A rock at the back? We have a whole quarry

We badly need a Mata style playmaker in midfield to supply ammunition for our strikers and also a top quality front man to replace Lukaku when he go's back to Chelsea.

If we get those two together with McGeady then I will feel confident of success. Stones and Alcaraz have only had a game or two so far and I must reserve judgement until they have played together for longer. We seem to be in good shape so far but we still have a lot of games to play!!

Interviewer - "you've got to stop teaching Jelavic how to take penalties !"

JS "if I'd been teaching him, it would've gone in"

Stones and Alcaraz look assured on the ball good first touch and comfortable bringing it out from back this I feel is the type of centre-half our manager prefers. Special mention too Tim Howard who after finally having some competition in goal has really up'd his game this season.

P.S. Michael 350 - love that quote.

We definitely need to keep Baines. Its a squad game now and we need to increase ours not the opposite

I also think that Oviedo is getting better and better with each game, I am not sure that we can keep him and Baines happy. Would be great if we could but now Oviedo has had a run of games and played well then I cant see him settling for a place on the bench. So come the summer a tough choice for RM me thinks. I didnt think I would ever say this because I really really rate Leighton but given their respective ages if a huge bid came in for Leighton then I would let him go.

It would be a Wenger type sale, where the player is almost at the top of his value but in fact will diminish greatly in value from hereon. His sale and the Fella excess would find a serious striker.

We can only do this because of the incredible talent shown by Oviedo which has astounded me. Never thought we would be in a position to let Baines go... Saying that I don't see offers coming in. Man Utd fans would crack surely.

Oh and thank goodness Alcaraz is showing this form as I prey he moves above Distin in the pecking order... I still get the shivers with him around.

Future captain, I'm certain of that.

That makes the Alcaraz/Stones partnership all the more remarkable because we haven't really missed them (but it would be interesting to see if they would cope with ratboy or Negredo). But for the first time we have got quality in depth at the back, and given that we had the best defensive record in the last calendar year, who says we can't have a shot at the title.

Secondly, having a third CB as an option would obviate the need for Osman to play CM (DM) ever again, which is always a problem (I have no problem with Osman in the front three, especially to try and pick open a Stoke or West Ham ...).

i.e. Who would you rather see in the "center 4" when there's a player out in CM?

a) 3 of Stones/Jags/Alcaraz/Distin+ 1 of Barry/McCarthy
vs.
b) 2 of Stones/Jags/Alcaraz/Distin+ 1 Osman + 1 of Barry/McCarthy ?

It's a) every time for me ...

Finally, even though he's in great shape, if Distin has to play slightly less often I think it will lengthen his career. He will appreciate that and we will also benefit (as will the younger players).

It's all good :-)

There I've said it

Both of them ooze class which is clear every time they have possession, They are never in a hurry, look totally comfortable and hoofball is not even an option.

Long may it continue!

The thought of Aiden McGeady coming in fills me with despair - a rare feeling these days at EFC but I have said it before on this site, he could dribble the ball up his own arse and lose it.

Qpr was an all too easy job for me as they put up no fight at all.
It would be foolish to think that will be the case against Norwich.

I actually think we are in a downward spiral form wise in the league.

We should really have beaten Sunderland, and the Stoke game was not a great one either.

I fear a pattern has emerged so far this season, as we tend to do less well against teams that we should beat on paper.

Lukaku has to step it up or he will drag us down the table.
We need more goals in the league and I would try playing Jelavic in the game at Norwich.
Give them 45 minutes each.

Nick/Tim, absolutely right. What's the point of having a good academy if you're not going to use them? I look forward to seeing them play and become the future of our team!

Add to that his predilection for 'fannying about ' at the back and I considered him a disaster in waiting. But I was wrong. Although we had to put up with some stutters in the early matches – and Howard still is on a learning curve – I had failed to recognise and appreciate how skilled were the men at his disposal at Everton.

Indeed, so much more talented are they than the bunch Martinez had at Wigan that they have been able to absorb their manager's instructions without losing one iota of their previous effectiveness. Added to which the discovery that Alcaraz is a gem, Stones a star in the making and Oviedo far more than the scuffer Moyes considered him to be, it has seen us none the worse for the temporary loss of the defensive giants that are Jags and Distin.

Ask me to name the star of our ever-changing but so dependable back four and I'll give you Seamus Coleman. He positively glories in the freedom now afforded to him. Just don't tell that fella down the road, though!

We're well stocked in defence, Gibson coming back will be valuable for the central midfield – the two positions we need to really consider are a long-term central striker (which is sadly dependent on finishing in the CL or Bill pulling his finger out) and buying a 'luxury' player like Deulofeu. I've got faith in Martinez that he knows what he's doing – if Barkley can add a bit more creativity and a few assists, he'd be perfect.

But I don't see ANY reason to panic. We're a footballing side, teams and managers are worried about us – WHICH IS GREAT. I'd rather we were feared and teams park the bus rather than pat us on the head like an obedient dog and roll over and die.