Wishbone

Sad for him to go but probably the right decision, in terms of moving forward. Further highlights what a bad decision it was to give Ward a new contract IMO!

White to us maybe?

I totally agree. Whitbread has been our best centre back this season but a good defence is based on a consistent pairing in the middle. You can never guarantee Zak will play a full season (look at his career stats) so Im sure Lambert is looking for an older / more experienced head to compliment what we have!

So we don''t have a decent CB in the squad and you''re recommending signing Roger Johnson?! Whitbread, when he''s played, has been very good. Ayala and Bennett have promise but are both young. Ward and Barnett are Championship defenders. From what Johnson has shown at Wolves this season, he''s a championship defender at best! I agree we could do with an experienced premier league defender but they cost...any ideas?

I think realistically Ward has looked shaky since he''s returned to the side. He has more bad games than good. I agree he has played well at times but not consistently enough. The stats don''t lie and suggest our defence needs sorting (and consistent team selection)!

bye bye Elliot Ward, not good enough for the prem!

He''s not a worldbeater but it seems he''s been missed! The middle period of the season, when Whitbread and Ayala played, was when we had the tightest defense. Bennett will be quality, given time. Whitbread and Ayala also have the quality. Barnett and Ward don''t IMO. Russell Martin should only be a backup RB or CB...

Not a bad first strike

No, Caulker and Dawson playing. Not even on bench!

Any reason why he wasn''t on the bench today?

Good bit of business on our part and can see Martin out of the door in the summer...

Our ambition is to stay up and we''re doing it so far with a squad mostly containing good championship quality players! Howson and Bennett are further improvements to what we have but I''m sure Lambert realises the floors in the side and will hope to unearth a Tiote or Fellaini type player in the summer!

Whitbread gets in team this week http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/23012012/58/premier-league-team-week-manc-marvels.html

Without trying to stir, the telling thing was when a reporter asked him if any of the youth players might make the grade in the next 2 years. Lambert said something along the lines of ''that''ll make it 5 years here...that''s unheard of in the modern game''. I think he''ll leave at the end of the season.

Isn''t Whittingham left sided? We already have Surman and Pilkington who play there. Hoolahan, Johnson, Bennett (if he switches sides) and Lappin can all play there as well. Im sure all this is just rumours but there''s no getting away from the fact we need a top quality centre mid!

Oops, didn''t watch the video! He only really gets that chance with set pieces in the prem.

How''s Fox role to play a killer ball? He''s a deep sitting midfielder. His job is to make the ball available for the likes of Hoolahan, Surman and Pilkington!

When I watched him in the QPR game I thought exactly this. Would probably work if we had more options. Man Utd have been doing the same with Phil Jones, but we don''t have the squad size they have.

I was only winding up earlier. It''s easy to put 2 and 2 together. There are no hard facts other than he''s doing very well in the premiership sofar! I''m pretty sure we wouldn''t sell our better players in this transfer window...risking our premiership status.

Rumours grow...he aint in the squad today!

Needs time but impressed by him today. Good composure and distribution. I actually thought the defense looked good second half especially!

See what you mean, seems we''re the more consistent side offensively though! Turn Rudd into a striker, but Rudy and you could have a situation where ''Ruddy passes the ball out to Rudy who then plays in Rudd....scores'' or maybe not!

Probably not the type of player we should prioritise but one I would be excited about if he came here...goalscoring attacking midfielder and young. I agree with the people that think we should get a more all-round holding player...like Clingan but better!

Currently playing for 1899 Hoffenheim and previously stood out for Reading.

Sure it''s been mentioned before but this guy would be worth signing (loan or otherwise). Definitely has the ability to make it in the prem!