Chez

spot on. They looked assured and as I recall they played it out from the back so perhaps the lad is a proper player. I do not understand these `underwelmed' posts at all. Are they underwelmed because they don't know him, or underwelmed because they wanted the more well known, but not neccesarily better Ward? We've signed a young, tall centre back from a team in our own division who wanted to keep him. What more could you want? Why also, when we have more money than any other club in this divison, would we spend wedge on him if AP didn't think he was decent? It's not a desperation signing like Thomas or Perry. Personally I can't wait to see the lad winning headers and dominating strikers like a decent back should. One last thing, does anyone recall Lambert having much of a game against him. He didn't. I wonder why?

I assume Seaborne is the one other then or maybe we take his comment with a pinch of salt seeing as preseason he said one or two and signed a handful.

Excellent signing. 6'3" centre backs. Love 'em. Maybe at last we can look to get rid of Thomas and Perry.

was on his way to the sack before their fortunes turned and they have been on a decent little run recently coinciding with goals from Freddie Eastwood.

totally the judas' fault and boy did the director make sure the world knew it.

not sure I said we would, just said I thought we should be looking as there are plenty of very good players that coud improve us from our division and below.

is that a Blackadder Goes Forth style inclusion of Hull there?

I believe the club became debt free when they did the deal to buy it. But I don't think anything has been said about the financial workings of the club sinced then. I'm not saying anything is wrong, I'm just saying no one really knows and therefore there will always be a nagging feeling that we could be left exposed at some point especially if we are spending much more than we were earning.

Of those mention I'm happy with Forecast, Pattison, Morgan - goes without saying, and Lancashire. Forecast has done nothing wrong and I've not seen anything of him so won't judge him. If Davis gets injured who do you want on th ebench, and as a league 1 club who do you expect we could get that would be better? For me Pattison is a great prospect. He has strength, enough pace, work rate, decent enough touch and scores the odd goal. Lafferty, a very similar player went for a small fortune when he signed for Rangers. Lancashire has not shined, the main problem is being bullied by forwards in the CCC, but given time I think he has a chance to turn things round here. He is very classy on the ball, he just needs to toughen up.

people keep saying ML has paid for this and that out of his own pocket, but is there any firm evidence that this is the case other than to buy the club in the first place? I'm sure the same thing was said about Gaydamak only for the skates to find out he was actually lending the club the money for it to be repaid at a later date (when he got bored etc). Who's to say that ML is not doing the exact same thing?

perhaps he's come to see the the skates' on the off chance the transfer embargo is lifted before Feb 1st.

Tyson is principally a striker. They have played him wide left because, a) they don't have anyone else b) they have 6 strikers.

you could be right, but perhaps that says more for our scouting network, Pardew's ability to spot emerging talent, and maybe the pressure to get promotion now rather than build a side to go up next season if we don't make it this. That doesn't mean there is not real quality spread across this league and below. Spending big now is fine, but I have to say that there's going to be so many out of contract players in the summer and with cash available for signing om fees and wages we could clean up the best talent without the millions on transfer fees. We are showing a lack of patience (or a huge desire to push on) and therefore proven talent rather than potential seems to be the order of the day. In APs defence we have quite a lot of youngsters already so its mid career players we needed.

so long as its not David curb crawling Pleat and his David McGoldrick recommendations. He couldn't spot Messi in a Sunday League game.

absolute rubbish. There are quality players playing for poor sides and there are poor players in the quality sides.

my brother in law is a ST holder at Forest and he says "he's good, especially at League One level, but a massive confidence player and once he was out of the team at Forest he looked a bit average and we are trying to get rid of him"

I don't want us to come across as flash and Chelsea/Man City-like in our spending, but then again Fulham did the same thing many years ago and no looks at them that way now. Mind you their excessive spending left them in a hole when the funds dried up and they have done well to survive. I'm also slightly concerned that Pardew appears (and I realise I don't know what is happening behind the scenes) to be going for the big chequebook, buy from the division above approach in this window and has shown little in the way of scouting in league 2 or below. Unless of course there are no top talent available down there.

saint_steve suggests he an attacking midfielder. Who's right?

strange as I see both Morgan and Hammond as better pushing on than holding. Danns likes to attack as well so you just wonder where the more defensive midfielder is.

I notice Aberdeen players helped staff and local businesses to clear snow and ice at Pittodre. Any chance we'll see the Pompey first team helping out?

just out of interest, was the facebook conversation on Stock's wall or within the backroom section? I mean its hardly private if all friends can see it.

isn't James no. 23?

did the thread contravene the forum rules in any way? Is there any legal reason why it could nto be posted?

Absolutely spot on. The only thing I could add is that Pardew may ask him to deliver early rather than attempt to get to the byeline. Either way your reasons why are accurate.

when we played he 4-3-3- last season James didn't have one in front of him and boy was he exposed and he got burned a few times that lead directly to goals. Its always going to be tough as a full back if you don't have a midfielder tracking their runners. 2 v 1 on numerous occasions last season. Not nearly as bad this season as Waigo has tracked back ever so well when we have played 4-3-3.