the saint in winchester

Like this bit ... The French publication report that the Premier League’s bottom-placed side have made a bid to their French counterparts. Dembélé is out of contract this summer. Lyon must cash in on him today or tomorrow in order to recoup a small part of the €22m they paid Celtic for him in 2018 or see him leave on a free. The former PSG youth product is no stranger to English football, having played for Fulham between 2014 and 2016. Dembélé is playing a peripheral role with Lyon this season. He played fourteen Ligue 1 games, most of them coming from the bench, and scored only two goals. In the last three Ligue 1 outings, he was an unused substitute. Dembélé was already close to an England return. He reportedly spoke with Frank Lampard with a transfer to Everton in his sights, but the sacking of the Toffees’ boss pulled the plug on the move. Out of contract in the summer, so available now an offer. €3M - yes, please. Now hope no-one comes in and gazumps us.

As I understand it, Daily Record have read Jones' comment about 'not wanting passengers hanging around' and have tagged Aribo with that brush, even planning a loan and expecting us to fund half his wages. However, this afternoon Jones has said he didn't mean Aribo and he would get more chances. Hopefully he will put in more intensity when he gets his chance. Yes, these 3. Up the offers for Sulemana and Hjulmand (especially) and we should get them. Antonio may prove more tricky as Moyes now saying he wants Antonio to stay and fight for his place. Antonio may need to rebel on TDD, then we could swoop.

Willy/Macca Bree U-21 U-21 Perraud Aribo AMN U-21 Orsic Walcott Morgan

That's the problem. We put in a low offer, which gets rejected. Rather than immediately up the offer, we just leave it on the table thinking they will take it on deadline day. In the meantime, another club come in, offer an acceptable price and get the deal done. We are not the only club out there. We must know what they want for him. Then come in just below that, offer it, see if it is accepted. If not, offer the asking price. Hope we stop trying to get a cut price deal. Instead, we need to get the players we want. January doesn't lend itself to bargains.

Lala, you were doing well ... until your penultimate paragraph. "Pulling out"? He saw he was about to be smashed by a juggernauting Pope (that conjures up an odd image :)) so rightly halted his run. Goalkeepers are an overprotected species at the best of times, but to protect a charging goalkeeper when going after a ball he has no right to be going after is ridiculous. Running without due care and attention. I called for a yellow or red card at the time, but as our players were more concerned with Djenepo's health, we weren't in the referee's face demanding a card. At the absolute minimum, it was a foul and a chance for our free-kick maestro to take on Pope.

Maybe, but as someone else also observed, he was scythed down in the process. So it should have been a penalty before any possible handball. Re Murphy, I don't advocate retribution, but I do tend to agree your sentiment. If we are well out of it by 85 minutes, a job for Lyanco. And do the gay little wave back to him as he lies there broken.

Agree the club shouldn't be held to ransom by a 17 yo, but let's see it from his perspective. The first team can't score goals, he CAN score them in abundance. Jones thinks allowing him to train with the first team is enough (quote : "he is in and around the first team" Response : he's not IN it, just around it). He sees players of his age coming in from Man City and getting first team games. If that were me, I would want to move on too. So Jones should look to find a solution that would work. Give these lads games in the FA Cup early rounds (if we can stay in it). There has to be progression for them.

I see no reason why he can't play vs Blackpool on Saturday. That's where we should be experimenting, not EPL. Give him and Tyler, Dom a run against Blackpool. If they aren't up to it, they will know it themselves and knuckle down. But imagine if they were to shine ... then maybe they go to next level.

Caballero KWP DCC Salisu Perraud Lavia Diallo JWP Alcaraz Orsic Mara

Aaah, seems I'm not alone in my criticism of Jones ignoring the new players.

SR, Please pause negotiations over incoming players, and tell Jones to play them or be fired. We are buying players better than we have already, yet the buffoon leaves them on the bench for 80 minutes. No point buying any more players until someone tells him they are eligible to play as soon as they join, not 6 weeks later!

This is why I think Antonio now in his central role would be ideal for us - knock downs as well as 'go yourself'.

Let me throw in another name - and then withdraw. Patrick Bamford Rarely gets a game at Leeds these days, and now Leeds have spent a shedload on a new import, he will get less time. CHDAJFU?

Annoying we have a game on the evening of Transfer Deadline Day. Hopefully we get deals done earlier in the day, or Rasmus stays home to gets bid in at the last minute.

First goal was critical. We had to take advantage of Everton's nerves and get that first goal by taking the game to them with the same intensity as Wednesday night. Instead we reverted to type and playing responding to Everton, rather than taking it to them. Disappointing. Hoping we go for it second half.

What about Djed Spence. Weren't we supposed to be expressing interest? Or was that just paper speculation? Guess Jones will press for the Luton man.

MadNate said in his pre-match conf for City that Stuart won't be coming on at all until his condition/injury is remedied. Said the club was wrong to have taken advantage of him.

Wow, DinamoFan, thanks for all you have written. Seriously, I would put 30M on the table tonight and sign those other 3 you just mentioned immediately, especially the keeper, he is world class. With Yoshida regularly in the stands of late, I'm dreaming of Yoshi bringing us 4 Japanese Samurai warriors, so with those 4 Croatian signings on top, we could have a side that may have the balls to escape relegation, after all. Do it.

Marcelo Bielsa please! Give them hard labour!

DCC should be playing, both on merit and to hopefully attract Orsic to the club! DCC : "I wouldn't come here, mate. I'm not getting a game, you probably won't either."

Thanks for (over)sharing.

Leeds may have lost against City but I noted the commentator remarking how supportive the Leeds fans were, right to the end. How about we all support our team and manager until the end of January, then see if that support helped or had no effect. I'm as frustrated as everyone, feel let down by players not performing to their capacity, have doubts about Jones, question whether it's worth spending money in January. The one thing we CAN do is to see if support helps.

Surely it's up to the coach to coach the players you have to their potential. We know most of them can do better, and Jones has to coach that, not moan "we didn't do the basics right". That's on you, Nate. We could go on a spending spree next month and bring in great players, but if Nathan and his coaching team can't coach, then it's a waste of money. A decision will need to be taken. We are heading for relegation, so should we spend and hope to avoid it, or just accept it and let Nathan learn in the Championship and then look for promotion. The Norwich approach.

I nominated Chris Wood in close season and reasoned the way you have. I can't see Newcastle letting him go, and what are his wage demands now? Ideal for us though. Yes, I'd probably take Rondon on a 6 month deal. Beggars can't be .. and all that. We can't afford Suarez ... or Ronaldo. Have to take who we can get.

Agree. Graeme, the people who had seen the pictures decided not all the ball has crossed the line. Get over it. It's not YOUR decision to take.