Saint Charlie

Still think someone like Richard Dunne might do a job for rest of this season - but doubt Villa would lose him to a rival.

Good player but we have enough strikers. He would want to be a starter every week too - would rather see JR and EM get a fair go.

Fair enough- from his interviews it didn't sound like he was angling for a move but if he told you that then its probably right!

Speculation. Nothing more. From what VMAn said it seems worse than that anyway.

Pretty obvious to anyone from Sunderland that he isn't playing against them. IMO Saints just make more of a big deal about it by saying nothing, and make it seem more of a blow by being secretive. Its not the clubs fault he got injured, just say he is injured and how long roughly it will be. Otherwise fast forward to the press conf next Thursday and that all NA will be asked about, hardly a positive way to go into a big fixture vs Sunderland.

Sure does, great to see.

I meant from the games we have lost. You could argue we could have got something vs Liverpool but its not a "nice" away game IMO and I expected to lose. We have had nice home fixtures and have done well this recent run...the flip side of that is you get tough aways which is what we have had. We won the crucial game at QPR and will need to do well in the games we have a realistic chance of winning, ie away at Villa, Wigan, Reading, Sunderland etc - and we don't know how we will do in those games. In addition, we are far more likely to get points at home to the likes of Arsenal, Everton, WBA, West Ham etc than away to them so no reason we can't win a couple of those.

Not necessarily no, we just need a good CB.

Indeed - just showing the facts, we would probably have expected to pick up the odd point away but realistically at the start of the season of those matches that we have lost, we would only have believed a win could have come vs WBA IMO (and they have a great home recrod this season). For us the key will be the away games vs the teams around us, and as we have done well at home, the draws become decent results against the teams around you.

Whilst our away record isn't good, our matches so far away from home have been as follows: Played: 7 Vs Top half Teams: 5 (City, Everton, Arsenal, WBA, Liverpool) Points - 0 Vs Bottom half Teams: 2 (WHU, QPR) Points - 3

Fair enough - thanks for the summary. Any CBs playing in the French league that might be suitable?

Never seen him play but because he would cost 7m or so I assume he is good. Plus he is African so quick and strong.

For me the following are worth pursuing: Matt Phillips David Perkins (tough tackling midfielder) Martin Petrov (if AL out for a while) Gary Alexander Jean Kana Biyik Marc Pugh (another option for AL replacement)

Sharp didn't seem to have split up with anyone judging by his twitter that constantly referenced his partner, the countless interviews they did together etc.

Guthrie refused to travel for the game tonight. 'Head not right' according to McD. They are a shambles.

The Columbian Paul Wotton.

Pearce is out of contract in the summer and refusing to sign a new one. Fans want him starting but he isnt being picked apparantly because of the contract situation. Meanwhile after BMD said he wants Prem experience in Jan the owner is picking players in Russia!

Reading squad is dire tonight.

Yeah didnt know that. From this game I would say we have better players than Valencienne. By a distance.

Watching the game, 75mins gone and an Ibra hattrick means PSG are 3-0 up. Im a positive person but in this game Sanchez has shown nothing to suggest he is worth signing. He hasnt really sat in front of the back four and hasnt got forward, he has been bypassed really. Seems average on the ball. PSG are too good for Valencienne all over the pitch however.

And they have City boxing day I think.

Not controversial SG. A Sunderland win would be the worst result.

1. Draw 2. Reading 3. Sunderland Draw priority, if either has to win then Reading because they are poor and IMO will be down. Sunderland win is bad news - they have better players that are under performing and if they win could go on a run, including the game at SMS - keep them down there in poor form as long as we can.

Never a blessing in disguise for a player like AL to be out injured. Sounds like we have targetted CB as the (rightly) area to strengthen.

Fair enough, thanks for the info. He must be gutted.