Ivan Katalinic's 'tache

Just my opinion, but I don't think we should be taking Newcastle's well-used Butt...

I like him, I think he's a very talented player and I think he's just suffering from missing a key part of pre-season. He's also played left wing most of his career and, whilst he's reasonable on his right foot, AP is now asking him to do something very different by playing out on the right. Playing on the left is something the right-footed Lallana has done for quite a while and I think we need to cut Puncheon some slack, when he's only really played on the right wing for half a season. I think we all need to accept that different players, at different points of the season are going to be off form. Puncheon and Hammond, in particular, seem to have started that ball rolling. What we need to do as fans, if we want to be successful, is continue to get behind the team at all costs as it can only help longer term. By all means comment about players being off form in the pub after the game but during those 90 minutes lets get behind them 110%!

Found this quote, dated from Friday on Yahoo Italia / Eurosport. Google translate has done its best for us below the Italian text: This would appear to be a wee stumbling block although maybe one which has been resolved, if it was him at SMS today?

He wasn't frantically waving down a taxi, to go to the airport, after watching us fail to beat the mighty Leyton Orient, was he?

Piece on Sky Transfer Centre now saying Pitman set for Bristol City. Good scoop that SSW! You couldn't go and hang round AP's office to see who we might be signing, could you?!

Signed for them now. I bet they're delighted!

Not doubting the OP for a second but, if my boy becomes good enough to play for a club (hopefully Saints), I'll be saying that Spurs, Chelsea & Arsenal are all sniffing round too!!

Didn't stop us signing Delgado...

If every team ignored every player they thought was a "total arrogant p***k", no team would ever sign anyone!!

I know Vassell has been linked with Leeds in recent days but it still wouldn't surprise me to see him end up at SMS. His comments about joining a side where he would hope to show a tangible acvhievement at the end of his contract is definitely applicable to us. And, as n ex-England international, he would be a big signing for a League 1 side.

S****horpe forum reckons it's Oxford that have made the first move but Saints and S****horpe are also interested.

What about Tom Soares at Stoke? Won't get a game there so might be worth a punt?

The world's least successful football rumour-ologist, Rocket Swanie over on 606, has posted that we're after Liam Feeney of Bournemouth. One of his more believable rumours, to be fair, but primarily because he's saying he found it in one of today's press.

I suspect there's been pause in proceedings, quite rightly to mourn Markus' passing, plus to addeess all the legalities but, hopefully, at some point early this week, there will be some further news about what's happening to the ownership of the club and how business is to proceed "as normal". I also suspect MK Dons would be rather unhappy if, on the one hand, we ask them to postpone the fixture out of respect to Markus and then, prior to or in the immediate aftermath of, when the game was scheduled to take place, we go and announce a couple of signings... We can't play as we're in mourning but we can strengthen the squad wouldn't be the best way to make friends!

I'd go for Marcus Bent. Different type of striker in that he's more about pace and power (& ignoring that fact he probably wouldn't want to be here just as Rickie's back-up!) but still about 6ft 1, so should also have some physical presence in the air too. Would also give us the option to play him with Rickie, without leaving us with 2 identical strikers on the pitch, which would limit the way we can play.

How about Marcus Bent? He probably won't get much of a look in at Brum this year?

13 Aug 2010 09:38:26 Paul Wotton could be joining Palace on a 6 month loan deal from Southampton. Another snippet from that bastion of reliability Football Rumours. Sorry Hypo but as it could mean Wotton leaving, I couldn't resist!

Might also explain why Cortese was supposedly away for the last 3 weeks before the season kicked off...

Thank you for saving us when all seem lost. For this, you will always be remembered. RIP Markus, our heartfelt condolences go out to your family.

Perhaps we could take Campbell-Ryce off their hands, if they get Phillips? Bit of pace, bit of skill and can whip a decent ball in, IIRC.

RIP Markus; we'll all be forever grateful for the way you saved our club and for ensuring its continued existence. Heartfelt condolences to your family at this most difficult of times.

Sounds promising... Matt Phillips perhaps?

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11700_6274634,00.html These were AP's comments 2 weeks ago, saying he still wanted a couple more players. Then, I seem to recall him saying he hoped he'd have 1 or 2 more in before the season started but that it'd be close. Now he's being far more coy about transfers and not really discussing them at all. And there are not even any rumours flying around. It makes me concerned that it's less about player availability and more about spending on targets not being sanctioned.

But, to be fair, how do we sell: "would you like to come and be Rickie Lambert's back up" to the type of striker we'd ideally like to sign? Might be a decent enough stop-gap/emergency player until we get ourselves promoted?

But if that happens, Football Rumours will have got a rumour right! This must be stopped...