Last few weeks have been disappointing to say the least, below par against Burnley, and a quite frankly embarrassing away performance last weekend, it was almost as if we were back to our previous selves: un-able to defend, demotivated and a lack of harmony within the squad. However, these past results have been exactly what we've needed - a reality check. Many fans, including myself started to think "Yeah we'll easily get promoted" but even I said to my Dad before the game against Burnley, "this is the sort of game we lost last season, don't fancy a win today" and low and behold we lost. If anything, it's highlighted how poor we are upfront when Baldock is injured. Cole, who isn't a lone striker is totally ineffective when played as one and needs the likes of Baldock and even Sears to play off him for him to get involved with the game. Our squad is injury hit and there's no way I can deny that whatsoever, but you'd imagine that those being given a chance in the absence of Taylor, Lansbury, Reid and co would be chomping at the bit to impress however, it looked as if at times last week at Reading that they'd just met each other for the first time before the game.
January will be a big month for us, and perhaps our biggest and most important transfer market in a long time. Allardyce has supposedly drawn up a 25 man short-list and with it rumoured that G&S have given him a £10m transfer kitty, we may well see some 'big' names. However, with Green refusing to sign a new deal and Faubert suggesting that he wants a move to France, we may well see departures as well as arrivals. Names such as Zamora, Andy Johnson, Wilfred Zaha and Liam Ridgewell have been thrown around Twitter this week as potential transfer targets and all would undoubtedly improve our squad however I feel that we're missing a trick and need to target - even if it be on a 6 month loan - a CM. Now, with him apparently seeking a loan move away from Arsenal to gain match time, need we look further than said Emmanuel Frimpong? Yes he'd be a liability as his attitude in previous games has shown, but he'd offer tenacity, desire and with the intention to impress Mr Wenger, why not? Worth a shot surely?
With Collison and O'Brien suspended, and Winston Reid, Sam Baldock, Matt Taylor, Guy Demel, Henri Lansbury, Ruud Boffin and Gary O'Neil all still out injured, it will be interesting to see what kind of a side Allardyce puts out this afternoon. Who knows, we may even see some youth! If we loose today, it's understandable, we're in the middle of an injury crisis and looking at the squad list, I can't begin to think what our starting line up will look like this afternoon. But what ever happens, do not start calling for Allardyce's head, you can't do anything about injuries and I for one am certainly excited as to what he gets up to in Jan. Come on you Irons and let's hope for a resounding win this afternoon.
