Quote of the day

"If you can't do your business in the summer, then I don't know why because there is plenty of time."

A telling statement from the Silver Fox, in the midst of a complaint about the fact that the transfer window stretches beyond the start of the season until the end of August. The implication, of course, is that, with a day to go before the window closes and with all around us engaged in frenzied activity, we've already done all of our business and are happy to settle with what we've got. Not exactly reassuring, is it? Retaining our key players was one objective of the summer - but the other was to add further quality and strength to the squad, and I suspect few fans are likely to agree with the manager that Vurnon Anita, Romain Amalfitano, Gael Bigirimana and Curtis Good constitute a sufficiently impressive shopping basket.

Regardless of our transfer policy, one long-term target (and one who's expressed a desire to come) Mathieu Debuchy might be reconsidering now that his club Lille have made it into the Champions League even without the spark supplied by the player who destroyed us on Saturday evening, Eden Hazard. Incidentally, Celtic also made it through - no doubt the delight (and relief) of Fraser Forster and all those who barracked me for suggesting the Hoops had little to look forward to this campaign.