Its upsetting that we are still debating Bell or Williams at left back as it simply highlights how we havent improved on bell. It also upsetting as bell is better at left back than williams. Williams at lb is a disaster, nowt going forwards and more of liability then bell defensively as bell has some pace and isnt dreadful 1v1. Also I do remember Williams having a decent start to last season at centre half.

This is not true

Tbh I would have been happy to renew at a price freeze knowing that any game where I wasn't allowed to attend I could watch on Ifollow

Pretty much every successful club at this level has a director of football

I'm still trying to figure out we will set up when Dack is fit. I'm assuming we are going to stick with the 4-3-3. Could go something like this Kaminski Nyambe Lenihan Someone Hopefully Not Bell Travis Holtby Rothwell Dack Brereton Armstrong when we defend Dack pushes up and presses with the front 2 so we defend in that 4-3-3 shape but in possession Dack drops back into the hole getting inbetween the lines and arriving late in the box. The front 2 can drift wide and try to get in behind. Width primarily coming from the full backs but that's nothing new with Mowbray, we would need someone better than Bell whatever path we go down. Then you have Evans (or Johnson) if you want to make that midfield a bit more balanced. Gallagher if you want to play with a conventional striker. Or maybe we are planning on Dack not being back for another couple of months still and we go back to a 4-2-3-1 / 4-4-1-1.

As encouraging a performance as that was from magloire, his glaring weakness has been that he cant head so unless he has addressed that he may still struggle.

Tbf to mowbray it's a preseason friendly. All 3 played in the midweek friendly and most played 90 last weekend. We havent got the depth up there atm so no point risking them ahead of next Saturday.

Magloire doing well against the top scorer in the prem here. Although vardy's strengths overlap with magloires. I'd have Armstrong coming off the left of the front 3. We look weak down the left defensively. Bell, holtby and brereton compared with nyambe, travis and JRC on the right

Fisher JRC Nyambe Wharton Bell Travis Davenport Holtby Brereton Armstrong Dolan

I think Rothwell is better deeper and driving.

Dack on the left of the 3 in midfield, does he have the engine to get up and down?

With Chapman after the hamstring injuries he has had it was obvious his pace was going to be affected. They will have or should have watched his performances for Boro under 23's and must have noticed the change in pace. I'm not surprised that parsonblue said his best performances came in central areas fornthe under 23's as his touch is still there but he has lost the main feature to his game, the ability to run at people. If we had seen this beforehand then why did we sign him? Or did they think our guys could help get it back?

Not all his goals came with him through the middle tbf. I'd see him in a similar role to salah at liverpool as we are trying to emulate there formation. Pushed up more as a left forward. With his defensive responsibilities limited to pressing the ball.

Chapman isnt at this standard and Rothwell isnt a forward player. Let's hope Dolan can build on the last couple of games because we really need another option on the right of the 3

Agree with dack. Disagree with the other two. Armstrong from the left of the 3 is probably where he is best. Travis gets a bit more license to get up and down in the right of a 3. Dont see where dack slots in though. I'm worried it's as a false 9

I'd be really interested to see holtby in that position. I didnt watch the blackpool game but it sounded like it worked in possession and didnt work out of possession. Maybe worth trying in remaining pre season games. My worry is that him being not great at the defensive side of that role would be too much of an issue. Although downing got away with it at the end of last season.

Again selective memory when it comes to Rothwell. His through ball to Armstrong in the build up to Breretons open goal miss was great. He also played a lovely driven pass opening up the game to the right winger. I'd like to see him have a run on the left of the midfield 3. I think our issue may be who plays in the centre of the 3.

Dolan might play himself into the 11 come the first league game. He's quick and hungry and looks like he has good technique. Not particularly sure why PNE let him go...

Dreadful dive by there number 9. Goal not exactly against the run of play from the start of the second half.

Chapman doesn't really run at people anymore does he. Some nice touches but doesn't have the pace anymore

He has been injured. I'd expect a 2and half cameo perhaps. I do hope that JRC plays right back instead of bennett should nyambe be unavailable for any reason

Doesn't suit the narrative though.

Yeah I dont buy the Travis has had his wings clipped by mowbray argument either. I thought he was excellent for most of last season and his goal away at Boro is proof to the contrary that he doesn't get forward as much. He does still have areas to work on, like the way he takes the ball with his back to goal, he needs to open his body up more.

Vale would never player as a central striker though. Tony believes that players have to earn the right to play through the middle.

Depends if he wears his ripped Jeans when he goes to sign his contract