Not a fan of pre planned subs for the sake of it, the number of times that has altered a game we were doing ok in was needlless. I'm going back to GB's time now where he always seemed to make a change on 65 mins for the sake it and its crept in a lot since then. Yes i get there will be times it's necessary but beyond that subs should be organic purely made to reflect on the game as it unfolds. As for Gueye i agree, imo we've always missed a big athletic centre front man to throw on whereas a lot of other clubs see it as a must have in their squads in this league. God knows how many times we've had it done against us and lost goals because of it, horses for courses. Learn how to utilise Gueye and he's a good asset.

Absolutely, the ref, for once had an unbroken view from a few metres away. She couldn't not give it.

Not only that but it was right in front of the referee. She had the best view of all.

Makhtar is fast becoming a cult hero. He plays with a smile on his face and his great passion shows through on this video. He may not be the best player to wear the shirt, but he is certainly only of the most passionate. Enjoy. https://cvws.icloud-content.com/B/AZFoncQlXjRAYpHCDmW3Hp1wRV3IAa8ZX85uNXkE1JywhfaDZg1V2clK/IMG_1020.MOV?o=AkOt-pFNvxnhnPTiIyBU7yjmffpmhWNIOdxxSAyEqhx1&v=1&x=3&a=CAogtWoXqmwZRpTo2RKUsFSU-BrA2rETEhEjRRjE5_dqt_4SeBCc9o6ygzMYnIaKho0zIgEAKgkC6AMA_zwYwzRSBHBFXchaBFXZyUpqJi2lehR4bU4_hRc4w9kZEszoQucbjNArodiwQ0j3wtkjeYeTIeNXciaeqyqyyPJtHJPk4mTPjgEg3ML76nrt-LN4Nh3xPnci63TEjZ4pyA&e=1755849065&fl=&r=BA68A937-24AB-4920-9690-F7CE085CD575-1&k=X1_cddbD5cXeab8UawfV3w&ckc=com.apple.largeattachment&ckz=88D8E182-F7C1-4040-AFE6-2BDFA8F5FC9E&p=128&s=iNihoppvEMA7YsON2yH5-pDlqWM&teh=1&+=69702bbb-be1b-4608-b183-eb5f96f4f057

We could always let them wear their home strip as well to make them feel even more at home, whilst we wear one of our alternate strips in the hope of flogging a few more of those.

Squad looking very thin. GK:Toth seems to be doing ok...Has looked better coming for crosses pre season. I'd be tempted to off load Pears if anyone is daft enough to take him. Bring in an old experienced head for the bench. RB: If Britain stays (or is replaced), rb is covered. CB: Problem area. Carter injury prone and out for a while, Wharton is bound to get injured at some stage after the the time out he's had. Only 2 experienced centre backs. Definitely need one more. Needs money spending in the position and you'd want somebody with a higher ceiling than Mcloughlin. No sign of the Hyam extension yet either. LB: Well covered. CM: We know Sonny and Trav are both reliable (if they stay). We know Forshaw can do a job but he's injury prone, is only good for 20 min cameos and has missed most of pre season with an injury - stupid signing. Tavares injured so will clearly be well off the pace early doors - if he's even any good. Montgomery is young and unproven (a bit like a younger Garrett). Doesn't look like he'll set the world alight but will likely flit between looking half decent and the game passing him by. Garrett- out for a while and not going to cut it. Buckley- ship has sailed. A reasonably experienced option but needs to move on and drop a league for his own career. We definitely need one more, first-team ready CM and a second if either Trav/Tron goes. RW: Hedges (nuff said). Montgomery? No thanks to either. Definitely need a first team right winger. LW: Kargbo promising but raw. Deneve is at least fit and has a good engine. Are there no promising wide players in the academy as third option? The 'Ten': Big season for Cantwell this year. Seems fully fit. He'll either have his best season in years or be a busted flush. I quietly hope it will be the former. Ohashi could maybe cover there but doesn't seem technical enough. Tyjon looks a promising understudy - but needs to sign a contract! CF: Gueye can be a handful. Holds the ball up well and causes problems but can't finish. Best off the bench from what we saw last season. Ohashi struggles to hold the ball but will press all day and a good finisher. Leonard just too injury prone - needs a loan if and when fit. Can't think of anyone else - we seem very short in this position should Ohashi/Gueye pick up a serious knock. Need one more - preferably better than the 2 we have but that costs decent money. May have missed somebody but I make that: 1 cb 1 midfielder 1 RW 1 CF That's a minimum without anyone leaving. There's also an argument for a Dolan type replacement that can (at a push) play across the front line. Really, each if those players needs to be able to go straight into the first team which requires ££ not pence signings. Crack on Rudy. Still waiting for the exciting summer to start. Apologies for the long post but I'm sat out in the sun with nowt else to do 😂.

