Id be a bit surprised if he starts the season in the team after Mowbray said Evans was our best player in the last month of the season.

I stand by that Chapman is far too big of a risk. I know hes a talent and hes popular but his injuries are seemingly going to be an ongoing concern. Hopefully Mowbray looks elsewhere.

I read that as maybe signing Dack, Smallwood etc on new contracts?

Because of the incompetence of the rest of the team. Strikers more than doing their job. Regarding Mowbrays quotes, theres nowhere where he states that Rothwell will actually start on the wing, I dont create my opinions by trying to second guess what Mowbray is going to do. If he chooses the midfield that you suggested, which I think is unlikely, then id be almost certain that we would be blunted, slow and laborious in attack. I love that you are basing your argument on me not giving him "a chance" even though the only thing weve heard is a meaningless and likely false transfer rumour. But that said, to be honest ive not seen enough of Edwards. I feel that so many people suggesting him is based solely on a decent performance when we beat them near the end of the season. In fact, a lot of players suggested are League 1 players, almost exclusively on the back of 1 performance against us. Edwards got 4 goals and 2 assists in 26 league games and apparently has had injury problems, looking into it. if we are signing League 1 players, which im not opposed to, we need to be signing the very best from there, the ones who have the best chance to make the significant step up. Marriott, Maddison, Jon Nolan (when we needed a centre midfielder, not now), Tariqe Fosu maybe. Its unprofessional, especially answering questions from supporters of other clubs.

Already well stocked in central midfield. No thanks.

I never said that Rhodes is a better player now, or that King hasnt developed a lot since he left us. Our strikers guaranteed us over 40 goals so your idiotic plan to drop one wouldnt have got us any more goals, both as an individual or as a team. Goalkeepers that can pick a pass are no good if they dont make saves. Defenders who bring it out from the back are no good if they cant defend. Wingers who can beat a man but then do nothing after are no good. A strikers primary job is to score goals. Yes he needs other qualities ideally but if hes scoring 20 goals he is undroppable. He hasnt said "ive signed him to play him out of position on the wing leaving us with no pace out wide" and besides I stand by my assertion that Bennett and central midfielder Rothwell both playing wide will give us little attacking threat and leave us unable to counter on teams. I think Mowbray is wiser than that anyway so its a moot point. Yeah, im unconvinced when you account for the step up in quality that he woule be good enough. Only because youre a martyr to transfer gossip. Its unprofessional and I wouldnt like to be a manager for him.

No but by that same token many of the team dont play in the same formation as they do for their clubs. The tattoo is to do with his dad I believe being shot when he was little. It has a meaning to him and to be quite frank has nothing to do with anyone else and is no reason to give him any stick. The laughing gas wasnt a recent thing was it? Did he play any worse than Alli and Lingard? I dont believe so but theres no strong continued argument about their inclusion. Hes an incredibly talented player whose posted some really impressive numbers in terms of goals and assists for City this year. I dont understand the constant hounding he gets. Take your point about him being a professional but to be fair I do think he needs a goal badly to boost his confidence.

Sterling often spends games at City inside drifting in, hes hardly the type to constantly run outside and whip crosses in. Hes a very technical and intelligent player. He was no worse than the likes of Alli and Lingard last night yet he attracts lots of attention. He isnt quite the same player for England and it might seem a lazy thing to imply but id suggest most of that is mental. Hes never been the most popular England player, he was a bit of a scapegoat in the team at Euro 2016 that was all poor, he gets loads of attention in the papers even though he hasnt done anything wrong so maybe its weighing him down. Id love him to score more than anyone else just to hopefully give him that relief to hopefully relax more.

He has to be the most unprofessioanl chairman in the football league.

Haha apologies it read like it was a sarcastic jibe.

Was that aimed at me for suggesting that Edwards' track record makes me unsure that he could improve us?

