Transfer window dealings only favour the top four

And all it does is make the top four even stronger.

Having this contrived period for deals to take place and having it overlapping the start of the season is just chaos waiting to happen.

Spurs can't play their best player because he's about to go to Manchester United and they're in a mess because of it.

Middlesbrough are rightly edgy about how well Stewart Downing did for them at Anfield on Saturday because they know Liverpool are in for a left-winger.

And, of course, Chelsea have the money to get Robinho, ensuring average attacking performances like those at Wigan on Sunday don't happen again.

If you are going to have a window, then reduce the Premier League to 18 clubs and start it on September 1 when the thing shuts.

But it would be better to do away with it all together. Because the top four clubs have the cash to get strong squads in the bag and cope with the fact that they can't do business for four months.

Their rivals? Well, they don't get the opportunity to make tweaks to their squads in that time and it leaves them falling further behind.

Everton are a good example. Even if Moyes does land the targets he needs, he's got to cram them all in at once and get them working together as a unit in an almost impossible time span.

Yes, the club might be somewhat at fault for allowing themselves to get into this position and will be thankful they do at least have some extra time to add to the worrying lack of numbers.

But doesn't that just sum up how far the top four have allowed to distance themselves away from the rest?

Everton finished fifth last season yet their attempts to improve the quality required to break into the Champions League elite have proved beyond them.

The last thing they or anyone else needs is a transfer window that places restrictions on them, while the big boys have the means to just get in who they want pretty much whenever they want.

It's just not right and it's the reason why you'll be lucky to see the top of the league looking any different from the last three seasons this time.

FRUSTRATING though it is, missing out on so many targets does have a plus side - lucky escapes.

I think Tiago was one. Anyone who 'um's and 'ah's and isn't sure isn't really worth taking a risk on.

Okay, you might waste time chasing them if it doesn't come off but that's better than wasting money and a place in the team on someone not overly committed.

And that's the kind of player Moyes needs. Good professionals.

He has always surrounded himself with them and, even though the quantity is worrying, the type of player he has at his disposal at the moment certainly isn't.

That's why they were able to bounce back from the defeat to Blackburn and do such an efficient and professional job at West Brom on Saturday.