That won't be happening then - he'd have to be sensational for us to even consider that.

Do you have an idea of the names of those 4?

Good lad, showing some ambition.

And the same Vale who's miles off Championship standard.

We're not, sadly. We're competing with too many teams in our catchment area.

Wolves got out of this league because they hooked up with a super agent who funnelled loads of brilliant talent their way on the cheap. We hooked up with an agent who funnelled loads of shit talent our way for loads of money.

My friend is also a Man City fan and I want to throttle him whenever we talk about football. They lucked into one rich owner, who was then arrested for fraud, and stumbled into the best owners in football. What they've done with the East side of Manchester beggars belief.

Why do people waste time baiting him? Read his posts, or don't, and move on.

There's different ways to skin a cat. At the elite level look at Carrick - hardly ever put a tackle in, but was a brilliant DM because he intercepted so many passes and retained possession. Unless they loan someone in, which I doubt, they're clearly reasonably happy with rolling the dice with Morton, Garrett and Wharton. Wharton looked sensational on Saturday and Morton looked very good - we'd struggle to bring in better.

We have Wharton, Buckley, Morton and Garrett (and at a push Edun).

As much as I think £15m is too much for him and I wouldn't want him walking on a free in the summer, can we afford to sell him at this point in the transfer window? We'd have to get two in to replace him - or a LB and a LW/LIF (in addition to Hirst - if he's the guy we're targeting regardless of any sale).

I do wonder if Travis inadvertently put a marker down on Saturday to be the backup RB. In this formation it's an attacking position and he has the athleticism / engine to get up and down the flank and the skill to find a teammate with the ball. I don't think JRC plays for us again - hopefully Broughton and JDT ship him and Butterworth out... and Vale too if you get anyone in upfront before Thursday.

Pickering was murdered last year playing LWB - everyone is so obsessed with a back 3 cos it worked last year. You're genuinely better off playing Edun at LWB and he's a L1 standard player.

Ayala has literally been our best player this season. He plays when fit for mine. I just don't think you play him twice a week or you'll quickly break him - that's where Hyam, Wharton and Carter come in.

How is it weaker than last season?

Who are the 'hard men' for Reading and Sheffield United?!

He's clearly the 'yeah he'd do' backup option for a lot of them.

Everyone's obsessed with this back 3 malarkay. If you think Pickering can handle the left flank on his own then I've got a bridge to sell you. He'd get mullered every week.

It's about identifying ability and situations - every player is different, maybe they see something in Hirst. Brereton had undeniable ability, but he wasn't sure of himself when he arrived at Rovers. He played in front of a hostile crowd who rightly wanted to see an instant return on the huge transfer fee we paid for him and it chipped away at his confidence. A year or two of growing into his body and a year of basically behind closed doors football and he found himself.

I don't think it's that odd - a 'better' offer came in and he's taken it. Neither he or Liverpool owe us anything. It's just football.

I hope not, that leaves us incredibly short.

When was PNE's last league goal? Feels like they've fallen out because he wants a move to a bigger club. Cutting their nose off to spite their face.

I just think he opened a few eyes on Saturday - provided that extra man in attack / midfield playing at RB. I doubt JRC plays for JDT again. Midfield is an issue in the sense that they're all inexperienced and Buckley has a tendency to go missing. I absolutely don't think we need a 'hard man' in there.

I haven't seen Garrett play yet, but they rate him highly. Wharton was the business on Saturday and Morton looks a player too. It's difficult to bring in a good player to sit on the bench most weeks.

I've always taken the stance that we needed another CB - the fact that we've brought in Hyam means that we've solved that problem. I think Carter has earned his chance at playing time after his loan stint last season and obviously Phillips hasn't let us down either. Ayala has been our standout player this year - he's a PL talent when he's fit. SVDB was an option for me as he can play RB. That's my only concern at the back now - starting LB and backup RB (I thought Travis was very good there on Saturday for what it's worth). I'm not too concerned about Van Hecke as if he wanted to be here he would be - and evidently Brighton want a fortune for him.