Yep I would. Niasse showed at Selhurst what a good player he is and has scored goals this season. Let’s just forget he cost 30m and Just judge him on his performances. Yeah last season he got 17 but this season He’s been woeful. Yes his desire and effort can be questioned but the main thing is he just cannot score. He’s had the opportunities. I honestly think many people have just lowered their expectation of what we should expect from our striker and blinded by the price tag. The main focal point of our attack is toothless, without Wilf we’d be buried. Whoever we bring in, if anyone will almost certainly replace Benteke in the 11.

I'd agree with this if it wasn't for the fact we've lost 1 league game in months and with Roy, Zaha and 2 strikers walking around the club we'd have no concerns at all.

My guess is we'd be dipping into next summer's budget buying a striker but if we go down there won't be a prem transfer budget. The only way to address this issue is to sell someone in the summer. Someone like Benteke, Townsend or Dann.

COYP

A few weeks ago Niasse came on v West Brom and scored within 2 minutes after some fans booed him coming on for Tosun. Benteke wouldn't score right now after being on the pitch for 2 weeks. He can assist with the odd flick on among numerous random flick ons but so talented he'd keep most competition out of the team he clearly isn't anymore.

We could save our money, you're right. That money might give us a bit more wriggle room for the rebuilding job in the championship.

COYP

When Benteke got injured in the Autumn we beat Chelsea, drew with West Ham and Everton and beat Stoke without him. We also lost to Newcastle and Spurs away, which we may well have lost with him anyway, but the points per game ratio was fine. Of course it would be a challenge if Benteke got injured again, but some of you make it sound like a death sentence if he does his hamstring. Not only is that nonsense, it’s the kind of nonsense that applies pressure to the club and makes panic buys more likely.

Get in an upgrade on Benteke by all means, buy him a fast little partner who will make the team better if you can, but don’t waste money on a bench warmer. We don’t have enough of it to do that.

One of the reasons clubs like Sunderland are such a mess is that they panic-bought average players too many times. You can only do that so often before you find that the bulk of your squad is made up of players without the quality to win games, with little or no resale value, and who will never leave because they’ll never get that good a contract again. The entire place gets log-jammed, you can’t get anyone in because you can’t get anyone out. We already have Mutch and Lee eating up circa 70k p/w. Add in Niasse, Ulloa or Barnes and we’ll be paying the cost of a Sturridge every week just to keep the bench occupied.

Ask yourself if a signing will be:

First choice in his position when everyone is fit.
Good enough to make the first choice team better than it is.
Something to excite the fans, players and media.
Someone other teams would like to have.

If the answer to all or most of these is 'no', then congratulations, you are a benchwarmer!

To use examples that we have (rightly or not) been linked with, Niasse, Barnes or Ulloa are obvious benchwarmers. Dembele isn't.

What is our lack of success this window based on? The fact the media claimed we are interested in people? How would the media find out? Agents are the only ones leaking info to the press and 90 percent of the time its to generate interest.

You know when estate agents say 'you need to bid on this place because offers are coming in on this one thick and fast'? Thats what is happening with these 'bids' there are no bids, just a bunch of people pretending bid have been made so people actually put bids in.
Fact is we have no idea who we are interested in, I dont know, the media doesnt know and more importantly YOU DONT KNOW!!! We will sign somebody barring a blunder like the summer so stop freaking out and stop barking just because other dogs are...