Exiled_Rover

The lad behind them isn't bad too.

I genuinely think he's just got nobody to bring off the bench to win us a game, or indeed change it. What he does have on the bench (which is ironic considering the last guy promised them) is a plethora of quality Championship defenders, so he knows he can shut up shop. At the moment Gallagher can't last 90 minutes and you'd be loathe to risk Hedges for the full 90 coming back from injury - and their backups are miles off their standard. I'm clearly in the minority here, but I think JDT is doing an incredible job managing the meagre resources he's been handed (he keeps referencing 12 out, 6 in for a reason!) and continues to eke out results, even if it's not the prettiest for the full 90 minutes (there are passages of wonderful play in there).

He has good feet when he gets the ball under control. It's the rest of his game I worry about - too slow, too easily bullied off the ball and his movement is poor.

Another professional performance in my opinion. The strength of our team is that back 3 (albeit I'd very rarely start with all 3 of them on the pitch at the same time). JDT loves shutting up shop and has confidence in those 3 (and Kaminski) seeing the game out. It's our 8th clean sheet so it clearly works. Personally think we squandered a few golden chances to kill the game off, but another comfortable win.

We lack any sort of quality from the bench. It was most stark against Sheffield United. They emptied their bench and most of them would have started for us.

There's that wayward Wharton pass I was talking about - he's good for a couple of those a game at the moment.

Nope. He clearly prefers Vale and Dolan to Dack. He'll be gone in January, probably the moment the transfer window opens.

Brereton HAS to score there. Shocking miss.

Sam Barnes.

You miss the third CB when defending set pieces (and attacking them to be fair).

Screw £15m for Brereton, I'd want £15m for Hedges.

I still think we can do better (he's not athletic enough), but he's come on leaps and bounds this season. Credit to the coaching staff, we're seeing the range of passing that he was renown to have now.

Yep - Huddersfield haven't threatened at all and we've been a misplaced pass or a last ditch tackle away from some fantastic opportunities. That goal has been coming. Hopefully Huddersfield have to come out now so we can put this game to bed.

As I keep saying - I really like Travis, but he doesn't suit this system. He looks for the easy pass every time, which is not what you need from the CM in this system.

I'd argue A. Wharton for Travis, but yeah otherwise it's the best team we can field at the moment.

He's 18 and looks knackered after 60 mins each week. They're just protecting him.

I think he's gone off the boil. A spell out of the side won't do him any harm.

Striker, yes. Battler, no. We need someone who can pass in midfield - you're not going to find a better battler at this level than Travis (or Garrett by the looks of him!).

Make him Manager I say. In fact, just floating it out there, but how about Dackburn Rovers? He's that damn good, easily the best player we've ever had.

I always thought he was brought in to be a LB / LWB. In both the 4-2-3-1 and the 3-5-2 you need FBs / WBs that can play football.

Part of the problem is that City are fitter, more athletic and have more depth than we have. We're trying to play a pressing game twice a week with a tiny squad (look how much we've struggled without Gallagher, a player most of us would have sold in the summer!) - which is partly why we drop into a counter-attacking stance after about half an hour in each half, he's trying to preserve legs. I'd personally go for 4-2-3-1 on Saturday - we always look more dangerous going forward in that formation. Obviously we're more open at the back too, but I'm fine reverting to a 3-5-2 to preserve leads in the second half to shut up shop.

It's going to take years to get the fans back I'm afraid. A stay in the Premier League would help - that'd bump them up by 5-6k I think, but the stay-a-ways need more convincing.

I hope you're prepared for them beating us next week.

Yep. JDT wants to use the CMs as pivots, they need to be comfortable picking the ball up and moving it in tight spaces - Travis can't do that to the level required really. It's partly not his fault, Mowbray spent 5 years hammering the creative side out of his game. I personally don't think Morton is that great, but he can play that style. A. Wharton absolutely can, but he can't play 90 minutes, especially not twice a week. It's also why I'm surprised Buckley is out of the team as he too can play with the ball.

The ref should get 3 games for that shocker.