Nahhh. When he goes, we'll spend all the summer window chasing a striker (it will still only be one, even though we needed one already and will also need to replace Brereton). About 90 targets will fall away for reasons that we definitely, definitely couldn't do anything about, whilst other Championship clubs with and without parachute money manage fine. But it will be impossible that we could have done any better. Then on the last day we will be 'assessing' some mystery targets who'll never be named, assess that we really can't afford them, and sign a defender and a reserve keeper instead, or somesuch. Ideally whichever positions we are most heavily stocked in at the time. We'll loan out an attacker. This will all seem terrible, BUT, the day will be saved when some posters on here (who had told us we would sign a striker before the deadline) inform us that we didn't need a striker anyway, as Gallagher and Vale are up to the job. Any insistence to the contrary will be met with 'but people said that about Brereton'. And what did we expect from the window anyway? We're not Man City, and that's a very relevant point to make about a Championship side. The owners love us, and have agreed to subsidise the chicken in the canteen to help us make ends meet. I can't wait, and I can't understand your pessimism.

Graham was good in the air, I'm confused you would question that. 'Great' maybe not, RSC and Rudy are in that category, both some of the best I've seen in the air, but you initially said 'really good', and I'd have to insist Graham falls into that category, for this level. 'Ok' is average, and he was definitely better than that.

Danny Graham. Before that, Gestede. (Not counting defenders of course)

How are we going to develop him if other players are in his way? And if he does get in ahead of them, how are we going to develop Wharton and/or Garrett?

We don't know our young midfielders are better (unless you frequent Rochdale matches), but we do know we have more young talent in that position than young talent anywhere else.

Maybe he's going to be an absolute class act, I've no idea, but this seems a strange one on the face of it. Surely the only position (along with central defence) where we really don't need to sign any new young players in the 19-year old kind of bracket. Wharton and Garrett coming through, Buckley and Travis have shown (well, mostly) that they can handle this level, two loanees who will regularly take up the two spots there for the rest of the season, and even other senior players who can fill in there (Edun, JRC, Mola, Dack if needs must). Where's the pathway for him? The two mostly playing there for the rest of the season will be gone in the summer, but still...surely at that point we'd want a senior player bringing in for reliability.

Hmm yeh that wouldn't be a good enough window I'm afraid. O'Brien is a cracking addition for a promotion push. Thomas could also provide good ammunition to the right man up top. But without that right man up top, the jigsaw is seriously incomplete. We can make all the excuses we like, and debate whether it's Venkys or GB's fault, but nobody is convincing me there isn't a single striker out there, who could improve our starting XI, that the club (as an overall entity, owners included) could have signed if it had enough ambition to really act on this position we find ourselves in. And two Jan windows running too, would be a real piss take.

Unfortunately, it had.

Again, we haven't heard official news on Markanday unless I'm mistaken. Thomas replaces him though if that happens. Markanday plays wide. Our forward line options, for the three, are: Brereton, Gallagher, Vale, Dolan, Hedges, Thomas. Dack has also been known to play there, though it's not how I prefer he's used. I sense you're talking about the tip of the spear, but again, Markanday doesn't play there for us. Hell he barely plays at all. But yes, we need another tip of the spear player. Whether or not Markanday goes doesn't come into that equation for me.

Would have thought someone would have wanted to buy him though. Like say, Atletico Madrid.

It's about 5am over there. So either went to bed very early or very late.

Not as far as I'm aware. Hirst, a non-entity is gone, sure. Do you mean Markanday? Not confirmed yet as far as I've heard, and has been played wide like Thomas, so already replaced. Not to say we don't need a forward, we do.

You didn't try a VPN?

I try my best! I actually won money tonight as I put a bet on the draw, which technically it was 😉 At least, the way the bookies measure it.

Chill out for now. We don't know if deals have been concluded and not announced. Furthermore, we only need to have got the paperwork in to say we are working on it.

Nah you got the score wrong, you're shit 😂😉

Why have Spurs released a player good enough for Atletico to be interested in? I thought Daniel Levy was a very shrewd operator..

Although a few weeks ago, I'd have laughed at anybody saying I'd be considering agreeing with this statement... whilst I'm not sure I actually would start him, Kaminski's been poor lately and Pears hasn't. Form is a huge part of football. It's worth a thought at least. But on the flipside if he plays and turns in a Wigan of last year performance against Wigan this year, I'll be fuming and give the manager pelters 🤣

That's generous of him, I hope she consents though.

That joke will still be doing the rounds on here 20 years from now, to the intense confusion of the new generation.

Less than.

'9:52pm Good play between Brereton and Dolan to work space for Szmodics whose cross is turned into his own net by Trusty (0-1)' LT description of the goal. For those who can't master a VPN to listen.

Phillips being spoken to by JDT on the touchline, maybe about to come on.

The universe has processed your feedback. 1-0 Rovers!

I can see why Dack is coming off, his proneness to injury playing two full matches in a few days plus extra time will be the reason. But I'm worried about the prospect of penalties without him.