Probably the one which stopped the goal rather than the one which almost created one. Not actually sure how Mulgrew is still on the pitch if the ref is giving that. Clear goalscoring opportunity.

I'm not even sure that I truly believe that you truly believe it wouldn't.

I wouldn't get your hopes up there, I highly doubt this is Conway's last season. I strongly suspect he is getting another year, based on all of TM's recent comments about the wings.

I wouldn't be so sure. It could get spent on central midfielders to convert to centre halves. Or possibly wingers to convert to full backs. Maybe central midfielders to convert to wingers, like Rothwell. The options are limitless (except for signing players to play in their actual positions, that's taboo). We could even sign very expensive players in pretty much any position, to play on the bench. Which may happen increasingly as we stick strictly to our artists:soldiers ratio regardless of the opposition. You shouldn't pigeon-hole our transfer plans like that, the world is our oyster (Please note, oysters will be used as sharks, pigeon-holes will be used as badger dens).

Good stuff. Would have preferred they sent him to a league team if he was a likely starter (otherwise no point) as we do have cover and the chances of even Raya getting another knock are slim. At least he's getting game time and doing well. Doubt FC United is a better level than our u-23s, but it will do him good to play men's football for a bit. What's Roverschat?

The worrying thing is though, he seems to think the full back not up to it is Nyambe, rather than the dolloper-in-chief Williams (jury a little out on Bell, but I'd rather he was only backup at the moment ideally). I say this because: 1) The defensive winger usually plays on the right, with our most attacking of the two, Arma, playing on the left. Because ya know, we're safe as houses down our left. 2) Nyambe had a brief bad patch back in December was it? Then I think got injured. Then came back, and was still kept out of the team for months, with Bennett often played out of position instead. According to Mowbray this was due to his bad patch in December. A long time to hold a bad patch against someone when most of the first XI have them on a monthly basis. I really don't think he rates Nyambe. Further signs are from the rumour mentioning we were looking for a RB but no mention of a LB. Granted, numerically, right back seems the bigger issue for squad depth reasons, but Williams is utterly useless and Bell inconsistent. I don't think we're going to see a new LB in summer.

The A-League is Australian (with one New Zealand team, Wellington Phoenix). The New Zealand domestic football is definitely tinpot. Not that as a nation they can't put out the odd legend...

I don't buy this 'one defensive winger' approach. I mean, why? Either both flanks need that level of defensive cover from the wings, or neither do. Having one attacking winger and one defensive one doesn't somehow average out so that both flanks have some degree of protection and some degree of attacking nous. It doesn't bring 'balance' to the team like he claims, it makes it lopsided!! I can appreciate that in some games, against certain teams with a particularly dangerous winger, putting somebody more defensive there has its merits, absolutely. God knows why it is a standing policy though almost regardless of who we play.

I feel like I remember seeing it was likely to be played behind closed doors and has been before when we've met? Not sure though.

Had a look to see how Fisher is doing on loan at FC United. Seems to have played every game. Shipped 10 goals in his last 3 though. FC United could just be bobbins? Would have thought he'd be loaned higher up the ladder really...he's 21 now, wasn't Raya loaned a league higher at 17?

Seriously? Not a league I watch but my perception of it was utter tinpot.

If we lose the next game to Stoke, I'll be firmly in the leave camp. It'll be the tipping point for me. If we get something, I'm still going to be a bit worried about next season and whether TM will take us forwards or backwards. If we can regain some form though for the remainder of the season, I'll just sit back and nervously hope our transfer activity will be better than it's sounding so far.

Agree, I'd be very surprised if this turned out to be the signing we need. We aren't short on CMs. If we recruit there we need to get a GOOD one or it's pointless. It would just be another body in the way of the likes of Buckley. Course, the article could be cobblers.

No it's bollocks.

Spot on. Bizarre approach to take. As others have said, playing defensive-minded mids, including two actual defensive mids in defensive mid at all times, isn't helping anyway.

Yes, a bit, but I said big sale. Mahoney was a million including potential add ons if I remember rightly. I know it's more than this sale, I'm just saying we haven't recouped much financially from it lately so it's nice to have some of these little fees trickle through at least, especially for players way down the pecking order. (Unless he turns into a damn good player obviously!)

It must be nice being able to spend 350k on a goalkeeper for the bench of your under-18s. Plenty of teams in this league who would spend that, or less, on their main goalkeeper.

...and him.

I do think some fans overrate Rothwell. But TM underrates him far worse. Some say he's our best player. He isn't. He's highly promising, has great assets and currently deserves a long run in the team (and has done before, a few times). We should remember he has zero goals and two assists though, one of which only came very recently. In 26 appearances. Yes, I know a great many of those are sub appearances. 6 were starts. He had a further 3 starts in the League Cup against weaker opposition, and a sub appearance in the FA. Brereton has come in for a lot of flak, rightly so for plenty of reasons, but one of the reasons has been his zero goals return. In 21 appearances, with 3 starts. Yes he's a striker but he's been mostly played in midfield. He's also 5 years younger than Joe. He has an assist (two really as he won a penalty) and incorrectly had two goals disallowed. Bell has 3 goals from LB. None of this is to say that Brereton or Bell are better players, not at all. They're not. I'm just pointing out that he, so far, hasn't shown enough end product to be classed as our best player. I feel the reason for that is partly that he can be a bit reckless. What he does though, is completely change the way we play and put us on the front foot. Part of that is the reckless energy he plays with, but he also has an excellent turn of pace and some fine technical touches. Needs to be starting regularly and it's very worrying he isn't. He's going to be disillusioned and some other team is going to spot his talent, the fact that he isn't highly rated, then put two and two together to realise they can buy him for less than he's worth.

Presuming this is true as he doesn't have a profile on the official website (and I assume used to, especially as there are two goalies in the academy team photo but only one goalie profile). 350k seems very reasonable indeed for a 17 yr old goalie nowhere near the first team, with the likes of Fisher already well rated. We only got something like that for O'Connell when he was on the fringes. Hopefully this doesn't backfire so spectacularly. I expect there's a sell-on fee to minimise that danger. Our academy costs what, 3 or 4 million a year to run? Last big sale of a player we developed from it was Hanley, so it's good to see us getting a bit of return from it. That's paid for Rothwell essentially.

In fairness, most of us predicted much worse. We looked so much better when Rothwell and (surprisingly) Brereton came on. We were no longer able to play route one, started playing it on the deck, and had someone to actually link the play in order to make that work. He really has to stop benching Rothwell or he's on a hiding to nothing.

The Brereton one? Nah I wouldn't say so. Feck knows how he got a free kick against him though. Wow, awful pass from Rothwell at a key moment there. He's been so good too. Game over now I expect.

We play so much more on the front foot with Rothwell. Tempting to say he is man of the match really, despite only coming on with half an hour left and the game not done yet.

Again, he's actually playing quite well and looking more threatening. He didn't go over because he's physically weak, he went over because he was cheating for a free kick! Didn't get it of course, right in front of the linesman.

Embarrassing dive from Brereton...think he has played quite well though. Looks a lot quicker than he was looking back in December.