me on this – Tony Andreu. Maybe I’m being very harsh, but from the outside, it doesn’t look like Alex Neil picked the right man to help in the push to promotion, and I’d certainly be surprised if he even featured on the bench more than a couple of times next year, let alone actually play. Im pleased with the Mouloumbu signing though so hope that comes off, and trust that the Alex Neil review process has worked in this instance.
@8 Gem Stone – priceless indeed. Wes was the only reason why they didn’t win the title – let’s just ignore the other 40+ Championship games that made up the rest of the season then!
@9 Canarydelia – Andreu is an interesting one, although, from recollection, Alex Nementioned a while ago that he thought Tony needed a full pre-season to make an impact.
A cynic might suggest that SPL cooked is clearly a “lesser heat” than Championship ready?
One of the fascinations will be who plays number 10 for the majority of games. Wes will be there for sure but maybe often from off the bench. Hooper is a possibility as is Andrieu although I am not sure he will measure up.
The real fascination for me is Vadis. If he is the player he was made out to be then injury free he is a new signing.
I agree with Richard about Vadis and Really hope he comes good.He seems as though he has found settling in Norwich difficult-perhaps the signing of another Dutch/ Belgian player would assist, as I don’t see RVW as a player who will flourish under AN.
How about a Mr Virgil van Dijk?
Gary, I never meant to suggest that a change was not needed. It was clear that it would have been difficult to achieve what we did with NA in charge.
I just felt that NA deserves a bit of credit, the squad was clearly good enough and a lot of that was down to him.
I’m sorry but I have to absolutely disagree about Andreu. His signing was a master stroke. Why? Because Alex Neil came to Norwich with none of his back room staff and couldn’t bring them for a month. Lesser men have floundered on their own. So he signed a trusted pro who he could stick in the dressing room to create a bridge between him and the players. Result? Someone who could reassure our highly paid pros that the new (young) man knows what he’s doing. And someone who can reassure the manager that the dressing room is behind him. Genius.