bluebruce

Yeh and we only have Cunningham and Williams injured, to be reduced to that. We also technically have a winger in the starting defence (done well though). Is Bell injured, or has Tony just had enough of him?

Absolutely 100% the same observations I made. I really hope he only says this 'create competition' shit for psychological reasons with the players. Even then, I'd rather they got a rocket up their arses by worrying they may get replaced.

If they'd sacked the ones who did the actual drink driving too, that would make it a much fairer decision. Given he is the one to have suffered the most and didn't actually drive or crash the car, it makes it clear it's all a decision about assets more than it is about gross misconduct, and I'd expect him to be able to win his appeal to the league or in court. None of which isn't to say he hasn't been a fucking idiot of course.

You remember how Mowbray also said he was going to fix the defence? Yet here we are. We are pretty bad at getting business over the line these days. Even if he does try all out for 2 or 3 players, most of us won't be the least surprised if we only land one. Zero isn't out of the question either, though it would be a real blow.

Just had a look and his youth goals were all at under 17 and under 16. Tbf that's hardly comparable to the Championship and Premiership at all. Gally definitely needs to start scoring more though.

When and where have you seen him play?

Whether free or not, I don't want to register to news sites. Got enough crap I have to sign up to already these days! I didn't look for whether they cost, I just immediately binned them off. I don't want to try hard enough lol Cheers for the link.

Been linked with Leeds, Villa and Dortmund. It'd be odd if he turned up here, partly because of those links and partly because it's weird to spend 15 million on young strikers, then loan a 19 year old to develop another club's player up front. Oh and the fact the defence and keeper should be 100% our priority. Maybe TM thinks he is the next Tammy Abraham type loan signing.

Well, fuck you too

Please don't use sources I have to subscribe to just to read it. I'm not going to.

If they think they're getting 15 million for him at 30, I think they're in for a surprise.

Always the worst type of early cup draw, for me. Away, to a team at the same level. At least with higher level teams you get to test yourselves a bit, even though you're probably going out. The best early draws are at home to lower league teams, preferably poor ones. Best chance of progression, although the opportunity to risk that chance a bit to see what the youth players can do. Obviously the Dingles got exactly that kind of result.

I'm curious why you took out the categories that TA won in your first set of data.

We also need to take into consideration where any attempts to strengthen the defence will leave him.

I feel that our use of Wharton has probably done him a disservice. The level of League Two sides he has played for (promotion winners) after five separate loans down to that level, I don't know how we've failed to get him a League One loan this season, if not last. Ultimately, whilst he's turning out in League Two, he isn't going to get anywhere near our set-up. We really need players to be earning spurs at least a league below us. We can't expect a two league jump out of him at 22 really. Not in a position where you need experience and can cost you games in a heartbeat. I'm not saying there aren't exceptions, Raya played in the Championship for us a bit in the same season he was on loan in the Conference. But that's generally more when you have a very young star in the making and you just want to blood them in men's football a bit. He was only 17 if I recall, and it took until three seasons later to become a full regular, during which he wasn't loaned out again because he was on the fringe. Wharton played a couple of times for us in the Championship the same season he had his first loan. Then we got relegated and probably all expected to see him break through that year. He never got the chance beyond two cup games (and I seem to remember thinking he should have been given it at one point due to how we were defending) and went back out on loan. He was in and around the squad though, and you'd think a fringe player for the best team in League One (fuck Wigan) would be able to get a few games for a lower-end League One team. I dunno what we play at with our loan arrangements. We seem to fuck it up a lot more than other clubs. We usually send players two levels or less below where we are, meaning we'll never know if they're ready to threaten places at our level. Even then, we sometimes manage to land them at a club where they don't want to play them much or at all. I feel like we don't do enough research, ask these clubs the right questions, or put out enough feelers. In short though, it's hard to see Wharton making it at the club now. I feel like the only real chance is if, as another poster suggested, we recall him and send him to League One. However, that might not be best for the player himself, as if it doesn't work out for him there he might miss the chance to play games and develop for when he leaves us. I think we need to decide whether we still think he can make it here, and if we think there's a reasonable chance, get him to League One. Otherwise leave him be.

I count whatever the stats gatherers are counting. I'm not actually personally tallying these assists...

But overall this season, we have conceded 27 and they've shipped 25. You're right though, the home vs away stacks up better. However, the more stats stack up in our favour the more afraid I am!!

Do you feel he should make the bench ahead of Buckley? I get the impression that TM only sees room for one youth project at a time that he hasn't spent 7 million on. Especially in midfield, where he has stockpiled too many senior players to keep happy. And right back, where if anyone is dislodging Nyambe it'll be Captain Fantastic.

That settles it, we are losing. Too many stats in our favour. It's also forgetting the key one of average goals conceded.

Uh the amount I said he got last season, 7, made him the joint 20th highest assister in the league. The most anyone got was 14, followed by 12. The likes of Norwood only got one more. Nobody at Rovers got more. Next highest was Reed on 5. Again, I dispute that he doesn't assist often.

8 assists his first season, 7 last season. 1 so far this season but plenty of time to fix that. Not counting his League Cup assists (3 last season, 2 this). 16 league assists in two-and-a-bit years. I think that's an acceptable amount of creating for a lad who also notched 42 league goals in that time. You're also right about our shots on target being poor. Not Dack's fault if players can't finish what he sets them up for.

I wasn't saying he should be one of the top players in the world still. Just that he shouldn't be turning out in the Championship at 34 with his ability. You make a fair point about playing a lot of career games but I stand by that. Loads of players have managed up to and past his age and still played in the Prem, plenty of them with less footballing skill. He also has considerable star power which should sweeten any deal.

Very skillful. Any idea why they've let him go? Sounds like Rooney wants him to go to Derby. Argentinian so potential work permit issues. At 5 ft 3 he makes Arma look like a giant. And yet there was still a headed goal on his reel.

Wow, didn't realise they were signing him in January. The fact he is turning out in the Championship at 34, an age at which Ronaldo is still one of the two best players on the planet, goes to show he hasn't looked after himself enough. Not surprising really.

Friedel and Nelsen were both freebies. Which is astonishing when you think about it. Meanwhile, in the present day, we have Brereton for 7 million. And the jury is out on Gallagher at 5 million. So yeh, not sold on TM's scouting network either!