Case for the defence – does Paul Lambert need to lavish millions on a load of new defenders?

Despite lashing out on six new faces as Norwich City get ready to start their first Premier League campaign in seven years, most Canaries fans are waiting for Paul Lambert to sign a defender.
Ritchie De Laet has been snapped up on a season-long loan, but with two strikers, two wide men and a defensive midfielder coming through the entrance door with him this summer, there are concerns that more cover at the back is needed.
Or is it?
Norwich have eight defenders on their books that would be considered good enough for the first team and in a 25-man Premier League squad that would certainly be sufficient.
Premier League teams in the last decade have started to use full backs in an ever more advanced level. The likes of Ashley Cole, Gareth Bale, Leighton Baines and the Da Silva brothers at Manchester United have rewritten what it means to be a modern full back.
Pacey and adventurous they are a crucial part of Premier League attacks – to the extent that Bale is now used as a midfielder.
Norwich’s success at getting out of the Championship last season was noticeable for the impact of their full backs. Russell Martin popped up with five goals and carried City forward down the right. When Marc Tierney signed at the turn of the year he did the same down the left.
Both are sure to go into the season as first choice full backs and cover for Tierney would naturally come from Adam Drury, City’s most experienced player now in his tenth year at the club.
Norwich’s two friendlies over the last four days have seen impressive performances from right back George Francomb, pictured, and left-sided player Josh Dawkin so the cover extends further down too.
Dawkin, who scored twice against Wroxham on Tuesday is a midfielder, but his rampaging combative qualities could equally be at home as a modern Premier League full back.
With two full backs on either side plus possibly Dawkin, that leaves four centre halves.
Elliott Ward and Leon Barnett looked good in the centre of defence until Leon popped his hamstring against Reading and Zak Whitbread slotted effortlessly into the team. De Laet can play in the centre if needed, although he is usually employed as a right back.
I think he’d have to go some to oust Russell Martin from the starting line-up – remember it was De Laet who totally lost the flight of David Fox’s cross that Simeon Jackson nodded home at Portsmouth back in May.
Paul Lambert said at the start of the summer that there would be seven new players and speculation is rife that an experience top flight defender – Titus Bramble, Matthew Upson or James Tomkins – is that seventh signing.
If no defender comes, I think City aren’t too far short of what they need in terms of numbers at the back. Back in 2004 Gary Doherty wasn’t signed until August 20, so that’s still a month of where we are today.
With six weeks to go until the transfer deadline window shuts, Lambert will probably wait and see how the defence handles the games against Wigan and Stoke before shoring up the defence in time for the Chelsea game if needed.