We will see. It is a reasonable expectation to expect that if the owners genuinely do give a shit, that after the Armstrong sale, with us 3rd in the league and looking light in terms of the squad, that they invest between 2/3-4m on new signings to give it a reasonable go. We are not in a position to let any senior players go. I wouldn't want Johnson in the side for any length period of time, he should never play in defence and I would like someone to be brought into central midfield ahead of both Johnson and Davenport. But we will get injures, covid absentees, suspensions etc and we need more players, not less. He brings experience and has contributed a few times off the bench in our winning run.

Markanday has never played senior football, we need players for the here and now to help us get results in the next 5 months. Mowbray mentions polishing players but it also mentions him about to sign a new deal at Spurs potentially so unclear on the terms of any deal. If it is a permanent deal in addition to someone else, Mowbray mentioned about developing players before so to have him on the edges of things with another more ready made forward could be a good thing. If he comes in as our only attacking signing then it would leave us in basically the same position as we have gone into the window. And if that is a loan and our market of affordability is kids with no senior experience on loan at such an important time with the Armstrong money nestling in the pocket of the owners, that would be piss poor.

There has never been any serious suggestion that Nyambe has been set to leave, for me it always seemed to be fans putting 2 and 2 together and getting 5 to come to the conclusion that Zeefuik is replacing him, but Mowbray has always denied any bids for Nyambe, has never given the impression that he expects him to leave and it was mooted before the window that we needed a second right wing back.

Based on your previous defence of the owners, out of interest what sort of level of investment would you expect in this window to continue in that same wavelength, all things considered? I am not one for excuses as to why player x and player y didnt join, I only judge on the players that do sign. Lots was made of Maja but even that signing would have been a loan deal, as confirmed. Everything done on the cheap.

What do you think will be different? That has basically been the team in the league for a while apart from the enforced change on the left.

Not ideal. Zeefuik is not fully vaccinated so could well miss games through isolation.

Team surely picks itself: Kaminski Lenihan Van Hecke Wharton Nyambe Travis Rothwell Edun Buckley Khadra Brereton Subs: Any keeper, Ayala, Rankin Costello, Dolan, Gallagher, Johnson, Davenport

Burnley definitely still have a chance if they bring a forward in. That being said, if they go down there also seems to be a decent sized clutch of players that I would think fall into a category of probably being keep-able, they may not attract PL attention but they will all be top players in the Championship. Even assuming Pope, Cornet, McNeil and Tarkowski go, the likes of Nathan Collins, Connor Roberts, Ben Mee, Charlie Taylor, Johann Gudmundsson, Matej Vydra, Josh Brownhill, Ashley Westwood, Jack Cork etc all give Burnley a solid core for a promotion push.

Budget is less than a couple of million pounds which is a fraction even of the sales made this season amidst a genuine promotion push. If anyone was in doubt that Venkys are not the problem then there for me is proof that they dont really care.

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They wouldnt be able to play Chapman if they signed him.

Because we are 2 injuries/suspensions/covid absences from having to then play players out of position in a season when every point is crucial in a fight for promotion! Id be surprised if we spend 1.7m in this window. That particular link is just gossip but I cant see Venkys funding fees like that.

2 points from safety with a game in hand and a manager better than those around them. It would make zero sense to already start planning for the Championship. Survival is a very realistic aim.

Everything what you say plus also not just finding 1.7m in the circumstances you suggest but at a point in which we are 3rd in the league!

Chapman wouldnt be able to play for anyone besides us and Burton until next season. Even at the end of the month, there will still be many games left even if at that point 3 or 4 of our main centre backs are fit and well, that could easily change and we dont want to have to resort to players out of position.

Agreed plus they are being proactive, getting in players early including one for a couple of million. I wish we had done the same.

It would be a struggle to convince someone to be 5th choice so I would keep Carter rather than potentially be under prepared for a key half to the season. I would put the clubs critical need before Carters development just for 5 months and loan him out in the summer. It might be better for him but with such a critical half season ahead, we have to be fully prepared. Injuries, suspension and covid mean that it is far from remarkable to expect that at some point, that 2 from 4 will be unavailable. The club needs to come before Carter for 5 months. Johnson could do a job perhaps, Nyambe likewise or it could be left to a no hoper like Magloire or an untested kid, either way these are all solutions that significantly weaken us and could jeapordise our chance of collecting points if and when they occur. As you say Carter is a better option. It is different with some of the others in that none of them were close to and indeed in the main had never played prior for the first team.

Boro closing in on signing Riley McGree for a couple of million, outbidding Celtic to get him. They also are contributing to the wages of Folarin Balogun to get him on loan and have also loaned Aaron Connolly. Seem to be giving it a go.

He would be 5th choice and needed if only 2 of 4 centre backs are absent which considering Ayala's injury record and Lenihan's disciplinary concerns, plus the imminent threat of covid, is certainly not far-fetched. Barnes and Phillips have never kicked a senior ball, Carter has had a good loan spell in League 1 so is a more ready made replacement. Considering where we are in the table and the way of the world with covid, we more than ever need to have the quality in depth to sustain us throughout the season. If we had to consider the likes of Magloire or the 2 rookie kids you mention, we would struggle to continue getting results.

I just think that with such a critical half season amidst covid times as well as injury proneness amidst the centre backs, that we should play it safe and keep Carter. Loan him out for the whole of next season.

I just pray that Tyler Magloire isn't seen as 5th choice.

Seems very risky loaning him out leaving us with 4 centre backs for 3 spots. Surely we must get another centre back.

We can't be chucking in kids with no experience now. Surely it would be one of the 3 right wing backs.

We only have one right wing back who is ever fit. Makes sense to have two. But youve not really addressed my question regarding your assertion that Nyamhe isnt fully committed.

Hes already on loan at Sheffield United. Brilliant player at this level but dont see how that could possibly work.