James

God that was depressing - felt like the most important game of the season when we threw everyone on at the end. We weren't great but those saying Brizzle should have won 3-0 need their eyes checking - for all their huff and puff I thought they created relatively little. We should have won the game regardless of the fact we were well below par. First off - I hate doing this but the ref was absolutely dire - he must have had a personal vendetta against Lambert - their no.6 was all over him all the time and he missed a clear as day pull back in the box at 0-1. A crying shame to lose the record to such a dirty team who played with a lot of gamesmanship - don't like to see it but their throw ins/goal kicks/free kicks etc just took an age. The ref really didn't want the game to flow and that didn't help us at all. What is worrying is the fact that the squad is paper thin at the moment - the first team are out on their feat visibly and we don't have the right men to come in and replace them. The December form proves this: Blackpool (h) - Davis out and we lose two points because of a gaff from Bart, Donny (a) - we are without Lambo and fail to score The run seems to tie in with the loss of Chaplow who provides a directness and robustness that the midfield currently lacks and De Ridder cannot provide. It was easy to see why Steeeve isn't first choice - he rinsed their left back a number of times but his crossing was (for the most part) atrocious. Reinforcements are needed and quickly - heard NA say the deals wouldn't be complete until the end of the month, I wonder whether we can wait that long? Hope that we can kick on into 2012 but I am worried that the team have run out of steam a bit - its going to be a struggle to stay in the top two and this result will only boost the Hammers and Boro.

No announcement regarding one - and its hardly lashing it down now. It'll be on no problem

Was just thinking it might be a good thing if the Hammers get the likes of Whittingham as it will only weaken the teams below us i.e Cardiff. If they could take someone off Boro like Robson that would also be good. As others have said, its about being in the top 2 not necessarily Champions. The ideal situation would be that the Hammers weaken the chasing pack by unsettling/signing their star men - then these new signings fail to gel in their team and they fall away too - we can dream eh?

I agree. Very strange, these sorts of players aren't going to come cheap either. Considering what they spent in the Summer and now with their rumoured targets it really is boom or bust for the Hammers. Maybe they make them public to appease the fans even though they know its unlikely they will be successful in getting them. I seem to remember a couple of seasons ago they were in relegation trouble under Zola so released a story about bidding for Graham Dorrans presumably to calm the fans down even though they failed to sign him.

They've now bid for Peter Whittingham as well - http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/16362916.stm

They would have done I reckon - they are desperate for any sort of cash coming their way - if I recall the manager as much as admitted that on the radio after one of their games.

Not that I doubt your logic, but makes you wonder why we didn't sign him on loan when it was rumoured. He would have helped us to a few more points in our sticky December I reckon.

I wouldn't be surprised if this were the case. He fits the current ideal of signing young players who can progress with the squad.

Exactly.

Dickson and Forte would be my guess. Don't think we need to rid ourselves of many more (I have excluded Forecast on the assumption nobody will want him)

I thought this was common knowledge? No need for a thread about it almost a week after we first found out.

I think they'd cope well with the majority but perhaps not the top teams (but then everyone struggles against them)

Would be funny if they got him and they didn't go up - they would be in real trouble financially. Seriously, once they are all fit how are they going to keep Rhodes, Piquionne, Cole, Carew, Baldock and Sears happy at the same time. I'd like to see us go for him but at 4m its a big risk for someone unproven at this level. He might flop if WHU get him, who knows?

Beckford reportedly has a terrible attitude. For this reason I don't want him. He has played in the Prem but my Everton supporting mate said he was the laziest player he'd ever seen who was most definitely NOT good enough for the Premiership. He's hardly doing it in the Championship either, Leicester might not have as good a midfield as us but its still better than the majority in the Championship. Even David Nugent is scoring a few goals for the Foxes and he really is ****e. Would rather have Sharp, someone who has proved his worth in the Championship this season even in a team which isn't really very good. He hasn't had the chance to prove himself in the Prem either. Can't see why anyone would want Beckford over Sharp - although it would take the heat of Guly (if you think he's lazy just wait until you see Beckford)

Beckford reportedly has a terrible attitude. For this reason I don't want him. He has played in the Prem but my Everton supporting mate said he was the laziest player he'd ever seen who was most definitely NOT good enough for the Premiership. He's hardly doing it in the Championship either, Leicester might not have as good a midfield as us but its still better than the majority in the Championship. Even David Nugent is scoring a few goals for the Foxes and he really is ****e. Would rather have Sharp, someone who has proved his worth in the Championship this season even in a team which isn't really very good. He hasn't had the chance to prove himself in the Prem either. Can't see why anyone would want Beckford over Sharp - although it would take the heat of Guly (if you think he's lazy just wait until you see Beckford)

Considering Cortese allegedly vetoed the Beattie deal, I cannot see this happening.

If this were to happen it would be absolutely incredible. A bid for him is mildly believable owing to the Swiss connection. However, even if we were in the Prem I'd still give us no chance of getting him. I reckon almost every team bar maybe Man City would take him.

Completely agree, which is why (although they are necessary) we need to be careful to recruit the right sort of players not just recruit them for the sake of it in Jan.

That was brilliant - showed how much it meant to get back to winning ways. I love the team spirit this squad is showing.

Lukaku would be fantastic - I don't think we'd get him though. If it were possible I'd like to see Kenwyne back as well - despite the negative comments on here I thought he was brilliant in our playoff season.

I agree with the above comments - Ramage and Parr were dreadful. As for Guly, he scored two today but didn't do much else and I for one (like many around me) were expecting Connolly to replace him moments before he scored number two. At his best, he's one of our best, sadly he is very inconsistent. The fact is, if he was brilliant like he can be every week he'd be playing for a top six prem club and not for one in the Championship. We wouldn't be where we are without him and I want him to continue in the side (although maybe on the right of midfield should we sign a new front man).

Would love to see us sign Sharp - I think he is exactly what we need. If we pushed Guly wide right and then had Lambo and Sharp up top we'd be pretty formidable I think. Sharp is a great finisher and would put away some of the chances Guly has fluffed over the past few weeks. He would also hopefully be a damn sight more reliable in away games. Of the names mentioned I think Sharp is the most likely, but knowing the new Saints way - we'll end up with some Italian we haven't heard of who will still turn out to be good even though everyone on here will get through the roof when he signs.

Thought we were ok today, was a fairly routine win in the end. We weren't back to our best by any stretch though. We played well in the first half but invited them onto us way too much in the second. Thought Morgan was excellent as was Cork, Lambert had an off day but they marshalled him very well. De Ridder was good but his crossing must improve - ok he put a decent ball in for the first goal but all too many times he got to the byeline and then put in a terrible cross.

Yep it was Cardiff.

A good player, but no club in their right mind would pay that amount for him. I'd prefer Sharp anyway and that's who I think we'll get.