Say they signed Harwood-Bellis back and a couple of the other players on show tonight, would you want them to do well in general?

You hope that a Burnley player is superb? Can't fathom that. It's not a problem, my point wasn't specific to England, it was more than I feel like the under 21 age group has probably reduced in importance with senior teams tending to be younger than ever and with a few of these being up to the age of 23. A lot of these attacking England players (Smith-Rowe, Palmer, Gordon, Jones) aren't regulars. Talented players, maybe some need moves elsewhere. Of course the fact that I think some of these players will struggle for senior caps is mainly a positive reflection on the strength in depth we have already in and around the senior squad.

https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/23643017.maybe-four---tomasson-makes-blackburn-rovers-signing-pledge/ Mentions wanting 3-4 players, 2 loans and 2 permanents potentially. Specifically said he wants them as soon as possible to get them integrated, personally not sure that will happen if we wants loans especially with the next week being spent away. Also mentioned a potential experienced centre back and how the striker is likely to be a loan. If we get 4, I think striker, right wing and centre back are obvious, think we also could do with a left back as although Pickering is underrated by many, we only have him as a senior option. Edit: meant for the transfer thread. Please can it be moved.

Suggests that Ennis is already injured. Hopefully just "not match fit."

I know, the main point was at the actual age group and how I feel that its importance has perhaps waned with senior teams now getting younger and younger. A number of years ago, these players would look up and see a much older average age of senior side so more of a pathway was there. I am not convinced that many of this team will get many/any caps at senior level. Max Aarons and James Garner will do well to get any. Emile Smith Rowe, probably needs to move club as he will barely play for Arsenal, Curtis Jones, unlikely to play much for Liverpool with their 2 new signings, Gibbs-White, good player but nothing special, Gordon talented but again nothing special. None of these come close to the attacking players we have, not many would, but the key thing is many of those players at senior level are also young. Cole Palmer maybe has the best chance just because of his age. There obviously is a lack of quality at centre back, allowing for when Southgate goes and hopefully Maguire will finally drop out of the squad. Colwill is a good player, showed that at Brighton, Harwood-Bellis more uncertain. Hopefully Trafford crashes and burns at Burnley.

The constant reduction in average ages in senior football combined with the flexibility of allowing players who are 21 at the start of qualifying to still be eligible nearly 2 years later (ie at 23) has almost weirdly made this age group feel redundant, at least from an England perspective. Under age teams are obviously intended to be a pathway to senior football. You look through this England side, are the likes of Max Aarons and James Garner ever going to make it at senior level? Probably not. There is a chance for players at centre back so Colwill surely has a good chance but even then, Southgate loves Maguire so much regardless of how bad he is, so its even tough for him. And the likes of Gordon, Jones, Gibbs-White and Smith Rowe, only Gibbs-White is likely to play regular at senior level in the immediate future (that doesn't seem to matter to Southgate, but still) and they are all up against it with better talents already regularly playing at senior level despite either not being older (Foden, Saka, Bellingham etc) or players in their prime years in Grealish, Rashford, Sterling, Maddison etc.

The Charlton was forced by injuries to a few to be fair.

Surely nobody has to buy a ssason ticket then either, doesnt mean people cant comment on how dear those are too. The cost of watching live football legally in this country are extortionate.

Not sure people would resort to digging out DVDs if Sky no longer had shows on!

The worry is that when he was out, that didn't really happen. Big onus on Sigurdsson/Ennis/any other newbies scoring some goals.

Not a realistic proposition anyway, but he would massively improve us. Difficult to judge being in and out (and often wide when he did play) at a much higher level. But stick him up front and he would score goals which is what we need.

I never said he was. But he scored 16 goals, the second highest was 8. He scored 37 in 2 seasons, no one anywhere near that.

One thing I am sure of (really unsure whether he can step up in La Liga) is that he leaves a huge hole in our team, probably more than many realise. So reliant on his goals and goalscorers arent easy to come by. I wonder if some of the excitement around Sigurdsson comes around the potential for him to become a cult hero. Brereton not only was a key player but seemingly a popular one with the whole (under marketed) Diaz/Chile situation. A striker from Plymouth, he might come in and do well and lets hope so but I dont see him as potentially a cult hero, but Sigurdsson does have that vibe. The kind of player that everyone could be talking about.

He scored 28 goals and I think partly because his goalscoring came in front of empty stadiums, he was massively underappreciated. Talk of even him holding us back despite his ridiculous goalscoring.

His nose was knocked out off joint because he had radio silence when he wanted a new deal. He clearly wanted to stay.

Topped his pension up, then pretty much instantly got another job when he left here. If the issue is him earning money, everyone in football is a ****.

Indeed, it is bizarre. The reason that his comments triggered so many is because of who said them, not what was said. It got well beyond people being able to take his comments at face value. Tomasson has spent a whole season dampening down expectations, we arent expected to be in the top 6 or to chsse promotion, yet those comments are never micro-analysed, they if anything are echoed. Its just textbook manager talk, play down expectations. Our own fans regularly dampen expectations themselves regarding comparisons to previous years, and happily encourage selling key players. He is a dour man in general, but he is a pretty good Championship manager who did a pretty good job here. Happy to have Tomasson now, fresh start was badly needed. Its so strange how many hold such a grudge.

Is 2nd in League 1, then 15th, 11th, 15th and 8th, never ever anywhere near the bottom, just avoiding a complete disaster?

Those January funds were never verified and almost certainly not true, but he left soon after anyway, so spending would have likely strengthed his position, not weakened it. You must have a really high opinion of his managerial skills if you think that as soon as he starts trying, success follows. If we had gone up under him, his wage would have gone up and likely his deal would have been extended.

My point was that Mowbray wasn't doing anything but trying his best here. He did a decent job, if that was whilst barely trying then he must be an incredible manager when he does try, it was tongue in cheek. People are so twisted against him that they come up with any way they can to try and have a go, no matter how illogical. 10m of that money "spaffed" on strikers was clawed back, and a profit would have been made on the 3 deals if our owners weren't idiots.

He must be an excellent manager if he can match the points total that Tomasson has been praised over when half arsing it.

Mowbray derangement syndrome indeed. Bizarre.

Mowbray was doing his best too. Deary me.

But you have done a 180 since initially defending him following your chats.

Easy as that, 2 weeks in advance, regardless of where you work.