I think the small cash injections are fairly routine but more as a means of general funding, nothing to suggest it id for a sudden transfer splurge.

But thats the point, he doesnt offer competent cover. He is a liability at full back, diving in and giving penalties away and we now have Nyambe and Rankin Costello ahead of him on the right and soon to be Douglas, Bell and Williams on the left. He couldnt maintain a midfield position in League 1 whereas Smallwood could, and we now have Johnson, Evans, Travis, Holtby, Rothwell, maybe Dack, Davenport and Buckley in central midfield. The "two superstars in every position" like a PL club is a strawman argument, but I personally would suggest that IMO he would warrant a place in the second team. No shame in that, like a few before he played a key role in making effort a minimum and has been left behind in quality. You make it sound like Smallwood was tactically kept around to take part in 11 v 11 training. Ultimately a club in the Championship surely struggles to afford such a luxury, a senior wage for a player to make up the numbers in training. His personality again has never nor ever will be questioned. His passion is not a unique trait, I dont think that the current squad lacks that at all nor does it warrant a senior wage alone. Ultimately seemingly no one has shown interest in him and he seems happy playing a father figure and I am sure he will continue to be an exemplary professional who hopefully wont be needed on the pitch.

Would make zero sense really unless the Greek isnt a first team keeper. If we have any money after Douglas we could spend it elsewhere.

Do you agree with the current formation he is trying to impose, 3 centre backs and 2 holding midfielders included? Do you agree with his weird desire to stick as many right backs on as possible recently? Isnt it a worry that the player turnover is so high, no scope for a setttled side, constant debutants? Are the recent numerous disciplinary problems, the 3 party goers, Foden and Greenwood in Iceland and James losing his head today a concern to you? Didnt his inability to come up with anything to cope with having a player less worry you tonight should we go down to 10 men in the future? The World Cup was somewhat of a success, the fixtures were very fabourable but he recognised certain limiations before the break through of some talent we now have and relied on set pieces. The football was attritional but edged us past limited opponents and ultimately when we played good teams ie Belgium and Croatia, we failed. I am very unconvinced by the direction since or his inability to allow our attacking players to flourish.

There is no indication that Mulgrew or Smallwood have been anything other than professional whilst they themselves have spent the end of their contracts (ongoing in Mulgrews case) out of the team to be fair either. Indeed Mowbray has publically praised both for their attitude and hasnt stuck them with the kids.

Bannan would not be the Benrahma replacement, they signed a winger called Ghoddos who had been playing in Ligue 1. Paul Mani's implication that Bannan was part of the replacement for those 2 was inaccurate.

He doesnt half get through players too, no one is any the wiser as to what his favourite team is. No need for the constant changing.

Absolutely no one hates him on a personal level, his character is not one that can be questioned. It is possible to like him as a person/role model but not think he is capable from a footballing perspective.

A really poor night for Southgate in terms of a total lack of nous and bravery shown by him. Why did he leave 2 defensive midfielders on all game? Why did Grealish stay sat on the bench? Why is Mount his golden child? What was his plan, more of the same, Calvert Lewin wide and just hope we get a knock down. A load of shite. Also, obviously its not really applicable today but he plays 3 at the back for the wrong reasons. Most teams play it to their strength and with a real tactical plan. Southgate plays it to try and compensate for a lack of quality but all it does is add a third error prone centre back likely to make a mistake.

Harry Maguire is an absolute liability. Get him as far away from the England squad as possible. £80m my arse!

Brilliant post. There is absolutely no reason to be thankful. What has happened to Bury is undoubtedly sad but if anyone is content purely because the club is still in business, they have crazily low standards.

That is more than a little unfair. We dont have a clue what was offered, and there is no indication that he has come back to us with his tail between his legs. Maybe he was unwilling to take a pay cut after a successful season, maybe he wanted a longer deal for extra security, maybe he wants to go into coaching whilst finishing his career or maybe he has no desire to continue playing at all, we have no idea so its very harsh to paint the situation as you have done. I know you are often keen to imply that posters on here are unjustly miserable, but I presume that Brentford fans are sad to see Watkins and potentially Benrahma and I am guessing that you have consulted Brentford forums to justify your stance that our response would be unreasonably "nuclear." That being said, I don't think the comparison to us losing Dack and Armstrong is necessarily totally accurate. Firstly, something you've touched on is the history of replacing players that they have there. If they are a little calmer than we might be, they have reason to have more trust in the process, ultimately at Rovers, we would know that it would add further pressure and an increased demand to improve for Brereton and Gallagher, which we would rightly be sceptical of, whereas Brentford have a long line of attackers that have flourished and been successfully replaced. You seem desperate to dismiss and mock Bannan but he would be a very shrewd addition for any Championship club, and ultimately he is not a direct replacement for any outgoing, just an improvement to an already impressive midfield. Ivan Toney is the replacement for Watkins, who himself stepped up to replace Maupay, etc, etc. Toney has started very well with 3 goals in 4 games. Brentford had been preparing for the sale of Benrahma hence the signing of Ghoddos who they had been tracking in France apparently for over a year. I would also say that they were proportionately less dependant on Watkins and Benrahma, there is still a third of their attack left in Mbuemo who is a very good player. With us, Armstrong and Dack are prolific, the other main 2 for us are Gallagher and Brereton which are anything but. The structure of the Brentford team is also far better, they had the second best defensive record in the league, conceding 25 less than us and have that same defence and keeper that served them so well. Brentford were considerably better than us last season, they finished 18 points ahead of us. They start the season expected to finish higher than us again, thats not being negative or miserable, thats being logical based on the vast gap between the 2 teams last season. We can only hope that their leaving stars are impossible to replace and coupled with signings we bridge that gap because Brentford may well be up at the top of the league again and thats where we want and need to be.

