He's worked hard (which is new for him) but he's clearly a level below this.

His movement is very good too - he pulled away from his marker just then was screaming for a through ball there from Vale (he didn't see it, he passed it backwards and wide instead). Gallagher used to scream for 40 yard cross-field passes (what we used to call 'World Cup balls' as kids) and sulked when he didn't get them.

Duru could easily get a L1 loan based on this display.

Yeah and he's lucky not to get a red for that. Get him off at half time - he's simply not good enough.

PM'd you a link.

I genuinely don't think he's a League standard GK.

At least he's putting himself about for once.

Pears spoons a save right back into the 18 yard box. He's absolutely terrifying.

Two tangerines limping down the tunnel on 26 minutes.

You think so? I think Buckley and JRC have been tidy in CM so far. Vale's work rate has improved, but he's still clearly not good enough - even against a L1 team.

Weimann right, Vale central, Sigurdsson left.

They changed that rule years ago - if you're making an effort to win the ball it's only a yellow card if you foul them in the box. 'Double jeopardy' I believe it's called.

And not a good one at that, but he deserves it for the pass he laid off for the foul on Sigurdsson to win it - delicious weight on it.

As one player is left footed and one is right footed you're not letting the defence set up for an in-swinger or an out-swinger. Same theory behind having a left and right footer standing over a direct free kick. Can't say it's worked yet, so I'm not sure how long we'll persist with it.

It was always going to be his route - he chose the early riches rather than showing a bit of loyalty to the club that developed him.

Assume this is a weakened Blackpool team?

He really doesn't have any options at several positions - GK, LB, CF all have to play and JRC is covering 3 (possibly 4) positions so he's going to play too if you rotate the CMs. We're a few injuries from a disaster.

He's the most talented player we've been linked to (perhaps bar Poku) but it just feels like adding another #10 (an expensive, malcontent at that) to a team that is desperate for pace and width.

"So we'll take him on loan if you pay 80% of his wages... hello?"

We'd still have to pay his wages, which are far too substantial for us. Same reason I don't buy the Cantwell link, he'd have to take a significant pay cut.

And it's why Luton went up - teams have forgotten how to defend it.

Imagine two ex-Rovers keepers being sold for a combined £50m within months of each other and we're left with Calamity Pears in net. What a club.

It's a fair point. Whenever we get linked to a winger I watch their highlights and see if they're putting in any good crosses - so far none of them do. Gueye wins almost everything in the air, you'd think we'd be prioritizing a quick winger who puts the ball into the 6 yard box.

Lower.

Not when we're asking Rangers to loan us that Rabbi Matondo lad and pay half of his wages.