Yeah and the ones that have had parachute money.... Im not actually that sure he wants to football it out. Hes not going for possession football I think, we end up having a lot of possession not through design but rather we just run out of ideas. Instead he wants to play it forward accurately and quickly which we should be able to do really. Dont need to be barcelona.

I'd say it makes perfect sense what he said - it was factual. If I was in his shoes I'd do much the same - call out I thought we had a good case, but also that no one has succeeded in an appeal before. Both relevant information. I don't think just because no one has won a case before it is not worth appealing. Indeed if we didn't appeal and came out and said "we thought we had a good case, but as no one has won before we decided not to appeal" then I think the torches and pitchforks would be coming out.

Business to Business and Court of Arbitration for Sport

Id say with Brittain back the thinking will be how to get him, JRC, Thomas and Dack all into the same team as they look the form attacking players. Could go 442 .and drop Brereton with a classic little and little front line? Our striker options are so rubbish. Kaminski Brittain. Carter Wharton. Pickering JRC. Travis. Buckley Thomas Dack Dolan

Watched the whole game. Thought it was pretty even overall, we played pretty decent stuff at times, defended well. Carter particularly stood out - did everything really well in the air, on the deck, physically, how he distributed the ball. Looked very solid. Watford had a couple of sitters, but we also had quite a few decent chances beside the goal. Travis had sort of a good game - snapped in and took the ball well, but then struggled in terms of how he used it. Morton was pretty quiet. Dolan did much better than Gallagher or Vale have recently, and agree BBD needs to be dropped. I was quite surprised he wasn't dropped today. Think maybe he will be on the bench at WBA. I do think a lot of the criticism that people are putting JDT's way could equally be applied to pretty much any manager at any club in the Championship except the top two. Everyone has poor runs then good runs, have times looking decent then looking terrible. I doubt Watford fans will be thinking they've got a definitively better manager than us after today... It's an easy narrative to sell yourself that if we just had a better manager everything would happen for us, but realistically it's more complicated than that. He's still doing okay for me.

Given JDTs comments post match against Birmingham about the movement in the box being poor and Leonard bagging twice in the under 21s I reckon he's going to get a crack yes. Whether it's a start or not is to be seen...

I'd say they are roughly on a par with each other at the moment, but Buckley does have the advantage of at least being our player.

Yeah - I remember maybe his second ever start for us and he was really dynamic. Looked a very exciting player. But then got injured and when he came back was appalling.

Yeah, one of the innovations JDT has introduced which I quite like is dropping players down to play in the 21s regularly. Let's everyone know where they stand in the pecking order, and gives them a platform to perform to get back in the side. Worked well for Dack and JRC. Less well for others... but better than players just disappearing into a blackhole and not appearing for months.

Maybe grasping at straws here but looked back at our home meeting with Watford and Hedges had a good game in the central striker role, albeit in a 343. Id be tempted to stick with the 4231 but play Hedges up top. Vale is pointless, Gallagher offers more of a physical capability but so many attacks break down because he can't control the ball, Dolan and Szmodics can't physically compete centrally, BBD is bang out of form.... Its not ideal but willies we have etc... Kaminki JRC. Carter. Wharton. Pickering Travis. Buckley Thomas Dack. Dolan Hedges Hedges is a smart player with a decent left foot and ability to retain the ball on the half turn.... Can sort of see it working if his instructions are to stay central and get into the box.

Only comfort I can see is I fully expected both Watford, WBA and Norwich to all easily beat us earlier in the season, but we somehow beat them. So maybe things will surprise us. Its strange really as the playing staff seems slightly improved with Thomas joining but I think our confidence has gone out the window.

Surely giving Leonard a crack at Watford, at least for 30 minutes, has to be on the cards? Agree Dolan should come back in for Brereton on the left for Watford. Maybe we move Brereton central, or start Gallagher, or start Leonard. What we should absolutely not do is start Vale. Or..... given the desperate state we are in wonder if we could end up playing Hedges centrally thinking about it? Can hold onto the ball, link up, has a bit of presence about him. But... no scoring record really. 1 in 6 for Aberdeen. But if we were going to makeshift a established player into a central striker I'd go for him over Szmodics or Dolan as I think he could physically handle the centrebacks the best with his back to goal.

If it happens I'll eat everyones hats on this board. I am ever an optimist, but given the EFL has never accepted one of these appeals before I do not think they will be changing that habit now.

Not for me - we crossed the ball well yesterday and found a number of good through balls. It wasn't the delivery for me, it's getting on the end of the delivery . Obviously delighted if LO'B turns up, but midfield is such a smaller issue than up front. That said I can't see the football authorities reversing their decision. Irrespective of the practicalities of the case if they reverse then they will be absolute snowed under with dozens of appeals every window. To avoid that they are heavily incentivised to uphold the decision. If there is any way to uphold it they will go for it.

Won't other clubs actually worry about a strict enforcement because of their own financial affairs? Chelsea, Newcastle, Man Utd, Spurs etc.

Thats bizarre. Does he have any ongoing connection to the club?

Just dont really agree with this tbh... Players are pretty decent. Put one or two decent strikers (i.e. ones who score 15+ goals a season regularly and worry a centre back) in the squad and we're a solid top six side for me. We're much better in midfield and at the back than the days of Bennett, Akpan, Mulgrew, Steele etc. Honestly think if we had a 30 year old Dabny Graham everything at the moment would be a much different story.

Just my view, but a lot of people saying that we played terribly today. I don't think we did really, controlled the game largely, created a lot of opportunities. I thought it was a pretty watchable game for the first sixty minutes or so. A lot more direct than we have been playing. Quite a few players had good games - Travis, Thomas, JRC, Dack, Carter. It seemed a better all round performance than what we were managing in December anyway - albeit against the team rock bottom. But... looking across the next half of the season I just can't see where the goals are coming from. If BBD is going to coast in we are truly fooked. We have to find a decent out of contract striker from somewhere. If we don't we maybe have 20 goals in this team for the rest of the season. We'll be reduced to giving Leonard a go just to try something.

I have watched back the interview on the sky sports app and while JDT looks a bit cheesed off he seems a long way away from a man about to walk away from a three year contract and several million quid.

Yeah... wouldn't be surprised if this is part of what pissed JDT off - going after another striker who doesn't score goals.

I turned off Sky before the interviews came on... has anyone go a link to a recording of JDT? I struggle to see him walking away just yet. End of the season maybe if he gets a better offer. It is mental that we've struggled all season for quality up front yet we didn't manage to bring any strikers in. Can see why he would be angry about that, irrespective of the paperwork issues for the midfielders.

Thought we created enough, particularly through Thomas, to win the game easily... But no one to get on the end of anything. Lewis O'Brien would be great to have but what will kill us really is not having a serviceable striker.

If we had a decent striker we would have put this game to bed ages ago... Its pathetic how bad we are at number 9. Vale anonymous and Gallagher cant trap the ball...

Been impressed with Travis - he looks way sharper. Defence has all looked good. Carter and Wharton move the ball a lot quicker than Hyam and Ayala. Buckley having a game to forget and Vale is just a black hole for me. Heres Gallagher.... Thomas has been very good.

Well... whenever I've seen him play his linking up round the box etc back to goal has been minimal. And he's always looked most dangerous cutting in or running from 30 yards out on the break. But saying that we've just signed a lad who can play left wide forward (Thomas), got Hedges and Dolan who are decent wide right. So we may as well give him crack! Can't be any worse than Gallagher or Vale.