We do really need to get a free agent in if only on a week to week contract.
Its unfair to expect a youngster to try to fill Benteke's boots. Yes sure against Man U and Chelsea I would not bother playing a striker, just put an extra attacking midfielder on but after those games IF we have any aspirations of getting out of this mess we need to start winning games. To do that, in this division requires a quality striker in your team that knows how to hold the line and hold the ball up.
We cannot do this without a striker.

Might as well try Lokilo out in a league game. Looked useful pre-season and just scored couple for U-23's

haha you're so right.

i assume you mean the spain that turned up to the 2014 world cup?

‘Football isn’t instant coffee. You have to work at it. You must grow the bean, grind it.’ Ian Holloway

Phew. Why didn't you say that earlier. Panic over.

I think we could try Loftus-Cheek as a false number 9. He has the height and pace, and from what I have seen so far he has the football brain to adjust. Might just work as a temporary measure.

Midfield could be Cabaye slightly pushed up, Luka and McCarthur/Puncheon in a holding role. Then Zaha and Townsend on either wing and RLC through the middle. They could all swap with each other which could cause some weaker teams some problems.

I would prefer this to trying out a youth player (not the time for this) or dipping into the free market and picking up someone like Carlton Cole or Ricky Lambert, both of whom will take about 4 weeks to be match fit by which time what is the point?

We are a club who always does well with our backs against the wall, and at present this is as bad as it can get. I have to stay optimistic. If we are still in with a shout in January I can see us spending big on a keeper and centre forward.

Here's praying...

Some people are like Slinkies … not really good for anything, but you can’t help smiling when you see one tumble down the stairs.