[Butter]

Alessandro Potenza is picked in the Team of the Week.

Rotherham offers us $180k for Thomas Myhre. Now I know what you're saying... are you crazy? But Myhre's contract is up at season's end, and I don't really think he's my long term keeper either, especially considering that he's aging rapidly, currently 34. I decide to hunt for another keeper before deciding on the offer.

They also offer us $150k for Lamine Traore. Traore was disappointing last year, only averaging around a mediocre 7 for the season. He's been dropped from the first team setup altogether this year, but I still like the kid... it seems the main qualities he lacks are positioning and a hard work ethic. I counter for $200k. They accept, and I still don't know if I want to part with him. I take the full week to consider it, and resolve to start him this week.

We get Portsmouth's keeper Andrea Guatelli to join us on loan... Guatelli has superb skill for a keeper, we'll try him out before selling Myhre, but is weak at decision making and positioning, which seems to be part of Myhre's problem as well. Guatelli's contract is expiring at season's end, so if he's good, we'll sign him (or attempt to). He's only making $52k for this year, and his worth is set at $1.2 million, but Portsmouth have him listed for just $260k. If he's good, I'll pay them to get him early. Guatelli joins us for just 3 months, and will start this week as well before we decide on selling Myhre.

Barnsley contact us about buying David Fox... Fox's listed value is just under $200k right now. But he's relatively cheap, $110k, and signed through 2010, so I'm loathe to let him go cheap. I say $400k.

We make a visit to Rotherham this week, and put Traore in the lineup for their benefit, I guess.

Lineup:
GK: Guatelli
Def: Potenza, El Karkouri, Traore, Dakinah
Mid: Campo, Valois, Lunt, Monkhouse
Str: Johansen, Cataldo

Aug. 18, Match 4
2-1-0, 2nd pl., 7 pts.
@ Rotherham (1-1-1, 11th pl., 4 pts.)
Series: Posh lead 2-0-0
Fav: Posh, 5:4

4'- The Millers with a good straight shot that Guatelli handles easily, nice way to get the feet wet.

9'- Monkhouse with a piledriver from 25 yards that the keeper has to fully extend on to keep out at the near post... great save.

11'- Cataldo with a nice run, he fires a shot that is tipped over the post. Traore fires a long shot off a corner kick, but it's deflected out.

14'- Good save by Guatelli off a long range shot, but it's deflected.

16'- A long cross in from the left, and Guatelli alertly deflects it over before allowing it in the goal.

33'- The Rotherham keeper continues to frustrate Monkhouse, saving another well-struck shot from 18 yards with a diving effort across the goalmouth. Still 0-0.

44'- Cataldo breaks free on the right, and aims far post, just missing.

Traore continues to not perform particularly well.

49'- Good short cross to the near post that Guatelli's a bit slow in reacting to, and it's headed in. 1-0, Millers.

We switch to that deadly 1-4-3-2 from last match for a spell. Sarr comes in for an ineffective Traore to be the sweeper.

59'- Guatelli watches a shot hit the crossbar, then charges a long way out to try and fetch it, meanwhile Rotherham pass the ball around the box, and Campo saves a goal with a good clearance.

63'- Johansen with a wicked shot that goes high.

78'- Devlin for Valois, who is struggling, and we switch Monkhouse to the left, and Lunt to the center.

83'- Monkhouse whistles a low shot past the far post.

87'- Johansen with a good cross to a wide open Cataldo at the spot, and he pretty much whiffs on the shot, lobbing an easy one to the keeper.

90'+- Devlin with a ripping cross to Aaritalo, who heads it from 10 yards just over the bar.

We put all sorts of good attacking together, and still managed to not score. Kofi Dakinah continues his run of good form with an 8. Everyone else rated a 6 or 7.

Loss, 1-0, drop to 5th
Shots/on target: Millers 9/4, Posh 23/7
Poss: 53-47, Millers
A: 9,050