Crackers. Just like Southgate - he said “ We’ve been waiting for a player like Wharton to come along for eight years “ , then he doesn’t play him ?

Harper. He was just a big lad for his age. I think we sent him back early.

Yes it was. It felt like a 3-2. I was probably counting the one Hedges managed to miss as a goal ?

Colour me shocked. What’s he supposed to say ? Best game I saw him play was away at Leicester at the end of last season. That was when he played left centre back in a back five. He really looked the part then and his lack of real pace couldn’t be exposed.

No matter how smart a defender you are there will be times when the opposing winger gets past you. Lucky bounce of the ball - whatever. If you’re one paced, it’s game over. Same with tackling ability. Really smart full backs don’t dive in, but there’ll always come a time when it’s shit or bust and you’ve got to go in and win the ball.

It makes you wonder what the coach’s were doing. Nyambe lack of ability on the ball never changed in all the time he was here. He still couldn’t cross a good ball. Top one on one defender though. Name me a winger that gave him the run around ?

Name me a good slow fullback that isn’t playing for the George and Dragon. My pal played for Man Utd and England schoolboys. He knew his stuff when it came to players. The best left fullback England have had for years - Ashley Cole. Why was that ? Because he was seriously rapid. Players could beat Cole and within a stride or two he’d be back at them. Players beat our two and it’s bye bye.

Remember that cup tie at Leicester ? We were cruising 3-0 up with JRC at right back, he had that Harvey Barnes is his pocket. We take JRC off and bring Brittain on and all of a sudden Barnes starts looking like prime Gareth Bale up against Brittain. We squeaked away with a 3-2 win.

Going back before your time but - the two Mikes. Ferguson , a tricky dribbler. Harrison, hard running and direct. A great pair of wingers. Maybe coming up to date. Duffer- a tricky dribbler. Ripley, a more direct ball carrier ?

I used to to games with a mate who was a City scout. From time to time he’d be scouting a full back. If the target didn’t have real pace we’d be back in the car and heading home just after half time. It was the first thing on his full back scout sheet.

Brittain is a really wing back playing as a full back in a back four. I haven’t seen most teams play recently but our two ( Brittain and Pickering ) must be the weakest pair of full backs in the league defensively.

If we want another CB why did we sign both Baath and McFadz ? One I could understand but both of them ?

Bobby Goldsboro - It’s Too Late

I can’t see any of these players starting at Burnley. It’d be a big mistake if we did. Coming on off the bench - maybe.

He’s somebody who can run with the ball from centre midfield. None of Tronstad, Travis, Buckley or JRC can do that on a regular basis.

Mm, I’m losing patience with him also.

For me this will be won and lost in team selection. Whoever gets that right we be smiling at 2-30 pm. The first goal is always important but on Saturday it will be massive. If we can score first it could get really interesting.

That’s why we can’t afford another gamble, one’s enough.

it’s a bit late for them to be throwing half a team into a game though. If we’ve got anything about us we should fancy getting something from this game. Rovers teams in the past have gone there as under dogs and come away with a result. Unfortunately they weren’t suffering from “ Venkyitis “ though.

They’ll be panicking now, they probably didn’t think Cantwell would want to come.

He was one of the players slagged off on the list of players that ended up in the wrong hands. “ Lazy, not good attitude “. Just what we need.

That’s that then.

I’m not pessimistic regarding Beck. There’s a player there.

Get his name on your shirt,

Of course there’s the issue of how it goes down with the rest of the squad. If he gets his head down and does the business it’ll be ok. If he doesn’t, we could have problems.