Which journalist? Not seen enough of Marriott to know what his overall game is like (how much have you seen of him?) but you seem to be discounting the importance of goals. Its not the only thing but the most important thing for a striker and anyone saying otherwise has forgotten the point of the game! Both are unobtainable financially so its irrelevant but youve gone on record saying that we should have dropped Rhodes (for King) when he was here scoring 20 goals a season which suggests that you dont fully understand the main objective of a striker and are obsessed by specific characteristics (pace and strength) even if it is not as effective statistically in terms of goals. If hes scoring 20 a season then hes more than doing his job and just bringing pace would be unlikely to match that sort of output. Im on an internet messageboard, to give my opinion, just like you should be, rather than to give the opinion that you think Mowbray has. Understand the point of the odd wide forward but central midfielders wide? No thanks, the midfield you named was really slow, had no natural wingers who would stretch teams, if we named it (im sure we wont) then wed be boring to watch and have no threat on the break or real attacking threat. We need wingers, not to sign players that are naturals in other positions that can play wide at a push. Players in the man in their natural positions. Rothwell should compete for a central role. Yes, I do want pacy wingers but not just pace, they have to be good enough to improve us. Again ive not seen that much of him, bar against us when he was ok, dont remember him even being lightning fast, but im not sure his record in League 1 of assists and goals suggests that he would massively improve us? Feeney has pace, wouldnt want him back.

Whats the source?

Some of my favourite retrospective overractions.

Dont want can play there, I want pacy wingers out wide, not central midfielders under silly umbrella terms like inverted winger. I know but I really dont want 3 at the back. You massively underestimate the importance of a striker being able to score goals which is strange. Not convinced on Edwards. Played ok for us but statistics are underwhelming in a lower league, would like us to aim a bit higher.

Never said otherwise. Such a slow, laborious team with no counter attacking threat. Rothwell is a central midfielder so we shouldnt sign him and play him out of position. If that was intention we should have signed a proper winger instead. Nixon talks crap even Rovers twitter was making a mockery out of him. Odubajo for full back. No wing backs. Marriott reminds you of Rhodes because he scored loads of goals. Sadly hed be too dear. Which paper?

Agreed. On point 3, we create lots of good chances even in open play but we need to be far more ruthless, especially in the knockout rounds.

Im not sure about that personally as James surely wont be 100% fit either way. Theyve got 3 or 4 that arent at quite the same level as the rest of the team but they are so dangerous going forward. I think Cuadrado could cause us problems, with the contrasting formations of 4-2-3-1 v 3 at the back. His pace and directness needs to be somehow prevented.

What love in? We are slight favourites but they are a good team and it wont be easy.

Probably the most important renewal considering he had a year left, Smallwood and even Dack would sort of me token contracts, not urgent, whereas Lenihan we needed to tie down. Hope he avoids any more injuries, improves on his technical ability as it is the weakness in his game, and continues to impress in an excellent partnership with Mulgrew, who should also get an extention. Very good news.

Think he was training with Brentford today. Doing the rounds.

Wonder if Mowbray would look at Moses Odubajo? Left Hull, quick, established right back. Only problem could be injuries but he would be a good addition, competing with Nyambe.

Based on his CV and his poor work with Boro and England U21s, youd struggle to argue that he necessarily deserve to be appointed. Now hes in situ and hes done something a bit exciting and is showing promising signs, we may have stumbled across something. However, he is trying an exciting approach, however as with anyone he will be judged on results, if we crash out tonight hes underachieved. With philosophies etc, im a bit dubious, some managers have complicated/exciting ideas and philosophies that dont work in reality, or become a martyr to them. If we do poorly you could argue we would be better off with a more regimented, organisation based manager. That said, I do think you need a long term plan, my point is its not always the current one and you cant become too detached from the importance of results.

Totally agree in terms of theres no way anyone could justify him deserving the job. That said, I must said that I have been, provisonally at least, impressed and surprised by the work hes done in the build up. Hes given the side an identity in terms if its style of play, hes stuck to a very fluid system and thought outside the box. Henderson as a sole pivot with Alli and Lingard ahead is a bold move. Sterling central off Kane linking up with Alli and Lingard. Walker at centre back to allow us to also play Trippier whose deliveries have led to many of our goals. That said, if we crash out tonight weve underperformed so no one can say hes been a success but I have been pleasantly surprised by his approach. I quite like the BBC pundits but each to their own. I dont get how its a "mid to lower PL side." Look at the clubs these players play for, almost all every week too: Everton, Man City, Man City, Leicester, Tottenham, Man United, Liverpool, Tottenham, Man United, Man City, Tottenham. So i think factually that youve been a little harsh. These arent bit part players either, Kane and Sterling were among the top scorers in the League.

Once the deals been confirmed as permanent the player has been well received.