James Vaughan looked razor-sharp during a 45-minute cameo in Gleisdorf typified by two trademark penalty box finishes.
Norwich City boss Chris Hughton urges James Vaughan to build on brace
Paddy Davitt
Monday, July 23, 2012
8:51 AM
Chris Hughton has urged James Vaughan to build on his two-goal salvo in Norwich’s opening pre-season 3-2 friendly defeat to Hertha Berlin in Austria.
Vaughan’s first Premier League campaign at the club following his move from Everton was wrecked by a succession of injuries which started with a long term knee problem picked up on the tour of Germany 12 months ago.
The 24-year-old looked razor-sharp during a 45 minute cameo in Gleisdorf typified by two trademark penalty box finishes. Vaughan was joined on the pitch by Dani Ayala and Marc Tierney – two more team mates who finished last season on the sidelines – and Hughton believes these next few weeks are critical for the trio to try and make up for lost time.
Steve Morison (ankle) and David Fox (leg) were absentees from the club’s opening pre-season test, but Hughton expects both to be back in the fold within the next week as City step up their Premier League preparations ahead of a trip to Celtic tomorrow night.
He said: “We are okay (with injuries). At this moment we will look to take the same squad to Celtic on Tuesday. David Fox will not be available, I think, but we’re hoping that Steve will be. With David he felt something over the summer. It’s only a little problem, a slight thing, but it has set him back a touch and we’re hoping that he’ll train at some stage towards the end of next week. It’s always a blow when you have got a player who misses this stage of pre-season because it is a valuable time and you are always playing catch up. So that is a blow.
“On the flip side, James is looking quite sharp and we needed that in the second half period.
“He capitalised on the fact we had put out a side after the break who were fresher. He has had a difficult period recently with injury but pre-season is not just important for him but for everybody. For the lads who ended last season injured of course this is a key period for them but its about sustaining the fitness levels for every individual in the squad.”
Hughton is looking for more of the same when they head north of the border after losing an entertaining tussle with the Germans.
He said: “We need to take this on now for the Celtic game and approach that in the same vein. Of course it is disappointing to lose a game of football but I would rather lose them at this stage of the pre-season than later on.
“I think probably the advantage we had in the second half was that we put an 11 out there who had watched the first half and were a touch fresher than the opposition. They were brighter than us in that first half period when I think they scored two goals from three efforts. That was the difference in that little bit of sharpness and being clinical in front of goal. We had opportunities and we got back into the game, but overall it was probably a fair result.”
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10 comments
An Everton watcher once told me that Vaughan has all the makings of being a major handful; quick, tricky and physically combative with it. If only he could steer clear of injuries. Maybe it`s that "injured while still quite young" syndrome that Swiss Canary has referred to? A player like Holty, who is a "late developer" (no offence intended) seems to be far more robust, despite the battering he takes - and rarely responds to. ;-)
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Mad Brewer
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Fingers crossed they can keep him fit!!!
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Norfolk'n'good
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
I think the proof of the Vaughan pudding will be in the eating. An Evertonian mate warned me that this guy is easily injured when we signed him. Lets hope this is the season he stays injury free + it really will be like having a new player, cos he featured so little last term.
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Timbo
Monday, July 23, 2012
Agree with all the comments here. This is like having a new striker.
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Johnny Gavin Lives
Monday, July 23, 2012
Let's hope for an injury free season for both James Vaughan and Dani Ayala too.Both could be equivalent to 2 new signings.Fingers crossed here too.
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Peter Watson
Monday, July 23, 2012
The bonus of having James fit is that most of the premier league teams have not seen him play in a PL game and would not know how to handle him
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capital-canary
Monday, July 23, 2012
Hope he adds to it for the Celtic game if he does he could be, as IM says, be like a new signing. Be good see how Morison does if he gets a game.
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Singapore Canary
Monday, July 23, 2012
I'm keeping my fingers crossed he will be injury free and stay fit for this season. I think if he does that than it would be as good as a new signing.
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ImDrunky
Monday, July 23, 2012
could be a major asset if he stays fit. fingers crossed.
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goldeneadie
Monday, July 23, 2012
It`d be so good if James could cut it this season. Fingers crossed.
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Mad Brewer
Monday, July 23, 2012