Big shout that. Definitely technically has potential but even on Saturday he got crowded and bullied off the ball a few times before he settled.

Bang on regarding the argument that Dacks injury supposedly stopped us from getting into the play offs! Armstrong and Dack are the 2 attackers we build around and play to the strengths of. Until Brereton, Gallagher, Chapman, Dolan, Rothwell, Rankin Costello etc start scoring goals as regularly as them 2 do, then ultimately they are not as important and are not going to stop Dack from coming back in.

We have no reason not to have a slight advantage over Preston long term, we have better infrastructure and a bit more money, so cant argue with that. Preston were slightly ahead of us last season as the league table proved, and we lost much more in the summer, we had no keeper, Adarabioyo went back, Downing and Graham left. Our academy prospects havent really changed in terms of emergence solely this summer, Lenihan and Nyambe a key role, as does Travis although his injury is a blow, Rankin Costello is a squad filler for me, Buckley on the fringes too. Then again, we have signed a keeper, although we dont really know how good he is yet. We have signed a proven centre back. Plus a raw talent as a bonus wildcard. And of course, Preston seem likely to be vulnerable to losing players. Not that it really matters as a direct comparison unless we are directly competing for a top 6 place. My point was more about our current squad situation in terms of contracts, and it going against the idea of a slow build. Most people seem to feel that we are destined for mid table, me included. I fear that we might have to do a bit of a restart if we dont go up this season however. If we get to the end of the season, we dont go up and Armstrong, Dack, Lenihan and Nyambe havent signed new deals, we might have to sell the first 3 (and potentially take a tribunal fee for the last) then it may be the start of a reset, and probably time for a new manager to go again. I just hope we can at least get some of them signed up, and/or of course get promoted!

Im not sure the number of pages in a transfer window thread on a respective forum is proof of the success of a window! Ultimately we had many more holes to fill comparatively in that not only did they finish closer to the play offs but they also were less reliant on loans. We had no goalkeeper and a key centre back who had gone back. I think they are one year ahead of us in terms of the cycle of their team, so we potentially have one extra year on them. They are in a situation now where they have Davies with a year to go on his contract and getting interest from other clubs, they have the same problem with Johnson and also Pearson although I dont know if he has got any interest. They might need to sell some and restart if they wont sign new deals. I cant help but fear that we might get to a similar situation next summer if we dont go up. Armstrong, Lenihan and with his option Dack all have 2 years to run, and Nyambe only 1 year. It is probably going to be very difficult to get them to commit long term (although we must prioritise them urgently) but unless we can get them to sign or indeed get promotion (or at least close) it may be a case of having to sell some if not all of them next summer to get a fee for them. Luckily I think Travis is here for the next 3 years.

Bell has been ok? There is a bit of money/leverage left to bring in someone permanently or a couple on loan as Mowbray mentioned. So im not sure it is a case of us "spunking our last pennies on players only to end up like Bolton and Wigan" which are 2 totally different situations. So there is no reason why we shouldnt have a left back at the end of the window and as soon as possible ideally even within Mowbrays adjusted comments about recruitment after seemingly a transfer meeting on Thursday that didnt go as well as expected.

Of course, that is what we are here for, opinions. Although the number of penalties he gives away is less subjective. When him and Smallwood had that game v Shrewsbury which tends to crop up whenever a suggestion is made to play him in central midfield, even if you look back at that, the pair gave away plenty of fouls in stamping their authority on the game. We have come a long way since then though.

Without earning it? We arent a better team without him on the back of one solitary win. Dack is a very, very good Championship player. Once them 3 players start scoring and assisting like Dack did, then fair enough. My suggestion is 4231 with the 2 of them down the middle scoring plenty of goals. If you want to wait to see what Mowbray does then fair enough. It might take a bit of compromise but there has to be a way. Our best team when fit doesnt have our best player on the bench.

