Ben Godfrey

[Romey 1878]

28 minutes ago, Aidan said:

Holgate looked comfortable there under Dunc. It's not ideal but certainly an option.

He looked ok, nothing more. He’s an option if there is literally nobody else because he looked alright due to being able to pass it to a teammate when the likes of Davies and Sigurdsson couldn’t find a teammate if you drew them a map. 

[Bailey]

11 hours ago, Hafnia said:

I think the point is he started as a midfielder and with his attributes he is  able to play there to a high level despite having spent his recent development as a centre half.  Many norwich fans and pundits think he could be a top class DM. He was outstanding for Shrewsbury as a DM and York. 

Mattheus, Desailly, Mascherano ... 3 players who could do either role and it's not an indication that they were lacking in the other area. 

I think having a player who is a centre half but can play as a DM is a huge plus.  Look at us now Allan is injured, it's Delph or Davies.  

I think you need to take that with a pinch of salt though because how many top quality centre halves can play in midfield and actually "play". Mascherano would have never played centre half in the premier league, Desailly didn't either as far as I recall and both him and Mattheus were in a different area of football.

I would be hugely surprised if Godfrey is a better central midfielder than Delph or Davies. In the same way that Holgate isn't either. He did well in that period when we ran out of players but part of that was because we played basic but effective football. I have no doubt he could hold his own but he would be a stop gap chucked in there during a crisis just as he was before.

7 hours ago, c1982 said:

Many said it about Rio Ferdinand though - didn’t see too many weaknesses there. Maybe he’s just a very good player who is comfortable in more than one position. I’ll trust Carlo’s judgement on this.

 

...also, pretty sure van Dijk played a lot of his early football as a centre mid.

I personally don't recall that about Rio but there is no way he could have played in midfield.

VVD may well have played in midfield as a kid but he hasn't professionally. Its not uncommon for that to happen. I think Ashley Cole was a striker in his youth days but you wouldn't want him playing up front!

 

[Hafnia]

Top quality centre halves are top quality centre halves because that is where they have proven they play that position to that level. ... So it makes sense.  They can't play two positions at once and if someone is top quality at a position then why play them elsewhere at the highest level? They arent all John O'Shea's or Phil Neville's. 

The point remains.... Emre Can, Ballack, Mattheus, Mattheus Sammer, Mattheus - all German technically proficient players who played midfield or centre half with ease at varying stages of their career.  

Rooney by all accounts was the best centre half in the under 18s.

Regards Tom Davies - I wouldn't have him ahead of holgate as a DM, not strong enough.  There's enough arguments over whether Godfrey is a better centre half or midfielder on Norwich forums. They believe he could be top class at either. A nice option to have. 

[Tonsta]

It should be sorted in the next 48 hours (3 weeks)

[SpartyBlue]

3 hours ago, Hafnia said:

Top quality centre halves are top quality centre halves because that is where they have proven they play that position to that level. ... So it makes sense.  They can't play two positions at once and if someone is top quality at a position then why play them elsewhere at the highest level? They arent all John O'Shea's or Phil Neville's. 

The point remains.... Emre Can, Ballack, Mattheus, Mattheus Sammer, Mattheus - all German technically proficient players who played midfield or centre half with ease at varying stages of their career.  

Rooney by all accounts was the best centre half in the under 18s.

Regards Tom Davies - I wouldn't have him ahead of holgate as a DM, not strong enough.  There's enough arguments over whether Godfrey is a better centre half or midfielder on Norwich forums. They believe he could be top class at either. A nice option to have. 

I think he’s a CB. Certainly we would be bringing him in to play there and he has all the tools to be a good one. His weakness at this stage seems to be his defensive positioning which seemed a common fault for Norwich towards the end of last season. That would be good news for us as it’s an area Ancelotti excels and should be the easiest to address. 

[Romey 1878]

Farke has pretty much said it’s done. 

[c1982]

6 hours ago, Bailey said:

I personally don't recall that about Rio but there is no way he could have played in midfield.

Well he did for West Ham and Man U - can only remember him as CB for Leeds. Ferdinand was a top player - of course he could play there. Ledley King played there more regularly - another top class centre back.

