You could combine Bell and Williams into one and you would only get half of Cunningham at LB. Just hope we have some kind of loan to own arrangement.

You're right - there wasnt that same air of inevitability.

Get in - nice job boys COYB

Lock it down guys - big 3 points here.

Anyone in the team that hasnt been booked today?

Dont think there are many that talk smack about him - far and away the best striker we have and we've spent 15 million on others.

3-points off the playoffs!

Positives - No Bell, DG up front. Negatives - SG shoehorned in on the wing when it should be Rothwell, No pace in the side at all, Bennett still picked over Nyambe.

"Rise Up" Would be my motivational choice.

Surely not, according to many that is not allowed - it's "only 3 games", managers get a fresh slate each season.

Salgado

No pace at all in that side.

Only one in our team that can cross. Also, with Mulgrew gone, I'd say he is useful for set pieces. That said, as DE said above, he would only get in for me above Armstrong - not Rothwell. Ideally, I would also be picking Chapman ahead of him but they are obviously taking it slow with him so that he can build himself up.

My theory is Bennett reads Twitter and perhaps these boards, knows becoming captain is not the fans choice because he shouldnt be playing (at least not at RB) and so is just putting across that its just temporary. Some kind of "dont worry, its just for the season".

He has previous for it though. I am not completely against the fact his hands might be tied but you go back to his previous clubs and he has done very similar. Stockpiles midfielders and strikers and takes massive risks with his defence. Its illogical anyway, how are our forward thinking 'investments going to shine' and thus make profit, going to do so with a league 1 defence? My theory, he wasn't backed as much as he wanted. They expected more from the 7mil chucked at BB - which is looking more the disaster by the day and cut it back this season. Seems he wanted Gallagher last season too hence his comments in the press at that time and Waggots now. Had the money to spend so got shafted by a Forest agent at the last minute. Fast forward to this season, knew BB wasnt up to it, so still chased SG. So now we have two forwards that cannot oust a 34-year old DG right now and no defence. i wouldnt mind if he sets teams up to attack in order to take advantage of the fact we dont give a fuck about defence, but he doesnt.

First touch let him down and think he made the most of the faintest of clips to go down.

Complete twat though to be tweeting stuff like that.

You have to credit Downing there (or discredit Nyambe) as he outsprinted the fullback there despite his age. Actually, I was quite impressed in just how up for it Downing is. Every goal that went in he was delighted and really spurring the team on. Nice to be able to say that about an older player coming in for possibly his last contract here.

Wouldn't even say Cunningham and Travis are guaranteed. Walton yes, Williams yes (as we have nobody else).

Only one man can be consistently blamed for our poor defence over the past few years. That would be the man that has put it together (or conversely, not really put it together), coaches it and picks it.

Ive given up trying to put what I would do and then what TM would do - he always completely bamboozles me. Probably have DG on one wing, BB on another and Dack up front or something.

I guess TM is thinking of life without DG but with our (on paper), tough start with regards to fixtures, he should be sticking to what we know until we get some points on the board and some momentum before pushing this new system. I was very surprised to see Gallagher straight into the team against Charlton. It should be DG and then one of either Gallagher or Brereton coming on to replace him later in the game. We really do have to stop with strikers on the wing as well. Chapman got some minutes, Rothwell helped save the day, Downing has looked fairly solid and then we have Armstrong who out of the striker turned wingers, looks the best of them mainly because he has some pace. Gallagher and BB should be competing directly with eachother and Graham for the lone role.

Strongest team possible and then bring some fringe players into the fold when the game is in the bag. Usually I'd say a younger team against opposition like this but we need a win and some confidence as well as letting our first team gel. We cant be worrying about injuries - if we lose a defender, only one person to blame for not bringing in the defenders we had been promised.

Charlton doing Stoke now too.

But is he faster than Mbappe?