Everything to save money. No ambition whatsoever. In any part of the enterprise.

We have form for bigging up U23 signings. 2 years ago, almost to the day, we were all waiting for Chapman MkI and instead...

Please tell me that’s not “the” signing. He’s an U23 player surely.

Good that Josh likes your post. I think I’d have preferred “strap yourselves in” (rocket launch) rather than “brace yourself (plane crash) though!

But naughty that. You’ve set it up as bad news though so it must be a crap signing.

They Still Haven’t Found What They’re Looking For.

Don’t worry. When it doesn’t happen the goalposts will just move again.

I’m just trying to work out what the Mowbray supporters will come up with when Dolan is barely used. I’m with Tom, although I think harness is the wrong word - literally speaking - we need to be putting some faith in his obvious abilities. Looks like an out and out winger to me. Quick, tricky, eye for a cross. I think someone mentioned Sterling as a comparison. If he can get a few goals then I could buy into that. It would have to be at the expense of Armstrong though. Early days of course but the ingredients look to be there. The worry is that he will have it coached out of him.

Yes, and that would be why people are calling it his best spell. The awful elements occurred “even in” that best spell. He has a long way to go.

“Men’s football” “The current academy system has four categories, Category One, essentially Premier League clubs” Their bitterness makes stealing Dolan from under their noses even more satisfying. Now if only we could steal their manager...

Maybe that’s where the expression ‘cock-eyed’ comes from. It’s interesting though how often Mowbray seems to drop these young players. Any player who is injured really shouldn’t be on the bench.

Those comments are exactly what I’m worried about! He cannot be dropped from the first team set up as soon as Gallagher and Dack are fit. We need a spark.

Kipre wouldn’t get into our first team?

Excellent is a bit strong. He looks better than he did. Even in his best spell he has fall over his own feet after rounding the keeper, missed a penalty and at least one open net under no pressure. He still has a long way to go to pay back his transfer fee.

Just as well since we invariably need to score three goals to win a game. (Of course, Brereton shouldn’t be in that list and we had better hope Arma and Dack aren’t out at the same time).

You and me both

Not the flair players. Only those who get their heads down and accept they’ve been ‘Mowbrayed’. Genuinely hope you are right about Dolan. He looks an astonishing free signing. Looking like he has to play on the right wing but that requires a complete change in style. What happens when Dack is back and where does Gallagher play? I imagine he’ll be an impact sub for Mowbray - is that the best use of him?

Every side that grafts also needs a little flair if the want to be successful. Mowbray doesn’t believe in this so we remain a bog average Championship side (with nearly £200m of debt). Flair players are confidence players. If you take away their confidence you take away their flair rendering them useless. If you want graft, buy graft, but it’s going to be crap to watch and unlikely to end well. (Except for an unsackable manager).

The recurring them is that Mowbray is the guy making these decisions - likely with his heart rather than his head. Ones seen as poor judgement at the time which are then seen as ‘all the player’s fault’ when the mistake matured into failure. It certainly is ironic that Mulgrew’s complaint is lack of loyalty when he should have been encouraged to leave far sooner. Which is another consequence of Mowbray not sorting out the defence at any point and - astonishingly - having time play Mowbray post-Wigan. However, there are details here that none of us know about.

The right manager and coaching makes a huge difference in this regard. The trouble is Mowbray already has his favourites, Dack and Armstrong, playing where Chapman would thrive so he will need to be converted to something else that he is not capable of. Let’s see how Armstrong fares when he is shunted our wide once Dack is back for instance. Mowbray should never have bought Chapman when we were already well stocked in his position. My view is that he did so because he told the player he would 12 months earlier and stuck to his word. Promises should not be made by the heart but with the head. Once you lose a player’s trust it rarely works out that they come back - unless there is a change of manager and a fresh start. Now it has become clear Mowbray will never be sacked players are caught up in a very unusual situation. They may have to dance to music they hate, or see their opportunities limited and their careers curtailed. And the fans who also know Mowbray won’t be sacked also blame them exclusively. Surreal really.

Very interested to see which direction Dolan goes in. Armstrong was protected by Mowbray and played game after game after game while out of form. He has grown. Not every player gets that luxury. Chapman has been turned off but seems to be being given another chance - probably through necessity (see Mulgrew tweet). I think it will end the same way because of the player that Chapman is and the player Mowbray wants him to be. Let’s see how Mowbray treats Dolan.

He was here on loan and Mowbray went back and bought him. Whichever way you try to paint it, this is on Mowbray. We should never have signed him - and certainly not after he had a 12 month holiday following the original deadline day debacle.

Who is this season’s captain? Has it been given to Lenihan?

Sounds like another ‘almost’ kit.