You say that, but they will just go back to the under 23s save for a couple of league cup games, no way will we see them in the match day 18 with the bloated squad that we have. Magloire, Buckley & Butterworth would all benefit from a year in league one playing every week.

I think it's clear that Rothwell & Brereton have been starting games with the B team during pre season, both will be on the bench for Charlton.

#thenewplayingstylethatTMhasinvented

I admire your optimism that we're doing all we can to get a defender in, but the proof is in the pudding as they say. I predicted at the start of the window that Bennett and Mulgrew would start in defence against Charlton and it looks like that's what will happen. An experienced defender, to go straight into the side just isn't happening.

Yeah that sounds about right. For how amazing everyone thinks this Cooper is, He's still at Milwall and I've never seen anyone linked with him or any kind of fee mentioned. Is he that good or is he another hyperbole player like that Maddison at Peterborough who no matter how much everyone raves about him on here, still looks like being a league one player this season.

Have you made these figures up to try and make us feel better?! They are completely wrong!

Didnt he say "that's one we might look at" or something? I imagine he was just saying that at the time to humour people, since Bauer slipped through our fingers I don't think he's had any intention of signing a permanent half to be honest.

I dunno, Rothwell was only a regular for the last 7 games, and has been very much in the "B team" lineups throughout pre season. Armstrong was a regular all season and has been with his "favoured" players throughout pre season, that's why I'd suggest that Armstrong is above Rothwell in the pecking order.

See, In his head I'd suggest he knows exactly what his strongest team is and who is going to play where, it's just that anybody who has seen us play over the past 12 months knows it's completely wrong.

I'd say in Mowbrays eyes that Armstrong is well ahead of Rothwell in the pecking order.

I keep saying it, but looking at how bloated our squad is, there is no way Buckley, JRC, Butterworth, Grayson, Magloire, Hart get anywhere near the 18 on matchday, Even Chapman & Davenport before his injury I think were struggling The 18 save for any injuries will be made up of Walton, Bennett, Lenihan, Mulgrew, Bell, Armstrong, Evans, Johnson, Downing, Dack, Graham, Leutwiler, Nyambe, Williams, Travis, Rothwell, Brereton, Gallagher If they don't move on which I highly doubt they will, I'd suggest Smallwood and Samuel will be above the young lads in the pecking order too. Theres also Nutall, but sounds like hes going out on loan and the young lad from City to factor in. All of the above also tells me that no experienced centre half will be coming in either.

Corry Evans will be here until the end of time.

Definitely the B team last night, the "A" team is the one that started at Rangers, and will probably start on Sat and against Charlton. Rothwell back on the bench for another 6 months.

2018 - Marcus Maddison 2019 - Jake Cooper Can't wait to see who 2020's player is that we'll never sign.

Its alright, Downing will play left back.

If he hasn't got the legs to be a winger anymore how on earth is he going to cope at being a wing back?! More Mowbray nonsense to me.

A back four with Bennett, Lenihan, Mulgrew & Downing. Yet people are still talking about "promotion pushes".

I think it's all pie in the sky that we'll be signing an experienced centre half. Fully expect that the City lad will be it at the back, with any other business being another attacker.

This window was the perfect opportunity to move on from those three. If those three all start, we'll have the exact same issues as we had last season no matter who is playing with/in front of them.

I wouldn't say Mowbray as a man was "dour" but his team selections and football certainly are. Although the last 6 games of last season were glorified friendlys and didnt mean anything, it was nice to see Armstrong on the correct side and Rothwell being let loose on the opposition with Dack inbetween them. Unfortunately I think we'll revert back to type at the start of the season with the most uninspiring lineups possible, in other words the 11 that started against Rsngers save Walton for Leutwiler.

The only thing certain is that no matter what happens in these two friendlys, Mulgrew, Evans & Bennett will start the opening game of the season, as predicted when last season ended.

See at the time I was devastated we had been relegated to the third division, but in hindsight I think the club needed that season of "winning most weeks" and a promotion to celebrate to rally a lot of the support together, it awoke a largely dormant away support which carried on pretty good numbers into last season too. TM has completed his last two aims well, promotion and a bit of consolidation. I think it's pretty safe to say though that he isn't the man to take us any further than we currently are, this baffling transfer window highlights that. If the aim is just to stay in the championship over the next few years then fair enough, we have the right man in charge.

I'd be amazed if any of them are in the match day squad, save for league cup games before Christmas. It'll be Tony's "tried and tested" lieutenants as always until he gets made to change it due to players being unavailable etc.

Because we gave him a trial and a few pre season games for them.

I would say a signing like this would make all the faffing about in this window worth it, then I remember he would be behind Mulgrew until Christmas and just think what's the point.