So far in the quest to create my perfect Norwich City XI I have installed Bryan Gunn as the goalkeeper. The next difficult choice is to decide who his defence is going to be?
We need two full-backs and two centre-backs (none of your wing-back or inverted midfield malarkey here), so let’s break down who will be our all-time Norwich City XI defence.
Know your role
There was a time when defence was a pretty basic role. Full-backs tended to cover behind the winger, who was free to dart about and look fancy. Centre-backs tended to be solid, stoic and occasionally knock in a header from a corner or free kick.
Like a lot in football these positions have changed. When comparing the options available we need to look at both what they bring as a footballer and the benefits to the team.
This is why for left back Adam Drury gets the slot for me. Dependable and consistent, he is what you need to allow your more maverick players in front to shine.
The best form of defence
With central defence, you have two slots, so ideally you want a balance. On the one hand, it’s good to have someone solid whom the opposition knows not to mess around with.
Malky Mackay would be up there for that as would Grant Hanley. However for this role I’m going with Steve Bruce in terms of old school defending.
To complement that, I’d like someone with a bit more nuance. Timm Klose or Christoph Zimmerman would fill that role well, as would Craig Fleming. It’s a tough choice, but I’m going with Klose.
The final slot
Finally, we need a right-back. In terms of the top mentions, Ivo Pinto, Ian Culverhouse and Daryl Sutch are all up there. But in terms of giving this team a bit more energy, I am going to go with peak Max Aarons.
So our all-time Norwich City XI defence is Bryan Gunn, Adam Drury, Steve Bruce, Timm Klose and Max Aarons.
Would this be your pick or do you have an even better all-time Norwich City XI defence? Please tell me your Norwich City XI choices so we can compare and see who would win in a fight.
