Ghost7

Missing out on transfer targets isn’t a excuse it’s a failure by anyone involved particularly if you don’t move on to another target for the position that needs filling and get them! I’m absolutely sick of fans saying “but we offered x for him” or “we wanted x but he joined x instead” that is a recruitment failure no matter how they try to dress it up - unless you can say “so we got x instead”. We blew it in Jan and very naively / bizarrely didn’t think we needed to strengthen all over to get promotion.

The lack of investment in January or whoever was responsible for bringing in players that couldn't make an immediate impact on the starting 11 has let current group down. It seems to be a combination of recruitment team, manager and owners. There was a huge amount of effort tonight, it was just missing that extra bit of quality to kill it off. An extra 500,000 - £1m spent could have done it, who knows! Instead we've been left hoping the bounce goes our way in "17 cup finals" and that nobody gets injured. To get promoted you have to control it, if we go up it will be an absolute miracle - deserved by the players but completely undeserved for the not very savvy and uninterested owners. It's worth remembering we felt their current investment or lack of was going to get us relegated this season, that is the expectation with their current rate of investment in permanent singings. The players are defying the odds and this is still largely thanks to Jack Walker... but sadly the reality is that we still aren't set up right to execute or expect a promotion.

Wasn't this fee agreed based on a Rothwell sale? I think it's very kind to say the owner's are showing ambition after all recent windows. It seems to always be the bare minimum.

This miss was worse than Swansea for sure. It was a simple, simple finish and the keeper shouldn't have stood a chance. He should not be playing in that position now unfortunately and I'd consider dropping him for the next game, unless he's going to start putting his foot through the ball properly!

Our defenders are chasing opposition players deep into their half to commit fouls and pick up yellow cards. Is that discussed in training? Seems bizarre when there is no threat. It was happening a lot against Swansea too leaving the back line all over the place at times. Surely this is an alarm bell that something isn't working on the day and an extra tackler is needed in the middle i.e. Davenport or Johnson... or perhaps... a change in shape during a game Tony?

Only ourselves to blame... and the owner's of course but a terrible, terrible performance.

I think the reality is we're overachieving and being found out... it was never going to last, this is why January was so important. It's a miracle we are where we are and had to take advantage of that by spending. We didn't, end of story.

We're losing this in the middle. It was clear after the game against Hull that we desperately needed a better central midfielder imo (even with Travis back) and ideally rotate Rothwell/ Buckley. The January window was a massive opportunity missed no matter how you try to dress it. If we weren't getting a number 9 we had to get a CM.

he lethargically tries to pass everything into the net like he's in an under u18s training game. Needs to stop.

He seems to side foot most shots high and wide no matter the distance. Definitely a part of his game that needs drastic improvement and quickly. If he can figure that out he'll be some player...

I've just watched Ryan Giles cross a football for 90 minutes. Really poor tactics executed well.

It just seems very, very unusual to me that our budget wasn't increased slightly considering we're 2nd in the league. What a huge opportunity missed to get a few more permanent players in while the club was looking so attractive. I expected quite a bit more and I bet the players were hoping for it too. Hedges was a target for a team that finished 15th last year. Hope he does well but it's hardly inspiring, he was coming for free in the summer anyway. Zeefuik and Giles are good signings but not really what was needed, so that is a bit disjointed. An odd window overall given our position, and it started so positively! I would like to know who is responsible for us being totally unable to sign a striker in any transfer window, someone is hindering us (Manager? Owners? CEO? Scouts? )... Overall a 6/10. It really will be something special if we go up!

The frustration isn't at the posters for sharing the info, it's at the incompetence of the club for the infuriatingly unrealistic targets (if true). We're 2nd, plenty of players would have joined... if we can't do it now when the hell can we? 😒

Every fucking time! I'd sanction my money too if I knew it wasn't going to get spent.

Gallagher's goals this season albeit with some poor performances have decided a total of 8 points. He also got the opener in the 2-0 home win against Reading so that's 3 more you can add if you like. He's part of the reason why we are 2nd in the league. There have been times where he has contributed well defensively too. Without him and his poor first touch we'd be 8th or 9th right now, sorry if that upsets some people.

Hard to criticise his consistency when he is consistently played out of position.

It's an insulting bid but we have been asking for it.

That is 2 strikers and a CM needed. Get moving.

TIME TO SPEND VENKY'S!

It was crying out for a change or two well before the second goal. Hindsight is a wonderful thing but that's what the manager's there for. Hopefully he's learned that whatever he tried today selection wise, doesn't work.

The officials have been an absolute disgrace tonight and need calling out.

MAKE A F**KING SUB!

WOAH. What was that? Zeefuik's played more football this season than Costello. He had to play tonight if this is the alternative but as a team our shape is wrong, they are absolutely all over the place, back to being a team of poor individuals tonight. 2 subs at half time please! Davenport on and let Buckley/ Rothwell do what they are good at. Gallagher off!

I personally think his attitude and work rate will really help the team go up (if we do), ability aside. I think he's played and is playing a part in why this team's successful. I'd 100% keep him around... unless prem standard attackers were to come in.

A white box with Totally Wicked written in black would have looked better but oh well! or no box at all and white text with a black outline would have done the job nicely. Clubs don't really have their sponsors in a box anymore so it would have been nice to hear that this was temporary. Not that important but it's spoiled what were 3 lovely kits this year.