The biggest thing that carries any manager through lean times here is disinterested owners.

Why did we sign Szmodics then who plays in the same position as Dack? If we needed a goal, we likely would change formation anyway. Something has clearly happened behind the scenes, because even you at your current peak of just echoing everything from within the club surely cannot genuinely believe that if we were 1 down, that Vale (never scored for us, never looked liked scoring, could barely score in Non League) or Hirst (hasn't scored in about 40 odd Championship appearances) would be more useful subs to bring on at 1 down than Dack.

Yeah the performance wasn't particularly good and we clung on, being very reliant on Kaminski to save us. I think the general performance level all season has not been particularly high, we have often been dominated and the style he mentioned in the summer hasn't really materialised, we have clung on well a few times and scored some very good goals rather than goals as a result of consistently attacking. As it happens, it was another good result and football is a results industry so I went home happy, as I am with our current league position. You are discounting my point about the quality of these players. I don't think Hirst or Vale in particular look good enough, whether they are strikers or not. Dolan more often than not flatters to deceive. With a lead, the likes of Dack and Markanday would be less likely to be needed, but if we need a goal, I would have not fancied our subs bench to have got one. We have failed to overturn a deficit this season and that has been with Dack getting a couple of minutes at the end and with Markanday not featuring, so it is an area of weakness as it stands.

I would have agreed if I felt that we had another striker that offered a goal threat and was capable at Championship level, in Hirst and Vale I do not see that and Dack is far more likely to get a goal if we need one.

Very pleasing result from what was a sub par performance really, our performance level has been poor all season but it is all about results so another win chalked up. Kaminski won us the game with a superb performance. We struggled to deal with aeriel balls and Scott Wharton again was shaky. Travis was more like his usual self and Wharton and Morton again impressed, especially the former. Brereton really looks tired, Gallagher was good and scored a typical strikers goal. A worry would be our strength in depth, both strikers were out on their feet but Dolan and especially Vale are such a drop off in quality, I cannot possibly believe that Dack or Markanday should be behind those, and it also says a lot about Hirst who we only just signed that he is not seen as worthy of a place in the squad. I also am not convinced about Garrett, I felt like his man of the match award midweek was more because it was his debut and he seems very limited on the ball, for all of the blood and thunder tackling,

Why? They aren't doing well, they are in the bottom 3.

I am very happy that those decisions went for us obviously, but I think we got away with 2 mistakes from the officials. I also think the watchability of the Championship is overrated simply because of the evenness caused by an overall lack of quality. 75% of games at this level can really lack in quality and entertainment.

Ronaldo has had a sharp physical decline pretty suddenly, most players do about 5 years before he has but it has made him far less effective. But I think they have other players at United that hide behind the Ronaldo story to justify their own shoddy performances. Rashford is often half arsed and has flattered to deceive most of the time since he broke onto the scene. Sancho looks overweight and regularly hides. Fernandes has been pretty poor again since he broke onto the Premier League scene initially. They cant pin everything on Ronaldo.

Very good point on our inability to come back so far this season. He is a natural goalscorer and he makes things happen, even if he doesn't start he has to be on the bench.

To be fair, that was worst case scenario and he has still boosted his bank balance in a way that won't affect his Championship reputation.

Can see Jesse Marsch getting sacked soon. Leeds fans not happy and singing for Bielsa.

I don't get why they would announce that Davis is staying specifically until 2023. Surely he still remains caretaker, Beale rejected them so they carry on looking to get someone in ASAP.

Why would they suddenly start listening?

If you genuinely would prefer a bench of Pears, Mola, Phillips, Travis, A.Wharton, Dolan and Vale with Dack left out should we potentially need a goal, then I can't help but thinking that again you are just saying what you expect Tomasson to do and are agreeing with it. You are either offside or not, and he was.

Skeptical of the article, feels like a potentially big assumption. If there is any truth in it then it is to the detriment of the team if a good player is not being considered to due to a personal issue with the manager.

No I agree, we are all happy that he is gone but sometimes things are said out of hatred that simply arent true.

He played 29, 29, 31, 38 and 31 times, and had quite a few muscle injuries in that time.

Regarding Travis, if whats and maybes. What did happen is as I said, he got a chance, did well and was consistently stuck with as a regular from there. Wharton had numerous loan spells which seemed to really help to develop him as a man, came back much better for it and became a regular. You look at Phillips, he wouldn't have played anywhere near as much as he had if it wasn't for the injuries earlier in the season, we had no alternative. Garrett wouldn't have played had Travis been available, much of it is circumstantial and timing. I don't think that anyone suggested that he invented it, and there is an element of truth in us needing to be more reliant on it now due to the lack of money, applying to both Mowbray and Tomasson. But Mowbray did bring players through, and although it is fashionable now to criticise him wherever possible, creating alternative situations where youngsters dont break through under him to discredit him seems needless to me.

Szmodics seemed closer to the front 2 rather than the midfield 2, but Hedges could play as that number 10 I guess, I did consider that. Dack would also fit that role.

Absolute nonsense. Travis broke through under him and remained consistently in the side, contrary to expectations of reinstating Smallwood when he returned from a ban. Buckley broke through and was persisted with, becoming a regular. Nyambe only broke through properly under Mowbray, and consistently played throughout his tenure. Wharton broke through under him and became a regular. Throw in Lenihan and half of his team was through the academy. There are also other examples of players including Dolan, (signed as an under 23 player) Rankin Costello, Carter and Butterworth.

Be a difficult team selection, unsure if Ayala is going to be fit but he would come in for Carter if he is. Szmodics pulled up just before going off plus he struggled on the ball the other night. Pickering coming back in may allow for more balance. Kaminski Hyam Ayala Wharton Brittain Morton Wharton Pickering Hedges Gallagher Brereton Subs: Pears, Carter, Travis, Garrett, Szmodics, Dack, Markanday With Carter in for Ayala if necessary.

Although to be fair, genuine thanks to him following the headline save that Kaminski made at the weekend.

Why would that mean that he has integrity? If he had gone, he would be moving up a division.

Has he fallen on his feet with that squad? They have quite a few of a squad that stagnated in League 1 for years, they have Corry Evans as captain and even their attacking players are ones with at best mixed careers who have flattered to deceive or loanees who are very young and raw. You do know that you are allowed to admit when blatant errors in officiating have gone in our favour? They won't revoke the win if you do. The first was a foul, I didn't think it was at first as I thought that Hedges got the ball but he didn't. The second was a clear offside, even for you your justification is a stretch. We got a massive, massive helping hand from the officials, had VAR been in place then it would have almost certainly overturned both decisions to correct them. As it is, it isn't in place and we won so happy days, but I don't get why you would pretend. In the second half we struggled to keep the ball and kept giving it back to Sunderland, allowing them to sustain pressure but they lacked a goal threat due to Simms and Stewart being out. Can Dack fit this style, as an excellent player at this level, yes he can. Hopefully back in the squad at the weekend, he would have been a better sub than Vale or Dolan. For all of his flaws here, bringing youth through was something he did well.

Would be a very strange appointment. A decent start in a very even Championship but enough to become the leading candidate for a job at a Premier League regular? Not for me.