RoverKyle

Yeah?

Nice when they go in though!

Fair comments. I do remember seeing the post, but don't recall any of the stats from it. If we can bring in a defender who - on the whole - doesn't make silly mistakes and can largely keep the ball away from the back of the net, we'll improve. In terms of set pieces, I'm sure there'll be someone else on our books who can step up and take them. Surely Dack and Rothwell have the technique to be able to test the keeper from a dangerous position.

Taking the popular opinion that Lenihan is our best defender (I agree by the way), what was our record like when both Mulgrew and Lenihan played? I'm not questioning that we need to replace Mulgrew to kick on, but I'm not fully convinced he's completely done either. Just wondered whether there were any glaring stats suggesting we didn't improve as much as you'd expect when Lenihan came back from injury and it was in fact when Mulgrew was dropped for Williams that we started to improve. I appreciate I could look this up (although I don't have time), but I feel like someone might've done some analysis on this previously.

I wouldn't touch him. Blew hot and cold far too often for me. If he was really that good of a winger, we wouldn't have had him playing RB. I'd much rather persist with the likes of Armstrong and Chapman, as their potential improvement would take them well above what Marshall was for us. Not forgetting players like Rothwell and Downing, who are better players than him anyway.

Jordan Rhodes trial. Ex player, ex Boro and Mowbray thought he seemed like a lovely lad on Norwich's bench last season. Wants to see him on the grass first.

Completely understandable though if they don't want to overspend on someone who is a nice to have, not a must have.

The whole Sam Gallagher saga is becoming a bit of a farce now. Sign him up or move on. We're not going to get him on the cheap.

The White signing sounds very similar to the signing of Brad Lyons. Centre midfielder playing 'men's football' brought in to potentially affect the first team in a season or two. Stengthens our U23 team in the meantime or goes out on loan. Did the U23's lose many midfielders in the summer to warrant this signing?

5 red cards last season. Would suggest he can't control himself.

Apologies to both, it was a bit of a half cocked message. They compete with similar teams to them (the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea, Spurs, etc), who have this London pull, and seem to do OK. I don't see why we shouldn't be competing with a similar team to us in terms of stature (Brentford) for foreign players. It's our scouting that's letting us down, not our location. Brentford's scouting is setting them apart in this league at the moment and they're reaping the rewards through the fees they've been receiving for the last couple of years. Interestingly though, the one bit of scouting we seem to do well, is picking up youngsters in the North West who've seemingly fallen out of favour or not made it at the bigger Premier League clubs.

I don't particularly buy the 'London pull' comments. Man Utd, Man City and Liverpool do pretty well at drawing in foreign talent and we're in that catchment area when you consider where the players are going to live i.e. Cheshire, Manchester city centre, etc.

Of those listed I like the look of 4231 and 442 based on our personnel. To play with wing backs, I feel like they pretty much need to be your best players (or at least your fittest) and I have big doubts about Bell and Nyambe. Quite happy with the prospect of Adam, but he needs another couple of games in pre-season before we should even consider offering him a deal. If he can keep himself fit and perform as he apparently did in the Barrow 2nd half, I'd be happy enough. With Rodwell looking like he's gone, it's a pretty cheap replacement without weakening that part of the squad. On formations, I'd personally stick with 4231 and just look to improve the playing style. I probably wouldn't alter the line up you've suggested either. Adam to slot into the middle when we need to rotate or for injuries/suspensions. Williams 3rd choice centre back. Chapman and Armstrong competing for the wing positions, with Brereton and Nuttall challenging Graham for the front spot.

I think we've got to trust that we've already sounded out potential replacements for Raya before we've agreed to any serious discussion with Brentford over his transfer. If we've not signed a keeper within a week of him leaving, we're blagging it.

Yeah, which makes it even better.

I was a bit hungover which doesn't help, but I could feel the cold in my bones at half time. I convinced myself that it would all be worth it if we won... Edit. On that basis, Raya can do one. I'll pay for his taxi down to London.

Looks a good team on paper. There's something about Bell I really don't like. He can look lazy on the ball and that led to errors last season. Have to admit that going forward, he does look dangerous. He carries the ball really well.

That was one of the worst match day experiences I've ever had. Coasting to a win and we threw it away with pathetic errors. What made it worse was the weather that day. Freezing cold and the rain after the game was mental. My train back to Liverpool wasn't for 3 hours as well. Awful.

Bradley Johnson would be a great replacement for Rodwell (should he buggar off as expected).

Freeman seems to be the main one who didn't move that window and he's just joined Sheff Utd.

That properly takes me back. The one thing I remember being crap about the shirt though was the felt-like sponsor stuck on the front.

Really nice shirt. Pleased with that.

And you're trying to lay it all on Waggott's feet because of the opinion of one person you know. Good that.

I haven't fallen for anything. I'm capable of having an opinion on something before the club, the LET or other posters try and impose their idea/opinion on to me. IMO Davenport and Chapman will both be in and around our starting eleven next season, despite not seeing much game time last season. You've got to factor that in when you consider our recruitment this summer.

In all fairness, he wasn't available for most of the season. So he will be like a new signing for us.