I didn't see much to suggest he would be a top player at this level. He looked ok on the ball, but didn't do the dirty stuff well at all. Not many teams in this division can afford such a luxury.

So can we expect Brereton to improve and integrate into how we play if he isn't given game time? You agree with Mowbray about not relying on 19 year olds anyway the Newcastle game is sandwiched between 2 big league games. Games in which wins will probably mean we will be safe for this season. The Newcastle game is an ideal time to rest Graham. We can still set out to win it Newcastle will play their reserves , plus the draw for them is one that hardly excites their fans. The game is ours for the taking. Full strength, with Brereton up top is how I would go.

There is definitely this. Look at Coyle, a few other spring to mind. However then you have a manager like Warnock, who turns Cardiff from mid table plodders into a top 2 team.

Allardyce will get a call from the Premier league before the season is out

On a loan, a no brainer risk free back up to Dack.

It's probably down to Chelsea having a clause where we need to pay some type of increment if he doesn't play enough. I have read that is included in some loan deals. So cheaper to send him back.

Can we start saying that now?

Being played out of position isn't helping him. I hope he starts up font against Newcastle next week. I think it would be an ideal game for him.

I wasn't born and to be honest you can't compare football now to back then. Mowbray has brought excitement. Do you not remember last season, or does that not count? This season isn't over. There have been ups and downs so far. The Wigan and Preston games apart, we have been unlucky not to have accrued more points. Mowbary isn't a "dinosaur" , that is nonsense. He has a squad of young, modern day footballers who are loyal to him and give their all for the jersey. It isn't easy to manage young lads on tens of thousands a week. Real life isn't like football manager.

You are responding like Chaddy now, it's difficult to see which part people are responding to in your posts. It was most of the budget that was spent, we don't know the actual budget. Go back to the prediction thread, more than 50% said they would be happy with survival. I personally wanted top 10. I think we can still achieve that. I have seen positive attributes. I think he has a good dribbling style that shields the ball well. I also think his movement in the box has been good. He has had 2 goals disallowed and got 2 assists. People are exagerating about having no positve attributes.

Shane Long was/is exactly the same. I think its down to confidence or not wanting to be in a position to fail. Long is a good finisher when he doesn't have time to think. Turns into Chris Brown when he does. Although his goal against Germany in the 1-0 win was magic, but I think it was one where he didn't have much time to think either. I would say Armstrong is a better finisher, but Long is definitely stronger and better in the air. There are some similarities though when it comes to composure and decision making.

Yep and you can bet if the tickets weren't on sale for £10 pounds, this thread would be a hive of activity with people up in arms. It seems lots of fans just don't want to go and are just looking for excuses. When they don't have one, they just say nothing.

I would prefer a realistic manager than one making false promises. Your posts are contradictory, you acknowledge we aren't ready for a promotion push, but then say you don't want a manger to tell you it will take a few windows to mount a promotion push. So if we aren't ready, isn't he correct in saying it will take a few windows?? We don't always play shyte football. We have played very well in some games. Apart from the Wigan and Preston games, we have competed really well all season.

Whats the agents name? They were saying they shouldn't sell him for less than £15 million before we signed him. What does Mowbarys connection to Waggott have to do with anything?

The fact is we got him on a good deal

Jesus, give the lad time. He is here a few months.

Wrong about what? If you go into the thread where posters said they think we will finish, plenty said they would be happy with just survival. Personally I think clubs who go up should have momentum and do well in the league above. Of course Mowbray will say it will take time. He inherited a squad about to be relegated. It would be incredibly naive of him to be coming out saying we could get promoted this year. I am sure Mowbray has those attributes and belief, I just don't understand how you think him coming out saying we could get promoted this season would be a good idea.

Apprentice a more suitable word?

Stop moving the goalposts We got Armstrong for a good price going off what is being paid for players these days. Even I will admit that and I'm not his biggest fan.

We signed Armstrong for 1.75 million plus add ons. There is no way his value has decreased.

I'm not his biggest fan either, but we got him at a snip when you look at what other players cost. You said no players would turn a profit other than Dack. Would you agree with em that we could sell Smallwood and Rothwell for less than 0?

Doubt what? We signed Smallwood and Rothwell on frees, we would get at least 500,000 each for them now, absolute minimum. Nuttall was free, we should surely get a fee for him. Armstrong is worth more now as well and his price will have gone up again come the summer. Not huge amounts of money, but profits none the less.

For every one that works out from abroad, there are around 20 that or more that don't. I am not against it, we should be looking abroad a bit more, but it's not going to guarantee success. The Wolves players mentioned all cost more than 10 million. Watford got some good deals due to their links with Udinese(same owner) The Huddersfield players mentioned cost between 4 and 10 million. Still, some good deals, but were seen as gambles at the time. Cardiff did some good business, but it was the managerial appointment that really worked out.

Ah the old "don't take what I said literally" line if subjected to scrutiny. A favourite on this board Your point about looking abroad more is a fair one, but the players you mention all cost considerably more than a million. Some of them cost 2-3 times what Brereton did!

That is literally all he does.