Rothwell has only had one good game centrally v Wycombe so I dont agree that we should be building the team specifically around him. Holtby I think maybe you have a point but if suiting Holtby meant not playing Dack, it is not worth it as Dack is more important and besides, there is nothing to stop Holtbt playing in a 2. Can you understand why I cant fathom why you are reluctant to confirm that Dack is a brilliant player for us and has to play? I dont feel like you are committing to an answer on Dack when fit being in the team. I think that like with Downing, you are waiting to see what Mowbray does first. 433 has only been played without Dack therefore we have no idea what Mowbray will do but I would be amazed if when fully fit, Dack did not go back into the team. If i had to guess, he will go back to playing a false 9 and have Armstrong and Gallagher either side. We have to strive to get Dack in. I couldnt get my head around it if I saw Dack, a regular goalscorer and excellent Championship player sat on the bench whilst Brereton, Rothwell and Dolan played.

I think unless he was lying, the goalposts have been moved in Thursdays meeting. He definitely sounded frustrated, we went from being close to a signing which was the first of "3 or 4" that he aimed to buy to only being able to afford 1.

I put Armstrong in the team on the left on the assumption that we have to play 433 but we dont hence why my chosen team was 4231. It is for me the best way to favour our 2 best players. Im guessing that you didnt regularly watch the mighty Gillingham but Dack is obviously a central player based on his time here and his skillset is not as focused on pace as Armstrong. We could use the concepts of not staying wide and full back overlapping (although if that is Bell then we are struggling) with either player wide. I am not expecting Armstrong to hug the touchline but play inside running into the space in behind. Where is the team that you posted that you would play? You get what you deserve in football and ultimately, whilst I am not saying that we should stop playing it, the results/points per game since we started playing it is not very impressive. Until we start picking up regular wins with it the jury will be out.

Putting aside the totally unnecessary patronising manner of your post. I made it quite clear that I appreciate and understand what he provides off the field, but that all of my comments where in relation to how he is on the pitch. I dont think on the field he has a role to play, if he is happy to be solely an off the field help without contributing on the pitch, and indeed we can afford that (assuming that there would be any takers) then by all means keep him. We do have a lot of younger players but there is more experience within the team than you seem to appreciate or imply. We have just replaced a kid playing his second senior season in league football who left after a loan spell with a player who was the captain of his last club, and who had led said club to promotion from this league before. A massive signing of leadership. Beside him we have Lenihan who is young as you say but clearly has natural leadership and has played over 150 games for us. Then of course we replaced a young loanee goalkeeper (and before that a young keeper of our own) with a player who has played well over 200 games in his career and won titles, albeit we dont know much about his character and there will be an acclimatisation to living in England. Then we have Johnson in midfield, a vastly experienced senior player who you describe as being "hot and cold" but that is solely based on his footballing performances, not his character. We also have Corry Evans who again is vastly experienced, even if he seems a little less extroverted from the outside. And of course Lewis Holtby who seems to be growing in terms of a main character within our squad. There is quite a bit of real experience there amidst a clutch of players who havent been left behind on the pitch.

To be fair, I dont think that Evans at this moment needs moving on to accelerate the development of the under 23s. I think he is very close to if not in our best 11 when all are fit and there has to be a balance between experience and youth.

To be fair, I dont think anyone has or can doubt Bennetts effort, personality, integrity or his character. He has been an ultimate professional and as a person has not put a foot wrong. Unfortunately he has been left behind on the pitch like Mulgrew, Smallwood and Graham have also done.

