I think the reality of this situation is that it's happened way too late in the window for us to get a deal done for another quality player. As we've experienced so many times at the final stages of previous windows, they always slip through the net. January makes it even harder because they need to replace them for the remainder of the season. Even though I'm one of Joe's biggest admirers, I want him gone now. I can foresee us wasting time on Dembele, ultimately see us lose him to another club and have no time to get another deal done.

As always... Credit and criticism where it's due... Sam Gallagher, top class performance, who'd have thought that playing him through the middle was the answer? Everyone probably. Credit to Mowbray for having more faith in him than most of us and I'm sure we're more than happy to be proven wrong tonight. Trav proved his worth and how much we missed him, an absolute bastard of player at times, it's the small things he does to annoy players, the challenges he wins and the ones he doesn't win but just makes it difficult for teams. Edun held his own against a very good full back. Nyambe showed how much we'll miss him, solid. The back 3 were hard as nails again. Hard earned 3 points with a depleted team, I was desperate for these points and the one I'm happiest with the most so far this season after a blip and an expectation that we might start to fade away. I thought it was a penalty but so was ours last week so out the points in the bag and move on. Well done Mogga and big Sam.

I keep saying Sam Gallagher doesn't know what he is as a footballer, he doesn't know how to use his body and he's 26 years old. It's not even like he's a kid anymore, he really needs to start working that out, if he wants to be a target man type forward then he needs to sit down with the manager and tell him that he wants to play through the middle because he's certainly nowhere near capable of playing out wide. He was embarrassing last night.

which is exactly my point, he obviously didn't see a pathway ahead of him despite their centre midfield has been dire and have wasted millions on it. A lad of his ability could of stepped up given more opportunity.

they should have developed him instead of wasting his talent, he has ability beyond this level. Offer me Fred or Rothwell and I certainly wouldn't be picking Fred.

There are none. No amount of cash can replace him, a truly unique footballer that in my opinion should of been playing for Manchester United now.

Personally I don't think Healey is the type of signing we should be looking at. A club in the financial position we're in shouldn't be chucking around big money (to us) on an unproven player in this league with no resale value. It breaks the criteria of the business model they've seemingly set out. Also, this lad would come on big money, expect to be starting, maybe not have to earn his place and potentially upset the mood in the dressing room. I'd rather someone come in desperate to win a place in the team, who will have some value in the future.

Spurs fans are rightly upset. Saka at the same age is being given a chance at their biggest rivals, whilst they're losing their best academy prospect for peanuts to us... Shouldn't be happening, if he had longer on his contract we'd have had no chance at this one. No brainer of a deal for us.

Clubs are apparently being quoted 5 million for Healy so I highly doubt we're in for him.

or you could look at 2 of the best teams in this country and recognise that they don't have a big man in the middle (lpool & city) and goals come from everywhere. IMO we have a winning formula and don't need to change things by everything going through a big centre forwards.

This is probably a bit harsh but I don't see how Dack fits into the quick counter attacking side we are. From memory he used to slow play down too much and isn't quick, I think it could really unsettle things. I don't want to go back to everything trying to go through him and being one dimensional side again when goals are starting to come from everywhere now.

Time will tell with these signings but I have to be honest I'm quite impressed on face value at how well they've managed to carry out business by utilising our current league position. I very much doubt these players would sign here if we were languishing in lower mid table. I think it's right that we've targeted young lads with ability with potential resale value to come in and fight for a place rather than some big money champ/prem player who thinks they should walk straight into the side. If we don't manage to do it this season, sign Van Hecke and Khadra on perm in the summer and we could have the best young side in the league. Our young lads against dad's army without Dyche would be truly a sight to behold.

Gallagher looks like a real odd one out for us when he comes on. Just doesn't fit into this style of play. He doesn't have the touch or movement. People saying we should let Butterworth out on loan, I'd wait until end of the season, he looks like he fits in far more than Gallagher does and would be good cover for Rothwell.

that reminds me of a time....

a fellow crypto investor... it's been a tough few weeks.

What the f*ck is going on? How are we here? Well done to Mowbray and the players, I hope they continue to prove me/us all wrong... My take is... Everyone simply doing their jobs, players in the right positions, we've increase the numbers at the back to stop conceding goals, we've never had a problem scoring goals. F*cked off this idea of possession football and just focused on getting the best out of what we have instead of trying to make it something it's not. P.S. Joe Rothwell is one of the best players in the league. Top 10 easy.

Well, I've given criticism when it's due so I'll give praise where it's also due as it's only fair... Tip my cap to Tony Mowbray, well done fella. My main gripe is that he's never seemingly got consistently the best out of his team, especially the back 4, at the moment he's definitely getting the best out of them. Lennihan was immense, won absolutely everything and deservedly MOM. The conditions stopped us from playing how we like to play and took Buckley and Rothwell out of the game but everyone did their job and turned up. Oh, Preston were sh*te.

thinking bout taking my son, he's only 4... If I just carry him through will the stewards kick off or likely not care?

ouch

Mad to think I started this thread years ago and this first post still applies. Feel sorry for my Dad tonight, come off almost fighting with Rovers fans for calling for the man to go after a defeat like that. Doesn't sound like he's going to go back either. He's had conversations with folk who were saying "well, we were gunna lose anyway"... This stupid, youth team football lack of ambition mindset I could not tolerate any longer and by sound of it, it's still present. The result aside, it's not just based on this one result, he's been long past his sell by date with us and should have gone long ago. These fans are the reason I can no longer go either, the amount of arguments from brain dead folk saying "who we gunna get?" whenever you question any of our managers over the years boils my blood. On the manager, just walk, have some self respect. Alex Neil, did better at Preston with a lesser budget, was probably on less money and has a better track record of promotion than our current manager. It's not hard and anyone with any business sense would see it's an upgrade to what we already have. For me, there's no other right candidate than him.

Think Rothwell is crucial to the way we want to play on the counter. Transitions will be a lot slower without him.

Wow... I'd have a think about that Mike. The 5 games he missed for us, we lost 4 and won 1. Critical player for us.

I just completely dislike anything that moves Armstrong out of where he's been performing, it's asking for trouble. He's quick on the counter and gives us an outlet, if Armstrong is out wide how much is he going to end up wasted in our own half tracking back? It suits him just staying up there. Dack simply doesn't have the pace, never mind after a serious injury. Also, we've watched Dack play false 9 and it was a disaster (Wigan & Preston Away). Maybe in this side it might work but based on the evidence, nah.

Sorry but this worries me more than anything, he's tried this before and it absolutely killed our season off. We should not, under any circumstances be moving Armstrong into any other position.

Bristol City got absolutely bullied today off Brum... We should go flying into them from the off. Nothing special, like most teams in this division.