James Kent: "The worst team on paper? It is one of those expressions that always comes up, but what does this on paper term mean? Well, it depends on what piece of paper is being looked at.
"Usually, it is simply a comparison player by player of each team. However, it is questionable if this is a fair comparison. Many sides are successful because they are proficient as a collective unit, not so much due to individual quality. Most top managers will say that the best individual players do not always make the best team.
"If we were to compare teams based on individual talent, would Norwich City come out at the bottom? I'm not so sure they would; do they have worse players than are at the disposal of Wolves, Wigan, and Blackburn?
"One piece of paper that certainly does not have Norwich City at the bottom is the Premier League table. In fact, that piece of paper lists the club as the 11th best team in the country.
"It is essential that supporters don't sell this magnificent club short and remember there is an awful lot to be optimistic about. Paul Lambert has to be one of the best young managers around right now, and there aren't many clubs that sell out their ground every home game as Norwich do.
There are also some remarkable qualities within this team they cannot easily be explained; things like spirit and the belief from the players that they belong at this level. The target for this season is survival, but the foundations are there to be a top Premier League outfit.
"The longer the team remains in the top-flight the richer they will become, and Paul Lambert is likely to spend the money wisely to ensure season by season progress. If that progress can occur and Paul Lambert remains as manager, then maybe people will write down on a piece of paper that the Canaries are one to watch, and not one for the drop."
Source: FOOTYMAD
