This TV coverage is awful. Lingering on close ups time and again when attacks are happening... Going to be punished if keep giving the ball away cheaply. 2-1 defeat as it stands for me if we dont sharpen up.

Something Walton is good at ??

Didn't realise the Venkys hired an actual chicken as manager... 12 months from now (Assuming TM is still manager) this team will (most likely) no longer have Lenihan, Dack and Graham, plus Rothwell and Nyambe if they have sense, not to mention all the out of contracts, mid 30 year olds and loanees. The time was now.

Reading not looking like the relegation fodder of last year... could even be a dark horse for playoffs (based on 1 game viewing). But where did they get £12m for Joao and Puscas plus the money for (probably) expensive loans for Maizga, Pele, Ejaria and Rafael, not to mention the wages for Morrison and Adam. It's not like they sell out their stadium or have parachute money... hmmmm. Could have been 5-0 to Reading quite easily.

Not read the general consensus but for me that was a dogged, forgettable victory against a terrible Middlesbrough (they never impress me ?) in a game which will be quickly forgotten. Glad Mowbray came out and said it was all about 3 points and not performance... as that was a poor football match. But shows our team (whichever XI Mowbray pick) is good enough (by default) for mid table. 2 points: 1) Walton is a clear downgrade at GK for me, seems like a cross between Jason Steele and Jake Kean. We won despite of him and his time wasting. 2) Bennett was actually okay defensively, but my god what a liability he is on the ball... within 3 minutes he had gift wrapped TWO Boro counter attacks. He also kicked passes straight out of play enough to make even Raya haters blush. He was very harshly booked though and did win us a few corners and make some good tackles. Much improved, but still too poor to be starting. Big 3 points, no chance of playoffs but maybe we might not be in the relegation battle we feared.

For some daft Mowbray reason, our back 4 this season seem to have our full backs standing on the last man (of their defence) as far wide as possible, when our own defender have the ball. That is neither Bennett's or Nyambe's fault. Look at the pass Bennett made for Charlton (where he was stood) and where Nyambe was stood for the first Oldham goal when Smallwood passed to an Oldham player (again). Both nonchalantly hanging out at RW. I predict it has been done to give Downing a "free role" to move from the right and all in all it has left us so open down our right, it's criminal. I agree with many comments... Let Nyambe play (and defend) at RB and play an actual RW like, I dunno, Harry fucking Chapman. The best and probably only (football related) compliment I can give Bennett right now is he isn't the worst player on our team... Smallwood reminded us that on Tuesday. Watch it tomorrow... Bennett will go and stand at RW when Cunningham/Bell has the ball, for no reason. The manager is, has been, and will continue to be the problem.

Smallwood ?? Haven't scored a goal from open play and had what 2 shots on target. Let's play the crabs in CDM and CDM vs the team bottom of the football league, at home. Hope it's a good result for the back 4, Brereton, Buckley etc... for Mowbray, I couldn't care less if we lose and boos ring his ears.

Given the accumulated difficulty of the next four games, where even playing well you could still be well beaten in some and even lose all 4. Hypothetical question: Would people rather we did lose all four, as opposed to say fluking a point or 3... if it meant Mowbray would be sacked after 6 games? Before someone jumps on me saying "support the team, not a true fan, wanting us to lose etc etc" - I'm not saying that, i do want a change of manager, true, however I'm just stating it's a real possibility that we lose them anyway... I'd rather we played our best players and got 12 points. But Mowbray out after 6 games wouldn't be terrible either. Could be in quite a bad position come September ?

He didnt want to move to another bottom championship club and preference would have been to go back to Scotland. Just writing what I was told this morning. Soz.

Some clarity on Mulgrew: Mulgrew and Mowbray had a blazing argument in the middle of the training ground in front of loads on people, this happened Thursday morning. Everything was a rush from there. A few offers came in and Mulgrew wanted to go to Rangers, but they were only offering 50% of his wages whereas Wigan (surprisingly) offering 80% of his £20,000 per week. Mulgrew did not want to go to Wigan, he wanted to stay and fight for his place and continue to be a role model, captain etc. Mowbray did not cover himself in glory. Heard first hand from a source present at the training ground. Shambles.

Terrifying thing is that's probably a better back four than we will field at any point THIS SEASON.

So when all said and done: Walton Nyambe - Tosin - Lenihan - Cunninghan Travis Johnson Downing Dack Rothwell Gallagher Is our best XI for me (one wing spot being the only question, and probably Downing gets the nod down to his quality on the bell and set plays). Of course we all know Bennett will play, and Rothwell won't. Not a complete failure of a window, however 3 loans and no depth at all in defense, we haven't upgraded on Raya and the only players we signed were either pushing career twilight or vastly expensive... Expecting a free agent CB (a la Rodwell) to come in and hope to god Smallwood to go out. Long month ahead... see if it's enough to keep Mowbray in his job.

Can we start the poll again?

Will anybody?

And fucking captain to boot.

Mulgrew confirmed on SSN ?

It only actually got interesting at 4:54pm ?

Who is next behind Grayson in the CB pecking order? Asking for a friend.

Norwich have let us down big time... Imagine having a quiet deadline day with that worldie at Carrow Road doing the reporting.

If we didn't already know the out was Mulgrew... I'd have been hoping it was Mowbray.

I said a few hours ago... with the fee we paid for Tosin there was no way he wasn't going to be starting most games (eventually).

So as it stands we are ending the day 2 CB's lighter than we started it with ?? ? (Visual Representation of this board for the next few hours)

Collective holding of breath.

81 minutes until I begin posting in the "Mowbray out" group. Unless...

What ever happened to "Stroke Boy"?