DuncanRG

Connor Wickham has talent. His recent form doesn't prove anything but there might be something there. Maybe not our style. Either way I doubt we'll be in the market for a young, unproven Englishman up front. We've got our own boy we'd rather develop, and that's fair. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Well, how about Bale? Chamberlain has no reason to come back here really. He gets games when he's fit, plays incredibly well and plays in Europe and for England. The only downside is being a victim of Arsenal's horrendous fitness and physio methods which leave half their squad on the treatment table. The sooner people stop suggesting painfully average, run-about-a-bit players like Nathan Redmond the better. I haven't watched enough foreign football this year to spot any of our likely targets. In this league I'd like Holtby and Marshall, though the point made about ball control is a good one. He would have to be up to that. If we're ready to throw a huge wad of cash at somebody then Wilfried Bony would be terrific. Top class ability and incredibly versatile, but he'll probably stay at Swansea. We'd have to offer eye watering amounts to prise him away. Welbeck's an interesting idea, but I worry he'd think himself bigger than the team. If he can get his head down and keep his feet on the ground then I'd take him on ability for sure. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Spot on! Though Fellaini's not pushing anyone for a number 10 berth...

Treating everyone the same is equalism. Equality is different. The dream isn't making race invisible, it's acknowledging people's diversity and allowing everyone the same opportunities and privileges. I don't think Toure can complain about his own media reputation, in England at least. He might be talking about the global profile other top class players have though. He does have a point about African players more generally. Samuel Eto'o never quite got the recognition he deserved and I'm not sure Drogba did outside of England.

If there's one thing Villa don't do, it's hoofball. They play away-day counter-attacking football every week, which goes some way to explaining their miserable home form

Did any of you read the Guardian's cover piece on Pompey today? It was quite emotive. Obviously I'm no fan of the team but really feel for the people of the city at the moment, and the club's making a big difference there. Some 37,000 people being affected by their outreach. Well worth a read!

For a reporter, his negligence of the apostrophe is appalling.

It's hard to say. I expect plenty of Italian clubs rate him highly but I don't know about their finances. Could they afford to spend £10m+? Anyway, the club will take £7m and get him off the wage bill if that's all they can get. If they have enough interest to negotiate for more then they'll do that, but you imagine they'd have to use competition between clubs as leverage. Every club will assume we want to sell so we don't have much ground there.

I don't think our choices are limited to Connor Wickham or Dani Osvaldo

A bit lame, really. I'm pleased they got the result today because their survival will actually make quite a difference for the city.

City away two weeks ago, for one...

Considering there are only two 20-goal-a-season strikers in the league and both of them play for Liverpool, I think any team who finds one would push up the table!

Not a clue how this one will go, but it'll be a test.

Very watchable for a 0-0. Made the chances first half and should have scored at least one - Davis' chance was particularly good. Should have had a penalty but other than that we had nothing to offer second half. Shaw had no end product whatsoever and Clyne wasn't much better. Not sure Gallagher actually touched the ball in 25 minutes on the pitch. Lallana, Lambert, Fonte and Ward-Prowse all decent. Rest not up to much It's clear for all to see that we had enough pace with Lallana, Clyne and Shaw. It's the quality of movement and delivery that's lacking, and Rodriguez is one of our players that could always provide it!

Yeah I agree, though sugar daddy clubs can be beaten on occasion, as we might see with Liverpool this year. I only ask because Barry said Everton don't have a glass ceiling and backed it up with a few historic finishes above Man Utd, the last of which was probably not far off the year we came second. Circumstances change, and Everton are now limited like most clubs. Anything could happen, though. If teams like Liverpool continue to succeed with native youth over expensively assembled foreign squads, the rest will catch on. The rich clubs can and have poured more into their academies so could maintain their grip, but we could compete with them in a way we can't at the moment, when pure squad spending is the way to win. Money will continue to rule and we'll still have moneybags foreign teams but I think the game is starting to lean that way a little.

I put it down to our style and a sort of perfectionist mentality. When it's all going our way we're on fire, but a bit of trouble on the scoreline and things start to creak a bit.

Does this happen?

I take it these ceilings are permanent and immovable, then. Where was ours when we finished second?

Yes, you support the club at every game and you've got your rewards. That's right and proper. Your friends and family, who don't contribute anything, don't get anything in return. It's like me expecting a free sarnie from Asda because my mum shops there every week. It's really not that hard to grasp!

More than likely

That's if he goes!

We can also learn from Osvaldo in that regard - success in one league doesn't guarantee it in another.

Your friends and family have invested bugger all! You get your perks, they get them if they go to games.

What about another £60 the next year? And the year after?

I'd say that selection is bang-on, but Adam has done well to get in there ahead of Silva.