Smooth Operators, 24/7

Okay. So have we all had a chance to let Wednesday's moderately good feelings wash away? Let's get down to brass tacks and see what our "working 24/7" FO has been up to...

Emilio? Really? After continuously insisting you didn't want him back? And do we really need another one-trick pony in the stable? I realize that we're short of fit attackers at the moment, but to these jaded eyes, it matters not a wit who's standing around up top (operative phrase when it comes to Emilio, n'est pas?) if you don't have the horses to win the midfield battle and provide the chances.

Oh wait!

Here comes Stephen King. Fine. He can fill some holes (and we're nothing if not full of holes), but can I point out what we traded to get him? A second round pick. For a guy who's done squat-all since 2008 and hasn't seen the field for Sigi this year. Sure, maybe he rediscovers his mojo and does a job for us, but do you really need to give up a second-round pick for a guy that doesn't seem to feature in your trading partner's plans at all?

24/7, baby!

I realize, of course, that outside the transfer windows our options are limited and that our injury crisis is very real, so I don't begrudge the necessity of picking up what scraps we can. Still, don't these moves smack of desperate grasping at straws and/or furious backpedaling on the FO's part?

Hard to fault them for what seems to be their prime competency these days.