There's an interesting article in my paper today regarding the up coming Bournemouth v Watford game. " During Bournemouth's downturn their possession has increased and their passing accuracy has gone up, as has both the number of passes attempted ( from 385 per game in their first 11 matches to 449 subsequently ) and successful ( from 289 to 357 ). Yet they are scoring 0.6 goals per game down from 1.3. In Watford's upturn their possession and passing accuracy has gone down, as has both the number of passes attempted ( from 403 to 354 ) and successful ( from 311 to 251 ), yet they are scoring 1.1 goals per game, up from 0.6. In the 4 games where they have had the greatest possession Watford have lost by and an aggregate score of 9 to 1. Bournemouth have extracted 2 points from the 6 games where they have had the ball the most." Has Mowbray backed the wrong horse implementing this new brand of possession based walking football ?

And if you rolled them all together you wouldn't have a right winger as good as Damien Johnson or Keith Gillespie for example.

I think so too, I like his style. It's the little things he does. He sees things really quickly. I saw him go after a ball out by the wing in his own half. He wasn't under any pressure but he was off like a rocket to claim the ball, that gave him time to look up and find a player to pass to. Our lot amble after balls like that and then they find they're under the cosh and have to clear the ball anywhere.

I see that kid Matheson scored a really good goal today for Rochdale. He's playing right back at the moment but I can see him moving into midfield when he's a bit bigger. Newcastle are the latest team to get interested in him apparently.

You do realise Dack probably won't be playing whilst next season ?

There's a few goals in that team !

How many wingers have we had over the years that were " mavericks " ? Especially back in the days when individuality wasn't being coached out of players I go back beyond Mike Ferguson and he was certainly a maverick. Even at the level we are at now Eamon Rogers, David Wagstaffe, , Stuart Metcalfe, Noel Brotherston, Scott Sellars were all mavericks. They blew hot and cold and but when the blew hot they were match winners.

Correct, I'd like to see a few of the Andy Todd, David Speedie, Paul Dickov types. That's my idea of character. Possibly not the easiest to manage though.

I have seen much sign of character in most of his signings. We seem to specialise in players who's heads go down when we're up against it.

Cunningham might have been.

Yeah I've watched him a few times, Put's himself about a bit, winds opposing players up, likes a tackle, get's up and down the pitch, not going to score many goals. Very similar player to Travis. If we sign him it could be that Travis may be on the move in the near future.

With my scouting hat on regarding the down side - he lacked real pace, wasn't particularly good at beating an opponent one on one, he wasn't particularly tricky running with the ball, he didn't appear to relish the physical side of the game. It's quite interesting that nobody came in for him when we'd turned into a selling club. Putting that to one side he appears to be a genuinely nice guy who had a lot of real affection for the club.

It's taken me whilst now to summon up the enthusiasm to read your latest missive. I'm glad I did though. You're dead right about the FA Cup being tarnished.

Thanks for that Matey, obviously my memory isn't what it was. You could be right about the one he punched in.

The goal against Burnley showed what he was good at. He had a great shot in both feet. If I recall correctly he banged in a right footed shot that was blocked. As it came back to him he instantly hammered home another right foot shot from a really narrow angle.. I can't knock his two footedness, he could strike a good ball.

He wasn't a good header of the ball, that's why he missed the target in that game. The only headed goal I remember him scoring was in a goal mouth scramble were he nearly went down on his hands and knees to head in a loose ball. If you can show me any other headed goals I'd be interested to see them. He had a great spring in his legs and he frequently got his head to long balls out from the back but where the ball went after that was another story.

Maybe he wasn't a " Super Star " to begin with.

I think his peak was when he was here previously to be honest.

Regarding MGP and set pieces. When we played Wigan in the game that ultimately relegated us we got a free kick in the last minutes of the game. It was a fair way out and towards the right hand side so everybody packed into the goal mouth. It was the last throw of the dice to get an equaliser. The ball had to go into the " mixer " as they say. MGP put the ball into row Z. I couldn't believe what I had just seen ! A school boy could have chipped it into the area between the penalty spot and the 6 yard box.

What do you think we'd get for them ? Magic beans don't count.

Get your line and length right and you'll get wickets. Stokes got it right at the end, on or about the off stump.

If we can get a small fee for him I'd say sell.

That;s not really a surprise is it.

We should have been in for Grabban. Instead we went for " jam tomorrow " and blew our kitty on an " investment ". I'd have rather had the " Cow " than the "Handful of magic beans ".

I was right in line with that header. How he managed to put that wide I'll never know. He'd half the goals to aim at.