Certainly looks like we could lose this one. I really really don't like our system in midfield. 3 very average midfielders who are totally out numbered and out skilled. What purpose does it serve to have Welbeck on the pitch in the place of a midfielder?

Yup, France are a fabulous side who can go on to dominate the next two or three tournaments. Quality absolutely everywhere. A lot of players who they left out of their world cup squad would not only make the England first XI, but also be amongst our best players - Benzema, Poyet, Koscielny, Lacazette, Martial, Coman. Mad and terrifying.

I would have agreed with this 10 years ago, but not now. Lots of skillful high technique players coming through (Sterling, Kane, Wilshire, Rashford, Trippier, Stones etc.). Think we've turned that corner on skill and technique. What we do lack though - like you say - is vision. Not had anyone who could pick a pass and control the ball like Pogba, Kroos, De Bruyne etc.. We've just got a massive hole there.

This is bang on. We're second tier nation until we produce a few world class central midfielders. That's just brutal reality. For the players available Southgate is doing a very good job. No point jumping off a bridge about it. Question for me is where from? Wilshire decided he'd rather play relegation football than go abroad and play Champions League which is such a British thing to do. Also too injury prone, and not really a creative mid, more a number 10. Honestly you look across all of the Premier League and the only English creative central mid is Shelvey. There's a lot of scrapers, a lot of players who can play behind the strikers, a lot of box to box types. But he's the only one who you can say had the allround passing game to dominate the ball from deep. He's got flaws but I think we have to give him a shot. He's another who should be asking how to get regular CL football, potentially looking to move abroad to do so. That said - do I think putting Shelvey in the XI will make us competitive against France, Brazil, Germany, Belgium, Spain? Of course not, he's maybe the best we've got but he wouldn't get anywhere near their squads. It's going to take time. To be competitive we need to have the extraordinary talent pipeline those countries have, and start exporting large numbers of players to other leagues like those countries do. 10 years at least I would say.

Trippier is arguably our best player. How can he be left out? I'd swap Walker out for Trippier, and maybe Lingard for Alli Apart from that probably the best lineup there from the squad. I would have liked to see someone like Shelvey in for Dier but Southgate is not a fan. On the nations league - think it could be a good thing. It means we should play more top quality opposition in (at least theoretically) competitive games. Will reserve judgement on it till weve completed a few rounds.

We've had a stack of players who should have done better with their ability. Dunn, Bentley, Jansen, Samba, Nelsen, Tugay, Thompson, Freidal all should have won more than they did but failed for varying reasons. Dunn, Bentley, Samba - lack of discipline and focus, stupid transfers. Friedel, Tugay, Nelsen - arrived at the premiership party late and the big clubs did not want to pay big money for players late in their career, even after they showed they were world class Jansen, Thompson - Injuries All the above were good enough to play in the Champions League when they were on song for us. But never quite got the opportunity (except for Tugay who had played a lot for Gala in the CL before he rocked up to Ewood via Rangers).

Yes. The newspaper article above does say he was played out of position so I'm putting it down to that. Could be that Mowbray wants us to pay a more fluid front line with all forwards dropping off etc. But Tony seems too much of a traditionalist to me. My guess is we will see Brereton deployed central with the expectation to win the knock downs and lay offs.

Somewhat improbably given where we were six weeks ago we actually have got to the point where we have two full XIs of experienced players of mostly decent quality First XI ---------------------------Raya Nyambe---Lenihan-----Mulgrew----Bell ------------------Bennett----Evans --------Armstrong----Dack-------Palmer --------------------------Graham Second XI ---------------------------Leut Reed-------Rodwell-----Downing----Williams --------------Davenport---- Smallwood -----Samuel-------Rothwell-------Conway -------------------------Brereton Looking at that second XI I would say we need better reserve options than Samuel (Chapman would be ideal) and at least one quality centreback. I'm not convinced by Downing, and Rodwell is a total gamble. Maybe a stronger keeper too, but he has hardly played so difficult to judge. Apart from that it seems a solid squad. So kudos to Tony. Expectations have been upgraded from relegation battlers to comfortable mid table.

I watched the you tube clips and he looks reasonable, rather than excellent. Also - maybe as a result of playing on the wing in those clips - I was a bit surprised to see him more as a face to goal drift wide type, rather than a Danny Graham style hold up which is what I assumed we were after. Anyhow as we are clearly going to play one up top this season having the choice of Graham, Armstrong and Brereton seems a decent stable.

Rodwell also one who you haven't mentioned. It's a good squad. Chapman as well and it will have been a very good window indeed.

Have to say this has turned into a very good transfer window. If we got a winger it would really round things off.

There's no way we are spending 6m to develop a player. He will be a major player for us expected to perform very well out of the blocks. For whatever reason Tony obviously reckons Brereton has got the quality to make a big immediate impact. If he didn't we would not be signing him for huge money. We don't have the resources for long term bets. He'll go straight in at the sharp end if/when he signs.

Hasn't scored many goals, nor looked like a premier league player Seems a pretty solid championship level player though, as long as you have goals elsewhere in the team (which we do).

I'm mega confused if we sign Reed as well. Indicates Rothwell will be playing wide all season.

In the summer I thought Evans was totally finished at Rovers. First five games of the season he has been the best he ever has been for us.

I would like to see the following assuming Armstrong can't play : ---------------------------Raya Nyambe----Lenihan---Mulgrew----Bell ------------------Bennett---Evans----- --------Rothwell------Dack-----Palmer --------------------------Graham If Dack out I would bring in Travis to play a holding role and move Bennett in to the wide right position. If Palmer is out too I would go three at the back like we did latter stages against Reading, and bring in Nuttall. ---------------------------Raya ----------Nyambe---Lenihan---Mulgrew Bennettt------Travis------Evans---------Bell ------------------------Rothwell ----------------Graham-------Nuttall

Hey! I thought Vogel was decent personally. Or maybe I've mixed him up with another guy.. Norwegian?

Aren't those the rules? To loan now you need to include an option to buy?

I'm confused by Travis going on loan as he has looked decent and provides cover at RB too. Otherwise totally agree with what you say on cm, but just in the list of priorities other positions seem far more pressing.

Also when was the last time a premier league veteran was a good signing for us? Only Graham I think since we went down. List of failures is long.

I really don't understand the link with Rodwell. We've got Evans, Smallwood, Bennett, Rothwell, Davenport, Travis, Whittingham and even Dack who all can play there. Fair enough you should always look to improve but central midfield seems the one position we are well stocked. Out wide we only have Conway, alongside Armstrong and Palmer who can give it a go at a push. We have no decent backup centrebacks, only one right back , and lack quality up front. All of these are high priorities to address. Seems a very odd one to go after Rodwell.

Rumoured Rodwell signing suggest Rothwell is seen by Tony as a wide player.

Have to agree on this. Big money signings in the championship are a very mixed bag. Many of them really don't work out.

A five man midfield with Evans and Rothwell holding, while Dack, Palmer and Armstrong fill the more advanced roles has the promise of being pretty bloody good at this level. Also presumably Davenport comes in somewhere when fit too. And Bennett is a hard man to drop.

Lol'd hard