PRL

Just thinking about the ages in the team now. Other than Harper, entire starting 11 under 30 and with the potential by the end of this season / start of next of being: Krul / Forster - 22 Perch - 25 Colo - 28 Williamson - 27 Enrique - 24 Routledge - 25 Barton - 28 Tiote - 24 Jonas - 27 Ben Arfa - 23 Carroll - 21 If we could add to that and keep them all for a couple of years there's a lot of potential in that team.

The odds on having all of Barton, Routledge, Jonas, Ben Arfa and Nolan fit and available at all times are pretty slim. I reckon sadly that most of the time the decision will be made for Hughton. It'll get a little more difficult when Guthrie and Gosling come into contention too.

"Sky Sports News are reporting that Eidur Gudjohnsen is flying from Monaco to Stoke for talks" I think I'd stay living in Monaco, personally.

O'Hara would be a bit of a pointless signing now anyway. Who would he replace in CM? We have Guthrie, Smith, Tiote and Barton battling for two 'traditional' CM places and then Nolan and Ben Arfa for the '2nd striker / link' role. Also got Gosling to come into that too when fit. Would rather any potential cash went elsewhere

Think the only player I would want who we could realistically get is Caicedo.

I see Hoffenheim have just spent a similar amount to Ben Arfa's rumoured permanent cost on Gylfi Sigurdsson of Reading. He looks a decent prospect but not exactly the same pedigree.

Aren't a few of those exempt under the rules?

I still think if Spurs manage to get a striker or two Keane will come on loan.

Yep, and in all seriousness, did anyone think 4-6 weeks ago the only positions we'd be worried about today were striker and left back? Carroll is obviously the biggest concern but we've done a fucking good job this window, hopefully get 1 or 2 more in come January too. I'm pretty chuffed with the business we've done.

Wonder how many of these were pens?

Discussing heskey with my villa housemate tonight... I couldn't actually dispute that he is worse than ameobi. Sholapur without goals My iPhone just changed shola to Sholapur... Odd

Discussing heskey with my villa housemate tonight... I couldn't actually dispute that he is worse than ameobi. Sholapur without goals

Maybe if Lerner decides to appoint some dinosaur like Ron Atkinson/David Pleat/Howard Kendall. No chairman is that stupid. I hear kinnear is looking...

Agreed. Would actually be very interested to hear his thoughts on what the fuck they are going to do. Early days but Ireland looked lost, didn't know whether he was supposed to be in front or behind Coker and petrov. They desperately need a striker and holding midfielder

Brummie has disappeared? Don't blame him

Beye

You think he earns less than Williamson? For all those saying 'look at what Colo earns' then there can be just as many saying 'look at what Mike earns'. Comparisons like this are silly either way.

Dunno, he was plenty livid with one of their players in the first half. Think he's called the game alright myself, been pretty complimentary about our kids too. Certainly a lot worse out there (waddle on Sunday)

Exactly, he's had over 6 years in the first team and the only thing he'd be remembered for if he was sold tomorrow is being that local lad who had potential. He's not even worth £30k. I’d remember the commitment he showed during our relegation season. If some of his highly paid colleagues had shown an ounce of his drive and determination we’d have stayed up. Taylor was absolutely abysmal in the first half of our relegation season. Yep, drive and determination counts for little when you aren't very good.

I'd say Marc Wilson would be available for a few million on far lower wages and has similar amounts, if not more, potential. I'm sure there are others too. I think Williamson looks like a steal and then the two at the back for Birmingham are great prospects (admittedly £5m and £3.5m but I'd wager a fraction of the wages). I think IF the £60k figure is correct (which seems to already have been denied) and we could get a couple of million for him, I'd rather cash in now. We have 3 CBs, 4 including Kadar who needs to be allowed to progress or he'll leave (someone again with good potential and at no cost whatsoever). Also, it's not just about who we can replace him with immediately, we cannot afford to be that short term any more. If Taylor gets £60k then what do we look to pay Enrique when contract renewal time arrives? He's younger and twice the player already, so is he going to get £80-100k. What about Williamson if he stays in form this season? What happens if we sign Taylor up on £60k a week and he plays awful / is injured for the next two years? Do we then have to pay everyone that as a stock wage as the crap / permacrocked players are getting it? The money ain't there any more.

Greedy cockney bastard...

Seriously, we are STILL down as Championship.

Aren't there a batch of CL qualifiers on tonight though? Would have thought that might make it more difficult

I watched Reading (Shola hat-trick) last year just off the Champs Elysee in an Irish bar that showed us and a Prem game at the same time. It's just down the road from another one, whose name I do recall, which also may show: The Bowler: An English-style pub with pub food and real ale off the Champs Elysees at 13 rue d'Artois (Arr 8). Metro: St Philippe du Roule. I'd just use google, type in 'irish pub paris / region you're in' then give them a call and check.