[Tonsta]

When they asked at Norwich what was happening with Godfrey, they said Farke knows

[Bailey]

6 hours ago, Hafnia said:

Top quality centre halves are top quality centre halves because that is where they have proven they play that position to that level. ... So it makes sense.  They can't play two positions at once and if someone is top quality at a position then why play them elsewhere at the highest level? They arent all John O'Shea's or Phil Neville's. 

The point remains.... Emre Can, Ballack, Mattheus, Mattheus Sammer, Mattheus - all German technically proficient players who played midfield or centre half with ease at varying stages of their career.  

Rooney by all accounts was the best centre half in the under 18s.

Regards Tom Davies - I wouldn't have him ahead of holgate as a DM, not strong enough.  There's enough arguments over whether Godfrey is a better centre half or midfielder on Norwich forums. They believe he could be top class at either. A nice option to have. 

I don't ever remember Can or Ballack playing centre half. Its much easier for a midfielder to play centre back in a good team. That happens a lot more than the other way around. Good centre halves don't play in midfield. 

2 hours ago, c1982 said:

Well he did for West Ham and Man U - can only remember him as CB for Leeds. Ferdinand was a top player - of course he could play there. Ledley King played there more regularly - another top class centre back.

No he didn't, at least not as far as I remember or the stats show on transfermarkt. Even if he did, he clearly only played there as a one off, which supports my argument anywhere. 

Ledley King, who I think is probably the best example I can think of, still only played 4 games in his career in midfield according to the stats. 

There are plenty of players who are top class midfielders that go on to play lots of games as centre halves but its very rare the other way around. 

[Aidan]

Confirmation soon! 

[Btay]

Hopefully Davies can go the other way on loan or something.

Like most, didn't know alot about him but he is the right age and could be a very good option with hopefully the extra games of europe next season. Premier league experience as well, thats worth 10mil for me.

[c1982]

8 hours ago, Bailey said:

Ledley King, who I think is probably the best example I can think of, still only played 4 games in his career in midfield according to the stats. 

There are plenty of players who are top class midfielders that go on to play lots of games as centre halves but its very rare the other way around. 

King played a lot more games in midfield - even for England on occasions.

There’s 2 examples now too Rice and Marquois (PSG) - Rice being touted as a £50m centre back for Chelsea and Marquois keeping our very own Gana out of the PSG team. I don’t disagree that it’s rare but not every player/system is the same. If Carlo likes him, however he’s going to be used, it’s okay by me.

[Shukes]

There’s been many examples over the years of players able to play both positions competently.... heck, we even had Heitinga.

The lad is meant to be a good centre back, and is competent enough to play Midfield.... surely that’s a good thing?

[StevO]

I think plenty of people would just rather have specialists, after years of Moyes and his utility players. Jack’s of all trades and masters of none. 

[Wiggytop]

36 minutes ago, StevO said:

I think plenty of people would just rather have specialists, after years of Moyes and his utility players. Jack’s of all trades and masters of none. 

Your right, but it helps if you have a couple in the squad who can play well in various positions

[StevO]

5 minutes ago, Wiggytop said:

Your right, but it helps if you have a couple in the squad who can play well in various positions

I don’t mind myself. Handy for the bench. 
But if this lads coming in, he’s not coming in to play in the midfield anyway. 

[Bill]

48 hours.

 

Ben Godfrey deal immiment

Everton, meanwhile, are expected to announce the signing of defender Ben Godfrey from Norwich this weekend.

Having seen a first approach rejected, the Toffees have now had a second, increased offer accepted by the Canaries.

Godfrey caught the eye during Norwich’s one-season stay in the Premier League. The England U21 international had been scouted by Manchester United, while Tottenham and even AC Milan were credited with an interest.

However, it is Everton who have emerged from the shadows and Ancelotti’s side are now on the brink of his signing.

The player has been on Merseyside to conduct his medical and a move is expected to be sealed shortly.

 

[Shukes]

3 hours ago, StevO said:

I think plenty of people would just rather have specialists, after years of Moyes and his utility players. Jack’s of all trades and masters of none. 

Oh I agree. But I would rather have a specialist defender that is also competent in midfield over a one trick pony any day.

[Hafnia]

It's important to be clear on what is being said... Godfrey was considered good enough to start in midfield for Norwich or Centre Half.  If he was cloned he would be picked for 2 positions.

