Definitely a left back. But must also get a creative attacking midfielder. We must start creating more chances, edpecially through the middle.

The issue in January will not be who we want to sign, but who'd join a club in a relegation battle piloted by a man who hasn't a clue how to pull out of a tailspin and is hoping he might just get lucky again.

Bexley Dave

Can you hear the Brighton sing? I can't hear a ******* thing!

"The most arrogant, obnoxious bunch of deluded little sun tanned, loafer wearing mummy's boys I've ever had the misfortune of having to listen to" (Burnley forum)

I'm not sure what overall, the owners tolerance is to continued 'failure' or their appetite for relegation risk. I suspect that the Americans may well be more pragmatic than SP and the rest (as evidenced by their 'spend the money instruction' re. Benteke)and less sentimental in their attachment to Pardew. The difficulty may be the lack of a credible replacement, who'd be prepared to take the job, if we're in real trouble. If AP is going into another extended PL losing streak (which seems eminently possible) then they must act at some point, and the longer before the January window may well be the better.

Bexley Dave

Can you hear the Brighton sing? I can't hear a ******* thing!

"The most arrogant, obnoxious bunch of deluded little sun tanned, loafer wearing mummy's boys I've ever had the misfortune of having to listen to" (Burnley forum)

I think we need a defensive midfielder, Ledley is not up to the task and Cabaye can't be relied upon to stay fit, Loftus-Cheek, Schneiderlin or Carrick should be worth considering. Moussa Dembele has had a stop-start season with Tottenham. No left backs really spring to mind but we really should be looking at that position, no one can even be sure in what sort of condition Souare might come back in. Striker is another position that might need looking at, depending on what impact Remy can make in the month or so he'll have to impress. At the moment we are so limited tactically with only having Benteke up front, Wickham is not the right player to come on to partner him.

I think in general the board act in the January window if our form is bad preceding it:

13/14 Jan - Dann, Ledley, Hennessey, Ince
14/15 Jan - Souare, Mutch, Lee, Sanogo, Ameobi
15/16 Jan - Adebayor

Seriously though, another midfielder of McArthur/Cabaye quality.

And a CB, possibly one who can play LB as well ?

"Brighton are talking about how they're coming for us. And it's like, we've been waiting in the Premier League for you for ages." Wilfried Zaha, 2017.

There has been talk on here about strengthening our midfield. The players who sprang to my miniscule mind are Delph,Westwood, Hector and Lansbury.