Depending on when he's back and if he comes back fit and firing straightaway. I would rather have brought in a striker on loan until January than another midfielder but hopefully Armstrong stays fit and it doesn't matter.

Hope she's not joining the medical team, they'll all be spending more time in the treatment room than Corry Evans.

Can't see anything wrong with what Mercer said at all. He did predict that there would be a firesale to cover gaps in the finances and none of us would have really been that surprised had that occurred. However, remarkably really in the current climate, the owners appear to have allowed him to retain the crown jewels, and stockpile yet more players despite the fact that seemingly no-one wants our overpaid dross like Evans and Bennett and we're still having to pay Mulgrew £1m p.a. to do nothing. So yes, I'd agree with Merce that there's no excuse whatsoever for the manager and a repeat of the last two dismal campaigns simply wouldn't be acceptable.

What's the point in wasting money on a 3rd keeper? What's the point in signing Trybull and lining him up alongside the likes of Buckley Davenport as another midfielder we never or hardly ever use? Has Douglas been confirmed? If he has then that's hopefully the one addition we really need. The other two I can't see the point of at all but IF the senior signings Kaminski, Ayala and Douglas turn out well then it'll be a very good window, certainly the best since we've been promoted, not that that's much of a bar to beat and it's certainly not before time either.

STILL need a LB and talk of yet another keeper is insanity for me. You have to laugh at this forum at times, a couple of weeks ago everyone decided the Greek lad was the next coming of Gordon Banks and a massive feather in the cap of the European scouting network. Now we've probably discovered he's crap and going to be 3rd choice! Don't understand why we'd be in for a CM either, If we had room for cover I'd much rather we brought in a half decent striker in case of an injury to Armstrong. Potentially disconcerting end to what previously had looked a promising window. We seem to be reverting back to signing anyone for the sake of it because we've missed out on our targets rather than bringing in players in the positions we actually need. Talk about bringing someone in so we can leave our best player so far this season, Dolan, out is equally crackers. Let's see what transpires but I'm actually getting more concerned than I was a day or too ago rather than the other way round.

It's all right, one of our 8 keepers would save the penalty. ?

Interesting thought but if that was the thinking, surely you'd have to offload Bennett before you brought in Downing? I wouldn't be too averse to that but like Evans no-one would be likely to want the equally useless Bennett.

We don't need another keeper. What's the point in loaning keepers out then paying to bring in another keeper to replace them? Talking about the old pals act, we don't need Downing back either. We do need an actual left back, not someone who can fill in there.

No surprise whatsoever to me, imo he's been crap during his seven years here with the exception of a couple of months when he first arrived and that's nothing whatsoever to do with his injury record, more the fact that he'd rather abdicate responsibility and pass the ball 2 yards sideways and backwards to his nearest team mate rather than try and make something happen himself. I fear we're lumbered with him until his contract expires. It would be a right result if anyone came in for him.

This. Surely no-one would like to see Bennett filling in either full back position, if we sign a new LB I'd rather have Bell in reserve and if Nyambe gets injured I'd rather see JRC deputise. Who in their right mind would start him in central midfield either? You might be able to make a case out that we need one of either Evans or Bennett as cover in the event of further injuries whilst Travis is out but even then I certainly don't think you need them both.

I'd be eternally grateful to a Club that kept giving me new contracts even though I'd been crap ever since I joined (with the exception of a handful of games in a lower division) as well.

So why can't Rovers do it then? ? That was the general thrust of my post, I really don't think anyone is expecting the Club to do anything unreasonable at all yet you make it sound as if they're asking them to split the atom!

I'll have a look later after work.

Good Grief. Is that the best you can come up with?

Caller into Talk Sport just described Southgate as a "yes man" and a younger version of Roy Hodgson. About right, but Woy, for all his faults, has still enjoyed far more success than Southgate.

So was Jason Lowe.

Good post. I didn't even realise England were playing tonight until midway through the second half so haven't seen tonight's game. I caught the first half hour or so of the Belgium game during which Belgium tore us a new one and were very unfortunate note to be two up due to the disallowed goal at which point I gave up on it. I was amazed to hear after we ended up winning. My overall view on England is we have some great players but a terrible manager. Wonder who else that sounds like?

Lol.....fair comment although Furphy's side with those players in did look destined for decent things as well before he was poached by Sheffield Utd as well. Field was obviously exceptional but I never really rated either Garbutt or Bradford - "the first £1m player". ?

The battle now starts to get the Championship Clubs an equitable deal. With the big 6 voting rights issue now off the table the other 14 PL Clubs might not feel quite so magnanimous towards the second tier Clubs who are desperate to replace them. Need to be careful any deal doesn't include the first gradual steps towards ringfencing the PL off as was the situation with the original proposals.

Brentford seem to be the exception that proves the rule but that very rarely works imo. Look at us over recent years. Sell Shearer, rapid decline culminating in relegation, Sell Duff and Dunn, marked decline and eventual relegation, sell Roque, Bentley, Jones etc ditto. The only way to succeed imo is to keep your best players and build round them with some astute signings as Mark Hughes seemed to favour.

We've got players with lots of experience who'll be on the pitch. Lenihan, Ayala, Holtby, Johnson. I don't suppose Bennett will be offloaded either. I don't see why we need a non playing player to come in and lend advice. We almost might as well give Shearer 10 k p.w. to come in and show Armstrong how to be more clinical in front of goal.

Agree with this. The owners never seem to put Mowbray under any pressure to sell anyone. Which only makes his failure to mount a challenge all the more unacceptable.

Spot on.

Talk is cheap. I'd rather see some decent performances on the pitch.

Disagree. All he'd do is keep them out of the side and if he doesn't there's no point him being here in the first place.