Going Forward - Players lacking throughout

Lots of articles on strikers floating about and I thought I'd add my own.

For me it is clear that we adopted the 4-5-1 formation last year because our midfield got overrun all the time just as it had done in L1 on several occassions when we played 4-4-2.

Whether by luck or design it got the best out of our attacking players. Becchio as a lone striker stopped dropping so deep where he wasn't as effective. Howson had a licence to get forward and break in the box. Snodgrass and Gradel had less defensive duties and had more licence to go forward.

The whole system relies on having a very competent target man who can retain possession. Without Becchio we don't have one so it won't work. Paynter is not up to the job of playing as a lone striker and nobody else is a target man.

Unless we sign a replacement target man then we are stuck with 4-4-2.

The problem here is that to play this formation you need to win the midfield battle. I'd also say that you need a strong 'spine' to the team with leaders in central defence,midfield and attack.

We haven't addressed the defence at all and are woefully short of options at full back. We also need another central midfielder.

I'd also be worried that 4-4-2 doesn't necessarily bring the best out of our players that are still fit (Howson/Gradel).

Taking this into consideration we are urgently short of the following:

Target Man
Central Midfielder
Left Back

Ideallly we should also sign:

Centre Back
Full back cover.

I think we've all realised that we aren't going to see investment in the side but the urgent players needed are required before we play Southampton. There are lots of players I'd like us to sign but knowing we'll do it on the cheap I'd go for the following:

Steve Howard (Loan) - Won't get a look in at Leicester and can fill that target man role for when Becchio isn't fit.

Centre Midfield - We've still got a few lightweight players in this position. I'd want a tough tackler as an option and of what is left out there at the moment I'd give Montgomery a go.

Left Back - Lichaj is a right back but seeing as though I haven't seen a decent left back at ER since Tony Dorigo (Ian Harte had a good free kick but besides that he was garbage) I at least know this lad isn't rubbish.