Rio Ferdinand would have made a top class DM, Steven Gerrard won Motm awards at right back and would have started there if he was cloned 

It's all very well talking about ""what role are they best at".... The fact remains - if you have a player versatile enough and good enough to be considered a first choice player in 2 positions then you have struck gold. Sergio Ramos, right back, centre half, plays defensive mid and find the game, Javi Martinez - started centre half moved to midfield back to centre half - for Bayern Munich with their midfield 

Elite level players who are technically strong players will more often than not excel in more than one position.

Years ago players like this won you titles, Alan Harper, Kevin Richardson

[Hoof_It_Nev]

Apparently passed his medical

[Bailey]

Rio Ferdinand would not have been a top class DM. He could have played there to fill a hole but that's its. To think Ferdinand would have played in midfield ahead of Keane, Scholes, Carrick etc is nonsense. If his position was DM he wouldn't have played for Man Utd.

The same Norwich fans saying Godfrey is as good in midfield as he is at centre half are the ones that say the same on here about Holgate or Stones. 

Godfrey will be bought as either a CB or DM, presumably the former. If he is then needed in the other position he may well fill in here and there. If he is seen as being as equally good in both positions then he will probably spend most of his career at a decent club on the bench.

[Palfy]

5 hours ago, Bailey said:

Rio Ferdinand would not have been a top class DM. He could have played there to fill a hole but that's its. To think Ferdinand would have played in midfield ahead of Keane, Scholes, Carrick etc is nonsense. If his position was DM he wouldn't have played for Man Utd.

The same Norwich fans saying Godfrey is as good in midfield as he is at centre half are the ones that say the same on here about Holgate or Stones. 

Godfrey will be bought as either a CB or DM, presumably the former. If he is then needed in the other position he may well fill in here and there. If he is seen as being as equally good in both positions then he will probably spend most of his career at a decent club on the bench.

We’re that decent club aren’t we?

[Shukes]

6 hours ago, Bailey said:

Rio Ferdinand would not have been a top class DM. He could have played there to fill a hole but that's its. To think Ferdinand would have played in midfield ahead of Keane, Scholes, Carrick etc is nonsense. If his position was DM he wouldn't have played for Man Utd.

The same Norwich fans saying Godfrey is as good in midfield as he is at centre half are the ones that say the same on here about Holgate or Stones. 

Godfrey will be bought as either a CB or DM, presumably the former. If he is then needed in the other position he may well fill in here and there. If he is seen as being as equally good in both positions then he will probably spend most of his career at a decent club on the bench.

Mate, you need a JCB

[Romey 1878]

We're signing a CB. Shut the fuck up.

[c1982]

 

[Aidan]

1 hour ago, Romey 1878 said:

We're signing a CB. Shut the fuck up.

But he can also play in midfield

[c1982]

Just now, Aidan said:

But he can also play in midfield

He’s part of Rio Ferdinand’s agency so you’d think so.

[Btay]

Read up on him from some Norwich fans and apparently hes rapid, which is good to hear. Likes to carry the ball out from the back. 

Think this is an excellent signing with the prospect of Europe next season, he wont kick up a stink for not starting straight away but should have the potential to be our starting CB.

Exciting times lads!

[Hafnia]

9 hours ago, Bailey said:

Rio Ferdinand would not have been a top class DM. He could have played there to fill a hole but that's its. To think Ferdinand would have played in midfield ahead of Keane, Scholes, Carrick etc is nonsense. If his position was DM he wouldn't have played for Man Utd.

The same Norwich fans saying Godfrey is as good in midfield as he is at centre half are the ones that say the same on here about Holgate or Stones. 

Godfrey will be bought as either a CB or DM, presumably the former. If he is then needed in the other position he may well fill in here and there. If he is seen as being as equally good in both positions then he will probably spend most of his career at a decent club on the bench.

Bailey.....Ferdinand played as DM for Man United and won Motm awards in a game against Wolves.

He dominated Paul Ince who said he could play midfield for England and he could not get near him, it was something Eriksson was looking to do to accommodate Terry, Campbell, king and Rio.  Ince doesn't give plaudits when being beaten .

You just don't seem to accept the point that certain players of elite athleticism and technical ability could do either role. It's proven to be the case that they can. 

[Steve_E]

Kompany and Vertonghen both played a lot of defensive midfield as well early on in their pro careers as well. I remember thinking Vertonghen would be a better defensive midfielder than a centre back even. Neither turned out to be a 'jack of all trades, master of none'.