My worry with Dack is that after he didn't get to leave Gillingham one summer, he had a bit of a lacklustre followup season. He was then able to secure a cut-price move to a bigger club for what I think was about half of his previous value. I worry he might think if his form dips with us, the same thing will happen so he's fine.

First time I've had the chance to see him in person. I watched pretty much just him for a bit. I'm not gonna lie lads, I wasn't blown away. He looked comfortable enough though, and did a few fairly nice things. Took a shot outside the box well, which I think might have been his first touch. There was a point I thought he'd foolishly played himself into trouble, but he came out the other end somehow. That bit impressed me, and actually elicited an audible 'wow'. Looks promising for his age. I'm not expecting him to change our season just yet though. Mowbray saying he is definitely not going on loan sounds like he might have a bit more willingness to play him than I thought. We will see, but it does make me a bit less apprehensive about the drawbacks of not loaning him.

Same, same and same. When I was young I considered whether to try being a rapper (I actually made a little song with a Scottish lad that briefly reached 3rd on a UK hiphop download chart). But you have to sound like where you come from really, and a Lancs accent doesn't suit hiphop. So I didn't bother. This video has reassured me I made the right choice. Credit to the lad for trying though, and I reckon he's thoroughly enjoying himself. Bit of a spurious link between Tugay and thievery though! A couple of the lines were ok.

Sorry, you dragged up my post from May because...?

Bow down? No clue what you mean. It is getting a bit ridiculous though. You're not allowed to have an opinion if it's remotely critical anymore. Best have a word with the manager, who said himself he wanted to be playing a Premier League team at this stage. Or you could have a word with yourself.

He lamented the lack of a prestige friendly at Ewood earlier in the summer. Seems we just couldn't arrange one. Probably the same team negotiating friendlies as negotiating transfers...

I believe in the loan market being a good tool for player development. I think it's the loan fees that have made clubs like Chelsea get ridiculous with it. I used to do the same thing as them on FM but only because it was just a game. I don't see a need to cap the total players sent out, definitely not as low as 5 which would only detriment the development of many a young player. Just cap (or outlaw) the fees. Then clubs won't be so keen to amass so many as a nice little earner on the side.

Doubt they'll get a few million while benching him for Bennett. As a buyer I'd look at that and think, "They don't rate him, we'll get him on the cheap."

On top of which, it completely contradicts the situation and what he has done. The defence ISNT filled with loads of players. The attack and midfield are. Really hoping the stuff about the defence is smoke and mirrors as I'll be fuming if we start the season with no new defenders.

All except the draw at Rangers.

The main thing I noticed with him was a moment where he seemed to think he could take the same risks near our area as he can take in midfield and we lost the ball as a result. He looked much better in his forays further forward, I recall him doing very decent things on three occasions, all in the opposition half. It's almost as if he is some sort of midfielder and not actually a left back? Can't be.

I expect to see us get robbed in possession in a dangerous area doing it, resulting in a goal, at least one or two times.

It's pretty standard to start the last friendly with the team you plan to use on the opening day though. That's why people are worried by the defensive lineup and lack of Rothwell. But I reckon you knew that.

Can Walton not kick or something? What's with these short passes in the box as a goal kick?

It really will be an unforgiveable travesty if we don't bring a CB in this summer. It was needed last summer, then in January. Then we had some out through injury and got routinely beaten just to super-highlight it. To now be down Downing and Rodwell, and still not bring anyone in...there could be no excuse, surely? I'm sure some desperate people would try though. Hope it doesn't come to that.

Anyone who isn't a CB doesn't remotely interest me at this point.

Eww, does he have to be?

Might not have been their choice. Or maybe they just thought it was time they got a keeper they owned, and probably cheaper. Seems odd for us and City to have figured out that they want him promised games and we won't do that. Seems more likely to be a disagreement over the size of one of those clauses about him playing a certain amount of games.

Well, I didn't mean it literally when I said I couldn't see any logic at all in things that have happened. It's just been bizarre when viewed in context. I don't think this one is bizarre. I just don't agree with it on balance, but not to the degree I'm saying what the hell. I don't think he left the goalie this late on purpose. We are just shite negotiators/unwilling to pay the going rates. In the context of us getting Walton when we got him, leaving him out vs Bury wasn't all that head-scratching. Not like the other stuff.

I know. Not going to be a whole lot of compensation though. Why aren't we willing to extend the same protection to the far more valuable Nyambe? Not convinced any League Two club is giving us any loan fees. We will be lucky if they're covering all his wage. Don't see us getting any transfer or compo fees worth a shit from any League Two teams either. Maybe he will improve and become League One level to get us marginally more. Or maybe he will regress and we end up paying his contract out early to get shut.

My initial reaction to this was also that it was daft. With only one friendly left after it, and the main thing he needs to do is the same thing he has done most his life, make saves. That said. Communication is the other key part of his job and he could have ended up barking at people he just met, souring his relationship with his defence from the off, or feeling like he couldn't instruct them yet for the same reason. He wouldn't have known how the unit operates (or in our case fails to) and might expect them to push up where they wouldn't normally etc. It also shouldn't do too much damage him not playing - he hardly needs fitness in his position, and he doesn't know the defensive game plan (so-called) to get used to implementing it. As long as he plays at Blackpool and vs Charlton I'm not too fussed. I'd still have thrown him in at Bury, personally. I can just see a line of logic about it. Something I can't say for other decisions and priorities...

Interesting comments from Walton in his LT interview today. A couple of times he refers to how quickly the loan deal moved. Given how long our goalie search went on after Raya, that seems to confirm that we missed out on other targets first. He also said the manager didn't play him against Bury because he didn't know the lads yet.

Just checked. He still had two years to run on his current deal, a 3-year deal he signed last summer! Even stranger. 2 years of protection was plenty for the level of asset he is at the moment. I can only think a wage drop (if he is determined to stick around and have security) or a wage rise (no idea why we'd agree that though) is involved.

Correct. That's why I only said most of them. His other loans he became a reasonably regular fixture. Including Lincoln the season before, and Bury (promoted) at the back end of last season.

If he doesn't improve, he is a League Two player based on his experience level. Do you know how paltry the fees League Two clubs pay are? Even League One clubs don't pay much. Highly unlikely we'd get our investment back. I hope his wages are very very small indeed, signing on fee negligible or non-existent, otherwise this is simply wasting (an admittedly small amount of) money. It shouldn't have any real impact on the big picture either way, but I find it frustrating to make such bizarre arrangements. Especially when contrasted with the short deal for Nyambe, who has assets that could see him go very far if he is honed.