Doesn't actually matter that much whether those out of contract are ones we want to keep or not. The point is that we need to be building a squad bit by bit not seeing a dozen plus out of contract each year. Those bodies will need replacing properly hence why bringing in more permanents now would offset it somewhat next year.

Next summer we'll have 13 people who are out of contract or end of loan. These are: Paul Caddis, Sam Hart, Paul Downing, Charlie Mulgrew, Corry Evans, Craig Conway, Peter Whittingham, Danny Graham, Ben Gladwin, Kasey Palmer, Jack Rodwell, Joe Nuttall and Harrison Reed. We will have Raya, Nyambe, Lenihan, Bell, Williams, Rothwell, Davenport, Samuel, Smallwood, Travis, Dack, Armstrong and possibly Brereton under long term contract. So approximately half the squad will be gone in the next 9 months as it stands. I think it needs to be much more heavily weighted towards a small number being let go and the majority here beyond then.

To date we've spent about £2 million which is very little by Championship standards. It seems we are close to getting Brereton done for a decent sum of money, when that happens I'm ready to admit they've done more than I expected and perhaps some of my cynicism was misplaced. However I don't want the window to hinge on one signing. Brereton is good but other areas need improving.

My expectations were mainly based on what the manager has said in public on numerous occasions. He wanted another 4 or 5, to date we're at 1 with Rodwell. Lets see if we get close to 4 or 5 by Friday then we'll discuss further. If we don't get to 4 including the Rodwell one I'll interpret that as being short of what Mowbray hoped for.

Rodwell is only here until the summer at the moment. It appears to be an arrangement where he can come in, get up to speed, and we might be able to offer him games when we're short. He's been around the houses this summer training at various clubs. He doesn't really fit the long term building job spoken about. People also seem to be missing the possibility that if he does do well he could just as easily be snatched from under our noses next summer. As I've said previously I'm not against the Rodwell one to see how it goes but hope he's as well as and not instead of our long term targets that Mowbray has spoken about. In terms of incomings I'd say we're short of my expectations overall given the language coming from Mowbray and Waggott. I accept that probably stems from what has been said since the arrival of Armstrong, when they spoke about exciting signings and significant investment, since then we've added Rodwell and it seems soon Brereton. Brereton is the sort we should be after and spending money on but I hope as I've said earlier that it isn't all our money on one player or some bizarre Venky stunt like with Jordan Rhodes where they chuck a lot of money at one deal and elsewhere we're relying on loans and cheap deals. There are other areas need addressing and investing into.

Again allowing yourself to be influenced by short term results and not by the longer term picture. Yes we've had a good start. Yes we're playing well. You don't need to tell me that. But the plan from several weeks ago shouldn't change on the basis of a few decent results. Whether we had won our first 5 or lost our first 5 our targets and plans should remain consistent. You don't say 'well we've had a good start so we don't need any more new players now' As expected injuries are biting and we have to add more depth or we're running a major risk.

WHEN we get Brereton and Reed done, which we haven't yet, and IF we're counting Rodwell as one of Mowbray's targets (and not just a mutually beneficial short term arrangement to help him get fit whilst filling up the squad) then we're at 3. That means another 1 or 2 THIS WEEK. Given how long our deals take to get done, I'm not confident of that being achieved.

Rodwell is effectively a loan as he is only here until the end of the season. If we can't or won't get the deals over the line in the long summer months then we'll struggle in January. More to the point do you think Mowbray will be happy having said numerous times he wanted 4 or 5 more bodies in preferably on long term contracts and to date we've added Jack Rodwell until the end of the season (effectively a loan)? Yes I'm happy with the Brereton one (when or if it eventually gets done). I also quite like the sound of Reed though again would prefer a permanent. That's two down, or three if we're being generous and counting Rodwell, so another couple to go.

Mowbray wanted 4 or 5. If we count Rodwell as one of those, which I'm not even sure we can given the sounds of things with how long he's going to take, then we need another 3 or 4. Sounds like Brereton and Reed are likely to happen so that's another couple needed. That is Mowbray's target, which I agree with.

Yes i would be disappointed with our remaining business if is was Brereton on a permanent and Reed on loan. I think we need 3 more incomings at least, preferably 4, and would like at least 3 of them to be permanent transfers, not loans and not deals until the end of the season whilst people get themselves fit (Rodwell). The manager said he wanted at least 4 or 5 additions following Armstrong, so if we get Brereton and Reed that still means another 2-3, or if Rodwell is indeed counting as one of those then another 1-2 beyond Brereton and Reed. I've already acknowledged that we've made a good start and have a group of players working very hard. That's why we need to strike whilst the iron is hot and maintain the momentum by strengthening. Expecting things to continue with the injuries we're picking up and shortage of options is pushing luck to the limit.

Don't know what to make of the latest take on things in the Telegraph. Sounds like Brereton is imminent and to be honest both Mowbray and Karanka have suggested it is close so that is good news. The Telegraph are saying 'at least 2' in this week which is well short of what Mowbray wanted of 4-5 even with Rodwell added. Mowbray is still pushing that he wants permanent players for the longer term which is clearly the best way to do business yet we've just added Rodwell until the end of the season and it sounds as though Harrison Reed will only be a season long loan, so we're not building for the future there. I'd be pleased with Brereton but would still want and be disappointed if we didn't get at least another 2 on permanent terms who will stick with the club long term.

