Indeed and one that is strange considering we knew we would be promoted with a few games to spare. Is it just that Mowbray knows/knew League 1 better than the Championship?

That's how it is done

Phil Thompson was on the radio over here the other day, he made a very good point about VAR removing the emotion and buzz for fans. His argument was in the past your team scored, bang, you get that high and celebrate like crazy. Now and going forward there will always be a delay where the decision has to go to VAR, so you will wait and then maybe celebrate. It's obviously good that more decisions will be be correct, but at what cost? Then you need to add in the subjective calls that you could argue are wrong even after VAR.

I don't see why we can't use Rodwell as a midfielder. He could replace Reed in the squad then and we could spent most of our budget on a CB and a striker. Rodwell and davenport could be like 2 new signings in the middle, Buckley likewise.

I wonder is that because he thinks defending is easy. Which I suppose when you break it down to its purest form, it is. Positions yourself well, watch your man, win headers, put in blocks, don't over commit unless you have no other option. Well that was enough in the past, now you have to be better on the ball and you also have to be super careful with tackling, much more so than the past. Something is leading him to struggle with this aspect of the team and if I remember correctly he had a similar CB issue at Coventry.

Ain't people got time for all that jazz

Tony can spot an attacking player, defenders not so much. Midfielders he can spot too, just not with a view to playing them in their position. He is a complicated character is our Tony.

100% if he starts using excuses now for not playing them in the last few games, it's time to get very worried.

Depends I suppose. When is the final etc OK edit, just checked above. If the final is 2 days after the last championship game, we'll then they could feature in any of the games except the last one.

14th last season though... What do you mean by the way he has them behaving?

Are the under 23s still in a cup? If not, Mowbrays comments about not wanting to break them up are nonsense.

100% that's what we all want, but we can see stark warning signs. I think at this stage though, he will definitely be here at the start of next season, no doubt about that, so it's kind of pointless discussing his future all summer.

Raya Nyambe Lenihan Williams Bell Rodwell/Buckley Travis Chapman Dack Rothwell Brereton I think the Williams and Lenihan partnership has shown promise, so I wouldn't be so quick to break it up. If Rodwell will be here next season, I would start him, if not I would go with Buckley.

He said in an interview the other day that some of the under 23s will feature in the upcoming games. At that point, it's up to them. If they do as well as Travis, he can't ignore them.

In fairness, things will hit a head one way or another next season. He has said that he wants us to compete for promotion and I think we will have a good idea after 10 game if that is happening. I don't think he will stay if we start very poorly. The main thing is he needs to sign 2-3 players to come straight in an improve the first 11. Also start adding the youngsters into the mix from Saturday. Hopefully Buckley and Chapman feature. Start Brereton as well.

It's great that we tied Buckley down to a new contract, get him in Tony!

He was there last year. They didn't want him back

If their manager didn't want him back this season, he will hardly want him a division higher.

If you are good enough, size doesn't matter, but you have to be very good. I mean we can all name prodigies who started when they were 16,17 and 18, but the reality is they are in the minority. Buckley sounds a real prospect to be fair

That doesn't make sense though. How can we bring in 3 new starters, 3 for the bench, introduce some under 23s AND keep everyone we have? Something has to give.

a lot of united fans wish we didn't

The next 4 games will tell us a lot. Mowbray has said more of the under 23s will play, so i think we are in for some exciting line ups.

He signs them so no one else can. Imagine the damage a Rothwell or Chapman would have done against us if someone else signed them. Sign them and bench then. They can't hurt us that way!

I hope there is plenty going on behind the scenes, but I have my doubts. It will be "oh we we had to wait to see what division Charlton are in before finalising Bauer". At which point we will be competing with everyone else again. At this point we know we will be in the championship next season, we need to use this luxury and get ahead of our rivals. If someone like Bauer won't make their mind up quickly, move on. Move on and strengthen early. It's a must.

Ajax are the best team I have seen in a long time. Them V Barca would be some final. Although it could just as easily be Liverpool v City. Couldn't predict the last 2 teams now.