With Senor Diaz out for 2-3 games we literally have 1 first team striker available. That's incredible. If Gally gets injured or suspended we could have none available. Has that ever happened? I guess we would just throw McBride on, or Mowbray could quite happily start a front line of 3 wingers.

Yeah if no young players come through I would look at dropping Foden into midfield. Hes more of forward running link up player by nature though, not sure he would adapt that well to sitting deeper and dictating play. But I can't see any other options really. It will be a real challenge to find someone who can compete with Jorginho, Pogba, Pedri... But we need to do it.

We made a good signing post window in Holtby a couple of years ago. You'd think there must be one half decent striker free agent we could sign out there? Surely?

Yes. I think having Scholes, Lampard, Gerrard, Beckham all coming through at the same time totally screwed Carrick. Partly because he couldn't even get in the XI. But even if he did due to injury etc none of those other mids wanted to battle and tackle in midfield and give Carrick the ball. They all wanted to be bombing up field. Balance was all wrong. One thing the current England team has got is balance. Players fit the roles they play and work very well together. Just need a bit of quality in the middle and genuine world cup contenders for me.

Yes, the total physical domination from Phillips and Rice is not as talented as the 2006 vintage but it really squeezes a game. Hungary didn't have anywhere to go. Think we do need some passers in there though when we play teams like Spain or Brazil who will run rings around us. Not really got anyone who can do that from the middle coming through. The player from years past who this side really needs is not Lampard or Gerrard imo but Carrick or the Scholes of his latter career when he was playing deep.

Not on tonight's performance, but we know they're a good side from the Euros. We completely outclassed them in a way the Germans and the French couldn't. Its a single game but bodes well for Englands continual improvement.

Have to say really impressive performance from England against a good side and a hostile crowd.

I think we've done pretty well. Kane should have scored. The player is don't get is Mount. I get that he's good at closing down but give we have 75% possession is that really necessary? He offers very little going forward. Rice and Mount off for some more creative players would be good. Edit - great tackle by Rice, great pull back by Mount. We score. What do I know!

I agree - feels like morale should be rock bottom but seems the opposite from the performances. I guess a lot of the kids will be energised that they have a real opportunity to further their careers significantly. When we get on the wrong end of some results though it might turn quickly though. That's always been the way with Mowbrays teams. Great when on a run, but really sink in the mire.

I agree it was odd we didn't try anything different mid season, particularly when we were getting consistently beat by clubs who played three at the back. But he does change the system each summer it looks to me. And it does seem we are going into this season with two systems 4231 & 352 which is wise as I think it's very hard to compete with a single system unless you have the best players in the division (which we don't).

I think Mowbray gets characterised as an ignoramus, but I don't think that's really fair. He, like anyone, will look back at the last year - what worked, what didn't, what resources he had available, and make a new approach for the year. So in the same way he introduced the high intensity 433 press at the start of last season, I think he is capable of changing to a counter attacking 4231 which we've seen this season. He's got faults, but does obviously plan and introduce new tactics (although many of them I do not agree with- wtf is Gally on the wing all about? etc). Also - if he was just seeing out his contract that doesn't really align with how motivated and hard working the team appears at the moment. Where I do agree is he has had the lack of budget forced on him, and I am sure he will - like any manager - move if there is a better opportunity out there. But as long as there isn't a better opportunity - and I can't see any clubs who will pay him more and support him more our there - I think he will stay. That said Venkys way of working is to pay the absolute minimum attention possible (why - I have no idea at all) and be very reactive rather than proactive in any way. So my guess what will happen is his contract will expire end of year and he will go, and we will start next season managerless in a fog of uncertainty about who will take over. I would prefer to bring a better manager (and CEO) ASAP as would we all, but the chances of doing that imo are very low indeed as Venkys have no interest in it. What's needed is either 1) the current owners to engage and get someone on the ground to drive the club and empowered to make decisions, or 2) the owners leave and ones who are engaged come in. Until that happens we're buggered.

