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Lambert Plays Down Chances of New Signing to Replace Norwood
Friday, 2nd Oct 2020 09:58

Boss Paul Lambert has played down the chances of the Blues bringing in another striker as cover from James Norwood, who is set to miss at least six weeks having sustained a torn hamstring in training earlier in the week.

Town have already lost Aaron Drinan, who made an impressive start to the season, to a thigh injury, while Kayden Jackson is not fully fit having suffered a groin problem in pre-season.

“It’s a blow because I thought James was starting to find his feet again a little bit,” Lambert said, Norwood, 30, having spent pre-season rehabilitating from the groin operation he underwent in February, his second surgery of the 2019/20 campaign.

“He had a long lay-off last season and obviously now this one with his hamstring. But that’s what you’re going to get due to the situation with the long, long lay-off [due to the coronavirus pandemic], and you’re trying to cram everything in. So many games, a crazy cup competition that we’ve got to play next week.

“People moan about lads getting injured, well there’s got to be some sort of common sense about the amount of games we’re going to have to play.

“I’ve said that right from the off, you’re trying to cram in games and you’re trying to train guys to get them up to speed to last 50-odd games in a 35-week season, it’s a crazy situation.

“All the top managers in the Premier League are even saying the same and they don’t play as many games as ourselves in this division. So, it’s a blow, but you could get one or two more of these things.”

Lambert says Norwood isn’t too down despite his latest setback: “He’s not too bad. He’s okay. Obviously, it’s disappointing, I don’t think he’s ever pulled a muscle really before, so it’s his first time of that.

“But you’ve got to remember it’s five or six months off the guys have had and you’re going to have to have a little bit of luck not to get anything like that.

Asked whether he might look at getting in a replacement with the international transfer window closing on Monday and the domestic one shutting on October 16th, he suggested that it was unlikely.

“We can’t do much,” he said. “With the salary cap and everything, we can’t do much. We certainly won’t be able to buy anybody, that’s for sure.

“And if we can do something then great, but we have to wait and see. It’s a difficult situation financially for every club.”

He added: “If we can’t do anything, we can’t do it. It’s financial, you’ve got to look what’s around about the world at the minute. The pandemic has affected everything and if we can’t bring anybody in then, we can’t.

“I’m really happy with the guys and how we are playing at the minute, so if we can’t, we can’t, and if we do, we do.”

Youngster Ben Folami would appear to be the next in line to come into the reckoning in Norwood’s absence but the Town manager says that’s too much responsibility to put on the young Australian’s shoulders at this point in his development.

“You can’t really on Ben Folami,” he said. “I mean come on, he’s a kid and he hasn’t been about it, he’s nowhere near ready.

“Ben hopefully will go out on loan. Aaron has obviously done really well since he’s been in, Freddie [Sears]’s best position for me is wide, I know he can do centre forward, but you can't go on kids. There’s no way. They haven’t even been round about it yet.”


Photo: Matchday Images



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BlueNomad added 10:03 - Oct 2
Cue the ridiculous comments about the club "lacking ambition", "Evans buy someone" etc.
-5

MonkeyAlan added 10:06 - Oct 2
We wouldn't have this stupid salary cap if we hadn't been relegated. Stupid sales and purchases by Hurst, which Evans stood by and allowed, then Lambert taking us down without even a whimper. To top that all with an even sillier rotation system last season which b@llsed up any chance of getting promoted. Then all Lambert and Evans do is moan about the money situation. It's those 2 clowns who have gotten us to where we are. With a bit of imput from puppet ONeil.
6

Portman_Pie added 10:11 - Oct 2
All this rubbish Lambert puts out about “He's just a kid”..
It gets boring.. who on this planet was expecting Drinnan to suddenly become our first choice striker at the beginning of the season?! I don't see much difference in Falomi in all honesty - I don't expect him to start tomorrow, but needs a must and surely he can get a place on the bench IF NEEDS BE...?!
7

