Sign on with hope in your heart…

You wait for one striker and then three come along…

Benni McCarthy looks like a good signing to me. As Allardyce says, he might not have the legs he used to, but we have enough hard workers as it is. The important thing is McCarthy knows where the net is. He scored every other game for Porto and scored 18 league goals in his first season at Blackburn in 2006-07, then eight the following season and ten (including four pens) last season. The World Cup is a huge motivation for him too.

Mido clearly has ability — I saw him score a cracking goal against us at White Hart Lane in a League Cup tie. But he also seems to come with an attitude problem and an expanding waistline and not too many Boro or Spurs fans seem to like him.

However, he made a big impact when he first joined Spurs scoring 11 goals in 27 games in 2005-06. He got four in 13 games for Middlesboro last season and two goals in 12 games on loan at Wigan.

If he really is on only £1000 a week then he’s worth a punt. He clearly wants to play and might respond to careful handling by Zola. He’s done it in the Premier League, which is more than Savio had. And it gives Jeremy Nicholas an excuse to play Walk Like An Egyptian.

As for Ilan, he’s an unknown quantity, but is on a free and does have a championship medal in Brazil. Maybe he’ll fly in by helicopter with Pele.

Biggest gripe is no new right back, leaving us with Spector and Faubert, who have admittedly both improved in the last three games. It’s a mystery why we didn’t go for Hutton or Naughton at Spurs, both of whom have been loaned out.

But as it is, it’s a huge plus not to have sold any star players and the extra strikers and competition for places up front should hopefully ensure we stay up. Just as long as we can keep John Terry away from the lads' mock-Tudor mansions in Chigwell.