Hus

Unfortunately I have my doubts about being backed this month, I think the owners will review at the end of the season. Obviously I am hoping thats not the case but we do appear to be searching around for loan signings primarily.

Does it matter Mike Dean

I hope to be proved wrong, actually i hope its just post match blues but i expect were not going to be spending big this window. We seem to be mainly targetting to loan players and imo that could be due to a couple of reasons: 1. We are waiting for the right players to become available (and or have maybe already set up deals in principle for them...), hoping not overpay in this window and get them for a more reasonable price in the summer (long term strategy etc etc). 2. The owners are keeping a tighter reign on spending because of the "performance" of the team or recent signings and will assess in the summer. I would like to think its 1, but it wouldnt surprise me if it was 2. Like i said maybe its the post match blues but I wouldnt hold out for much.

Exactly, time and time again, we were absolutely horrific today and I agree he is not the only one that deserves the blame, but he has been consistantly s**** almost every time he has played and we are having to adjust the way we play to accomodate him. Gone is the movement, intelligent play and keeping it on the deck and in comes the hit it long and hope for the best, it wouldnt be so bad if he wasnt so f***ing useless in the air too. He actually offers nothing, its like playing with 10 men, actually its like gifting the opposition an extra defender...if he is not failing to control the ball then he is getting in the way of shots. He has a good left foot but nothing else, to call him a sunday league player is doing them a disservice.

What else can he say - maybe he is trying to protect his resale value

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Cheers mate - yep looks to to be the equivalent of the BBC gossip column. The David Texeira links seem to have more credence behind them but it could be just the usual rubbish, especially as they seem to stem from people making guesses based on what was said by Grobbelar. I think its looking more and more likely that we arent going to sign anyone of real note this window - our youth team ranks will get a few decent additions but no starting lineup quality players for the first team. Of course by saying that I am hoping its a case of reverse mockers and we sign a couple of world class players tomorrow!

I have heard his name mentioned a few times before - dont know much about him though tbh. Dutch press - reputable site or just re-hashing quotes from Grobellar and making a guess?

Just listened to the Didi one - what a legend I think this and the last podcast (24) have been the best, last weeks was great but this one was better. Plus the bit re Rafa - "he is a tactical genius" topped with a great article by Kristian Walsh - I miss Rafa!

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True - tis probably why he has perked up a little!

He does seem to be looking a bit more alive and involved in recent games

Cheers for that, agree sounds like a good player, sounds like he has a good attitude too.

He is another one for the future imo, no need to panic buy but we need to look at players who can make an immediate impact

They have bought some good players recently, Tiote and Cabaye have also done well

Allen link has made the Indy too My link

and offside

Cheers

Cool - did he share info re the kits, ie did he like them?

Liking that - quite like the ghoted liverbird on the yellow one

Who knows chap - we have been linked with some interesting targets, though one things for sure we need to a couple of players that will imrpove us as team and are on the same level as Suarez and Gerrard, someone like Defoe will be looking for his "last" big contract and would be a stop gap signing. January is a difficult market but maybe the owners need to accept that they may need to pay over the odds for a couple of players.

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Havent we learned our lesson with average english players? Defoe, i am going to file that in the same place as Bent - please god no

I agree the loss of Gerrard for half a season has cost us alot of points and I am sure if he was available he would have turned some of those draws into wins. TBH it wouldnt surprise me if the owners decided to reign in spending this January and make an assessment at the end of the season. We can see the merits of Adam (decent enough squad player) and Henderson (one for the "future") but Carroll and Downing have been two hugely expensive failures and unfortunately its not really much of a surprise. Towards the end of last season we were playing some great football, the movement, intelligence and link up play was amazing at times and we got away without having a real out and out striker because we created real opening and clear cut chances. This season that has not been the case, the majority of chances are not clear cut or simple tap ins and its part of the reason were not scoring. We also need to question that why when we needed to improve our squad we invested close to 16million on Henderson? He is clearly one for the future, surely we should have been signing players that could actually make a difference. I am not saying its his fault, but surely we had other priorities? Its also a tad strange that Maxi who has played very well this season (when called upon) appears to vanish from both the team and subs bench time and time again? Was he injured today, or is he too unabe to play a couple of games in quick succesion? He was part of the reason we were playing so well towards the end of last season, along with Mereiles. Then to top it off you have Downing, who despite being about as potent as a OAP who has lost his supply of viagra gets in the team week in week out? Anyways rant over