I think that farce follows the farce that we weren’t able to get better performances and results with him in the team. He should’ve been our Dewsbury-Hall, albeit he is still very inexperienced. It’s something of a pattern as we see Branthwaite having another good game for Everton. We’ve had talents at the club but rarely been able to put together a coherent team. I’ve been cautious about overstating Wharton’s performances but I think one thing he is doing for Palace is simplifying their game. He plays clever passes but he also plays with minimal touches. Palace’s lauded individualists probably need a player like Wharton. He also seems to have helped Will Hughes improve past few games.

Nice to see Lenni Cirino get a chance after his long injury layoff and absence of 18 months - and 80 mins on his comeback is something. Edit: Watching highlights, it looks like there were a lot of chances for both sides. Rovers defence didn’t look too convincing, albeit against a strong side. Also, Harrison Wood up front looked very involved and took his goal well.

They did really well against Newcastle and I thought that that would be the moment they’d be much more involved. I think JRC should be at RB and one of our CMs brought in, with Chrisene at left back. I firmly believe we have the players to be higher.

Mikey Johnston of WBA resembling Damien Duff with his jinking run in highlights of their loss to Leicester. One of the best but rarer sights in football, I think. Looks like they have quietly assembled a very good team. There’s a great assist from Kipre in the game too. I vaguely remember him being linked with Rovers. Edit: Just watching a few more highlights of Johnston and he really does play in the style (if not level) of Duff. Has a similar running and shooting style.

Vale is an obvious sale (buyers permitting) and Gent a keep, which makes me somewhat concerned about what the club will do.

I may be wrong, but given our indifferent form and fact that even Wharton was struggling for consistency at times, I suspect we couldn't have realistically got much more for him up front - though, maybe in add-ons. The sensible move would've been to keep him for another season knowing that he has the real potential to become a dominant player for us and command a huge fee - potentially pushing 30m +. His story, incidentally. is a bit like Steven Nzonzi who was signed from relegated Ligue 2 Amiens, as a relative unknown and turned out to be a silky midfielder for Rovers. Albeit, Wharton had more of a spotlight on him being in England and Nzonzi was signed for something like 650k.

I’m getting quietly hopeful about RB, Leo Duru, based on reviews lately. Sounds like he’s dependable and might have something in the attacking third. I hope he gets a meaningful promotion of sorts, either into first team squad or loan move, for next stage of development.

Second De Bruyne goal. Wharton and Hughes lose Rodri for a moment and then Wharton makes a hesitant effort at blocking the De Bruyne shot. I am being very critical and, as I said, it's no shame to be overrun by City's players. However, it's pretty clear that Wharton needs a better organiser and defensive player alongside him, because that is a weaker part of his game.

I see what you mean by that comparison. He has a tenacious and technical style on the ball. If JRC was more athletic and less injury prone he would probably be at a higher level. A significant issue with this team is a lack of athleticism. None of the Prem loanees are favoured who probably are more mobile. It seems Eustace might be a managerial throwback to his era of playing (at least at moment, as we battle relegation).

1 win in 9. Today might’ve been his first assist. He’s done well in a struggling team and is a great prospect but the hype is too much currently. He may well get there, especially with the right midfield partner. Edit: Wharton watch... Great pass for the opener finished well by Mateta - if Wharton meant it. The co-commentator seemed to doubt it. I think it was intended but whether it was a hopeful or a calculated pass, hard to tell. If calculated, it was even more brilliant. Apparently, he had a role in the second Palace goal but not covered in the highlights. On the downside, he and Hughes were overrun for the City goals. There's no shame in that and potentially a tactical issue as well. However, if I was being very critical, for the second De Bruyne goal, he and Hughes let Rodri go and then Wharton doesn't cover himself in glory when trying to block the strike.

Similar story it seems, Palace drop points, Wharton does well but lacking defensively in a key moment. For Bournemouth’s goal he gets caught too high up the pitch, not anticipating the break. Not to say it was a decisive error and his midfield partner seems to be missing, so not all on him, at all, but another sign of lack of defensive intensity, perhaps. As the deep-lying midfielder, which I assume is his role at that moment, it’s crucial. If he does get that right, he’ll do just fine.

In a stellar season, one of the few personal critiques you could put to him is his only 4 assists. This seems low for a forward that comes from deep and can link up play. You expect low assists from a player like Adam Armstrong, who played high up the pitch for us - but he has managed 11 assists this season. I'm very sure this reflects the differences in the quality and form of the teams. In a better team, Szmodics is getting more assists, but I just wonder if he could do more in this regard, especially, his tendency to take the difficult shot at times. Perhaps, also, it's just not his game and, to be fair, he is almost a false 9, rather than a traditional AM.

Gent had another good game for Motherwell at LWB, albeit against St Mirren. I hope the club have got him under a contract and have a plan for him. I have no idea how good he is but clearly is on the up currently. PS. Looking at that Bamber Bridge x/Twitter post reminds me of how pointless much of club social media activity is. What exactly does it offer that a webpage doesn’t? A rhetorical question, btw.

Watching the highlights of Forest v Palace today, Wharton made a great pass for a chance spurned and created another which was missed. However, if I’m not mistaken, he is also the player who inexplicably gives Forest’s most talented player, Gibbs-White, the freedom of the City Ground to make his own lofted pass for Woods’ goal. I think there you see the two sides of Wharton. Currently, Palace fans are greatly impressed by his technical game but at some point, he will be called out for the intensity in his game at times. Tugay got away with it and maybe, in other countries it’s tolerated from the playmaker but the pressure will be on at some point, I think. It could be partly a fitness issue, as was suggested whilst he was playing for Rovers.

Still a very slow back line and a not particularly mobile central midfield, either. However, I have a horrible feeling that Pickering will be a third CB and Chrisene wing-back. Edit: BBC online guess Chrisene at LCB, which is better, in my opinion, than Pickering, as it adds some pace there.