3 Norwich strikers who need to pull their socks up
After a couple of seasons of consolidating their Premier League status, Norwich decided to take the next step this summer, splashing out on £13.5m worth of attacking talent.
Johan Elmander (loan from Galatasaray), Ricky Van Wolfswinkel (club record deal, £8.5m from Sporting Lisbon) and Gary Hooper (£5m from Celtic) have all come in for a side that scores just 41 goals last season, despite a solid 11th places finish.
This season they would have been expecting to push on into the top half and hopefully find some success in a cup competition but it hasn’t quite gone to plan.
They have managed to make the fourth round of the Capital one cup after victories over Bury and Watford, but they now face a tough trip to Old Trafford and they also sit in the relegation zone after just two wins in their first seven games.
Only five goals in these games has given some fans some cause for concern and has them wondering if their strikers can settle in the Premiership.
Ricky Van Wolfswinkel:
Van Wolfswinkel has played in all seven premier league matches and has scored just one goal. It is a far cry to the form he showed last season for Sporting has he terrorised defences in the Portuguese league. His lack of aerial presence is clear to see winning just eight headers out of 48 that he has competed for. Just two shots on target gives another indication of why he hasn’t been scoring in a team that has players that can really provide ammunition for the Dutch striker. With Hooper slowly returning to fitness, he will be hoping to strike up a more effectual partnership than he has with Elmander.
Gary Hooper:
Gary Hooper has suffered a frustrating start to his Norwich career, as a shin injury has kept him on the side-lines, restricting him to just two appearances in which he has yet to score. There has been some debate whether it was wise to pay £5m for him. 82 goals in 138 games would suggest it was, but Kris Boyd also scored 101 goals in 143 games for Rangers and his English move to Middlesbrough never really worked. Norwich fans will be hoping he continues in similar vein of last season and doesn’t follow Boyd in becoming yet another playing to fail in the premiership.
Johan Elmander:
Elmander is one player who has been here before. Three years at Bolton produced one of the most spectacular premier league goals of all time but also produced some average performances as well. On his day the Swede and be very difficult to play against, his strength being a particular asset of his game, but those days are very far and few between as his first five games for Norwich has shown, producing no goals. He was always likely to be behind Hooper and van Wolfswinkel, but if he can chip in with a few goals it could prove to be a very shrewd loan signing.
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