Kompany has had far more money to spend than we have to replace those players lost, and he came down with a squad full of Prem experience. They're only 2 points ahead of us. I'm not making excuses, I'm pointing out facts. Answer me this would you or would you not have taken 7th place after 10 games when we kicked off in July? Such a short term outlook that you & some others display is part of what's wrong with modern football. It takes time to make changes, and that's just what he and Gregg told us on their arrival, so why some folk are expecting more than what we have at this stage is hard to fathom.

If JDT is going to insist on a style of play that relies on high press, 1 and 2 touch passing & a possession game that is proactive, he's not going to be able to do that in the Championship in 10 games. This season is playing out no differently than he warned us it would when he took the job; a project, ups & downs, bumps in the road. I'd say that 5 wins & 5 defeats epitomises that, so I don't really see why folk are getting so het up & frustrated at this early stage! We've had some tough games (away at the leaders, away at the Reading (now in 3rd), home to QPR (now in 6th), home to Watford & W Brom, home Bristol City in 9th, away at Luton who finished 6th last year & where we've NEVER won. Am I frustrated by today? Of course, but let's keep things in perspective and allow a whole new backroom set-up time to bed in.

What?! Sorry but that's just not true! He inherited a team that had lost 5 first teamers (inc its captain), and didn't join until mid June was it, with the season starting on 30th July. He had 5 weeks with a tiny squad who he didnt know from Adam, a newly installed DoF to work with, in totally new surroundings & facilities in a pre-season programme that he didn't organise & which he openly said he wouldn't have chosen! That is not the same boat as any other manager, yet he's got his team in 7th place, ahead of nearly 75% of his peers & well ahead of the likes of Wilder, Bruce & others with far more championship experience. I can't believe how quickly you're leaping into him and saying he needs to use a different method of coaching! Coaches can't instill all their ideas & values on a team in 3 months, especially when there've been what, 12 games in 7 weeks?? You're expecting miracles there, & being entirely unrealistic & therefore unfair IMO. I think you need to readjust your expectations.

It sounds like today was pretty poor, which is disappointing after Tuesday. I felt a bit more steel was needed today, with the likes of Wharton, Mola & Hirst more suited than Dolan & Morton in particular. Tactical error there I think. Overall though we're now 10 games into the season and sit in 7th place. On 29th July we would all have taken that. There are certainly things to improve upon, but also clear signs of how we might develop as the season progresses & another 2 or 3 windows pass. To have 15 points from 10 games is solid, if unspectacular. That's fine by me, given the context. This next 2 weeks affords JDT time with moat of his squad to really focus on drills, styles, patterns if play, set pieces etc. and to plan for the next barrage of games leading up to the World Cup. I think many feared we'd be in a much worse situation than this at the start of the season, so let's not just focus on the negatives, let's keep it balanced.

We need to start fast like we did last week, get a good foothold in the game,hopefully with a goal or 2 1st 15 mins or so. The longer it's 0-0 the more vulnerable I think we'll become. Will wait to see the team but thinks it's one we'll win.

It Bites - Calling All the Heroes

Especially when new evidence comes to light; previously it was all suspicion and conjecture, but these are words from the horse's mouth, under no duress. It's certainly caused me to re-evaluate the legacy of his tenure.

Dire Straits - Calling Elvis

Diana Ross - Chain Reaction

The covid season was a weird one though, obviously, and I'm not sure that's an entirely fair time to judge him by. Being a good man manager was perhaps more of a priority then than ever, as opposed to being just purely a football manager, for the sake of the mental health of the players? I had to work all through covid, with all the professional & social disruption that caused, and I'm pretty sure I wasn't on top form throughout then. But what these comments show is that he wasn't just not performing at his best, or looking out for player welfare at the expense of club progression, he was actively derailing the club's ambitions & structure, which possibly went further than just Harvey. That's what I'm most peeved at, alongside his back handed swipe at the small car he was driving for 5 years. Oh well, hopefully he finds out the bigger the vehicle, the more spectacular the crash.

I was a defender of Mowbray throughout most if his time here, but felt he should've gone last summer which is roughly around the time when Harvey left. I'm quite staggered actually at the brasenness & naivety of his comments above. Trying to be neutral about it, I can kind of understand why a colleague / friend might advise another friend / colleague to seriously consider an opportunity elsewhere, but for TM as a manager to actively recommend that Harvey leave, to then openly admit it like he has done, and then to disparage the profile of the club like he has (as opposed to just the owners, who we all have reservations about) is pretty outrageous by anyone's standards. To my mind there is certainly a case to make out retrospectively that he is guilty of gross misconduct in his employment, though what that would mean in real terms financially is impossible to gauge. I doubt there's an appetite to take that step & perhaps we should look forward & stop looking back, but he has certainly besmirched his reputation as far as I'm concerned with those comments.

Tina Turner - Simply the Best

James - Laid

Except in 3 weeks, of course!

Tbf, you can perhaps criticise the defending but Sunderland's goals last night were top drawer, some great football involved. Worth watching if you get chance. Agree with above comments about Pukki, deadly at this level but too slow to be a top tier striker.

The Mamas and the Papas - California Dreamin

Meatloaf - Dead Ringer for Love

The Ting Tings - That's Not My Name (Sorry!)

Hard one to call this due to our inconsistency, but Luton are having an iffy season by their recent standards and only drew at home last night to Coventry. We have more than enough to win this comfortably if we approach it with the right mindset, almost regardless of personnel. Hopefully our recent history there as a club doesn't weigh heavy; there's only a handful of players & staff who were involved in previous grim defeats there (iirc we drew last season?), but enough to help JDT understand & prep for the anti-football "tactics" they will look to mete out. I don't normally advocate switching style or personnel for the opposition, but might make an exception here. We have 24 hours on them fitness wise, but it's a long coach trip there & our front 3 put in a big shift on Tuesday so I'd expect some rotation. That said, Dolan & Hedges were superb & we can't drop BBD. Not sure I'd risk Dack against this lot given his injuries, might do more harm than good. Maybe Hirst for Dolan just for the extra height & bulk, then bring Dolan on in a supersub role against tiring legs? I also wouldn't be averse to switching Morton for A Wharton, who seems like he's a bit more robust, or possibly even Mola (I know little about him but think he has the versatility & stature to compete well there). No arguments over the same back 5 for me. Markanday must at least be on the bench imo. I believe he's been a bright light in a poor start for the U21s & hope he doesn't become the next Chapman. I'm saying a 2--0 away win.

King - Love and Pride

So chuffed with what we saw last night. Was a great team effort across the board, with a solid defensive platform creating a base to build from. We were out of the traps fast, and there were some wonderful pieces of 1 & 2 touch football and some lovely bits of individual skill. Highlights for me were the build up to the 1st goal, BBD's curler that was a whisker past the post, Dolan's sheer peskiness, Hyam's goal, Hedges' round the corner above, and his sublime, perfectly weighted through-ball to BBD from the middle of our half whilst being pulled back. On Travis, he'd be a bugger to play against. In that incident with the "punch" (hard to tell exactly how bad it was), if you look at the lead up to it seconds before Travis seems to tangle legs with Pedro, whose reaction might've been a retaliation to that? I agree he pushes the line a bit but he's clever enough to know what he can get away with, and sure does wind opponents up. One of those players you love if he's on your team, hate if he's not (like Savage). Onwards & upwards; Luton next, a poor hunting ground but only drew 2-2 with Cov tonight so shouldn't hold any fear for us.

There you go! ( or Voila if you're coming from the French bit!!)

Sorry, who?? 😄

Fixed it.

7 - 13 for me.