Shak

I'm quite interested to see Lua Lua in action. He's 20 before the end of the year, about time he started to contribute to the first team IYAM. Be nice if he could step up and look like a useful player, because we really need some cover for Jonas and Routledge on the flanks.

I'll be worried if we don't get someone in tbh. If Ben Arfa doesn't happen then someone like SWP would make a lot of sense. Can provide another option on the wing aside from Jonas and Routledge, and also play in a more advanced position if necessary. Ideally we'd get two players, one for each role, but getting one is essential or we'll struggle IMO.

Not that arsed, he's a decent player but I don't think he's got the brains to ever be much better than he is now. If we bring in someone with the money then I'd be happy to see the back of him.

Congrats on the bairn btw Chez, wasn't aware of that until just now.

Would be a new low if we couldn't afford Hughton's wage demands. Anyway, we'd be daft to give him a new contract yet in any case.

SWP would be a good addition. We need cover for the wings, and another option to play just off Carroll. In particular we need someone with a bit of pace. SWP would provide all of these things, and he strikes me as the kind of player who needs a manager that would put an arm around his shoulder and encourage him. Seems a player who has just been lost in the shuffle everywhere he's gone since he first went to Chelsea, think he'd do well for us.

Surprised people are losing interest in this one. You can pretty much guarantee we won't be signing an alternative that's anywhere near as exciting a talent as this guy, and as great as Sunday's result and performance was we still desperately need someone like this to be brought or it's going to be a very tough season. Reckon it'll be a deadline day signing if we do get him though, no real reason for Marseille to accept our offer before then.

http://i31.tinypic.com/24n2mpd.jpg

Eat that!! Carroll has been quality again, the guy is just a handful for anyone to deal with.

Smith really wanted that booking didn't he?

Smith had his blushes spared there. Raping them here like.

Fucking yeah!! We're the best team ever tbh.

Class. Brilliant play that, Carroll in particular.

Gotta agree with Teasy. Lovenkrands would be a significant improvement to the team, sad as it is to say. He's the only striker we have that provides any sort of movement or threat to get in behind the defense. If we start with Nolan playing off Carroll again I'd almost guarantee a loss.

The quick feet of Vieira, the defensive qualities of Lampard and the intimidating blackness of Iniesta.

Seems a bit of a Lampard/Iniesta/Vieira hybrid type from what I've seen of him.

Never seen him play but he's definitely better than Smith so would be a good addition. Our major needs are definitely further up the field though, hopefully there'll be other signings to come if this is true.

I just don't see how that's possible. Where will the goals come from? Carroll should be a good targetman and will cause problems, but if he hits double figures in the PL I'll be surprised. Lovenkrands has never been a great goalscorer. Shola might get a few but he's far too erratic to rely on for anything. Xisco won't feature, Best is shite, Ranger is a tit. In midfield, Routledge has scored 8 goals since leaving Crystal Palace 5 years ago. Jonas will be lucky to get a shot off at somepoint this year. Guthrie will probably score a goal or two from long range but he's not much of a threat to get beyond the frontmen. Barton looked like a guy with goals in him at City but since he's moved to Newcastle he's been poor in this regard. Smith is a disgrace. The only one is Nolan, but he offers nothing else to the team whatsoever and thus makes it less likely for the other players on the pitch to score while he's around. We need players, ideally a midfielder/winger type with a bit of flair and a strike partner for Carroll. The current squad would be lucky to score 30 Premiership goals this season, very hard to stay up doing that.

Oh we'll sign someone alright. The problem is that we'll end up signing someone shite because we're running out of time and nobody will be willing to sell us anyone that's actually any good for the shite money we're willing to pay.

Loangallon to kill Boro.

Barton had a poor game tbh but he's one of only two CM's at the club who do one very important thing. He actually goes looking for the ball from his teammates. Maybe he doesn't always make best use of it but we need more of that in our team if we're ever going to play anything other than horrible, agricultural football. Nolan thrives on that horrible football so he never goes looking for the ball, Smith to be fair to him knows that he's shite so he doesn't look for it either. Guthrie does it, but not enough for my liking sometimes. Need to start Barton and Guthrie in CM as soon as Guthrie's back.

This is hands down the worst thing anyone has ever posted on this foum.

Fair play to Hughton like, he's obviously charmed the living bejesus out of Ben Arfa. It'll be a real pisser if we miss out on this deal, getting him in would be such a boost.

What's the point of making it a sticky like? Is it solely to frighten people?

Perch is a utility man, I presume if Enrque were to get injured he'd play left back and Simpson or one of the Taylor's could play RB. We do need at least one really quality addition to the team if we're going to have a fighting chance of staying up this year though. Our team is pathetically toothless in attack, ideally we'd sign a Ben Arfa type and also a quality striker that could play right up top alongside Carroll. Getting one of those would be a relief at this point, until this board convinces me otherwise I've no reason to have faith they can do what's necessary.