Norwich have extended Matt Dennis contract

[Rob1920]

Indeed. You cant coach desire, commitment and a winning mentality.

I have seen Powell get a lot of stick from the last two games but I would chose Powell over of Dennis for next season. Yes Dennis has the better pedigree but he wont do enough for a NL team.

Powell was lively and created pressure early on v Wealdstone. Not his fault we couldn't finish or take even an average set piece. Some work on the timing of his runs from a Cardwell flick, or better still run across the back line then dart towards the goal. If he stays on-side thats a partnership most CB's wont want to face.

Powell just needs some game time to calm him down a bit.

Sorry I know this is about Dennis but just another quick comment on Powell, its his end product that so far is pretty woeful. That goal against Woking gave us some false hope he was the real deal, but since then its been a lot of huff & puff with nothing to show for it. Hopefully a decent pre-season & work on his crossing and shooting could turn him into the player we hoped we were getting.

 

[kentblues]

Speaking generally if a Prem or Championship player is in their 20s and loaned out at our level they generally (but not always) are seen as a long way of their first team. Often the loan is to help them develop and find a good club.

If they conclude a player will be in some demand at lower level, it makes eminent sense to activate another year so they are well placed for a fee but, more likely, a very healthy sell on. Much better than letting a player go on a free, watching him score a hatful at lower level and commanding a decent fee, and then getting nothing.

What applies in Dennis' case is pure speculation. Probably a L2 or maybe L1 will take a punt. Maybe Norwich loan him out again at a higher level because they still see something. No idea. He won't suddenly go from NL to Norwich first team squad.

You could say well Lopata did go from us to Champ squad- but that was to cover an injury crisis. He sat on the bench for three games, and the moment they signed someone then for the last 5 games has not made the bench.

I would say Lopata is much nearer making that leap than Dennis as much as I like him and would love to have him next year.

Anyway time will tell.

 

[kentblues]

Sorry I know this is about Dennis but just another quick comment on Powell, its his end product that so far is pretty woeful. That goal against Woking gave us some false hope he was the real deal, but since then its been a lot of huff & puff with nothing to show for it. Hopefully a decent pre-season & work on his crossing and shooting could turn him into the player we hoped we were getting.

How many times have we said of a player if he had an end product then he would be nowhere near our level in the first place. The massive ask is to find the diamond who at this moment has no end product but who see they soon will..

 

[kentblues]

He's had some injuries too, maybe that's why in the last few games he hasn't shone like he did.
Same pace and directness needed, but injury free and committed would be better, if the amigo's can find such a gem

True but then for a long time at the beginning it seemed (maybe I'm wrong) that he was done after 60 mins? As I say would love him to stay- but he is way off Norwich in the Champ level

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

How many times have we said of a player if he had an end product then he would be nowhere near our level in the first place. The massive ask is to find the diamond who at this moment has no end product but who see they soon will..

I asked on another thread about players who added an end product. I’m struggling to think of (m)any. I think it’s possible to add goals and improve consistency with the final ball but to go from nothing to having an end product?

It’s why teams will gamble on Dennis. He’s got an end product (albeit inconsistent) but needs to fix his attitude. I think he’s more likely to fix his attitude to training etc than Powell is to develop an end product. The kicker is that I think Powell will contribute more in the short term with his work-rate than Dennis will. I think Dennis is highly likely to fail at his next stop but being released may jolt him to reconsider. Our manager is a good example of someone who turned around his career once he realised talent alone wasn’t enough and needed to be matched with effort.

 

[Tampa Blue]

Is comfortably the laziest in training at the club.

Which is why he continually gets taken off at about the 70 minutes mark - just not good enough for a player of his age

 

[Shrimpet steve]

I think we can improve on dennis! Get rid of all our loans and sign players who will be raring to go for the new season! Loans are ok if we need cover throughout the season but not for the start! I also think we can improve on Dennis

 

[THE SEVENTIES NORTH BANK]

I think you should give him some slack. He was at his best for us when fully fit. He was scoring goals, he was lightening fast, and then he was a marked man, being constantly hacked down. Even got his ankles trod on a few times after being hacked down. I have it on good authority that he's been playing lately with knee and mainly ankle trouble. So of course he's going to be more conservative in his running. He's going to look lazy. Judge him when fully fit. A fully fit Matt Dennis and Lopata were the main reasons we went on that unbeaten run.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

I think you should give him some slack. He was at his best for us when fully fit. He was scoring goals, he was lightening fast, and then he was a marked man, being constantly hacked down. Even got his ankles trod on a few times after being hacked down. I have it on good authority that he's been playing lately with knee and mainly ankle trouble. So of course he's going to be more conservative in his running. He's going to look lazy. Judge him when fully fit. A fully fit Matt Dennis and Lopata were the main reasons we went on that unbeaten run.

I thought he looked unfit when he was on his scoring run. Seemed to struggle to play 90 minutes.

 

[kentblues]

I asked on another thread about players who added an end product. I’m struggling to think of (m)any. I think it’s possible to add goals and improve consistency with the final ball but to go from nothing to having an end product?

It’s why teams will gamble on Dennis. He’s got an end product (albeit inconsistent) but needs to fix his attitude. I think he’s more likely to fix his attitude to training etc than Powell is to develop an end product. The kicker is that I think Powell will contribute more in the short term with his work-rate than Dennis will. I think Dennis is highly likely to fail at his next stop but being released may jolt him to reconsider. Our manager is a good example of someone who turned around his career once he realised talent alone wasn’t enough and needed to be matched with effort.