Bennett doesnt have the ability on the ball or the tactical discipline to stop charging around and diving in to play in central midfield. No good pressing if you give away fouls all of the time. People refer to 2 games that he played, the Shrewsbury one which was obviously in League 1 in which Smallwood was just as effective (imagine if he was near our team) and even in League 1 his effectiveness waned to the point that he had spells in 2 other positions before the season was out. The Brentford game was amidst an injury crisis in which we ground out a team as an underdog, and he played as a 10 as he did v Stoke when the onus was on us to create and we fell to a drab 1 nil defeat. He also played in central midfield at Villa Park around that time and put in a performance on par with Mulgrews at home to Boro, totally lost. I just dont see any place even in the squad for him anymore. Im very glad to see that even Mowbray seems to have realised that a year later than Mulgrew and Smallwood. Even yesterday, Mowbray plumped for Buckley and Davenport which I agreed with. Rankin Costello seems to have taken over the role as right back cover and utility man, I dont think that he is capable in the middle as I mentioned and he certainly isnt good enough going forward Hes always given his all and has a year left on his contract, I personally think it would be best for all if Bennett could find a home elsewhere, even if it means supplmenting his wages. Hes League 1 standard although maybe someone near the bottom of this League may find some use for him.

To be fair I can understand why there is no urgency to dislodge Williams immediately with his performance on Saturday and of course with Ayala getting up to speed. I would say that I think there is little doubt that Ayala and Lenihan will become our first choice partnership though. My thought process was that although Williams is better at centre back for sure than at left back, the difference is far less than between Ayala and Bells respective abilities. Ideally, although seemingly very unlikely now, we sign a left back to come in for the weekend, Williams keeps his place for now and we take things from there. Keep another clean sheet and he keeps his place, get beat or concede a couple and maybe Ayala comes in v Cardiff to deal with Kieffer Moore.

Its not very important if it doesnt help either defensively or going forward, pace alone is of little use. Williams is better defensively one on one and a better crosser. And he himself is not up to the standard that we need as a left back. Just the lesser of two evils.

It is only my suggestion rather than what I think would happen. I feel that Williams is average but as a left back is better than Bell, and whilst he would prefer to play centre back, at a time when we have 2 very good centre backs and no competent left backs, id like to think that Williams wouldnt refuse to play there.

Derby away next week might seem a tough game when the fixtures come out but theres no reason why we shouldnt go there targeting a win. 2 losses for them so far at home to Reading and at Luton, and seemingly problems at both sides of the pitch. They signed Kamil Jozwiak who we have been linked with and who set up a goal before going off with a knock, as did Jack Marriott who went off after scoring his first goal in a while. Would like to see a new LB in this week but based on Mowbrays comments it seems we are having a re think in terms of transfers so assuming we dont add, I would go: Kaminski Nyambe Lenihan Ayala Williams Rothwell Johnson Holtby Dolan Armstrong Brereton Subs: Eastham, Rankin Costello, Wharton, Davenport, Buckley, Chapman, Gallagher 2 changes, both at full back where Nyambe comes back in. Also Bell is a weakness and Williams is a better defender, and that in turn allows Ayala to come in. Hopefully we can pick up where we left off.

Of course I think left back is top priority in the transfer market so that would change. As it stands, Williams is a better option than Bell.

If everyone was fit, what does everyone think would be our best starting line up, and what do people think Mowbray would consider his best team? Not factoring in further arrivals. I would say mine would probably be this below: Kaminski Nyambe Lenihan Ayala Williams Travis Holtby Dolan Dack Rothwell Armstrong If it has to be 4-3-3, I would probably say: Kaminski Nyambe Lenihan Ayala Williams Travis Evans Holtby Dolan Dack Armstrong In easier games, I would go Rothwell for Evans there and move Travis inside, and also it is early days for Dolan, maybe Brereton, Chapman or Rothwell could eye that place. I think Mowbrays would be the above with Bell, Johnson and Gallagher for Williams, Evans and Dolan.

I dont think hes done anything at this moment to warrant anyone else taking a look, but it makes sense to try and get him signed Regarding Bell, I just wonder if he thinks (wrongly IMO) that he has improved, that he is more suited to our current style (with no attacking threat id suggest not) or indeed with the players lost since Cunningham have left bigger weaknesses than Bell. (again I wouldnt agree)

He will forever have a big doubt over his place over him (or should) until he starts scoring goals or offering a goal threat.

