TJVillan

Mertens as in Dries Mertens, the guy who broke Gary Cahill's jaw (put him out of the Euros) by cowardly pushing him into Joe Hart at full speed in a friendly? The same friendly he spent half the time rolling around on the floor acting like a petulant child? I'd rather have Heskey back.

I don't like loaning players only to hand them back. But this season is all about the 40 points. If Marko Marin was seriously available for loan, that's not an opportunity you can turn down considering we lack players who can run with the ball and create something in the final third. If there is a good option available to buy, then great, but if not surely we have to consider it.

Very impressed. Still some mistakes to be ironed out in his game. Guilty of giving the ball away in dangerous positions a couple of times each game. He's got a good cross on him but often doesn't get the ball into the box quick enough. But that goes for most of our squad at the moment. Give Lowton a couple of seasons in the top flight and he'll be a proper player.

Absolutely. City Southampton and Everton alone is -10. I don't see Dunne returning. He's 33, massive contract up in the summer and not known for being great on the ball. Clearly has injury problems. I would bring in someone in January to replace him, but would keep faith in Vlaar + Clark/Baker. The only way these players will ever develop is playing games. Clark is definitely improving, slowly but surely. He was excellent last night.

My new hero! Incredibly impressive considering he has stepped up 3 divisions. Just shows what Lambert is capable of. The guy's on 10k/week. More like that and we'll have the makings of a great team. He has arguably been our player of the month. He and Bannan made Arsenal and United midfield's look completely blunt for about 150 of 180 minutes (Cazorla, Arteta, Ramsey, Carrick, Scholes, Rooney - serious players). They were excellent against Sunderland as well. The only game they haven't had a grip on was Man City - where we were far too deep from start to finish. A big test now in the next few games. We play teams who are much taller/stronger than us (Reading, QPR, Stoke). Westwood and Bannan need to show they can take that out of the equation, get us on the front foot and control the game. If we ever get Gary Gardner fit and playing, there is real potential for a midfield three. But that's a big "if".

Considering how Stevens was viewed before the United game, I think he's done a great job. Good to get him experience and could be a useful back up. It's not like we're paying him a lot. As for Joe Bennett - he's looked awful so far. But he's not played many games, not been fully fit and still settling in. Not going to write him off yet but worried he could cost us points when he plays because on the ball and off it he looks a complete liability right now. Everything he does seems to have unnecessary risk in it. I would definitely make left back a priority in January.

I have faith in Lambert to get it right. The only new player I'd even vaguely heard of that he brought in over the summer was Vlaar - and even then a lot of people had written him off after a poor Euro 2012. So i'm sure whoever he brings in this time will be new to us, from lower leagues or abroad. The only thing I demand is that we bring in a left back. Bennett has looked massively out of his depth so far (hopefully just due to injury/fitness and settling in problems) and though Stevens played well against United...that's 1 game.

(Obligatory you can't judge any player by youtube disclaimer). Would like to see some evidence of him commanding his area. Being a good shot stopper comes as standard in the premier league. You have to be able to deal with balls into the box. Then again Guzan couldn't catch when he started. Now he's fantastic in the air. Maybe it's not crucial at the start, whereas natural reflexes, agility, height and bravery are. I don't know if this rumour is going anywhere. But having an ageing sub keeper on 50k/week makes no sense whatsoever. We need to switch Given for someone cheaper as soon as possible. And great to see Henke getting involved. He should have a massive part to play in building our squad for the future.

No. If we beat United, City, Arsenal and Reading he's obviously some sort of divine spirit. I'll build a shrine and everything

Not sure on how much there is to this rumour. But we were linked with this guy in the summer. The other player we were linked with was Wilfried Bony - he was the one who claimed we had a deal in place but Vitesse cancelled late on. Aubameyang is now 3rd top scorer in Ligue 1, Bony is top scorer in Eredivisie with 10. Maybe we should have got in there quicker!

I have to say...so far I have seen nothing to suggest Joe Bennett is a premier league footballer. In fact I'm struggling to see how he made it at Middlesborough. I hope this is just nerves and playing through injury during the first few games because he's been a massive liability every time he's played. The problem is Lichaj has looked poor recently as well. I haven't seen much of Stevens but from what I've heard he's not ready yet. If I was picking it would probably be between Lichaj and Baker for me. Left back must be number 1 priority in January.

If we win the next 4 games I'll start praying to Paul Lambert.

Westwood was really promising yesterday. If he's been playing well for the reserves and training well then he definitely deserves a run in the side. What impressed me about the central midfield yesterday was composure. We lost it between minutes 45-60, as we have done every single game for 2 years. But they would pass their way out of trouble, if nothing was on they would keep it without taking risks. Westwood and Bannan were both excellent defensively as well. You would expect them to be overpowered against a physical team like Sunderland but they weren't. It makes me optimistic for the future. Gardner struggled like everyone else under McLeish, but for Lambert I can see him becoming a big player too IF we can ever get him fit. 1 more experienced option who can break up play, plus El-Ahmadi, would give us a good set of midfield options and it would give us consistency in style too. These aren't players who will lump it under pressure. They are proper footballers.

This season is all about staying in the league, introducing a better style of football and bedding in inexperienced players. The team rebuild has only just begun. Along the line we have to pick up 40 points. Yesterday was an important 3. Optimism rising for me. There are some very weak links that need sorting out. Attacking midfield, holding midfield and left back are areas that desperately need addressing in January. But the team are learning as a unit. We aren't going to get any weaker from here. Lambert just has to find a way of picking up points until we can strengthen the squad in January.

He wanted to be a premier league number 1. When Lambert came in he made it clear that he would be an equal to Given, not an automatic number 2 and was very much in his plans. Guzan was convinced, Given had a couple of bad games and now Guzan has really taken his chance. In fact - I can't think of a single keeper in the league I'd rather have at the moment. Guzan has been absolutely exceptional - as a shot stopper, commanding his area and consistent distribution. If he continues like this it won't be long before he's recognised as one of the best in the league. And long may it continue! As for Given, he's got to go in January or the summer. I don't think Siegrist is ready yet so we should replace Given with a new and significantly cheaper option.

Hi guys - new here, put a post on the welcome forum. Decent draw I think. We're going to have to improve anyway and this represents a bit of a challenge. Makes it more difficult that we're away again. At this stage it's just a welcome distraction really, if we get to the Semis then it becomes serious. Unfortunately that's when we're likely to be completely dismantled by Chelsea or Arsenal. But hey, we deserve to be here. 3 games 10 goals, been to the favourites and dumped them out. We'll see what happens. Right now the focus has to be on winning league games.