January

Sick and tired, you’ve been hanging on me
You make me sad with your eyes, you’re telling me lies
Don’t go, don’t go


Pilot’s finest, indeed perhaps their only hour: Number One in, unbelievably, January 1975, soundtracking our successful assault on a second League title under Dave Mackay.

But I digress. This is about the imminent window. Legend has it that January is A Bad Time To Do Business. Bargains are not to be had and the only players available are of the persona non grata variety at their respective clubs. Yet our need is desperate. We have a superstar about to enter the fray but surely we need more, much more.

Goalie: We have two mediocre keepers though Hamer has been decent recently. Cocu has said GK is “not a priority" at the moment. Hart and Begovic have however been loosely linked.
Full-back: Possibly Bogle to leave but incomings unlikely
Centre-half: Filip Benkovic at Leicester strongly rumoured on loan. Vidal’s choice Rob Dickie at Oxford also linked.
Midfield: Dowell likely to return to Everton. Few whispers of incomings but maybe a cheeky loan bid for van Ginkel?
Wide positions: Cocu has said he wants somebody for this position. Scott Sinclair and Jack Clarke both rumoured.
Striker: talk of Marriott to Hull. Sam Cosgrove from Aberdeen suggested as someone we have been looking at.

We have dozens who might be available for other clubs wishing to “strengthen". At present it seems that Rooney, a centre-half and a wide player are near-certainties with others depending on how many we can ship out.

Are three new players enough to halt the slide and with hope of several players returning from injury sooner or later? Are the priorities correct? What do we think of those rumoured and what other realistic targets might there be?