It definitely might take some trial and error but the potential reward to get 2 goalscorers and our 2 best players working in tandem would be huge. I do think though that Dack is the least capable of playing from anywhere but a central role. If 4-3-3 is very much a constant, I would have to put Armstrong from the left and Dack central. Because Dack is unlikely to remain right up front, there would be a natural avenue for Armstrong to run inside and get goals when Dack gets involved perhaps with his back to goal. When Armstrong played wide in the 4-2-3-1, it was essentially playing with a second striker instead of a midfielder, and the way we played was rigid so it meant that there was far more responsibility defensively for him and also far more necessity for him to stay wide. The way we are currently playing I think would mean that he would be able to go central and link with Dack far more often, he would have that third central midfielder to help in terms of covering the full back, and we could perhaps have a wider player ie Dolan, Chapman or Brereton asked to stay wider on the other side. If that did happen, it wouldnt necessary be side-lining Dack. I bet he would enjoy having Dack working with him. I do also have misgivings about Dack as a false 9 to be honest, so I would potentially lead towards the 4-2-3-1 with Armstrong up front, but of course aligned with our current high press and developing style. I think that if you asked Mowbray now what his team would be, everyone fully fit, and its a guess of course, I think it would be Armstrong to the left, Dack down the middle, Gallagher right.

I am very much excited as to his start at the club and also very much enjoyed his performance yesterday, make no mistake.

It is a difficult conundrum regarding either signing 1 for a fee or 2 or 3 on loan. Firstly, I definitely think that the goalposts have changed since Thursday when Mowbray said he had a meeting. Maybe it is partially down to the Ayala deal. We have gone from wanting 3 or 4 and being close to a left back on Thursday morning, to now seemingly be contemplating our next step in regards to how to use the budget on seemingly less players. We also have to consider where we think we are and how far away we could be. In terms of short term v long term, our best chance might come this season because I cannot see Armstrong or Dack being here next season if we dont go up, and then there is a lot of work to do with Brereton, Gallagher etc obviously not capable of scoring regularly. I am not convinced that we are THAT close to the top 6 however. It also depends on how much flexibility/compromise there is there. Left back is far and away the weakest position for us but we also cannot have a season whereby Fisher could at any minute be needed because he is nowhere near up to it. If we could sign a permanent left back with the majority of our remaining budget and get a cheap experienced keeper on a free then that would be ideal. I also think we need a central midfielder and another attacker who can play wide, but not as critically. We also need to put some emphasis on longer term planning, we tend to lack proactivity regarding contracts. As touched upon, our main 2 players who are likely to generate transfer interest are both here until 2022, I dont think either will be here next season if we dont go up. I would be surprised if either will sign a new deal at the moment either. Nyambe is the obvious elephant in the room, the tribunal fee is a bit of a consolation if the worst case scenario unfolds although I dont think that any Premier League team would be interested, although that might change after another season. We have to prioritise that contract. Rankin Costello is less important but I dont think any other teams will be looking at him, I doubt he is on much money so it makes sense to give him a new deal, even if hes seen as a versatile squad player at the moment. I would be happy to give Holtby another year, whereas with Evans and Johnson, theres less urgency, probably 2 big earners, not 100% convinced for different reasons which to give a new deal to but probably not both so let that run for the time being. Mulgrew and Bennett, 100% released. My main worry is that Mowbray doesnt appreciate quite how bad Bell is. He did publically question him last year for his consistency (I think he has been consistently shite to be fair to him) and obviously signed Cunningham which didnt work out for long due to injury, then even put Downing there. But he said yesterday that he is doing well, and that it isnt the priority. Looking at what may have changed, we play a different way and there is a myth that Bell is a better attacking full back, which he isnt. And he was messing around with the left back area at a time when we had a keeper and a centre back on loan, the 2 main priorities he had in his mind to spend on this summer, and also at a time when Downing was here and Travis was fit.