Gallowgate Toon

Interesting concept, although I'd be keen to keep him away from the midfield battle. I'd like to see Sissoko driving the team on with his ball-carrying and giving it to the likes of Ben Arfa and Marveaux in the final 3rd and they can apply the creative touch.

Cabaye Sissoko Marveaux Has its flaws but is our best option right now. Having Marveaux and Ben Arfa on the pitch at the same time would be really beneficial for Cisse and Gouffran (if we persist with 4-2-3-1).

That would include 95% of the strikers in the PL, Championship and League One. Kone's a really good player with a really good record at his last few clubs. We'd get 2 or 3 excellent seasons out of him. Pretty much agree with this.

I don't think I'm as far along as you in the process of being drained of all hope, ambition and expectation. West Ham signed Carroll, Norwich get Wolfswinkel, Southampton are apparently after Damiao, Swansea are after Bony, and we're looking at washed up s**** like Kone and Bent. We're in early July, it's not exactly panic stations yet and I'd hardly say Kone is washed up considering he's just had a pretty good season from an individual standpoint.

I can't see how anyone wouldn't be happy with Shola being pushed further down the pecking order. We'd have 3 decent strikers on the books at least and a different plan B for next year instead of seeing that useless tit stroll on after 60 minutes whenever he's available.

He'd be an excellent addition to the squad. We still need another striker with some strength to come in though.

Mapou's hardly a shrinking violet, kept Lukaku very quiet indeed at the Hawthorns, so quiet they had to shift him out wide.

No point in getting him in unless we bring in a winger or two. We need someone a little different, someone who can either partner Cisse or be brought on as a plan B.

The negativity on the football board in terms of transfer has swung far past logicality since the appointment of Kinnear. People are up in arms about stories that have nothing to do with us, rumours that have no foundations, the failure to acquire players they haven't heard or seen (and that the club hasn't shown interest in), and want to castrate themselves every time some team spends more then three or four million on a player. It is very annoying. Well said.

Of course we had a chance. Might have helped if we actually tried though. We really didn't. He knew that Dortmund were watching him at the back end of last year, and many others I'd imagine too. On top of that, he was pretty clear that he was after European football at this stage in his career. I imagine that we were a back-up in his head if nobody else that matched his criteria came forward by the back end of August.

Aubameyang would have waited anyway, there was no reason for him to come to us hastily and he was very clear that he wanted European football. No point in even pretending like we had a chance.

How odd, both the Perch and Vainquer situations.

That's where his best form has come for us, against Swansea, Stoke and Liverpool but I'm no longer sure whether he's a good long-term fit there. Those games were quite open in terms of space and that suited his game, but I think against higher level opposition and teams that park the bus, he'll struggle due to his lack of ability to create space and hold on to the ball. I'm really not sure how he can be best utilised here but I do think Marveaux and Ben Arfa should be ahead of him for that attacking midfielder role.

One of Remy or Aubameyang and a powerful striker is what we need. At least one winger as well.

Agree with Ronaldo, it's hard to see where he fits in here. He looked very good behind Cisse for a few games in 11/12 but it's probably not a long term solution and while he could play as a deep midfielder, I'm not sure we have the set up for it or that he can fulfil the defensive side. He doesn't have the physicality to be a box-to-box player either.

Gouffran scored 22 league goals in his last 18 months in France, Gignac's managed that in 3 seasons. Gouffran's a really underrated striker.

As has been said, he should be a back up central midfield player and nothing more. We desperately need a winger in.

Personally, I think 15 million's the right price for him and I wouldn't go any higher. They'll come back to us if they don't get a better offer.

Very controversial but i think he's more creative than Hatem, i have never seen Hatem pick out the passes that Marveaux seems to be able to do quite regularly. Shame Pardew doesn't seem to start him very often. Edit: Ron's beat me to it They're both contenders for pass of the season, HBA against Norwich and Marveaux against Arsenal. Ben Arfa's certainly got the ability to pull them off but prefers to use his other, flashier talents In all seriousness, we'll probably never see the full extent of his range consistently until he loses his acceleration and matures a little more.

I wouldn't say Marveaux's actually a better passer of the ball, they both have excellent vision and technique and are pretty even in that regard. Marv's more patient though and picks his opportunities better, that's probably because he's simply less selfish. HBA has more to his game and offers a greater variety of creativity however and for that reason, he just edges it for me. They're both very good at making openings though, it's goals where Hatem's got a better record.

Marveaux out and Belhanda in... I can dream That's not to say I don't rave Marveaux highly mind, I think he's an extremely underrated attacking player and is very talented.

Pilkington's canny enough, not a starter but as back up. Far more productive than the likes of Jonas.

Belhanda ahead of Sissoko and Cabaye would be fantastic. Marveaux to stand in etc. Can't see PEA happening, he wants European football and will wait till the end of the window for something viable to come around.

Going to be really interesting to see what happens with them this year with the Lewandowski saga looking likely to continue until his contract's up. Really hope they get De Bruyne and Eriksen in, I think those two will fit in seamlessly alongside Reus.

Klopp's teams do play fantastic football (the most entertaining top level side on the planet IMO) but his methods are more tactical and considered than Keegan's were in his first stint here and that's probably the main reason why he's won a fair bit already.