bluebruce

I've suggested this was going to be where he got a look in and nobody seemed to be having it. TM just isn't as big a fan of Nyambe as the rest of us, can't fathom why.

He rarely gets credit for it when it happens due to the general perception of him, but Gallagher has actually had a fairly decent game.

The usual bullshit kickoff. Pass it back to a CB who lumps it nowhere and the opposition take possession. Why do we do that every time? Thoroughly confusing for a 'possession' side.

Seems to be working now, I'm in. Think you might have to wait ages for it to load instead of refreshing, the payment screen itself was fine. I was seconds away from looking for a dodgy stream, it was pissing me off.

At every level what the officials decide is the 'end of the story'. But we all know officials can frequently get it wrong in the moment. Obviously the goal counts regardless.

I saw that player. Definitely didn't look like he was playing him on to me. As I say, could be the angle, but looks well off.

Concerned? You sound jealous there.

Fair point. I was more talking about him being ahead of Pike, but yeh there are those two for Pike to contend with too. Who knows what the pecking order is now - JRC and Bennett haven't been fit since Buckley made his ineffectual appearances at RB (well he did surprisingly ok in one of them tbf, but just doesn't have the attributes to play there without scaring me). I would imagine you're right though, that Bennett and JRC, as well as Buckley, are all ahead of Pike for consideration there at present. Plus the City lad like I said. Which, based on what regular u23 watchers say, seems a real shame. Looking at it like that, Tony probably thinks there is a plethora of 'talent' at RB so that he doesn't have to risk a 'kid'. At least, not one that we actually own who actually plays RB....

I doubt he is going to get enough game time just being Lenihan's cover, especially with Ayala due back (his inevitable future injuries aside). I'm pretty certain the City lad will be the second choice RB when CB is covered. Pike wasn't given the trust when Nyambe was out, Buckley is above him in TM's ridiculous pecking order. If he keeps playing blinders maybe he will force into contention, if Tony feels like it.

Weirdly enough I very nearly posted that I thought it might have been rising to 2 mill with clauses, but then I didn't trust my memory enough and deleted it.

Alan Myers doesn't even seem to recall the fee King initially sold for though. I'm certain 2.5 million was never mentioned at the time. Unless it was that high and the reports were wrong or clauses took it up. Fairly sure it was in the 1.5 mill region according to press at the time. Unless my memory is just worse than his.

Could be the camera angle, but to me he looks a mile offside when that's played into him.

Given that the City lad we brought in can apparently play at RB too, I suspect the opportunity to give Pike his debut this season has been and gone, and TM chose to put Buckley there instead...

What if we got him, paid off Bell, and then Pickering and Douglas get injured/suspended? You might think that's unlikely, but Douglas has a bit of a history and look how many injuries we are picking up this season, which may yet worsen with our awful home pitch. To look at another part of the defence, we had Williams, Ayala, Lenihan, Wharton for the two CB berths. That's 2 for each position. Then suddenly we only had Lenihan and had to put a CM in there for a few games. We would still be in that position now if the transfer window hadn't opened. Ordinarily I'd agree that 2 for each position is fine. But in the circumstances of quick turnover of games, an injury record for one of them, 3 points off the playoffs and the fact we are paying the player anyway, surely it makes sense to keep him around, unless paying him off includes a massive saving for us?

Close. Just Holtby instead of Buckley. Bang on 60 too. Not sure he cares what has happened, he rings the changes at 60. Oh well as long as it pays off today.

Armstrong doesnt pull the trigger one on one, but pulls it from a crossing position. Cheers.

Ok that wasn't good enough from Arma.

I think it means Holtby has had a bit of an injury niggle. I'm remembering that right aren't I? Funny enough, when I read that interview with him I had a feeling he was going to start the next game.

We have had a tendency to only name one defender on the bench, usually a centre half. We know what TM can be like with not wanting to risk youngsters who haven't played men's football, but we have also seen that when they do get the chance, if they take it like Travis did, they can make it. I'd agree that it's looking more likely he won't make it than he will, I'm just saying, without having seen him play but having heard good things in the past, I wouldn't completely write him off yet. And certainly not because Sharpe says he doesn't have as much technical ability as someone we can barely afford. Certainly someone who won't have too long left to make the breakthrough though. As I say I'd try to get him out on loan for the rest of the season. If we get Pickering now, that will be 3 LBs right now but only 1 in the summer on presumably another limited budget.

Not really. That's still a year younger than Pickering, technical ability isn't the only attribute relevant for a fullback, and he doesn't have to be our number one fullback to be worth a squad place. He sounds like he could do with a loan out though. Like quite a few of the u23s and fringe youth players.

Translation: Joshua King wants to make a load of money off an inflated signing on fee in the summer.

Fairly sure we had already publicly stated we may want to bring two CBs in, if they weren't paying attention that's on them. But the way TM is, I expect he told them directly that it may be a possibility, too, but that our other CBs are out or injury prone and he would still get game time in a congested fixture list. For an 18 year old, even say 8 or 10 appearances in the Championship is some decent experience to get in six months. Also if we get Kipre, since he hasn't been playing it would probably be a month before TM would consider him 'ready'. This may also have been mentioned to them. Along with 'if he's as good as you think, he will play'.

Ok, you did seem to be endorsing meeting their asking price. If not then fair enough. We are a long way off what they want, we will see if a compromise gets done. Like I've said I think they'll be willing to drop it on deadline day.

Sam has clearly had the last laugh. We got relegated, haven't been back, and he is still managing in the Prem. If I were him I would feel smug pity rather than resentment at this stage.

There's no way we will or should pay close to 18k per week for Pickering. We have bought the most highly-rated LB in League One before, and can you imagine if we had signed Bell to that sort of wage? You would hope Pickering is going to be better, but the fact is he is untested at this level. If you only meant Kipre (the post you quoted mentioned both, so I wasn't sure if you meant either could be worth pushing the boat that far for since we do it for other players), that's still a lot for a lad with half a good season at this level. Probably about 450k just to borrow him for the rest of the season? Assuming no loan fee is also wanted. That's about half of the lad's transfer fee, since which he hasn't played. Unlikely to hit the ground running. I wouldn't be wanting to go there unless we are convinced he will hit the ground running. It's WBA's own fault for slapping the lad on that sort of deal when they didn't need him. They'll probably relent a good chunk on the last day as its just wasted money for them otherwise. I agree loan with a view, if they'll drop their demands enough.