It's really sad that the greats of a certain era are all retiring or dying/ have died off. As a classic/ heavy rock fan I tend to take the opposite view to K Hod and would opine that music stopped round about 1990 with one or two notable exceptions.

Since when have Birmingham City been more than a Cat C? It's obvious what the tactic is here. Fleece the expected large away following, but sod trying to attract any home support. They are not fit for purpose.

Probably only 3 squad places available without outgoings, maybe Leonard will get a loan.

Ugh. I know it's slightly more of a squad game than it was in the past but can we not get too Americanised and refer to starters or finishers please? I've not seen anyone seriously suggesting we should sell Gueye, we're at least one striker short as it is imo.

Substitutes are a huge part of the game now and often planned in advance. Managers frequently refer to "starters" and "finishers". Saying we should sell Gueye because he's not a regular starter is ridiculous. He can change a game when we need a plan B, and he's also incredible at defending set pieces if we're banging on to a lead.

Would people agree Alebioso is a carbon copy of Zeefuik? Who we had for half a season? Raw, strong, fast.. but little to no footballing ability or brain?

I hope all goes well for you.

That's one point of view, the other is that you're not a genuine fan if you blindly accept everything that happens at the Club good or bad. As Matty and Ira have alluded to in more detail. Each to their own though.

Regulars on this site know that. All on here love the club, but can spot the imposters inside the club, who are lining their own pockets and destroying everything the club stands for. Its not a matter of being negative, it’s a case of ensuring that they do not get away with it and bring the club to its knees. Some would happily see us go the same way as Bury, so long as they made their fast buck. The people calling them out, are bigger heroes than any player, as it’s passionate fans, who are quite rightly making a stand.

I have a brilliant video of him at the end, really enjoying the adulation of the fans. I will upload it shortly.

The owners are running down the club, this place wants the best for it.

The wrestling and pushing and shoving that goes on at corners in the men’s game is getting out of hand and needs reining in. Last night was a case in point More penalties please

Best wishes to Jeff Lynne, we were due to attend his farewell ELO event in Hyde Park a week last Sunday and now they’ve announced it will not be rescheduled because of his illness. Hope he’s fine.

Not sure if its been mentioned, but Ismael stated that Garrett is not on the training camp as he has a major groin injury that requires surgery. Although I would have thought that if he was in the running for the training camp in the first place, he would have been with the first team a couple of weeks ago vs Accrington, rather than with the U21s against Celtic. (especially given that Tavares & Forshaw were already absent from the first team squad with injury, & Montgomery was playing right back in that game, meaning that the trialist from Loughborough University came off the bench in a midfield spot)

Sad news about Ozzie, saw him interviewed many years ago - he was hilarious could have been a stand up comedian. Sabbath were a great band - just heard a clip of an interview with him and he said they recorded their debut album Black Sabbath in a little back street studio in 12 hours flat. I find the title track also called Black Sabbath genuinely creepy and unsettling, especially if you listen to it on your own in the dark etc. RIP

Lol exactly my point, you're actually oblivious to that fact, it's not a genuine fan to constantly run down the club and players.

Yep really simple. Like diving. They'd get rid of it in one weekend if it was a straight red with a 5 match ban.

I think its easy to box off McLoughlin as an experienced defender and liken him to Batth as a result as he is his direct replacement but he doesnt appear to be of the exact same profile. Batth was a brilliant Championship old fashioned defender. A leader, wins everything in the air, and an excellent out and out defender. Obviously not very quick and nothing special on the ball, so you have to play to his strengths. If so, he will play a big part in getting clean sheets, and he did that. McLoughlin obviously will give us the balance of being left footed, and he seems a bit more likely to be comfortable on the ball if we need him to bring it out. Maybe more similar in style to Hyam, who is decent on the ball, a good defender but not necessarily a really commanding one. McLoughlin filled in competently at left back at Hull (you would never even consider Batth to play at full back at any point in his career) but struggled to often nail down a regular centre back slot at Hull. Happy to put the mix up for the goal down to him never having played with his new team mates before.

I certainly wouldnt be opposed to another midfielder. Buckley needs to go and it made no sense to renew the contract of Forshaw. Aside from seemingly becoming a glorified cheerleader, good around the place etc. Tavares has been our most significant summer signing so we really need him to provide proper competition for the main 2, if they stay, that is for sure. Baker did that as you mention.