If the owners were properly engaged Mowbray would definitely have gone last season with the horrendous run we went on. No manager at a properly led club survives that run. What exactly the owners are up to, signing off millions of additional investment every year but not seeking to properly lead the club is bizarre. Their behaviour feels like the situation is they have to own the club and do enough so it survives, but minimise investment beyond that. It doesn't really make any sense. Why not just sell up? I hope one day we find out.

Yes on paper it looks like one of the all time worst transfer windows. But... It's possible that the signings turn out better than expected in the same way Douglas and Trybull turned out to be worse than expected last year. Also it's possible suddenly players who looked terrible before (hello Gallagher) suddenly look better as they are played in proper positions. Will not really know until November. But I'm not hopeful.

Oliver Burke has a scoring record of about 1 in 10? Not what we are looking for surely?

How do you get access to that?

Not sure what our right back options are? I guess put Travis there and put Davenport or Buckley in the middle. Failing that could go 3 at the back and play Travis or Buckley at RWB.

Waggotts on 28k a week ie. £1.4M per year? That cant be right?

Bloody hell - surely we have to sell Nyambe then if we don't get a new deal done.

Knowing Mowbrays preferences the player who should be more worried is Rothwell imo.

Every position could be strengthened, but what is critical is getting a new striker. A lot of hyperbole gets thrown around on this forum but having a stikeforce of Gallagher and Brereton plus a kid - McBride - whose played a few minutes of senior English football is scientifically and definitely the worst forward line since records began. Also we need a right and a left full back as we are an injury to Pickering or further injury to Nyambe away from really struggling. After that we have a bit of breathing room.

Keeping Buckley in the team is key for me. We can't drop him for loanees. He's improving all the time and I think will turn like Travis into a very good championship performer as he racks up the games. I guess we've got six centre mids (Buckley, Travis, Rothwell, Johnson, Clarkson, Davenport) and we will rotate the first five a bit while Davenport will play a bit part role here and there.

Never stopped Mowbray when hes tried it with Buckley, Holtby, Dolan (although to be fair to Dolan he does offer incredible closing down)... I get it with Dack - he's a goal scorer, but everyone else it just is bizarre. Fully expecting Clarkson or the new lad from Leeds to be there on Saturday. 😞

We got really bullied at the back by them last year. However they were pretty direct so if Ayala and Lenihan are both fit we are well equipped to manage a direct approach. Where we will struggle is in the physical midfield battle. Only really Travis can mix it. But I think they'll probably bypass midfield so will be less of an issue at Boro than it was against WBA. Team for me.... I would start 352 personally. Kaminski Lenihan Ayala Carter Nyambe Buckley Travis Rothwell Pickering Gallagher Brereton Overall I can live with that XI except would much prefer a new signing to Gallagher and having JRC at RWB would be much more effective imo as he has the delivery which Nyambe lacks. Having him and Pickering would give us a good delivery from both flanks and decent creativity in the middle from Buckely and Rothwell. Also Gallagher looks much better in a two. Given the injuries and that we aren't going to get a striker by Saturday I guess I would persevere with Gallagher, and get Nyambe to hold the line in midfield and give Buckely licence to get down the right. All that said I am expecting Mowbray to stick with his bizarre false nine 433 thing. Kaminski Nyambe/Carter Lenihan Ayala Pickering Buckley Travis Rothwell Gallagher Clarkson Brereton Genuinely think there is not a manager in world football who would choose that front three with our squad. He really is an outlier in how he sets up a forward line. It feels like some mad experiment, but it's one he will always play if given the chance.

I'll eat my hat if we move Carter out. It would be absolutely crackers.

Very harsh on Lenihan I think. He has the odd shocker, but generally solid. Probably one of our three dependable performers in Kaminski, Travis and him. If we lost Lenihan to sale or injury would be a very big loss for us I think.