Mike E

First choice back 4 and fluid, exciting attacking 4. Keeper and engine room leave a lot to be desired.

Only watched the last 10mins (got in from work), and I'm wondering what we've put in Williams' Readybrek. Absolutely dominant at the back.

...which is scoring. Would you rather he missed?

For £4 I'd be expecting Moretti. Fosters should be £3 at most.

Sounds like there's a story there?

Cunningham looks like the best left back we've had since the Warnock/Givet years. The better Olsson was decent ofc, but he always struck me as a wing back/winger rather than an actual defender. The less said about the less good Olsson, the better.

I like Finn pursuing the title as part of OC, but Fiend must destroy the Demon. It needs to spend a good year or two utterly undefeated if it's to keep an aura. That was the problem with cult leader Bray.

Bray Wyatt is the best character in wrestling since Velveteen Dream debuted in NXT.

That's our best side imo, even accounting for injuries. It's amazing how different the midfield looks with Johnson in it.

Are we playing an unnecessarily narrow 4 3 1 2?

I feel like if he's club captain but NOT team captain (essentially a vice captain, I guess) it'd suit him great. But team captain needs to have a nasty streak imo.

I'm going to desperately cling to the fact that last time we lost the first two games of the season, we were promoted.

Personally think it'd be fine, especially as the 'cliquey' nature that the mb used to have hasn't been prevalent in about 3 or 4 years now.

Conceding against the run of play is a bugger. I think at this point, I'd consider taking Dack off for Brereton and going 442 in the second half.

Oh ffs.

'Excellent start' meaning what? Details please lads for those of stuck at work with LiveScore updates?

It's not even 'the defence' that's the issue in that line-up, it's the full backs. Swap in Cunningham and Nyambe and it'd be near enough our theoretical best side.

The Captain (imo) sets the tone for the team. Johnson, Lenihan, Travis all suitable imo.

If we're basing it purely on incomings it's good imo, but the outgoings make it average. I feel like the squad is stronger as a whole, but I'm yet to be convinced we'll put out a stronger first eleven. We'll see. I believe there is every chance we can flirt with 6th place, but it needs EVERYTHING to align perfectly. I think we have no more than a solid mid table side, unless the defence turns out to be better without Mulgrew being a first pick. Certainly think that Cunningham-Williams-Lenihan-Nyambe looks stronger than Williams-Mulgrew-Lenihan-Nyambe.

The header that brought us back to the Championship.

Personally think that if Cunningham's signing shifts Bell to the bench and Williams to CB in Mulgrew's stead, then we've improved two positions imo. However, the question is whether we've improved them ENOUGH, as I was expecting at least one other CB. Could still be, I guess, with potential deals still being done, or with freebies to consider.

Look at that moustache! Practically dripping in testosterone!

Get Rothwell on

...and yet you don't think we'll do well this season?

Not played in the top division recently, so may be expendable in the eyes of the FA and EFL.