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Clutching a straws a bit no matter how you frame the stats. He conceded 4 in first 4 games, same as Toth last 4 games.

i put val in the tony mowbray school of baffling decisions,i know he`s working with cretins behind the scenes but he`s certainly not old school when it comes to making team selections!"!!

Take a point now......

Totally agree with this... TBH Tavares and De Neve aside I think the signings have been okay for the very little money we can afford. Henricksson I am on the fence on as not seen enough. The issue is more that we sell established experienced players for nothing or very little. It would not be beyond our wit to find a way to keep them without spending more money if we had engaged owners who could plan more than a few months ahead. Also we would be able to sell them for more money if needed imo.

Vals pretty old school - likes Litherland and Pratt as they are physically robust, but I imagine Tyjon he thinks is way too lightweight and will get bullied. I imagine he likes Diamini because he is more physical.

I just haven’t seen a lot of him. He’s not started many and usually comes in for a cameo. Not saying I’ve seen anything good specifically. For those in the ‘Jury is out’ group. There are some who are obviously in a better position than others. Baradji looks promising, whilst TGH, DeNeve and Tavares have had more chances without doing much, but Henriksson hasn’t really played yet. Personally, I hold out hope on Baradji, Henriksson and Tavares (who I still think there’s a player in). DeNeve doesn’t look up to it, so far and TGH is just, “Meh”. Can see the latter two leaving.

Was a full podcast around season ticket pricing with Elliott Jackson on Arte Et Labore

Intrigued by how Henricksson does. Works really hard, very physical, just seems slightly behind the play hence all the fouls. But he could suit a front two, who knows, didn't really have enough time to form an opinion last week. Gudjonsen is so invisible off the ball that I expect us to actually improve in terms of pressing and competing with Henricksson. But Gudjonsen can finish and when he does (rarely) win the ball in the air he is generally pretty good at finding a rovers shirt. Will be interesting how Henricksson links up.

We had just kept two clean sheets in a row. We then conceded in every single game until the Millwall game.

Given that the bench includes Dlamini (Left Winger), Doherty (Left Winger), Di Neve (Left Winger/Left Wing Back), Ribeiro (Left Wing Back/Left Back) and Pickering (Left Wing Back/Left Back), I think completely (left) winging it is an apt turn of phrase. There are less left wingers at a Green Party Conference. Absolutely bizarre to name so many left-sided players on the bench for just two potential positions, whilst completely ignoring the striker positions. (Apologies if those aren't Dlamini and Doherty's favoured sides, that's where my Googling said they play).

There’s doom and gloom as it feels pointless. We can’t really enjoy players, as they are sold as soon as they start playing well. We never build on anything- when we get close to play offs, we sell the squad the summer after then fight against relegation the following season. They aren’t interested in success, higher league positions, promotion or anything like that- only cutting costs. It’s absolute shite and we deserve better. That’s why there’s doom and gloom.

You seem to be imagining that what you thought would happen when Pears came into the side did happen. It didn't.

I'm talking about immediately following the injury. The defence had found its way recently, doesn't seem a coincidence they suddenly started conceding again.

Makes it up as he goes along to suit the agenda at any given point. Completely winging it.

i don`t understand vals sudden clamour for academy players but then he ignores the centre forward ones,it`s all left field from val to me

Boxing day always turns up a few surprises, so I will stick my neck out and say he will bag a couple this afternoon I promise I have not put any funny mushrooms in my wellington 😉

This season we conceded more goals per game with Toth in goal than we have with Pears.

Structurally, we are playing two strikers. And yes, one is already not really a striker. To have decent youth strikers and not put any of them on the bench, when our formation uses two strikers, is fucking stupid.

No-one who can replace the one striker. An injury to Ohashi and we're in Tony Mowbray "Bradley Johnson as a false 9" type territory.

I think you can rationally judge a number of our signings as adequate/passing grades, while still damning our overall window/direction of travel. Most of the new signings seem to be decent guys, graft hard, have at least some good qualities, etc., and you can also qualify some signings according to their low cost, but wider context still shows major failings, particularly at CB (only somewhat mitigated by some decent performances by Pratt!) Running through my own grades (I definitely lean toward 'on the one hand, on the other hand' caution, to a fault! And also less confident in my own assessment abilities than some posters, ha): Alebiosu - A: I was saddened/annoyed to see Brittain go, but pretty much exemplifies a trading 'model' working perfectly. The problem is we probably needed a least a couple more like this one. Morishita - B+: A couple subpar showings, needing time to adjust to the Championship (a common theme for why you can give some signings an individual pass, while lamenting the wider window), but I think he's a joy to watch and one of few capable of a killer pass. Gudjohnsen - B: All around play needs work, but hard to get too down about a good poacher. Should continue to improve too. TGH - B: I pigeon-holed him as a typical carthorse MF, which is fine, but has shown some decent talent too. Nothing exceptional, but has been a saving grace at MF given our other attempts to replace Travis (see below). The B grade is for the player alone, but I'd give it a C as a transfer, as it's a bit weird that we had to loan him in to simply make up MF numbers. Miller - B-: I struggle to assess Miller. Sometimes looks like an absolute donkey, but brings some needed passion, physicality, and at least tries to be forward-looking in his passes. Long throws a plus too. I think he's a decent pickup in isolation, particularly at his price/age. But it was unfair to him that he was suddenly held up as the reason we could dispatch Hyam last second, which was obviously BS. McLoughlin - C: Probably would've given him a B earlier in the year as he seemed like the only stable part of a disrupted backline, but has had some really shaky appearances of late. Decent CB depth, and maybe an ok replacement for Batth in terms of having an old head back there, and but not a replacement for Hyam. Baradji - C-???: Really hard to grade this one. Some promising cameos and could be a revelation if/when fit for starts, but that wider health context, along with Tavares below, are part of a significant failure trying to replace Travis in MF. Hell, I wouldn't be that surprised if we're looking at this one as an A signing in a year's time, but the wider failing is we didn't have time for that this year. Henriksson - D I wouldn't blink at someone giving him an F grade, but I truly think he simply hasn't been able to find a rythmn yet, plus some unfortunate injuries. Apparently not that cheap either at £1.5m, but I'm at least hopeful he'll emerge ok eventually (but, again, we needed most of these signings to hit the ground running...) De Neve - F: He does have an exciting burst of pace, and maybe still an ok late sub if we're behind (but not if we're ahead!), as you can see him tearing up a slower footed RB, but poor end product limits what he can actually make of that, and simply terrible defensively. Must've been a cheap punt, so not disastrous (and thankful that Hedges has looked revitalised), but simply not good enough. Tavares - F: Might be capable of a decent ball here and there... but otherwise, has simply looked crap and apparently not that cheap. Seemed to be touted as our starting MF and immediately fell down the pecking order. Perhaps the most consequential failure of the window, only mitigated by TGH stepping up ok. So, I may be giving too many passing grades above, yet I'd probably assess our transfer window as an F at midfield (TGH maybe brings this up to a D, but that's a stretch!), D in defence (Miller/McLoughling are ok and Alebiosu a star, but selling Hyam as we did was criminal), and maybe a B+ in attack.

Don't want Tyjon injured before a January sale.

I expected to see Toth on the bench today too. Hope the rumour that he is still struggling after the surgery isn't true.

Odds on a Henriksson yellow card in the first 20 minutes?

carrying the lucazade and packed lunches???