I would say to get Tosin over the line we had to commit that we would play him to City. Obviously Lenihan has to start. Ergo Mulgrew gets dropped, Mowbray tells him and Charlie says he would like to leave to get games. So we shop him around over last week. Wigan come in with loan deal last day of window. Speculative, but it's quite easy to see how it could have all unfolded quite amicably. I'm just glad it's worked out as he is a disastrous defender.

Does Johnson play centreback?? Transfermarkt reckons he's never played there and it tracks these things in detail Don't give Tony ideas!

The most likely line up in my opinion is ------------------------Walton Nyambe----Lenihan----Williams---Bell -----------------Travis-----Johnson -------Armstong----Dack----Downing ------------------------Graham Messageboard pleased Bennett and Mulgrew out. Fury at exclusion of Rothwell. General confusion about what we do with our £12m of strikers.

Though probably won't happen this game as only signed yesterday Cunningham does open up 3 at the back as he is way way more mobile than Mulgrew or Williams. Could see us going to something like ------------------------Walton -------Lenihan------Tosin----Cunningham JRC?--------Travis-------Johnson-------Downing -------------------------Dack ------------Brereton-------Gallagher Not sure if I like it though as no obvious place for Rothwell unless we drop Dack.

Window review Johnson - decent Gallagher - okay, good option but nothing special Tosin - no idea, need to see him play Downing - okay Cunningham - decent Key question - Are we better off than last year....? Striker? Yes, Gallagher improvement on Nuttall and Samuel Winger / Wide forward? Same, maybe slightly better, lost Conway but got downing Attacking mid? No change. Centre Mid? Same, lost Reed but got Johnson Full backs? A bit better as we have Cunningham Central defence? Probably weaker - lost Mulgrew and Rowell - but gained Tosin whose an unknown quantity. We really need to find a free agent to sign. Goalkeeper? No idea So feels like treading water with a very fragile defence. I reckon we will have a few injuries and a bad run between now and Christmas and Mowbray will lose his job.

On what grounds?

Letting Mulgrew go and Cunningham in improves the squad. But we're still a quality CB short.

Ooh, taking it seriously now

I think Mowbray must have told him he's on the bench, Williams first choice and he might have thrown his toys out .

If Williams is fit and can start ahead of Mulgrew that will be a big boost.

I can't see where he fits in except right back. CM we have half a dozen players, same at wide forward. Everything points to Mowbray earmarking him and Nyambe to persist in the RB role till JRC comes through.

Always love Fulham away. I can see why they were so keen to move back to Cravan Cottage. Such a lovely location for a stadium, by the river and the park. Fulham itself is very nice. First game of season for me. Bennett dropped for Nyambe or Tosin seems nailed on (you would fervently hope). Mulgrew however looks like he will keep his place as there's no one fit to displace him. If we did sign Hanley he would be a gonner. If not could Grayson get a shot at some point? I don't think Tosin will play left side of central defence Tin hat on - I don't actually think Bell is as bad as everyone makes out. Id rather have him in the side than Bennett or Mulgrew. Alongside a decent CB (ie. Not Mulgrew) I think he would be okay.

If wed spent 5m on defenders and persevered with Graham, Brereton and Armstrong up top we would be in a much better position.

He won't be coming back, too much pride.

Ooh, this has a nasty ring of plausibility about it. Unfortunately I could see this happening.

Depends if the new Tosin and left back are any good. I do agree we may drop Bennett and Mulgrew next game. Nyambe in definitely as Bennett had an absolute shocker. Maybe Mulgrew, but he probably has more chance of surviving. Bell will retain his place as there's no one to take it.

Fair play, went back and watched Brazil 1970. Very very good. Much higher standard than the 68 european cup final going on the clips. However I would still say the likes of Messi, Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Ibrahimovic etc are operating at a higher level, but it's not possible to definitively prove. Anyway I'll stop pi**ing on people's chips and shut up!

It's totally academic but I would say swapping Dack for an quality centreback would improve our chances of promotion. I think between Buckley and Rothwell we could compensate for Dacks loss somewhat and a solid centreback would make an absolutely huge impact. That said it would be far preferable to both keep Dack and find a very good centreback. Surely we can do that? Are they that hard to find?

Maybe I suppose, but it's speculative. The fact is the general technical quality of the game today is vastly higher. I'm not saying it more exciting or worthwhile or anything, just that the skill is much improved. Ronaldo and Messi are absolutely extraordinary against other elite athletes from round the world funnelled through the best sports science etc etc. Its a totally different level I'd say.

Tin hat on, but watching back these videos it's pretty obvious to me even modest Champions League players today are considerable technically better than the top players 50 years ago. Indeed, much as it pains me to say it, there has been a huge general improvement in the technical quality of football in the 20 years since Rovers won the league. It's seems pretty daft to me to suggest Best was a better player than Ronaldo, but there you go. Just my opinion.

To be fair Mowbray probably brought Buckley on for Travis because he thought he may bring a creative pass to unlock the Charlton defence from a deeper position. Didn't work but I can see the thinking behind it.

Rev's always been a funny one with rating players. I never really get where he's coming from.

I guess we might see Bell off, Downing to left back and Rothwell on second half.

Think Nyambe will migrate to centreback over time, needs to get stronger in the air though.

Pleased Buckley made the bench