The Prophet

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.

Too many are looking at this with black and white tinted specks on, career wise it's an absolute no brianer.

He doesn't have the engine or fitness to play on the wing, this is something he needs to address. Given the options we currently have though he's by far our best midfielder in the centre, he can still make a yard for himself and pass a football more than five yards, something other more experienced heads fail to do time and time again in the middle.

I don't understand why people get so wrapped up in these transfers. I'd of liked to see the lad in a black and white shirt too but it was always a long shot with Premier League clubs in the running. We're still not the best prospect in the world, we struggled to attract players in the summer and matters off the pitch haven't really changed at all. We still have an owner who will flog at the first sign of someone meeting his asking price, no proper manager and rumours of players running the dressing room. Yeah Wigan aren't the ideal club but they've got a stable structure and as many of said he'll give himself a chance to show what he can do at the highest level, thus advertising himself to the big boys. Martinez also has Wigan playing much, much better football than ourselves, career wise its an absolute no brianer. Chances our even if our bid was accepted he'd turn as down but as far as the bid goes we don't know the circumstances surrounding it, it isn't as simple as FM. His agent may of told us it's a waste of time or that he's demanding silly wages, Ashley may have his eye on cheaper alternatives, the list goes on but I'm afraid it isn't just as simple as sticking a bid in. The window has gone OK so far but we need a striker and in an ideal world an attacking midfielder, Hughton has said as much about the former. I'm unsure why people pour themselves over these potential transfers before they're even done, this was always going to be a long shot. As far as I'm concerned if we get striker with a bit of pace who knows where the goal is I'll be happy even if it's on loan until the summer. Yeah Moses would of been fantastic but people were getting far too excited when a deal was some way off, we need to to realise we're still not the most attractive option out there and a majority of Prmeier League clubs are going to be a more attractive alternative.

Will probably be dumped out wide at the expense of Routledge.

If you paired Guthrie in the middle with an energetic box-to-box player I think he'd be canny.

Do explain...

In fairness as well as Colo has done this season he still struggles against any kind of strength. He needs to hit the gym.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3198/2325920887_b206236832.jpg It's over guys.

The game didn't change specifically because of Ranger, more a change in tactics. As soon as we went two up top with natural width we looked much better. I think if we had a midfield which would provide service Carroll would get more goals than Ranger. Both are average but at least Carroll gets himself into goal scoring positions. Ranger tends to drift out wide and dither on the edge of the box, he also seems reluctant to shoot at times. Both have time to improve but both look like they'll be nothing more than distictly average players.

Had more to do with going 4-4-2 with two genuine wide men.