14 Dec 2013 15:21:18
Hi ed,

Appreciate your input as its usually pretty sound, just wondered what your thoughts are on incomings and outgoings in January? Or u think they'll not be much business til the summer? And finally what's your honest opinion on what we've got just now, squad wise.

Much appreciated

Stuart nic

{Ed007's Note - I'll be surprised if there are any players brought in during January, it is always more difficult to deals than it is in the summer. I know NL has said he wants to buy players in January that will be ready to play in the CL qualifiers but I can only see that happening if the player is going to be out of contract in the summer and his club sells him to us for a nominal fee. Plus it tells you that the players he is looking at won't be at the World Cup.
I said on another thread if Ledley and Samaras haven't signed a new contract we should sell them in January and at least get some money in for them. Apart from that I think it will be a quiet window for us.
As for our squad, if we had signed a proven quality goal-scorer and someone to add a creative spark from the centre of MF we would have been a completely different prospect this season.
Personally I would also like to see another CB brought in to play alongside van Dijk with Ambrose as a back up CB. Next summer Izaguirre will be going into the last year of his contract so unless he signs an extension I'd sell him, so we could need a new LB or just promote Chalmers up to the first team. Mulgrew I would use as a back up CB/LB or as a CDM if we are using that tactic. I would let Boerrigter, Commons, McGeouch and Forrest fight it out for the wide positions.
With Brown, Kayal or Biton playing in the middle alongside a new CAM, Commons or Rogic we would be well covered right across the entire midfield.
I have said all season that I think Pukki and Stokes are too similar in style to play together so they would need to fight it out for the secondary striker role playing behind the quality goalscorer we are needing.
We should have players in the youth set-up ready to make the step up if they are needed.}

1.) 15 Dec 2013
Cheers ed, yeah I'm pretty much thinking the same can't see any decent investment the now and think we'll be lucky to have a year like last years in Europe for a good while

Stuart nic