Gallowgate Toon

I don't think we're just French based, I think we regularly look at Belgium, Germany and Holland too. I just think Ligue 1 players really suit our current circumstances, in terms of price, ability, wages etc. I'd like us to start broadening it to Italy and Spain, as well as South America in the summer however.

Sounds like a good option at the price. It's a fantastic price for him. His off the ball runs are what we really need, while he can beat a man and is pretty solid on the ball, it's his movement that's his biggest asset. With Marveaux, Ben Arfa and Cabaye in the team, we should be able to give him a supply line and he'll create space for Cisse too.

He's quick, moves intelligently, is decent on the ball and a very handy finisher. He's not brilliant or anything but miles ahead of the rest of our options, bar Cisse of course. He is comparable to Remy in terms of his versatility, speed and movement, but isn't quite as good. He'll definitely nab a few goals, good record last year and looks to be on his way to at least equalling it this campaign.

He's a good, versatile player, with some great attributes and is in goal scoring form. He's miles ahead of Campbell.

If you feel one player's going to drag us through this (apart from HBA), after the way he played yesterday, it's him. He had an aggression and confidence about him that we've really been lacking for a while. Hopefully we play him in his best position from now on.

I still have no confidence in this. I can see Arsenal coming in for him and that's that if they do.

I honestly don't think the players are the problem. How many teams outside the top 8/9 have players as good as Cabaye, HBA, Marveaux, Krul, Cisse, Santon, Anita, Coloccini, Tiote and previously Ba. These are all good Premiership quality players. Some of them can play for the top 4 comfortably. IMO this is comfortably a mid-table team. I completely agree, I just don't think we're going to get the lift we need from management to survive, it's going to have to come from new players instead. We have the quality, but mentally, it's clear we're struggling.

I thought his role yesterday was fine, we just didn't see that many of defensive qualities as they weren't threatening until he switched positions.

I think we will pick up, strangely. I think if M'Biwa comes in, that will give the squad a huge lift and we'll see a bit more fight in the team too, some more leadership. If he keeps that midfield from yesterday, and we sign a wide forward, i think we'll win at Villa and kick on.

Me too. I'm scarred

What we played yesterday in terms of formation. Krul Debuchy Taylor Colo Santon Anita Cabaye Marveaux Ben Arfa Cisse Obertan Obviously I'd make tweaks depending on the circumstances, Tiote has a place in some matches but I think overall Anita is better in the position and more suitable for the majority of games. He's not as powerful, but is faster, more intelligent positionally and far better on the ball.

We weren't under much pressure at all. They'd had a snapshot which had ballooned into row Z and some free kicks but little else, and Marveaux had set up our best chance of the half with a good pass to Shola. There's no way Cabaye should have been finishing that game in any case, the man must watch a different game to me.

The Cabaye decision was understandable to me, as I never expected him to finish the game. It was the fact he a) took Marveaux off b) took a perfectly fit Marveaux off before the unfit Cabaye.

He's already explained his rationale for taking Marveaux off, we needed a 'tackle' as they were apparently 'bossing' it all second half. Even if it was for Le Fondre, he's no bloody good man, we're at home to Reading and already playing a defensive midfielder, if they were about to start going for it then that could have left more space for us to capitalise on. Which ever way you look at it, it was a cowardly, illogical and stupid decision.

There were just enough options yesterday for him to not start, but he gets played as a right winger. Even Ryan Taylor said he can't play full matches as well. Really poor management.

He's not going to convince anyone that he simply told the team to carry on doing what they were, at half time. No subs came out, which presumably means he was giving them all the spiel about how important the result was for us and as a consequence, we couldn't afford to concede in such a game, so we must keep tight. If he cared about scoring goals and being positive, he would have either taken Shola or Jonas off and put Marveaux in their spot. He couldn't even properly admit the Marveaux substitution was wrong, all he said was it 'might' have been the wrong decision.

As if Ba hadn't missed some great chances this year either. Moronic post.

Watching the game again, and they were definitely posing no threat at all before Marveux went off. An utterly shit and embarrassing decision.

This. Very poor for that first.

Depressing watching teams go for it, instead of being spineless c***s. Eurgh, that's irked me more than anything today

It's what we need, a bit of a bastard to get the team going. There are too many shirkers right now, good when things are rosy but hide when we're in the shit. You could see Cabaye's drive was infectious for other players.

Got to agree with that. He exuded confidence and seemed like he wanted to pull the team forward.

One of his other great assets is that he's a very good leader, he's the type of player you want in the position we're in, we don't have enough right now. Really hope we get this through, still nowhere confident though.

Too slow for the first.

I think the push for M'Biwa suggests he'll be off and we're preparing for life without him. If not now, definitely in the summer.