Can't imagine he gets to too many games.

This is the time of year the Playoff places are decided - which PL wonderkids can you secure for a year? Diallo carried Sunderland a couple of years ago.

Which is about 3 days in a car in the land of no motorways.

We'd be cutting it fine if we let him go out on loan - that'd leave us with 4 CBs, one of whom is probably lined up to play RB if we have any injuries there.

He was excellent yesterday. It's when he has to play on the half turn that he struggles - if you ask him to play the direction he's facing he's very effective.

Nobody is desperate to go to Ipswich.

Glad to see he's definitively got the 'hasn't won at Ewood' monkey off his back. I think he's a solid manager at this level - give him the tools and he'll do ok for us.

The top tiers in the Darwen and Blackburn Ends were closed, so 18k sounds about right.

Dwarves is a bit harsh. Two of them are at least 5'10" and Szmodics is probably 5'8". JRC and Hedges are hardly prolific headers of the ball either.

I can't believe that for a second.

Never commands his area. Came flying out for a challenge and completely whiffed - fortunately we had a defender covering. Nearly got caught in possession several times. He's a bad, bad GK.

I don't think we make any more signings if Szmodics stays.

Poor sod.

I only saw Gent play once in the preseason but he didn't look rapid.

Derby will score a lot of goals from set pieces this year. Their delivery was excellent.

Cost a lot more too.

I think we should put a cheeky bid in for De Gea if he still lives in Cheshire. See if he wants to earn some pocket money for his kids. He doesn't even have to train or play away games - just turn up at Ewood Park once every fortnight. Anyone But Pears. ABP.

I'd just settle for somebody competent.

Never understood why teams leave it so late. You're wasting the first 6 weeks of the season getting players signed and bedding them in.

Pears #1, Hilton #13. Jesus Christ.

We'd sold our only CM capable of playing that way.

I mean if he doesn't back himself to displace Pickering then he's not up to much.

That's why they're way down in the pecking order. Duru would probably be 4th choice RB (after Brittain, Carter, JRC - and hell maybe Travis). Tyjon similar.

I actually don't mind those options at those positions - I'd add Sigurdsson as a #10 too (and Markanday if they insist on keeping him). We desperately need pace out wide on both flanks (Markanday, Dolan and Sigurdsson are crap out there), a LB (preferably a starting one, but at least a backup) and a starting GK.

I can't stomach the man so I haven't watched the interview. Did he really say a top half finish? He's away with the fairies unless he knows of 5 quality signings lined up.