Couple of suggestions that even a narrow defeat wouldn't be that bad. We are playing Rotherham. Obviously a loss isn't terminal and they do have strengths that could exploit our lack of experience and physicality, but come on. Probably the worst side in the league on paper, a defeat would be a huge disappointment. Don't get an attitude of anything other than that.

60m for Maguire and Ward Prowse seems like frittering away the Rice money to me. Ward Prowse is a solid player but thats a big chunk and I bet United are made up.

The worst set of players in the league. But worryingly not only a bogey ground for us, but they are full of big, physical players which could trouble our young, small teams. Clash of styles.

Very entertaining evening with a mixture of positives and negatives culminating in the main aim, a place in the next round. It can be difficult to really take firm conclusions with a team cobbled together of squad players lacking game time against a changed up League 2 side. One of the main positives is Ennis getting 70 minutes and a goal, seeing as he will feature more than most who played. His finish was good, he doesnt look in great shape and tired towards the end but it is hard to tell if that is just his build, Plymouth fans mentioned his hold up play and although he is slower than I expected and likes to come to feet, his hold up play was good. Hopefully he is now considered ready to feature in League games. Gilsenan was a deserved man of the match, obviously it doesnt really show he could do in the Championship but his decision making and technical ability was great to watch. Ive questioned Garrett and whether he is ready for the Championship and that still stands but he was by far the stand out, Buckley unfortunately has regressed under Tomasson and Wharton was poor tonight too although he just needs fitness. I have huge worries across the side that similar to in the last 2 seasons, a thin, young squad lacking depth will br our achilles heel. You look in defence, we have the 4 that started on Saturday (Hyam was all over the place tonight but we know his quality) but behind that, so light. Batty was really out of his depth with Barnes not much better, 2 young lads off the back of serious injury that could do with regular game time further down the pyramid but cannot be expected to provide serious cover in the Championship this season. Scott Wharton continues to be a concern too, we definitely need a centre back like Batth but we also need left back cover. Our academy is a source of great pride but we are becoming over reliant on it in certain areas, it wont plug every hole. To really push we do need a quality striker, a winger and a CB but also ideally maybe another 3 on top of that (wont happen) just to give us a much sturdier squad. (This is subject to being moved as it seems to be a thread obsessing on Tony Mowbray again)

Yep, playing a League 2 side at home in the first round and needing to get game time into important squad players like the Whartons, Ennis, Hedges, Brittain and Buckley as well as an opportunity to give a couple of kids a go, makes sense knowing we should win comfortably anyway. Hopefully if we get a few rounds in and get a Prem side then we can go stronger but for now, makes total sense.

Obviously reverts back to Mowbray and the obsession people have with him. His cup record was strange. It wasnt even as if he always played weak sides in the cup but our record was really poor. Tomasson especially in the League Cup made wholesale changes in every round, it was a bit disappointing v Forest as we had made good progress and had got quite far, was that a quarter final? The season before, we lost to Morecambe and we only changed 2 or 3. Not too dissimilar to Wigan away in the FA Cup where we didnt make many changes but one was Pears.

Yep, we could do with Ennis getting an hour under his belt, would be disappointed if he is not deemed fit enough to do an hour against League 2 opposition.

Mainly because they (players like Gunter and Williams) had been around the squad for years and in a big squad, were taken for their experience. Wales are strong out wide.

If we are paying a decent fee for him Id like to think it is to be number 1, especially as I know that Pears is bang average.

Hes nothing special but he offers more than Markanday. Just a middling Championship player.

It has been mentioned numerous times before, acknowledged but nothing is done. Whether it be bottle bars, pre pouring pints, it just gets worse without change.

If Ainsworth cannot adapt based on the players at his disposal then he won't last long. His style worked amidst an underdog mentality at Wycombe, but QPR have a lot of technical attacking midfielders with quality that aren't suited to direct football.

I thought that aside from an excellent finish, Markanday was poor yesterday, and Hedges to me would be a likelier bet next weekend, but has missed the end of pre season. Could essentially be a chance for both to show who should start on the right at Rotherham.

Would certainly agree with a lot of that. The main curiosity is as much the general narrative that I have seen a few times that Tomasson may not rate Travis, that he doesn't fit the way he wants to play and that he might happily let him go. To me, there isn't much evidence of that, his captain who has started every game bar a 6 game spell last winter. No one has really questioned Buckley whereas there seems to be much more evidence that he is not as fancied, unused yesterday and seemingly down in 4th choice when all are fit, assuming that he would be selected over Garrett. I think a lot might be based on the fact that Buckley is obviously a more technical player but it overlooks that a big part of Tomasson's game is pressing and Travis is really good at that. I do wonder if Buckley could benefit from playing further up as when he has played deeper, I don't think it suits him. He lacks the intelligence and speed of though of Wharton.

