shurlock

Still rate Rodriguez higher than Sharp and Maynard. Not as clinical in the box as Sharp or as pacy as Maynard; but more dominant in the air and got the best touch and brain of the three. LJ is quite similar to Rodriguez in that he's decent in the air but hasn't got the same skill or all-round game. As such, I can't see the two being brought in together. Its a nonsense idea that because a player turned us down once, their motivation is dodgy. Players have short memories and will do their best wherever they are, even if its just to put themselves in the shop window for the next move; and if you believe some the stories, the likes of Sharp and Rodriguez seem to have stayed put, at least temporarily, for nonfinancial reasons. If anything, as a result, I've got a bit more time for them. Can't see us gambling on a foreign striker right now given its such an important position and we have very little cover there. Whoever comes in will have to hit the ground running. January's also possibly the worst time to gamble because there isn't the luxury of preseason and time to bed players in etc. A winger is another matter - they're pathologically inconsistent whether they're British or foreign. Saying that, I wouldn't say no to someone like Chris Burke who's probably the most dependable wide man I've seen in the NPC. LJ, Vokes??? Maybe but there are limits to how far soppy-boll*cks sentimentality will get you...

A mr flash boll*cks, would undermine the team ethic that's painstakingly been built up blah blah blah.

Disagree- Beckford might offer us some pace and we'd be able to exploit the ball over the top but he doesn't have the touch or control to fit into our normal game which would rely on him playing with his back to goal. If anyone's unsuited to our game, its Beckford.

If you believe the evidence given to Leveson, phone-hacking STARTED at the Sun and was then transferred to the NOTW.

For such a supposed non-story, still love how posters swarm to these threads like flies to sh*t.

Watched Kill List the other night -a mix of social realism/hit man/horror films. It loses the plot at the end but for large parts the atmosphere and acting are top notch, really unsettling in places.

Not surprising but Sharp is Leicester's top target for the january window (source is a journo used to work for their media department) https://twitter.com/John__Percy

True and Lallana>Harding at Leicester was another but I wouldn't be surprised if we scored 2x or 3x more goals down the right than the left.

Agree but most of our crosses/assists have come from the right. Cant think of many down the left - plenty of room for improvement there.

Never a pen. Not even close to one. Watch it on all angles covered- it was smashed at Richardson and Richardson didnt have his arms out - he even tried to get his head down to it. Not to mention it was going well wide. If anything, Fonte's subsequent challenge was more risky.

Can see where you're coming from - I do think we've lost a bit of edge which could reflect a number of things: Guly doesn't provides the same movement upfront as Connolly who is excellent at pulling defenders out of position; Fox doesn't provide the same runs and width down the left as Harding which partly limits Lallana's threat; and our central midfielders seem happy to sit deeper than at the start of the season - Cork was so refreshing because he used to drive with the ball from the middle. And of course, whether now or before, we lack the kind of pace to break on teams, though that's a bigger problem away from home. No doubt, teams are coming to SMS for a point and are crowding the middle of the park - the P'boro game after the sending off was a massive lesson on the need to move the ball quickly from one side to the other. Its one reason why Schneiderlin who can genuinely able spread play albeit from deep will probably start most home games.

Yep-and Connolly up top until we bring in new additions. Despite his goals, I dont really rate Guly as a striker - his runs off the ball is pretty predictable and is better from a deeper position. While we have problems at RM, the left hand side is less balanced in some ways. While Richardson always provides width -regardless of who is at RM, Lallana and Fox dont gel in the same way. Lallana naturally cuts in a lot and we look less effective when the fullback isnt overlapping. Harding does that; Fox doesn't.

Or go back to the team that started the season so brightly -that team picked up more points than the one with Chaplow in.

I thought we were being linked with Chester from Hull?

Nah, we beat Exeter 3-1 in 2009/10.

A Next sale is more civilised than watching chinks tear lumps out of each other over some tatty handbag in Selfridges.

...cue the gay sway.

Without stating the obvious, Sharp and Maynard are different players and each has different strengths and trade-offs. Sharp gives you back-up for Lambert and the option to play alongside him; Maynard would work well with Lambert but couldn't play instead of him. Both are instinctive finishers but Sharp gives you strength and ability in the air while Maynard gives you pace in behind. We rely heavily on crosses -Richardson is our leading assist maker- and direct balls into the front man; but we've allowed teams, especially away from home to press us high up the pitch because we aren't the quickest team. Would a pacy winger -another position on our wish list- offset the need for pace up top? Can Lambert maintain his fitness and form for the rest of the season, making a back-up less urgent? In sum, do we reinforce our existing strengths or add great variety to our play? There are no easy answers - possibly we bring in two different strikers. If that's the case, it doesnt make sense to buy, say, both Sharp and LJ.

Give them £7-8m for Adomah, Fontaine and Maynard, wash our hands and leave the last minute deals to others.

Got a bit more time for him - was on twitter earlier on in the season congratulating Lallana on the team's and AL's performances.

Dont know if spouting off in the media is the best way to start - might be seen as trying to corner us.

Reckon Rhodes would cost more than JRod now - at least, £5-6m.

As I say, I couldn't care less if we go up as runners up -and that points target is much more realistic. Just as long as its not like 2009/10 or 2005/2006

Why stop at 5 seasons, though? What is the statistical significance of that year? Seems arbitrary to me and more of a case of bending the numbers to make point. I mean go further back in time and you'll see the champions from most seasons registering well over 90 points. If that's the goal -and frankly I dont give a flying f**k how we get out of the league- maybe we're going to have to win a few more games and go on a better run than the forum statto is trying to suggest. Either way, he should know better.

Clyne's been touted. If he's not available, would love to see Gunter from Forest come here. Think he could definitely do a job at RM as well as be a long-term solution at RB.