Exiled_Rover

2021 Bradley Johnson doesn't get near Wharton - well, not legally at least. His legs had completely gone.

They also play different positions.

I suspect that's what Clinton Mola was brought in to play.

Based on the two games I've seen him play, if we're not in the PL by the time he's 21, Rovers fan or not he'll be off. It's just the nature of the game these days.

I mean nobody has come close to that kind of performance from CM since Tugay... so yes I think it's safe to say they're an upgrade.

Rothwell and Khadra got you on the edge of your seat until they had to play that killer ball or shoot. Then they were underwhelming.

Nah, I think they knew what they had in him. Same with players like Batty, Garrett and Harlock. Butterworth didn't even get a squad number - they quickly sussed him out.

We're currently the highest placed side that isn't benefitting from financial doping... sorry, parachute payments. It's going to take a couple of transfer windows for JDT and Broughton to get this team playing how they want. We suffered through five years of Mowbray's journey, I'm patient enough to ride this one out if it's heading in the right direction - which so far it is. We don't have the money to transform the squad in one window. To me we've made pleasing progress with the only real loss being Nyambe.

Back up RB is a worry, Brittain himself is class. I think Travis has proven he can do a good job there though.

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.