I'm really, really hoping that all of this is cloaks and daggers and we will sign a couple of players by Thursday. A tough CB and equally competent LB please.

Goalkeeper changed, Tosin in. But we need a left back and Nyambe at RB. So essentially a brand new back line...

Tbf the LET interview is a better read... 'I’ve brought Tosin in so that won’t be the back four soon.' So clearly expect changes in the next week or two.

Sums it up perfectly for me. He chose Mulgrew and Bennett. You live or die by your decisions.

The sun is out, go and enjoy it buddy. Life is too short for someone to be this passive aggressive all the time x

How is it no risk dropping your number 1 striker and top scorer from last season? Johnson the guy who started the play off final vs Villa? Yeah I think he is a tad better than Smallwood.

Our most influential player?? Wouldn't that be Dack? Lets see what happens today.

Four new signings out of five start. Would have started with Rothwell but I'm guessing Downing will provide more defensive cover on that side?

According to their local paper 'several'

Which bit Stuart? Think I debunked every point you made. ?? Yes Stuart you may have. Tony has decided to bring in competition for Centre half and perhaps start with Mulgrew. Thats his decision and he will live or die by those decisions. A few days before the start of the season, we are stronger than last season IMO and as Phillip has pointed out in a different thread, what a great position to be in with a week left of the window...no pressure, with some money in our pockets.

You may want to take off your tin foil hat Stuart... ? So there are no examples of unhappy footballers from the last few years to support your theory? Got it. Reed and Palmer were loanees. Palmer played in the position of Dack... surely you are not suggesting that Dack be dropped for Palmer? Hasn't exactly been pulling up any trees anywhere else he has gone... Reed was a decent player but his best position is CM and Travis has made that position his own, Travis or Reed? Rothwell has put his head down and got on with it, in fact he has been extremely positive about his manager and near the end of the season started a lot more games. Johnson and Walton will definitely start, Gallagher possibly too. That would be 3/5 of our new signings straight into the side. The last one Im guessing is a joke? Starting a player with less than a weeks worth of training for our club captain? I'm guessing the players we are signing are for the 46 game championship season and not the first 6 games?

Out of interest to support your theory, in the last few years, can you think of any ex players who have commented on Tony's poor man management? Also Nuttall was where when we picked him up? Clearly there weren't many who wanted to give him a chance. He now has a 3 year contract and a chance to perform at a level he should cope with... I'd be grateful..

Really? Thought he came on trial and was then signed by the club. Isn't that Tony's remit? I'm guessing all the youth players coming through, Johnson will take all the credit, not the manager who has the confidence to play them at senior level?

Suggestion that The Nut went for about 750k. That is a plus in Tony's transfers, purchased for nothing and sold two years later for a significant profit. Wish him well, but no way is he a top class championship level striker. Hope that means there is more money available for a few more players.

If you were a defender at the club what would you be thinking? A few months ago you are terrible and would be replaced. Now my manager says he cares about me?! I'll wait until the end of the window but currently playing Downing at LB is not making the best use of the transfer market.

3 converted midfield players playing in defence. Nyambe and Bell at full backs are at least playing in their correct positions. I hold little faith in this season now. Kills me to say it, last game before the start of the season.

Unless Tony plans on using the youngsters is defense this season, this has been an abysmal transfer window. I say that as a fan of Tony and what he has done so far. Spending 12 million on two strikers and zero in defense is reckless. Mulgrew and Lenihan are first choice (I'm guessing) and Williams is injured (he is a left back), nyambe is a right back!? We need a commanding centre half, desperately in my opinion and without it, I cannot see us any higher than 12th. Disappointing window thus far.

Jason steele in goal, Akpan, Guthrie, Lowe. On the bench... Emnes, Feeney, Wes Brown, Conway, Tomlinson. Seriously can't see an improvement in the squad? Raya sold for 5 million, Dack, Rothwell, Nyambe, Travis are all first team players. With the likes of Chapman, Buckley and a number of other youngsters coming through. We also have a scouting network. Name one 1 million pound player in the squad we had under Coyle? At a push Lenihan, but he has progressed greatly under Tony not Coyle.

Let's wait until the end of the window, your budget isn't just your fees involved in transfers. I'm assuming both Johnson and Downing are going to cost us close to 20k a week? That's 2 million extra straight away. Gallagher will be on the same too, plus his cost of close to 5 million.

Good lad? He he, out of interest Stuart, how old are you, 12??

So to clarify it is 'embarrassing' that Tony persevered with Smallwood and Evans instead of Reed. You used his words from an article in April, in which he explained that Reed did not stick to his position (a reason why he hadn't started), however if Reeds performances continued then he would start? Ultimately he chose Travis instead of Smallwood anyway so clearly not as rigid with his persevering with Smallwood and Evans as you make out. I'll leave it there.

Your point was that Reed felt insulted by being overlooked by Smallwood and Evans. My point is that Travis took the place of one because he was more disciplined in that position, a point Tony made. Reed clearly was not as disciplined as Tony wanted. Plus he was a loanee, surely he felt more insulted by being overtaken by a 20 something youth player?

Well he incorporated Travis into the team, who clearly knew the position and played it the way Tony wanted. Reed is a loanee player, so I'm glad Travis was used there more than Reed anyway!

Embarrassing how? “Harrison needs to learn a bit of discipline about central midfield in my opinion. Normally I play Smallwood and Evans in the middle of the pitch because they stop the counter-attacks and play their position. “Harrison is naturally a bundle of energy and runs everywhere, he’s out on the wing, he’s in the box, on the left wing, and the midfield is empty. Essentially he leaves far too much space behind him because he lacks discipline in midfield. In the same article he praises Reed and says if he plays like he did (match just gone), no reason why he can't start.

If this was after the transfer window closed then sure we can gripe about a number of things. However thus far, we have lost Reed, Conway and Rodwell. Replaced with Downing, Johnson and possibly Adam. I would argue that the three are upgrades from the ones we lost (Reed was decent first half of season and not so great in second half) We need a new keeper, a new centre half and a striker. I'm waiting until the end of the window but not dissatisfied thus far.