Very promising, but seems strange he already has a sponsorship deal with Puma. For one thing, most Rovers fans haven't even heard of him yet, but it's also just very young for something like that. Hope it doesn't mess with his ego and he stays grounded. Most of all, hope we can keep him long enough to see the benefit of producing him.

What definitely didn't happen though is Thomas Tuchel (this one, anyway) fighting in World War 1 or 2. Being bothered about what someone's ancestors or compatriots did is asinine at best.

The fact he has been in poor form, looking more leggy than in his initial appearances, and the fact he can't trap a bag of cement. Sure, I expect he trains hard regardless, but when you're worn down from playing a lot it doesn't matter how hard you work, you're simply not at 100% and your all round game suffers. His club boss is more likely to reward that work ethic shown in training, and to take into account his good club form before the last couple of matches or so. He hasn't done that for Japan so quality will be most important, and in all honesty, the Japanese national team would probably buttfuck Rovers. Not being 100% he's unlikely to have shone training with better players, work ethic or no. I never said nor implied anything about shrinking in new situations. Yuki's attitude is beyond reproach.

Because we have been cheap skates and failed to land absolutely loads of contract renewals in recent years, losing players for nothing who we should have been getting fees for.

At least he hasn't played. As much as I'm sure he would've liked to.

Tbh, I doubt he has looked good in training. He hasn't been at it lately, think he needs a short rest. Flying across the world won't have helped, think this callup came at a bad time for him.

The middle ground between lowballing and overpaying is called paying a fair wage. If we are doing that (none of us know), and the player still wants more, I'd offer generous goal bonuses to try get it over the line. However based on what we're hearing, we just haven't made any effort whatsoever after saying we would. Which should be concerning whether you rate Dolan or not.

No, they just picked up the ball and guaranteed a penalty. If you don't think that's even less professional then there's nothing else I can say.

Really? Wasn't it just last weekend that, in the 2. Bundesliga, two outfield players in separate incidents in the same game picked up the ball and gave away penalties?

The club saying one thing and doing another? Well blow me down...

Both players stayed on the bench. Both their teams won (Austria 4-0 and Japan 2-0).

I know he can't be recalled outside of a window. That's why I said 'if it were possible'. I don't agree with you about his ability level. And I went off apparent reports from BR fans, as you do every time we go for a player you haven't seen. I didn't say anything about playing him to suit us.

Pretty sure I saw a post when he was at 19 saying it was the record then. Dunno what the previous record was, but they lost to Arsenal too...however he didn't get on the pitch so that one won't count to that record, which he currently holds by at least two games. I'm not clear on whether this is the record for consecutive played games without a win, or the record for having never won in the PL whatsoever. Ie, if he won the next game he plays, will he no longer hold this record at all? I feel like teams have gone 20 games without a win before, so I imagine the record is the latter one.

Bristol Rovers are taking the piss with Garrett. By the sounds of it, he's played very well whenever he's played for them, yet he didn't even make the bench in the last match. Their manager said "There's nothing untoward other than just competition for places. Michael Forbes missed out today, Jake Garrett missed out today. But the way to be on the pitch is to play well." Well according to your fans, and even yourself in the early games mate, he HAS played well, very well. And he doesn't even make the bench? Feck off. If it were possible to recall him outside of the window, I'd recall him immediately tbh. The Tronstad-Travis pairing isn't going to be able to stay sharp through three games a week patches, we need to be able to keep them fresh, and Garrett is the only other tough tackling midfielder we have. He'd be getting similar game time here, at a higher level, where he can actually be of use to us. We need to be having words with Bristol Rovers. We sent him to get regular game time, and if he doesn't play well and gets dropped that's one thing, but it doesn't sound like that's the case at all. It will be doing a number on his confidence too, when you think you're doing well but aren't getting recognition, I know from experience it makes you doubt if you even know what constitutes performing well anymore, and if you're as good as you think.

Sad to see Sammie Szmodics seemingly playing second fiddle at shitty Ipswich. He's better than that.

That would be a real problem at a club with an excellent academy and not much wriggle room in the budget for experienced players.

Eustace agreed with me about Ohashi and agreed with you on Cantwell. I get the reasoning with Cantwell tbf. Although you did also say Ohashi on the bench, after saying he should be at peak fitness so not sure where you stood on that.

...again, no, just the ones that have been terrible (not poor) for 2 out of the last 3 games. I'd also drop Pears for Toth. And Weimann. And Ohashi for Gueye. Weimann and Ohashi I expect will come back a little sharper after a rest, I don't think they're at peak fitness right now. So actually yeh I guess I am willing to drop most of the attack. For the next game. I'd probably start Cantwell again, with an eye on taking him off at half time or 60 minutes depending how his fitness seems to be going. ACD and Hedges either side of him with Gueye up top. The dropped players will mean we still have a strong bench to call on. Like I've said, I think we need to rotate these options more, especially when their form dips.

No, just everyone who has had two stinkers in the last 3 games.

You don't think form is important though?

It was more than disappointing, he was our worst player. So if you'd stick with him that's up to you, but considering he has been terrible for two of the last three games, and was our worst player in our worst performance of the season, why would you stick with him?

Bit damning when the MOTM was only on the pitch for 19 minutes (plus injury time), especially when it's not like he transformed the game with a goal or terrorising the opposition.

Only one of those players ran 30 yards to set up the opposition for a goal when the game was still delicately poised though. On top of that, although he was excellent against QPR, he was dire against PNE. Again, I like Dolan and thinks he comes in for too much stick, but you have to drop a player who does something like that in a run where they've been so inconsistent. He's also played a lot and does a lot of running, so I think coming out of the side could take him out of the firing line and get his little legs recharged. No reason he can't do a 30 minute cameo if ACD isn't performing. Tbh I think part of the reason we're starting to flag is our lack of rotation. We have a bunch of attacking options of similar ability levels, and especially in a 3 game week we should be rotating them to keep them at 100%. I'd be resting Ohashi too, play Gueye with an eye on Ohashi coming on for 20-30 when the opposition are tiring and use that lethal finishing.

The second goal was in no way his fault. The third though, deflection or not that was a pitiful attempt at an easy save. The first, I'm not saying he should have saved it as such, but he gave himself absolutely no chance with his positioning and jump. It was, at least, an easier goal than it should've been. Although, the marking was wank too.

The other two lads out wide did things of note...in a bad way. Are you seriously saying he shouldn't play ahead of Dolan (who, for the record, I like overall) after that performance?