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.

Our offer might have been very different ut he didn't take it so maybe he thinks he should be on something reasonably similar. It's his prerogative entirely but personally I'd look elsewhere.

Hardly free. £15 k p.w. last year supposedly plus any signing on fee.

Mark Pallios from Tranmere currently on Sky saying it's a good thing the proposals haven't gone through and rightly saying you have to look at the long term rather than just this season or next season. The League 1 and League 2 Clubs weren't saying that yesterday when they thought there was nothing else on the table and there was reportedly unanimous approval for the measures so an element of double standards there but never mind.

Joe H was citing a back 4 with Douglas in as evidence that the defence wasn't the same as 3 years ago etc etc.

A temporary victory for now until the next time the big 6 decide they want a bigger share of the cake. Ironically, such has been the level of opposition to these abhorrent proposals, they may have set their cause back a good few years.

Chill out, you can discuss whether you'd like player X, Y or Z all you want. What I mean is you can't say it's been a good window on the basis of people who haven't actually signed.