Any thoughts on why he isn't getting a look in?

It's not as simple as if they're good enough. Managers are, almost to a man, reluctant to put out inexperienced youngsters when they have someone with experience to use instead, on bigger wages. Especially if they signed them themselves as it reflects poorly on them if their signings don't play, and they often bring in a player telling them they'll get lots of game time. It's also not wise to just think short term. Although if we're in a genuine promotion push then short term can be the best long term approach too. But generally, especially with our usual midtable finishes...not much point bringing in a player who is currently marginally better than a youngster, if that youngster might be the better player of the two a year down the line if they get enough game time. Youngsters generally improve over time and with matches, they grow in confidence and game reading if they play, and their growth can easily be stagnated or reverse if they don't get enough game time. Say you have two players in the same position, and for arguments sake, one is about a 65/100 right now, and experienced. The other is a 60/100 right now and young. The experienced player probably won't be any better next season, or the season after that. Say the youngster might get to 70/100 after a season of learning the ropes in competitive senior games. Is it better to use that experienced player for the duration of his three year deal and keep the youngster from playing much, or use the youngster who may be the better player a year into those three years?

I wouldn't agree with any argument to sign two central strikers really, unless we plan to use two at once consistently. I know we have dabbled with that a bit in a two up top system, but it's not really the traditional two strikers that we often think of (although admittedly without the personnel, it wouldn't be). I think when people talk about our lack of strikers they're generally talking about a bit of an old school big lad who can mix it up and hold the ball plus score goals, a Danny Graham of old. Those are a rarity in the modern game though...most of the ones that exist aren't really goalscorers. At any rate a two up top these days is likely to only need one of those at a time, with a nippy, possibly more technical lad alongside. We have a few players a bit of that ilk, it would be odd, to me, to sign more. Then again, much depends on the sort of system JDT really wants to play moving forward. Agree with you about not blocking pathways, at least in areas where we are reasonably strong and where the youngsters are genuinely promising. Think you're right about the type of midfielder we would likely pick up for instance, and I don't think it would achieve anything most likely to do that. I don't think they would have to be proven promotion material though (Corry Evans was, and that didn't achieve much), but they'd have to be of that quality. Sometimes you just spot a diamond in the rough on a bargain fee, like say N'zonzi was. I could also consent to a loan of a proven experienced midfielder, as half a season of risk and being in the way is much less of a problem than signing another Johnson sucking up wages and being in the way for 2-3 years to little positive effect. Think you're right about LB. But you didn't mention RB, we have to try all sorts of crap there whenever Brittain is injured, which is a bit too frequently so far. I don't too much mind Carter as a stopgap on occasion there though mind. After that though we really pull players too far out of position to cover it. Agree with everything you said about the GK situation. Could really do with a better backup, but tough to find someone decent who is willing to mostly sit on the bench for modest wages.

I know we won 3 straight first, I mentioned it elsewhere in the thread. Another way to look at is, is every time since then we have followed up a win with a loss, until this run of 4 wins. The pattern suggests we might lose the next 3 now, that would bookend it quite neatly. Fortunately results don't come in patterns, those have been a coincidence. But if we play like this against Burnley, we will get thoroughly, lubelessly bummed. We'll have to play better against Hudds too, and hopefully West Ham field their kids.

My apologies for stating a fact.

No we haven't, we lost three in a row a while back.

Not only do we not come from behind this season, but in games where we have lost (which is every time we concede first of course), we have only scored in one of them (the 2-3 defeat to Bristol C).

At least you tried. More than can be said for some highly paid individuals tonight.

62.8% possession, but a loss again. No good if most of it is fannying around at the back, risking losing the ball in key areas, and missing chances to utilise the ball on to Brereton. We miss Hedges and Gallagher, who would have thought we'd be saying that at the start of the season? Worst game tactically from JDT that I've personally seen so far (had to miss a few recently with work commitments). Very little about how we set up and looked to change things made sense.

How do you reckon he scored 13 goals in League One last season then? He is League One standard. And that's very far from promotion to the Prem standard.

Hirst is a loan. I don't know if we can send him back in Jan.

Ref seems to think the players need to calm down, but it's actually him that does.

I actually thought we had been given a free kick at first. I was stunned to see a card come out and even more stunned when it was for us. Ref has gone card nuts now.

Pickering at LB, Brittain at RB. Why leave it til 5 mins from the end to do what he should have done with the starting lineup? All the subs too late tonight.

Sorry I don't care what anyone else thinks, not a red for me.

Very lucky bounce there for the Cov keeper.

We started the season with 3 wins then 3 losses. Then the W L W L sequence started. We have just won 4. I'd suggest a 4 match losing spree is more likely.

This game is crying out for Dack. If he doesn't come on soon and we don't get back in the game, it's going to be a serious blemish on JDT for me.

Well he certainly didn't help correct the deficit at the other end. Which now needs doing. But yes the main defensive selection error is Brittain at LWB and moreover Travis at RWB.

Uhh well. I'd probably say Hirst is a better player than Vale. That's probably not a compliment but it's as close as I can get.

The good news is we usually have one decent half in us. It can't have been that one.

Highly believable unfortunately.

What a tackle from Hyam, bone-crunching!

I look forward to seeing your plaited sawdust, should be quite the sight.

I'll have a stab at predicting the reply. 'Up to JDT who he picks in the 18, I trust the manager. Why don't you?' Etc.