The Kraken

You could argue that we can afford to take a risk. We already have a very good squad for this level. We're looking for 1 or 2 more players to add to that quality, so theoretically they're a lower risk signing, we're not looking to plug any obvious deficiency. 1 week to go in the window. We know the club want to bring in a CB and a CF. I'll only judge them at the end of the transfer window, of course, but passing on Gorkss while turning down Fontaine is a clear setback.

Sorry but I don't agree Seaborne is good enough for a promotion-seeking Championship side, which is clearly what we're striving to be. He's definitely a good squad player to have, but the gulf in class between him and Fonte is considerable, and that's the level of player we should surely be aiming for. Up front, there's no denying Connolly's quality, while Barnard is an unknown quantity at this level. I don't see any point bringing in someone who'll play second fiddle to those, we need to look to improve on what we have or sign someone who gives a completely different option to what we have. I think a Maynard-type player does both of those things.

Exactly this. No point in signing squad players, we have plenty of those. We only need to target players who would be first choice and are better than those we currently have.

So you think the best way for us to improve the side is to NOT get promoted? To NOT make use of the many, many extra millions that would be available to us from TV rights, prize money, extra gate money, corporate sales etc? Even if we got relegated we would be due however many tens of millions from the parachute payments, which in itself would fund a major squad overhaul. But no, much better to not get promoted.

In which case it would be nice to see if a late bid might change their stance.

It doesn't for me either. As I said, I'm convinced its the right way to go at all. However, it looks like it's either pay that amount or go without a top Championship striker (at least one that we're currently after). Which is why I wonder if its better to spend money we clearly have, rather than gambling and letting it just sit in the bank. I don't know what the correct answer is. Personally I'd prefer we go for Ebanks-Blake if we're talking that type of money, but you've outlined that situation quite well!!

I'll spell it out if you don't understand. You said "Failing that we will have to make do with what we have got and hope for luck to help us our, ie no injuries or suspensions". My point is that I believe we already have 3 centre backs who are much of a muchness in terms of quality; Seaborne, Martin and Jaidi. So the occasional injury or suspension or two to one of those three won't impact us massively, so I don't agree that we need to massively rely on luck, we have a good squad depth as it is. My view is that I would like to see us sign a player better than all of those three, to increase the quality in the side, yet still have a strength of depth in reserve. Hope that's clear enough for you.

First one from Solent sounds like they couldn't even test the ankle, which could mean he is fairly significantly injured right now.

QPR's prices for season tickets and match tickets were an utter joke in the first place. For match tickets they've also introduced a lower category of ticket; instead of the lowest prices being £35 - £50, they will now be from £25 - £50 for Category C games. Still sounds pretty pricey.

Are people not allowed to speculate on how good a particular signing might be? Or must all such conversation be limited until they've played a game for us? It's a weird world if that's true, especially on an internet football forum.

I don't disagree it's overpriced. But are we better off with the money in the bank and not getting a player like that right now, or getting a youngster in who needs to improve? The football market seems to move on at an exponential rate, Hernandez now would probably cost £15 - £20M.

The question is though; are we better off with £6M in the bank, or with Maynard on our books? Or Rodriguez, for that matter. If (and its a big if) spending that £6M buys us promotion, then it's £6M well spent. We are the Arsenal conundrum, on a smaller scale of course. We (arguably) have a couple of areas where we need to improve, at CB and CF. Do we spend little on a young player who'll improve over the years? Or spend big on a player who can come in and have an immediate impact? Tough one to call, but I'm almost at the stage where I think it's better to have the player than £6m of cash in the bank.

Not really; well, certainly not any more than last year. We have Fonte, Seaborne, and Martin currently available, with Jaidi to come back from injury. Hardly short of numbers. It's the quality issue I'm more worried about, I don't see Seaborne or Martin (yet) as a long term solution, and its a complete unknown whether Jaidi's legs are up to it.

I'm pretty sure I've seen 3 players arrive this summer. One of them arrived about a week or two ago.

Yes, I'm sure that's the reason.

Lallana is 23, is he still eligible? EDIT: Hmm, I see this has been covered!

Actually they aren't. BCFC aren't giving any reason as to why the transfer didn't go through, it's all very non-committal, they just say "he proposed move will not go through". Which I think we can safely assume means he failed the medical!

Yes, as funny as it sounds. Questioned it, in that he saw we already had 2 or 3 players at left back who could do a job, so we weren't weak in that department. But then clarified that Fox was a better player than all three, and therefore it was better to sign him that not. The two concepts aren't mutually exclusive. *smiley winky thing* To be fair, it only echos what most on here were saying at the time, that it wasn't the position we most needed to strngthen but, if its adds to the quality of the first team, why not?

JustMike has just PM'd me to say that the medical is still ongoing, so he's lying to one of us.

I've actually just got off the blower with a very good friend of mine who looks after player recruitment for Cardiff; he's said that he was a bit surprised to see that we went for Fox as we already had Harding and Dickson plus Mills, but he thinks that in Fox we've got a very good player who's better than all of them.

I agree about Waghorn and wouldn't be massively enthused if we went for him. I'm hopeful that's just agent-talk for now.

I think my point was that I don't think we are signing squad players. Guly played most of the back end of last season; he's a different player to de Ridder entirely, I think de Ridder is more of a direct replacement for AOC. So maybe a squad player, but with first team intentions firmly in mind while offering a completely different alternative to the current incumbent. Fox, I really can't see us lashing out nearly £2M on a squad player, I think he'll soon be the number one left back. And as I said, Fontaine I think is targetted as a starting centre-back with Fonte. You say we don't need more squad players and I agree; anyone we sign should be a first team player and that's exactly what I think we're looking to do.

In a way you're right, but you need to look at the players we've actually signed on an individual basis: Chaplow: originally went straight into the team, and bolstered what was a weak squad (we only had Hammond and Schneiderlin as viable CMs). Forte: Squad player at best and admittedly not inspiring. Cork: Excellent signing. de Ridder: Time will tell, looks like he's being given time to adapt to English football, and is being kept out by Guly who is one of the best performers of the season so far. Fox: Too early to tell but has Premier League and SPL experience, I expect him to be in ahead of Harding before long. Fontaine has 4 years of Championship experience, finishing 4th, 10th, 10th and 16th with City; he seems like a first choice signing to me.

Plenty of people saying he is their best defender; would you get any on here saying the same about Richardson or Fonte?! Lots seem disappointed they're losing him; others not so bothered. General consensus seems to be that he has takent but has stagnated a bit in the last season or two, possibly due to being played as one of various different centre-half pairings. They say he's quick, which is a leg-up on Gorkss. He's been a fixture in a side that has finished 4th, 10th, 10th and 16th in this league in the last 4 years. It's also rumoured that we've gone for him after turning down the opportunity to sign Gorkss, so if that's true we see him as a better option than someone who is nudging 30 and has signed for £1M for a significant rival of ours.

Last rites for Puncheon, Dickson and Holmes?