Hopefully we can get that new keeper in today and start him on Tuesday although I would like to think that he will be number 1 from next Saturday anyway, so maybe best to get him a full week of training with Pears as the cup keeper. Pears Brittain Barnes Wharton Batty Garrett Wharton Markanday Buckley Hedges Ennis

I mentioned yesterday that I think there has been a lot of nonsense over the last few months about Travis not being a Tomasson player. That's now 40 of 46 available league games (suspended for one last season) that he has started in. He is by no means a standout in a negative sense when on the ball, albeit it's not his main asset, but it also goes under the radar how important he is when we press, often leading it with Szmodics. He is also our captain so we need his leadership. I would also dovetail that point with the situation with Buckley. Forget the made up nonsense about being seen as a £10m player etc, he seems to still be well down the pecking order as shown again an unused sub yesterday in favour of Travis, a new signing and Wharton who has missed most of pre season. He has been not picked many more times when available compared to Travis and has really stagnated since Tomasson came in with the decision to move him back into a deeper position causing many problems with him struggling to adapt with the lack of time you get there. Obviously we need Buckley still as we are light on numbers and he does have ability, but I think he might struggle to get past any of the 3 ahead of him whilst they remain available. I hope Tomasson considers him as an alternative to Szmodics as I think he is better further up the pitch, his assets when thriving under Mowbray were best utilised further up and whilst he struggles in front of goal, he can also press well and he can pick out a through ball when further up despite his struggles to dictate games from deeper.

Obviously the initial and majority of the blame for their goal goes to Markanday but a poor pass by Aynslea "good on the ball" Pears in the build up. Also nearly got caught out in the first half.

Tomasson has been saying similar stuff throughout his tenure. He said last week that the ambitions (ie promotion) may have to be changed. People just have this weird fixation on Mowbray due to an unsubstantiated hate of him.

Weve been very fortunate with the opening fixtures weve had in the last 3 seasons. Home games against middling sides, and have won all 3.

I think Pickering is our most underrated player, he was very good again. He is such a steady, consistent player who is good on the ball and doesn't often leave his lack of pace exposed. We had years of the erratic, error prone Bell and I feel far more secure now in that position. Though the lack of cover is a concern.

Very good way to start the season, I thought first half bar a couple of ruthless minutes we were quite passive and I feared after West Brom's early second half goal but we went up a gear after it and the second half was very good. Defence was solid, the full backs are good at this level and I just hope Rankin Costello is ok, Pears had nothing to do with the centre backs doing a solid job. It was a worry how often they picked up the ball behind our midfield, I thought Tronstad was underwhelming, he was a yard off the pace and kept giving it away. Wharton was sloppy at times but he is a special player, his pass to Leonard was Tugay-esque. Travis for me was man of the match. There is a lot of nonsense about him not being a Tomasson player but he has played 40 of 46 league games he was available for under him and is key with Szmodics in us pressing, at Rotherham I would go with Wharton and Travis, we can't afford to lose our captain. I seem to be in a minority in thinking that Markanday was poor, aside from a good finish he was so sloppy, kept losing the ball including for their goal. The subs improved us, Hedges wasn't perfect but he is a better player. Dolan was poor again, Szmodics was as busy as ever. Leonard definitely has something about him, the opposite of Vale. He missed 2 sitters but his movement creates chances and thats a big asset to have. We need to really work on the set pieces, they look so off the cuff and end up back in our own half.

Squads will change but the relegated trio look so much stronger than anyone else, even allowing for the likes of Ward Prowse, Lavia, Walker Peters, Livramento, Gnonto, Adams and of course Leicester have already been raided. Many of the questions may surround the managers rather than clubs. Southampton have loads of top Championship players, Bree, Manning, Armstrong, Adams, Tella and Smallbone, plus exciting younger players like Edozie, Alcaraz, Mara and Shea Charles, the main question is the weird managerial appointment. Leeds have players who were out on loan like Cresswell, Drameh and Gelhardt, again experienced Championship quality like Harrison, Darlow, Cooper, Bamford, Ayling, James and some interesting talent like Summerville, Rutter, Ampadu and Sinistierra. Leicester have recruited well in Coady, Winks, Mavidivi and Doyle amongst others and still have lots of quality left over. Beyond that, Coventry are showing some serious ambition and Stoke have recruited well.

20 goals? Seems like a deadlock at the moment. If he is genuinely being priced at £40m as reported, its little wonder he hasnt been taken yet. Good player but you can definitely find better for cheaper. I know it was due to a clause but Mac Allister went to Liverpool for less and Ward Prowse couldnt lace his boots. English tax.

Easy to just assume he wasnt putting in the effort.

Well, obviously. But the point is that such things make people believe that the probability of winning decreases. Excitement to see the season start and being apprehensive about how we are looking dont have to be mutually exclusive.