Everyone is feeling positive about the start so far but we mustn't allow that start to distract from the important work that still needs doing to the squad. We clearly have a tight-knit hard-working group on our hands who will work hard for the club but we need more depth and quality and quickly. It is concerning that we're already suffering from the expected injuries which were always going to happen sooner or later but I didn't expect so suddenly. To be in a situation where we've Joe Nuttall starting games in the Championship and have Sam Hart and Paul Caddis as substitutes is not one we want to be in. Still think 4 needs to be the aim. Whilst I would be pleased with the Brereton addition I hope it isn't all our eggs in one basket and all our money on one player. If we've several million sat there to spend then i'd like 3-4 bringing in of decent quality. That doesn't mean I wouldn't pay for Brereton, but would hope if Venkys are prepared to spend that much on one player they'll make more available for the 2-3 others we need. I'll be surprised if Rodwell is in any sort of immediate contention so still think another CB would be useful. The sooner we get some of these over the line the better. Ideally a couple tomorrow so they can use Lincoln to bed in a bit.

Too much can happen between now and January for us to even remotely concern ourselves with potential incomings or outgoings in that window at this stage. That's why our business has to be done in the next few days because 4 months until the next window is a massive gap with a huge amount of football to play. Sadly for one reason or another there seems to be a group of people who enjoy or benefit from continually linking our players with transfers away the moment they or we do reasonably well.

Really pleased with the game plan and effort today. Thought we set up very well and managed the game very well. Something of a 'Burnley-esqe' performance with them having the majority of possession and chances but us keeping them out and taking our chance when it came. Need more options and depth, not good enough having Hart, Caddis and Nuttall all in the squad.

Would Grayson be an option for Scunthorpe I wonder? They were linked with him before giving Daws the job.

I'm not sure this really takes us any further than we already were. If the idea is he's cover for CB and CM then ok but can't see him being up to speed for some time yet unless he's really taken care of himself since leaving Sunderland. I'm not opposed to the deal on the basis it is a low risk see how it pans out sort of deal and could work out well but I certainly won't be very happy if this is one of the so-called exciting quality signings we were being told to expect. Once again easy to get the cheap short term low risk deals done but not so easy to actually get money spent on quality ready to go players. Much more to do yet.

Well we'll see how it goes, could work out, could just as easily fail. Certainly not a signing that is going to get people excited or be a game changer. Need much more than this I'm afraid even if he does get himself fully fit. Still no sign of the money or exciting long term signings we were promised.

Wouldn't ever tolerate taking a loan from them. Hemed a different matter though.

The Norwich paper said he couldn't make CM his own ahead of someone else there so in the second half of last season he ended up playing RB.

Has anyone signed yet? I thought we said a couple would be announced today? Time running out again on another self-imposed window. Sounds like this Reed rumour is going to be a loan with no option or obligation to buy according to Myers. Not really a surprise as a buy would require a cash commitment and it seems we're struggling to do those even with this alleged backing from the owners.

Realistically apart from Brentford and QPR the same applies to everyone else at this level who all have plenty of empty seats every week. Our ground, like most others, was built with Premier League football in mind, and so unless we are in the Premier League it will have a lot of empty seats. I was actually surprised by the attendance last night. Given there were '200' Reading fans (appeared to be less than that) I thought the home ends looked reasonably well populated for a Wednesday night game against Reading. The BBE and Riverside looked as busy as they usually do on Saturdays.

Yes but the other way of looking at it is we've conceded 4 poor goals against poor sides in Ipswich and Reading and were very lucky not to concede vs Millwall. Maybe I'm being over critical. I enjoy the way we play going forward and I think we'll cause everyone problems with our attacking play but do think that defensively we are to be got at. Long balls and set pieces in particular seem to be an issue. To concede 2 at home last night v Reading was poor. We showed good character to fight back and get a point but really it was a position we shouldn't have got ourselves into and it prevented a win. Similar I suppose to Oldham at home last year where we gave away poor goals and then despite fighting back couldn't get the 3 points. In terms of not taking chances it wouldn't matter if we only needed 1 to win games and we could defend resolutely the rest of the time, but when you need 3 to win as per Ipswich and Reading you're having to create an awful lot to get the required goals.

From what I gather Bolton have lived a charmed life so far this season. Fair dos they've had some good results but by most accounts they were very fortunate to win vs West Brom, Reading and Birmingham. Last night their goal was from a blatant handball. Nonetheless they've got themselves sorted out at the back it seems so no matter how good or bad you are if you don't concede many you'll do ok. That's my concern with us that we never appear to be far from conceding even when on top in games. Last night plenty of occasions where we were well on top and ended up in danger from nothing more than a long ball forward or smash up from the opposition. We seem to panic too much for my liking and struggle to absorb pressure.

Once again Mowbray putting his neck on the line. Expects 2 signings before the weekend (seemingly not attackers) and hopefully 'much bigger deals' than free agents coming in the next 9 days. If we end up with a few loans/free agents its clear why people will be disappointed when the manager is mentioning 'much bigger deals' on the way. Reading between the lines I'd expect Rodwell and a couple of loans, possibly Reed and a CB, from Premier League clubs. We're probably so confident of announcing them because getting loans over the line is much easier than committing to cash purchases which will go down to the wire.

Looking at the few games last night it had a bit of an effect. Rotherham v Hull only 8,900 on officially whereas I'm sure it would be a couple of thousand more for a 'derby game'. 24,000 on Derby which is a good 3-4000 less than what they usually announce. 11000 on QPR - again even though they're struggling they usually get more than that on at home. Wouldn't surprise me if we're at less than 10,000 tonight. Reading don't travel in numbers at the best of times so probably 200 of them coming.