One blow, one boost

One blow and one boost ahead of tomorrow's trip to Wigan.

The blow: it's being reported that Rocky is likely to miss the game (and perhaps the forthcoming fixtures against West Ham and Stevenage too) with a thigh injury. Given that he's been largely unplayable, our only in-form forward and the player around whom our whole relatively direct style has been centred, that's very bad news indeed.

The boost: the Latics' best player Charles N'Somnia will miss out courtesy of his literal tete-a-tete with Arsenal's Jack Wilshere. So at least it won't be our old boy giving us sleepless nights...

In other news, we've been linked with a host of potential new recruits. Spurs striker Robbie Keane would be a useful foil for Rocky, while Leeds winger Max Gradel impressed me in a pre-season friendly at Elland Road but might be as lightweight as Wayne Routledge and therefore not a particularly shrewd investment. Perhaps the most surprising name to be mentioned is Jason Puncheon, the striker who couldn't get a game for League One side Southampton but is now performing well on loan for Championship outfit Millwall. Another Leon Best, I'd suspect...