Agree. But it depends on whether lack of end product is due to ability as opposed to something that can be coached.

In Powells case he has played largely as a winger. Now a season down the middle (not even that I think) he has scored some goals and we have signed him. His attitude appears good, and he has real pace (which you have or not). Could someone like Stan work with and him and his finishing improve through hard work? Some of good finishing is about endless repetition and hard work on the training ground, working on composure, positioning etc? That can take you a way forward. What is difficult to train is that goalscorer's natural instinct..

Beckham wasn't that naturally gifted but he worked his socks off. For example his free kicks were the result of endless hours on the practice ground taking free kicks from different places and distances until just like a pro golfer he could hit the top corner more often than not. Often he was working before training started and long after it finished.

 

[shrimperjon]

Think he clearly has some talent and if he could consistently perform rather than the odd game here and there than he would have ripped this league up. But for me he lacks strength and is lazy, compare his work rate to someone like Cardwell for example. He had that good run of form where he scored that run of goals but mostly he has been very disappointing. I would be very disappointed if the recruitment team attempted to get him back next season. If they cant do better than dennis then they would need to answer questions.

 

[Maldon Shrimper]

Suprised that Norwich have done this dont think he is higher than NL.Suspect Norwich will loan him out to higher league to see if he can progress.Suspect he wont then he will be released.

 

[Dutch Branch]

Dennis will never make it big because in my opinion he’s just too lazy.

It’s probably the reason why Arsenal let him go as a kid.

Not my cup of tea unfortunately but that’s just my opinion.

 

[Chrisb]

I think we can improve on dennis! Get rid of all our loans and sign players who will be raring to go for the new season! Loans are ok if we need cover throughout the season but not for the start! I also think we can improve on Dennis

So you would not want Lopata back on loan at the start of next season then ?

 

[gatecrasher]

Major fitness issues, could well be because of his bursts of pace.

By no means a bad player but not one, I think after this season, we should pursue.

We definitely need a nippy player to run off the likes of Cardwell and Dalby

 

[rlb999]

Norwich haven't extended his contract so they can loan him out in AGAIN the National League. They'll want to see progression - so he'll be off to league 2 next season I'd guess - and see how he gets on. If whoever he goes to sets their team up to play to his strengths, they have a REAL asset. If some one does a Phil Brown - takes him and plays him at left wing back, he'll be garbage - and the manager will be to blame.

 

[Gt Yarmouth Shrimper]

Norwich haven't extended his contract so they can loan him out in AGAIN the National League. They'll want to see progression - so he'll be off to league 2 next season I'd guess - and see how he gets on. If whoever he goes to sets their team up to play to his strengths, they have a REAL asset. If some one does a Phil Brown - takes him and plays him at left wing back, he'll be garbage - and the manager will be to blame.

More likely they've extended the contract so they can flog him.

 

[Dutch Branch]

Speaking generally if a Prem or Championship player is in their 20s and loaned out at our level they generally (but not always) are seen as a long way of their first team. Often the loan is to help them develop and find a good club.

If they conclude a player will be in some demand at lower level, it makes eminent sense to activate another year so they are well placed for a fee but, more likely, a very healthy sell on. Much better than letting a player go on a free, watching him score a hatful at lower level and commanding a decent fee, and then getting nothing.

What applies in Dennis' case is pure speculation. Probably a L2 or maybe L1 will take a punt. Maybe Norwich loan him out again at a higher level because they still see something. No idea. He won't suddenly go from NL to Norwich first team squad.

You could say well Lopata did go from us to Champ squad- but that was to cover an injury crisis. He sat on the bench for three games, and the moment they signed someone then for the last 5 games has not made the bench.

I would say Lopata is much nearer making that leap than Dennis as much as I like him and would love to have him next year.

Anyway time will tell.

Lopata is a far superior player than Dennis and without doubt given the chance at a higher level could go on to better things.

During a game take a moment to watch Dennis and see what he does off the ball which in my mind is a equally important as what you do off the ball. He spends most of his time running his back and looking at the bench.

Dennis will end up being sold to some L2 side if he’s lucky. However, not to put a total hex on the bloke with a strong coach and permanent job he might knuckle down and earn a decent living but my gut feeling says “nar”

 

[Shrimpet steve]

So you would not want Lopata back on loan at the start of next season then

Not if Sheffield had the recall option,look what happened last time! We either sign him on a permanent or get Sheffield to loan us for a full season with no recall.

 

[Shrimpet steve]

I think you should give him some slack. He was at his best for us when fully fit. He was scoring goals, he was lightening fast, and then he was a marked man, being constantly hacked down. Even got his ankles trod on a few times after being hacked down. I have it on good authority that he's been playing lately with knee and mainly ankle trouble. So of course he's going to be more conservative in his running. He's going to look lazy. Judge him when fully fit. A fully fit Matt Dennis and Lopata were the main reasons we went on that unbeaten run.

Yeh, and thanks to Sheffield f...ing!! Utd they are the reason our run ended like it did and they didnt even play him! They ruined our playoff charge for no reason.Ill remember this if we ever play Sheffield again.