HighgateBlue added 10:20 - Oct 2
We started in as many competitions as the other teams in League One, and have a large squad compared to most. Someone at the club should publicly address the potential reasons for our woeful injury situation in a calm and reasoned manner. If there's evidence to support the proposition that we've just been unlucky, and our physio team is as good as it should be, then fine. But I think as fans we have a right to have that question answered, especially when it looks impossible to buy in new players (even if Evans wanted to) cos of the celery cap (I just felt like writing celery. Sorry.)
2

tones_cones added 10:21 - Oct 2
Whats happened to Tyreece Simpson? I was quite impressed with him when i saw him last season. Still raw obviously but would think he would have been around the first team squad - unless he's injured too?
8

afcfee added 10:22 - Oct 2
If we don't keep Jackson and one or 2 the kids come good this year then we have no chance.
-1

BlueandTruesince82 added 10:23 - Oct 2
Jackson wont be going anywhere now I'd imagine.
1

chorltonskylineblue added 10:30 - Oct 2
tones_cones I thought the same. I liked the look of him when he came on in the Blackpool game towards the end of last season. Really rattled their defence with his running and pressing. Young and raw, but we used to blood players like that all the time
2

Jonaldo added 10:40 - Oct 2
I am right behind the "we just have to suck it up" rhetoric and its obvious we can't buy die to salary cap.

Just hope injuries aren't used as an excuse later in the year. As PL quite rightly states, its the same for everyone.
1

Surco72 added 10:46 - Oct 2
If we have no money get a youngster in on loan from a premiership club to cover our injuries to Norwood , Jackson, Drinian . Rather than a centre back who is probably at best 5 choice to start in that position ?
-1

Razor added 10:56 - Oct 2
The pandemic is a convenient excuse for lots of things.
-2

stevelincsexile added 11:01 - Oct 2
It's a good job that Sir Bobby did not have PL philosophy or we would not have been as successful.
1

Michael101 added 11:06 - Oct 2
What's happening nobody has blamed brexit yet.love the celery cap comment lol
1

bobble added 11:07 - Oct 2
folami and lankester should be up front..
0

blues1 added 11:17 - Oct 2
Surco72. Welcome back, not seen u on here for ages. Still talking the same rubbish tho. How can we sign a youngster on loan when we have no money? Even apart from what amount of wages wed have to pay him, thered be alone fee, and agents fees. As for the cb? Yes, he may/or may not be 5th choice, but we weve been trying to sign another cb all summer. Signing a striker now would only be bcse of norwoods injury. In case u hadnt noticed, we signed the cb before he got injured, so it's a mute point.
0

dieselmorris added 11:23 - Oct 2
michael101 salad days
1

Bluearmy_81 added 11:26 - Oct 2
Cue so called fans apologising for Evans chronic underfunding over years which have led us to this point and forever accepting the joke status we now hold as a club..
-1

arc added 11:37 - Oct 2
1) How many minutes has Norwood been on the pitch so far this season? Is it more than a 100? I don't see how fixture congestion can be the cause of his injury.

2) Play Folami. Get Simpson and the Brown brothers involved. That's how kids learn and improve.
2

dirtydingusmagee added 11:42 - Oct 2
tone-cones , probably he is injured , or feeling a bit dickie , you know ...the norm .
1

dirtydingusmagee added 11:44 - Oct 2
i blame Brexit........and the price of fish .
1

Tony88 added 12:22 - Oct 2
Cue boringarmy 81
-2

runningout added 12:44 - Oct 2
We have acted “Clueless” for quite a few years and still are. We won't be going anywhere this season without new ruthless forwards. Apologies for being gloomy
4

Surco72 added 12:48 - Oct 2
Blues1 ... you obviously havent been looking hard enough .
If you sign an U21 on loan the wages do not count as part of the salary cap and no agent fee ? Evans is a multi millionaire who could cover a youngsters wages until December if he wanted to .
Jackson and Norwood have been carrying injuries all preseason , Keane has gone so that left us to start the season with only one striker Drinian an untested player at this level and Hawkins signed unfit , compared to having 4 fit centre backs and Donacian who can also cover that role .
0

afrodids added 13:08 - Oct 2
We can't play him he's just a kid! 2 words for you Mr lambert, Darren Bent! If you're good enough you're old enough.
2

dirtydingusmagee added 13:35 - Oct 2
afrodids, the manager and the club in general are stuck in their ways, we have been in reverse gear for years, we may be top now ,but the wheels will come off with no plan B as it has in the past.
4


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