Condimentalist

Ings will score goals for them I am sure. He's a good player. But he'll never offer a team what Watkins does overall so he was always likely to play second fiddle here. Given the FFP ramifications, I can see why we sold, we've certainly weakened our squad in the very short term, but it will be interesting to see what happens in the summer because we have given ourselves some headroom to attack the window.

Delighted - love the guy

The guy is a serial winner and one of Europe's elite managers. What else do you want? You think he's come here for midtable? This is a long term project, it may take 2/3 years to get to where we want, but I think we'll get a good indication of the owners ambitions in the summer - we should have the financial headroom and the squad space to attack the window.

Totally. Smith has kept a poor side up in this league before, and then kicked them on the next season. Marsch has not.

Ambled around a bit which I didn't love for a young player with something to prove. But he did some very good things on the ball - looking forward to seeing more of him.

Can't agree with that, although he was very good.

I would definitely be giving him a contract extension. Like many he didn't have his best game at the weekend but has been arguably our best player this season and is clearly a good person to have around the squad. I'd have no issue if he's starting next season either - though suspect we may make one more signing there so he'll have to fight for the shirt.

But they have a, er, 'winning mentality'... which only develops at 29.

Buendia been excellent

This is a ridiculously harsh assessment on a squad that has just taken 16 points from 21 available since having a real manager.

Does he play centre forward for Burkina Faso?

I can only hope Duran has impressed in training and lessened the pressure to sign in that position. I am sure that would have been the plan otherwise Archer would have stayed around. For whatever reason it hasn't happened and that puts us in a risky place. I am pleased to have Bertie and KKH back from loan and hopefully they can contribute. Overall I am fine with us not padding the squad with short term signings on big wages, and I can see both Archer and Ireogbunam coming back to be involved with the first team next season, hopefully off the back of a great few months in the Championship. We have managed to clear the decks a bit for what will surely be a big summer ahead. I think we may see at least 6-7 in and largely for the first XI.

One thing I will say about Unai is that I think this window has shown he has the clubs interests at heart and is here for the long term. Accepting the sale of a senior player because it was a good offer for the club, recalling loan players to get value and have a look at them, not forcing the leadership to pay over the odds to get his own players in or fill the squad. The contrast with Gerrard is obvious - but even with our most succesful recent Premier League manager (MON) it was all about the personal glory of winning at all costs and **** the club and the long term. Unai definitely has the power to demand players in - and the board has the money - but the fact that he hasn't forced it augurs well for how he sees this project. We are in good hands with this man.

This is a fair point - although keepers get injured less. We didn't deliberately weaken our goalkeeping department this window though.

I forgot about him. Not a bad shout for cover / bench role.

We are in a spot of bother if we don't get another forward in IMO. Took a gamble selling Ings - presumably with a view to replacing him with someone younger / cheaper. If it's not looking good later I'd actually recall Keinan Davis.

I like Guendouzi but we don't really need him at the moment. Maybe one to revisit in the summer.

Me too, would give me a real sense of Schade freude

Unless he is 'very interested' in playing in the Championship I doubt he'll be signing that one anytime soon.

I predict two more in. Dembele seems like he could fit the squad at low cost and still leave scope to go big up front in the summer. Guendouzi would be good but I'd happily wait until summer if we need to there as Ramsey / Buendia / McGinn are decent options in the advanced midfielder roles. You could even play Bailey there if Dembele came in (although I personally wouldn't). If we can get him now though happy days. Seems like another young talent is possible too. Expecting a busy next few days.

Suspect this will be the line up, but Unai said McGinn should be back for this. Doubt we'll see Carlos before March at the earliest.

West Ham down easy. Would love it. Sadly I am pretty sure they will be fine.

I haven't seen many moaning tbf

I think almost certain we'll have at least one

Great win that