Im not sure he did "far more" because as I said he did very little himself but Bannan was very young when he came through at Villa, he has spent the main part of his career at Championship level. Im unconvinced that there is much evidence that possibly going towards the twilight of their careers that either would do much at Premier League level. Holtby has a more exotic CV but he came having been released following a season in the second division in Germany. I am not putting him down, Bannan is a brilliant Championship midfielder. Holtby has been a little underwhelming overall in a Rovers shirt but I am optimistic that he can have a better season this season.

Holtby has a more glittering CV but has struggled for consistency and durability during his time here. He is definitely talented but I am unconvinced that he could make an impact in the Premier League at this stage, indeed he didnt really impact on it much last time.

Not really, Bannan has been as good as any midfielder at this level over the last 10 years, im sure many regular watchers of the Championship might agree. Perhaps similar to Ayala as a CB. Is criticising the supporters of your own club as if they are some savage mob come matchday also a by product of Championship manager? Dack is an attacking midfielder, not the same position really, he could potentially be considered more of a forward. For pedantics sake, if Dack counts then maybe second best.

I wasnt really counting him as a midfielder. They arent really comparable.

Very true, he would be our best midfielder. Not sure where your quoted post has gone, but ultimately Brentford fans may be raging, but there is probably more trust there because they repeatedly sell players and replace with equal quality. Maupay, Hogan, Watkins, Gray etc. Now they have Ivan Toney who has 3 goals in 4 so far. When Armstrong and Dack go, the signings of Gallagher and Brereton come into sharper focus. Very true on contracts although I cant see promotion aside how it is in their best interests to commit their long term future to us just yet, especially Dack and Armstrong. They are in a position of power with a year on their contract should they not be satisfied with our progress, have productive individual seasons and attract interest as is very possible.

Where is this from? Makes no sense, he isnt an asset to the club, he will be 32 next summer as a free agent.

I see that Bennett has done another very well received (and deservedly so) interview today. I have to say that he has always come across as such a good role model, totally deidcated, a brilliant professional, a hard worker and a credit to the club. It does show the fickleness of football too. Playing devils advocate, if he wasnt such a good bloke, he would be criticised for sitting on a contract with little chance of playing like Mulgrew when they both offer equally nothing on the pitch anymore. The question would be, can we afford a player as a high earner offering only off the field input considering FFP etc? I suppose a potential unwillingness to have that drive and ambition to move on, and play every week, which I dont in anyway judge negatively, makes that hypothetical. As a full back, well out of his depth even as back up. Once did a job in midfield against Shrewsbury which people cling on to, but ultimately even in League 1 that had no longevity and even Smallwood is a better CM and he has long since been left behind. And he offers nothing out wide. But he could be key off the field as a mentor if he is happy to do that and then part ways in the summer ideally in a blaze of glory and with a deserved send off.

I dont think that it is in anyones best interests to see the best teams in the country move away from our league. As much as I am totally against this stupid project.

I get the fitness worries about Douglas but otherwise and on a temporary, I cant see how a kid who has only ever played 3 senior games would be preferable to a left back who has been part of 2 promoted teams in 3 seasons. In regards to "can attack" Douglas very much can, you can see by the goals and assists he has at this level. Also an expert from dead balls. Having pace is not critical to being able to get forward. Bell has pace but it is rendered useless because he lacks the urgency in his play and the technical ability to take advantage. Douglas would lose in a sprint but he can whip in a dangerous ball. To be honest, it is defensive misgivings that would make me prefer someone like Cunningham who is good going both ways. But I would be happy enough with Douglas.

No, and ultimately it might not be their direct responsibility, but youd think that they would be perturbed to see the current state especially having received complaints. For what its worth, and for their own sense of pride, id expect them to clean it up. Again, I find it strange to see anyone defending the clubs continued lack of pride under these owners. But there you go.

Obviously in a perfect world, but litter does get about sadly, and you think the club would have a little more pride rather than shrugging their shoulders and saying "not our problem."

"Any" left back? With the supposedly additional scope given to us by an extended European scouting network, if we end the window with just the proven to be inadequate Amarii Bell as a sole left back, that isnt demanding that we should blow money on someome not up to it, that is a failure in terms of recruitment in that position.

Its also very difficult to manufacture importance for a new tournament. The World Cup and a tournament for each one is enough. That feeling of a summer tournament with numerous games a day ,(in the same location, not across Europe with an asymmetrical format!) the beer gardens, the wallcharts, mapping out your route to the final, the build up, thats all worthwhile. The Nations League will never have that.