When is it no longer early in the window?

[Dean Coneys boots 1,531]

It is widely accepted that we failed in the summer window. The board have publicly accepted this.

We were told January would therefore be different and we already had lined up our business and would strike early.

But when is early over? Because we are now nearly a quarter of the way through the window and a nasty sense of deja vu is creeping in....

As in summer linked with enticing but wholly unrealistic names. Rebuffed by said players. Then linked with more underwhelming but plausible options- those unable to break into other prem teams like Gayle....whilst nothing is actually happening in concrete terms. The fear is then we panic and groundhog day rolls around again...

Did we really have players lined up? Is so where are they? Pinto seems a shoe in but no CB which is so obviously needed.

Not pant wetting just asking. When is early over? Why havent the sorted signings materialised?

[Tetteys Jig 851]

Just like buying a house on a chain deal, these things are sometimes dependant on other parties.

Pulis intimated it earlier this week when he said about WBA "picking the crumbs" of the market.

E.g. say we had this Tim Klose fella lined up, all good to go and suddenly Dejan Lovren goes and gets injured last night. Klopp decides he needs a new centre half, likes Klose, off he goes to Liverpool, we''re back to square one.

There are complications all over the shop hence why you see the higher fees in Jan as clubs pay that extra 10-20% to quit the bullshit and push the deal through. Even that is sometimes not enough!

Think of that Kone guy, the CB we''ve been linked with. Say he''s on list B, do we bite the bullet, accept defeat on plan A and get the deal for Kone done and dusted or do we hold out for target A with the risk that neither could happen and we''re left with target C or nobody and Kone ends up at a rival like Sunderland.

It''s a complicated process, I wouldn''t get too worked up about it. There are teams in way more desperate states than ours.

[Bethnal Yellow and Green 2,424]

Ivo Pinto was sorted before the window, but Zagreb wanted Norwich to wait until they sign their replacement - which happened yesterday.

Early is over after Norwich have played at least one league game (so a week today). Pinto will be announced today or tomorrow.

(Norwich also signed Matt Jarvis btw)

[TCCANARY 263]

It''s day 5 of 31, is that "nearly a quarter of the way through"?

[Tetteys Jig 851]

Put it this way. Would you rather we announced Titus Bramble today, or got nobody until deadline day where Sergio Ramos is announced for the same price?

[Dean Coneys boots 1,531]

I would expect us to avoid the Bramble and accept we cannot get the Ramos and sign a solid improvement on the 1st team to take us forward before we are forced into offers left, right and centre for over inflated fees for the Brambles of this world.