The Prophet

Would be a cracking signing.

What odds you offering? You think Chris has the metal to drop Smith or Nolan?

I'd put money on Barton not playing in the centre when he returns.

Yet I'd say it has still been a decent transfer window for us.

Ilan off to West Ham, tidy player.

Destined to play on the right wing.

We didn't get Moses and a creative midfielder, burn him at the stake.

Means nothing. They didn't know about any of our other transfers either, until they were happening. Although for the record we won't sign a creative midfielder. Last year was brilliant viewing, David Craig desperately trying to keep the crowd interested with lines such as 'I'm sensing that something will happen soon...' and 'The lights are still on behind me.' Clueless bastard.

This. Had two txts when i woke up off my mates who were buzzing by this signing. He can't be that bad. That makes about as much sense as slagging him off without seeing him play. I'm not syaing they are right, in fact that's exactly what i was saying so ignore that. However, it seems strange that people think he's so poor on here? It's because a) they don't know a lot about him b) he doesn't have the media hype surrounding him that Beckford and Moses do.

I'm confused, can someone please explain to me why Beckford would have been a better signing than Best?

This is a decent short term signing if you ask me, again though like a majority of our signings this January it remains to be seen if he can make the step up.

I'd hardly call Best a massive drop from Beckfoard in fairness.

I'd be bidding for Roberts.

Oh no, too many crates in a storage warehouse, now that's just not on.

Can see us bringing someone of the Leon Best ilk in.

A striker in on loan, Geremi out probably.

Well played. Cheers Jill. A fiver so £45, that'll do nicely.

31st January 2010: We're four points clear at the top of the table with a game in hand. Go back to August and would any of us in our wildest dreams expect us to be this position? We complain and whinge that we aren't playing very well but thus far hasn't this season exceeded all expectation? There's still a long way to go of course but although this season hasn't been entirely satisfactory it's damn sight better than I or most fans for that matter would of expected. Personally I was expecting play-offs absolute tops, of course that is still a possibility, but the mere fact we're competing at the top of the table is both surprising and satisfactory. On paper this is to be expected, but when you take into account the way some of the lads played last term; the man we currently have managing them; and of course the numpties running the place it is a massive achievement to be where we are right now. As I have said this season hasn't been entirely satisfactory, you can't help but feel had Hughton been brave enough to go 4-4-2 on the road we'd be even better off but an away record of won six, drawn six, and lost three is hardly poor. Then you go back to the beginning of the season. Would any of us expected any different from Hughton? We knew he was a pretty awful manager from his stint at the helm last season, allegedly allowing players to run the dressing room, playing players out of position and the implementation of the dreaded 4-5-1 formation. Yet despite this we're still at the top competing. We've kept a majority of the midfield that was a significant in our relegation, they still can't play football and frequently get passed off the park even at this level but we've still ground out results. We still haven't addressed this problem in the transfer market, yet we've still done some good business. How many of us would of expected a couple of loan signings let alone three permanent moves? But people are still whinging about us missing out on players we never really had a realistic chance of signing. I could go on but the fact is despite our joke of an owner, our inept manager and our crap midfield we're still top of the league. Taking these factors into account you could argue if anything we're punching above our weight. Of course this could all change in the weeks to come but what we've done thus far is pretty impressive. This season was never going to be pretty, next season could be a massacre without significant investment, but given some of the negativity around you'd miss the fact we're actually doing a hell of a lot better than most of us would have expected back in August.

Never let that get in the way of an oppertunity to slag off Ashley man.

I would, we had a 12 point lead once. 4 points is nowt. Plus if we're going to go about playing Cardiff in the same negative manner we took on 10-man Leicester than that game in hand isn't really worth owt. We'll set up 4-4-2 at home though, it's only on the road we go with the tiredsome 4-5-1.

Shola is a big pudding but he's still streets ahead of Ranger.

Shola and Lovenkrands.

Playing devils advocate here but would anyone care how we'd played thus far if you were told in August we'd be four points clear at the top of the league with a game in hand?

Yep, be involved in a nasty relegation battle at a club that likely have 4 months left in the Premiership and will then disapear without a trace. Or be involved in a promotion push where he can establish himself and continue to improve followed by a full season in the Premiership at a much bigger club, I agree its a no brainer. To quote part of my earlier post. It's hardly a certainty Wigan will go down either.