Lee W

Oh okay, so not three strikers per se then Konoplyanka could be one of those then, if we're still interested.

It's good to be back.

Oh aye - amazing value, but the rest of them put together cost more than the GDP of Ireland. Oxymoron-tastic

Agree that we need more attacking players, but no way will we sign three forwards. I think your 'minimum' is about right. Not sure about Tello, but I think Remy is Arsenal-bound.

Yeah, depends on the budget I suppose. I heard yesterday we are after Costa, although I can't believe that.

We don't need 3 more forwards. That's bonkers. In that department,, I'd have Borini back, sign Wickham and that would leave us with four - which is plenty.

I object to any club being able to financially muscle their way to success. However, at least City as a package are not as thoroughly distasteful as the Mancs and Chelsea. They have players who aren't derisible, nasty thugs, their manager seems to be quite decent and they have a tolerable set of fans. Fair play to them, they held their nerve in the two away games where they could easily drop points (and we did) so they deserve it. Having said that, and in very simplistic terms, I think if we had Vincent Kompany, we would be sitting here today as Champions.

Agreed. Hope he does, and that he stays.

This where BR is really going to earn his corn - tightening up the defence, whilst maintaining the attacking side of our game. Centre-half is the only area of the team that really concerns me. Unless Skrtel and Sakko can get their habit of diving in out of their system, I can't see them as our CB partnership next season. We spent nearly £20m on Sakho and Ilori last summer, so beyond Caulker I can't see us spending any more in this part of the team.

I'm not in any way comparing the two players but we signed a certain Peter Beardsley when he was 26, for £1.9m, which was a pretty big fee back then.

i.e. Arsenal paying £42m for Ozil or Spurs buying anyone. Which clearly isn't going to happen. I'd guess we could get Lallana and Caulker for around £25m.

From what I've seen of Lallana he would fit right in. Can play all across midfield or as a number 10, admittedly not the quickest, but we have so much pace in other areas it shouldn't be an issue. His goal against City was absolute class, and not many people make Kompany look inept (I think he beat him at least twice). A lot of cash and a big step up, but that's the gamble I guess with English players.

Goals 2 and 3 we conceded last night weren't a 'function' of how we attack they were just plain naive.

As if we need him to do that. To be honest he was getting on my wick last night. Sounded like a parrot.

With the quality of our defending we should bring him back as a player-coach.

In a strange kind of way I'm glad they're playing first. Massive pressure on them. If they lose it's ours.

I thought that was Roman's line

Me too, total pit. Like a posh Plough Lane.

Welcome on board.

Not seen enough of Caulker tbh. Wickham looks fairly mobile to me though, and I think last Sunday has taught us we need a plan B, plus we have no credible back-up for Sturridge and Suarez who will need resting at some point next season. Wickham's the sort we could play against "lesser" teams too.

There's no chance of us getting Hazard, even if we sold Suarez (which we won't). I reckon we'll get Lallana & Kono, a centre-back and left-back. All on the last day knowing Ayre. Wouldn't mind Conor Wickham as back-up/plan B to the SAS.

Sounds like a plan. Earl's an argumentative c***.

What are we talking about ? Trying to follow this thread is like watching Inception on acid.

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Oh aye - I see the method in the madness, but when that collateral damage is your best creative player it seems a bit self-defeating to do it in public. Does he not realise you can ostracise someone privately ?