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Darren has literally given is a big dollop of disappointment to be digested at 11 o clock... I hope I'm wrong.

Personally, I don't think we need someone to come in and do this. We very obviously play counter attacking football and a player who plays with his back to goal instead of on the shoulder would really slow transitions down. This is one of the reasons I'm a bit worried as to how Dack will fit into this team, he feels (to me) like one of those previous batch of players that probably should have moved on by now, if it wasn't for his injury. If we absolutely need a target man then Gallagher should be through the middle because he certainly isn't a winger.

Brereton has scored two good headers this season tbf

Morgan Rodgers I think.

I'd write off anything significant happening today now the Rothwell deal is off. We'll be nickel and diming for loans and low ball offers. Giles will come in and that will be it most likely.

Looking around in the championship, I don't think there's a lot out there. Freeman makes sense as a cheap punt but not exactly a statement signing to push us on. Styles would be decent. Wouldn't surprise me if they have moved for someone from a European side, most likely get better quality and value for money if you get it right. Makes you realise how hard it is to replace the quality of Rothwell.

that is a Rovers type transfer if I ever saw one tbh.

Forget Rothwell, there are other younger players out there, we have to move on and quickly. Dembele would have been ideal, now I think Styles is probably one of our better options. Don't want to see loans as cover, it won't send the right signals. A good perm signing.

I want him gone if we can find an adequate replacement. Unfortunately the I think we're going to be stuck with the least ideal scenario of having a player that doesn't want to be here. There's no great outcome from all of this, we lose arguably our best player which derails our season or we keep a player that upsets the dressing room, which derails our season. The best worst case scenario is that we get a deal agreed for someone of quality today, if we leave it till tomorrow I highly doubt anything will happen. Today is make or break in my view. Hopefully Dembele see's us as an attractive proposition.

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.