James

Given the choice between keeping a sulking VVD to the end of the season putting in potentially half arsed performances and signing Walcott and Vietto I know what I'd do. Sadly I can't see Arse selling Theo or us being able to make him an attractive enough offer.

Very impressed by those WBA signings and if Swansea manage to get Sanches that will, for me, be the signing of the window given their size and the profile of player. If anyone had suggested Saints should/could sign either Krychowiak or Sanches they'd have been laughed at and told to lower their expectations and to be happy with the profile of player we end up getting. Maybe we could aim our sights a little higher going forward?

We've made some good signings and kept our best players so it is a good window but, that said, attacking was and is our weakest area and we've not only failed to strengthen, we've actually left ourselves with even fewer options than we had at the end of last season. The fact we are rumoured to be in for an attacker must indicate that the board realise we need to strengthen so will be a bit of a failure if we don't manage to do a deal and that we've left it to the last day.

We are still light up top I think. A long term injury to Gabbi or Austin and we'd be struggling a bit.

The evidence is that the same things are going wrong on the pitch this season as they were last and he is the only overlap in the first team training set up. He is the primary first team coach as I read his title and so to suggest he has no influence clearly isn't right. He's been associated with some teams in serious decline so I think it's only natural to be wary of him but, as none of us are actually on the training pitch, it's all speculation of course.

Would probably improve if we started scoring every now and again. When players like Bertrand look like they couldn't give a toss it doesn't help.

If even half of the stuff written is true it shows what a complete bell end VVD is. Wonder what reception he will get if he ever plays for us again.

Would take either at the moment - especially Mirallas who would be great for us - but they will both be on huge wage packets.

His record at Alaves didn't suggest it'd be raining goals or that we'd be back to the Poch high press so I'm not sure why so many expected it would be much better. We've got the same players being trained by some of the same coaches (Black) so it's hardly surprising we've got the same issues. To be it just illustrates how good Poch was - he came in and turned what was effectively a Championship team into a team that caused the big sides headaches. Our football back then was miles ahead of what's being served up by our current players.

I don't normally agree with a lot of your comments but I think you're onto something re their being something wrong behind the scenes. Our morale seems absolutely awful and, although I have little sympathy for them given their pay packets, you could understand VVD and Bertrand thinking it hypocritical that they are being held to their contracts when other players were allowed to leave relatively easy. That said, they both made their beds when they signed recent new deals. I wonder whether we've used our "stepping stone" status to recruit players and are now paying a price for breaking some kind of inherent promise to certain players.

Tadic was excellent against Swansea but has gone downhill quickly. Have never really been a fan of Redmond since he's been here, has one or two games where he looks like a real player and follows it up with 5-10 absolute trash performances. He's lazy on the ball for me, far too casual and thinks he's much better than he is. Very concerned by our lack of goals - not sure we've got a way of fixing it to be honest as the players are simply not good enough and we won't make significant investment this week. Fortunately we look ok defensively so should grind out enough for mid table but to expect much more with the attack we've got is wishful thinking. Had hoped MP would inject something new but the players just don't look up to it and he clearly isn't one of those miracle worker managers. Early days still but the signs are not good at all. It sounds stupid but is it really doing the players any good to be training against a keeper like Stuart Taylor? Not exactly the same quality of keeper they face in a league game.

What a surprise we can't score. We've got some truly terrible attacking players.

But for a fortunate last minute penalty against West Ham, we've made a very slow start under MP. Failed to score against a woeful Swansea, blew a two goal lead at home to a poor West Ham side and have now lost two nil to a Championship side's reserves. Plenty to come from us I'm sure but we need to start scoring more goals and quickly. We've done great business so far on the players we've brought in so far but our big weakness last year was scoring goals. We haven't yet brought anyone in to freshen things up and have let the other alternative option we didn't have last season go out on loan. Need to buy an attacker asap or we are asking MP to perform a miracle on the ineffective attackers we do have.

I'd agree if it was an isolated incident but we've scored 1 goal from open play at home in the last 8/9 games. That is absolutely shocking whichever way you look at it.

So he can score from a corner?

Our inability to score other than from the penalty spot is very worrying indeed. Our attacking players are absolute sh*t on the whole (I basically mean everyone bar Gabbi). All well and good buying defensive midfielders and centre backs but we look so poor going forward still. Lot of work for MP to do.

Zero movement from Forster. What a surprise.

Gallagher offers us an option that none of our other forward players do - height - he is a genuine target man. We've got plenty of Long style pacy players that can't finish (Redmond etc). If I had to retain one of Long or Gallagher I'd be retaining Gallagher but I'm not in charge. I find it strange that we offered him a new deal with all the chat being that he was going to be staying to fight for his place and in less than two months he is being loaned again. Especially to a manager like Harry who has a horrible record for developing young players.

Long can't put the ball in the net regularly and, but for a purple patch under Koeman, has consistently failed to score regularly during his career. An injury to Gabbi and the inevitable injury to Austin and we will be in trouble. If Gallagher is loaned we need another forward.

They won't have been and I doubt he actually knows anything about the deal short of reading what's in the press. I could have written that blog post by summarising what the Times reported and then adding on "oh and they might need to carry on selling players to make an investment return." It's hardly an insightful observation is it?!

These warnings from the Chinese government on outbound investments aren't anything new. It's been going on for months. Doesn't really add anything specific as to the terms of our new partnership does it?

To be fair this article contains no facts at all to back up what it is saying. It might as well be a cut and paste from the Times article earlier in the week. It's a blog written by a Charlton fan - how would he have any ITK insight?

I'd rather it be Bertrand than Tadic if neither Austin or JWP are on. For me it's Austin first then JWP and then Bertrand.

He looked pretty pumped up today and a great reaction with the crowd when he scored. Didn't look a player that wanted to go. I also very much doubt he'd be playing if he was imminently about to be used as part of a transfer deal.

A lot of Hammers very upset about a Tadic tackle on Hernandez (he got booked I think). Anyone remember whether it was lucky not to be a red? I don't remember thinking we'd got away with one at the time. Some Hammers even claiming that the Arnatovic and Noble tackles were as a result of us winding them up with our prior tackles