PAUL Lambert today spoke of his delight at bringing in a couple of new faces to Colney - and confirmed the new additions would have to battle for a place in the starting line-up like everyone else in a squad currently enjoying great form and team spirit.
The City boss completed the signing of Swindon winger Anthony McNamee late yesterday afternoon before the closure of the emergency loan window, which follows on from Wednesday's capture of right-back Russell Martin from Peterborough - both will be at Carrow Road until January 4.
Lambert confirmed he had been close to securing a hat-trick of loan signings but was unable to complete the third before the deadline: "We tried to get somebody else in but that couldn't happen. As I said before we needed a little bit of help and hopefully Russell and Anthony will come in and do something for us."
He added his squad had been lifted by the arrival of their new team-mates, who brought with them further healthy competition for starting places: "We saw it in training yesterday," he said. "With Russell joining training it raised the whole thing. I always think that if you bring somebody in to help it, you start to look over your shoulder and think no, that could be me. The way to rectify that is to make sure it's not you."
The Norwich Manager added it was important to bring in the right type of character: "It's ok bringing a footballer into a football club, but he's got to be the right type of lad and you won't get it right all the time, but hopefully the ones that have come in are," he said.
"I know Russell anyway, I know exactly what he's like after working with him for a couple of years. And with Anthony, you do background checks and all these sort of things and I've seen him play a few times and being a winger it's a difficult position he plays, so hopefully we've got them right."
On the qualities the 25-year-old winger will bring to Carrow Road, Lambert commented: "What he will give you is speed, he'll get people off their seats hopefully for the right reasons because of the way he plays the game. He won't do everything right every single time, but in his position he's got to make things happen. An offensive player you can forgive for trying to make things happen and maybe getting it wrong, but as long as they keep on going that's what I'm looking for."
With City unbeaten in seven games and having only lost once in 14 matches, Lambert was keen to praise his squad but added everyone had to earn their place in the team, including the new additions: "Anthony has got to earn the right to get into this side, as does Russell. This team at the minute is playing really, really well and the lads in the team are there on merit. It's up to people to break into it.
"You get in the team on merit, so even though I bring someone in it's not an automatic thing they'll get in the side."
For the second game in a row Lambert has no new injury concerns ahead of Saturday's FA Cup second round tie at Carlisle United.
Anthony McNamee is not available for the game having played for Swindon in the Cup already this season. However, Russell Martin will be available for selection tomorrow.
LAST TIME: Wes Hoolahan secures 1-0 victory at
Brunton Park back on October 10
This will be the second time City have made the 570-mile round-trip to Brunton Park this season, with the Canaries the 1-0 victors in the league fixture back in October courtesy of a Wes Hoolahan goal. But Lambert believes it will be a completely different game at 5.15pm tomorrow.
"It's a hard game, no doubt about it," he said. "There is no pressure on either team regarding league points so it's a totally different game from what was up there the other week. It will be tough, really, really tough but we'll go up there and try and win. We're playing well, so if we do what we've been doing of late we'll hopefully win the game."
He continued: "I don't think the pressure is what it is in the league, but the pressure is on us to win another game with the following we'll take up and the run we're on. But if we go the way we're going and we perform on the day, hopefully we'll get through."
The incentive for both sides will be the opportunity to draw one of the 'big boys' in the third round, when the Premier League and Championship sides enter the competition, bringing with them further income potential.
Lambert commented: "I think any Cup run you want to get as far as you can, and if we can get through this and do get a big one it would be brilliant for us, whether it's a Manchester United, Manchester City or Chelsea or Arsenal - anybody in the Premiership is a massive game for us.
"It would help the Club out that's for sure, that's the main thing. But for prestige and the lads putting themselves up against world-class players it would be great."
Tickets for the match at Brunton Park will be available on the day. The match is also being streamed live on TheFA.com with a 5.15pm kick-off.
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