Have Blackpool replaced Bowler? That's a big blow to them if not.

I'm assuming Mola can play LB?

Yep, nightmare scenario for us now - silly money offered for a player that simply sits in the bank account for 4 months.

We finished 8th last year with the death spirals of all death spirals. If we're comparable in squad strength then we'll be there or there abouts this year as we have a much better manager.

I think it's pretty clear that teams simply haven't met our asking price. I don't think £15m is outlandish.

No doubt a massive increase in wages - sometimes that's their main motivation.

Bloody hell, Burnley have signed ANOTHER, Halil Dervisoglu, on loan from Brentford. Seriously splashing the cash, I think that's 14 new players this window.

They scored 6 in their last 2 games.

Bit on the nose that, putting your awful puns in bold.

Vale seems to be preferred to Markanday so of the two I assume Markanday would be loaned out. Szmodics plays as a #10, same position as Dack. Hedges has looked his best playing there too - so it's 10 for 4 positions, really.

Possibly it was like the Caulker deal - a backup in-case the SVDB / JVH / Hyam deal(s) fell through.

He'll start at LB if he's better than Pickering in training - JDT isn't messing around.

We've lined up with 3 at the back once in 9 competitive fixtures this season. I don't know why people are so obsessed with it. JDT will drop into it to see games out, or (like at Sheffield Utd) if he thinks we need to set up more defensively, but 4-2-3-1 is his primary formation. Of that list we know Ayala will miss time with injuries, we know Phillips has just turned 17 and needs to be managed carefully (if he's even here...) and it looks like Mola is a bit of a utility player who primarily plays LB. We have cover at CB, but it's hardly a logjam - especially with 2 games a week.

No, I think they can do it once a week, or 30 minutes per game, with Buckley and Travis handling the bulk of the duties.

So we need to spend £10k a week on another Bradley Johnson journeyman? No, ta. Blackpool scored 6 in their last 2 games (against Bristol City and Burnley no less) and barely had a sniff against us. They're a decent side at this level.

We were missing 4 first team players - and we've won 4 games already. I'm very pleased with the start JDT has made. I'm not getting carried away, but I just don't see the need to spend limited resources on central midfield when we have Travis, Buckley, Morton, Wharton, Edun (at a pinch) and Garrett to play there. We play a midfield 2 and, as you saw against Blackpool, they're meant to be comfortable on the ball and act as pivots rather than just break play up.

For all the shit I give him (he's not very good), he wouldn't be doing his job correctly if he wasn't trawling message boards.

With Priti Patel in charge that's a dangerous assumption.

We've just seen our 18 year old and Liverpool's 19 year old play with slippers on in a dominant performance - and technically the 2 starters (although I wonder how long that will last for!) were on the bench or playing RB... yep people are still pining after some midfield destroyer. Beggars belief, really.

Mowbray would never have played Phillips and Wharton. Credit to Broughton and JDT for a) recognising their talents and b) trusting them.

I can only imagine they'd had a few drinks in the office and had the Blackpool - Rovers game on in the background. "Go on then, for a giggle let's put in a bid".

I mean he's played at a level only perhaps Wharton and Phillips will be able to dream of. He knows how football works - money talks.

Does anyone know if the game is repeated on SKY?

And I'll tell you what, the striker that scored did NOT look happy. He clearly wants away.

Travis played well there in the second half against Stoke. We really didn't have anyone else to put there - not unless you played Carter there and asked Phillips to play twice in the week. I think the Edun sub was just game management as we've got another game in 3 days time. - needed fresh legs on and we simply don't have the squad (not with 4 out injured atm). I'd also add that Wharton and Morton absolutely bossed it in the second half against Stoke.