hypochondriac

We'd be better off looking at someone at a top club we can loan with an option at the end of the season. Big bonus if we stay up.

So at a guess it's this winger and another midfielder. Is anyone else likely at this stage? Doesn't seem like we're getting another defender.

Even a Gabbiadini type would do.

Is this Jackson fella any good? Hell of a lot of cash on someone who doesn't score. Doesn't really solve our issue.

No we don't, we play a mixture of systems and we chop and change formations multiple times a game. If anything it's the opposite of back to basics and much too complex for a limited group of players. One thing that everyone at Newcastle said when Howe came in and caused a big upturn in form is that he kept it simple and everyone knew exactly what their jobs were at all times. I'm not sure you can say the same for our players at the moment.

Yes and I think that's probably partially the managers fault and partially the players. I do wonder if it would have been better to play back to basics horrid football for the rest of this season and then play around with systems and fluid ways of playing next year when we can afford a few mistakes as players learn the system. Drastically changing things multiple times in a game is just not going to do well when you're low on confidence and lacking wins and performances.

Thanks I understand. I actually agree, I don't really care about how we do subs and plenty of people moaned about Ralph not changing things when it wasn't working so I don't mind it. I do think it would help if players had a clear idea of what was required of them though. The impression I get now is that Jones wants to be fluid but all it does is mean we are a jack of all trades and master of none where we don't really do any system particularly brilliantly. His game management needs work.

Limited windows? Could you explain?

Exactly. The attitude from some appears to be "well its difficult to get good players so you can't really blame the club." I think Semmens got exactly what he was hoping for at the fans forum with coments like that. We are just lucky to be in the Premier league that we are much too small for anyway so if we don't get players in its just too difficult to try to compete. Signing good players that are an improvement on what we had is their entire Jon and they are paid handsomely to do it. If they don't do it successfully then the fans have every right to complain, particularly if some positions aren't addressed at all for an extended period.

Firstly it's not like another club is going to listen to what he says and not know that we are very clearly in desperate need of a striker. Secondly even if that is the case, it's along the same lines to what Ralph was saying in the summer towards the end of the window whereas he said we would be getting someone in prior to that. On balance, it's less likely to be some clever tactic trying to secure a signing and more about not getting in a top striker. You're standards are incredibly low if you think Adams is good enough. If we had Ings leading the line instead would we have scored fewer goals or more?

Oh yes it's the fans fault for being completely unrealistic for expecting us to sign one good striker in the past year.

Something like: "we've got some great attackers here and we know that the January window is difficult but our priority is bringing in an attacker to help those who are already here. We would have liked someone in already but the board have assured me that they are doing everything they can to make this happen." Saying he's happy with what we have or that there's no one available who would improve us is absolutely ridiculous, particularly when Ings has just been sold to West Ham (assuming we didn't actually try hard to sign him as reported.) You can't seriously believe that he'd actually rather work with what he knows? Firstly he's only known them a few weeks and secondly he should know enough about them already to know that they aren't premier league level.

Jones keeps saying how much more solid we are and how much better. I'd be interested to know if the stats bear that out. I'm sure we've shown a little improvement in some areas, but I can't imagine we're better than our performance against Chelsea for example. We're still conceding every game and don't seem to be scoring more.

If only they'd come in earlier, we could have had at least another three more groundbreaking light shows and posted every season ticket holder a red and white jester hat. Opportunity missed.

That reads to me like it's off-field appointments which probably highlights where their priorities lie.

If the club are genuinely saying that it is not possible to get an improvement on Adams in this window then they shouldn't be running a football club. If we don't sign a striker and made no serious attempt to get Ings back then they're really just laughing in the face of the fans.

Quite simply, the fact we haven't already got in a centre forward is criminal. If we get to the end of the window and haven't signed one then we deserve relegation and I'll start believing conspiracy theories like the board are actively trying to get us relegated. Utter madness.

fuck off he did not say that? Incredible!

Why would they not? There's plenty on here saying the exact same thing.

He really doesn't help himself with some of his comments and his general demeanour. I'm not being snobby but he doesn't seem particularly bright which means it's difficult to give him the benefit of the doubt. The last few performances have raised my hopes but this was back to shite again so it is difficult to know what to think.

I think it depends on the manner of the relegation. If we go down on the last day after heroic performances then he will have earnt his right. If its like it is now then he should leave. He's pretty easy to dislike.

I'm resigned to it to be honest. The upturn in form means he has the season so no point in crying about it. The only hope is that some of our new signings are brilliant and somehow claw us to safety. Without a striker though we're going down for definite and there doesn't seem to be much desire from the club to get one.

Luckily Villa have had other centre forwards to share out the load. Unlike us.

You're not concerned about going forward? Are you insane?

Plenty of posters on here saying they are happy not sign a striker. After all, there's a chance you could spend money and it wouldn't work out. Ffs.