Exiled in Toronto Mk2

One positive: I thought the 6-2-1 formation after losing Ayala had been well practised on the training pitch. Everyone knew their jobs.

Best and worst of Morton in both goals: great run, awareness and pass for our, piss poor foot wave when defending the box for theirs. Not sure Ayala should’ve gone but very sure Wharton should’ve. Two howlers from Brereton and Kaminski cost us two points.

Not sure I understand the focus on Vale; Dack and Diaz have been equally useless.

Miss of the season.

As an aside, I’d forgotten what an excellent first touch Cole had. All sublime passes to him but Gallagher wouldn’t have one touched any of them, even if he had made the runs in the first place.

Given we have previously had a dodgy agent, a Malaysian TV pundit, the programme editor, a shelf salesman and a chicken factory manager in charge of transfers, I’m not sure why you are surprised this wasn’t handled superbly.

Ok, so the correct decision 2.5 years ago would’ve been either to offer a long improved contract to what was then a 5 goals a year striker - just like we did our other 5 goals a year striker - or sell said hotshot for, say, £2 million and watch him bang in 20 by Xmas for someone else?

And who would provide the accountability to get them off easy street? Surely those very owners you have spent the last decade using your accountancy qualifications and much trumpeted business expertise to annually predict they are broke / will sell up / will cut off funding / will put us in administration.

I’ve seen enough of Morton now. No doubt will have a good career but not as a battling ball winner who can protect our box that we so desperately need. I like Garrett and think he’ll make it but he shouldn’t be playing every week yet. Pickering is league one, Gallagher too can only be a signing away from oblivion. That’s Vale’s 3rd (?) league start and he’s been invisible in all of them - can’t be persevering with that. Subs bench at best. I still remain convinced that our manager is unbending for a reason: to convince everyone above him there’s far more deadwood than they thought, skill wise and heart wise.

The simple bit was the pass, the hard bit was the awareness he was there and not telegraphing the pass. Also, I would have had no faith in Gallagher a) being where Vale was, and b) not fluffing the shot.

Very impressive win. Pears - flawless Carter - I like him at right back. Plays some good forward balls and our only player who gives out more than he gets Phillips - his best game yet, very assured. Hyam - flawless Pickering - hung in against a tough opponent, has a bit more variety in his play now. Garrett - good, I like him. Travis’s successor Travis - not long for us I’m afraid Markandy - first full game I’ve seen from him. Reminds me of Dolan last year, hopefully will improve as much. Dack - a real leader now, and a lot fitter. I’m thinking he has finally bought in. Brereton - He’ll be lucky to move on a free if he keeps missing sitters.

A lot to like about that half.

Not unlike a lot of our wins this season: superb at the back, scab a goal up front. I liked Garrett, always showed for the ball from the centre halves. Dack has vision that the others don’t, execution is slowly getting back there. Hedges for me is the heartbeat of team. The front two leave me speechless. Gallagher has absolutely nothing, constantly loses possession, while Brereton either does a ludicrous dive or shoots and misses. It’s hard to defend a narrow lead high up the pitch when those two are the supposed outlet.

I interpreted sustainable as referring to staying in the Premier League after promotion rather than anything financial. Which, to me at least, explains his lack of interest in playing to the “strengths” of players like Gallagher and Travis, who aren’t good enough at this level, let alone the next one. I’ll be very interested to see who he ships out this window and the next. By talking about needing multiple windows, I think he’s basically told most of the senior players they’ll be on their way if they can’t do things like control and pass the ball.