I was just pointing out that historically, being an academy graduate does not protect a player from justified criticism. I dont think hes been our best player but to be honest its been an average season with our team regularly changing. Lenihan, Travis, Downing and Dack would be the 4 stand outs. Adarabioyo, Evans and Nyambe have also had good spells but have also spent time on the sidelines. Up until very recently Armstrong was justifiably criticised and people wanted him dropped.

He was, but he has done absolutely nothing for the club and was (justifiably) paid for 18 months. (well 24 if you take into account the 6 months when he was fit but rarely played as he wasnt up to it) Unles there is a legal obligaton, as a club quite clearly with no money to play around with, it is very difficult to justify giving a pity 6 month contract to a player full stop, never mind one that has never done anything to warrant such a gesture when we are skint.

Jason Lowe came through the youth team and got (deserved) untold stick. Buckley has been (fairly) lambasted for being nowhere near up to it yet and he came through the youth team. So I dont think players get leeway just for being home grown at all. I dont think he us the type of player who can dictate the tempo of a game but it is interesting to note that his passing success rate is 84.5% which is the best out of anyone in our squad. Hes definitely been one of our better players this season. Ahead of Armstrong easily.

None of them "exciting" players have done anything for us in fairness. Chapman hasnt started a game, Rothwell flatters to deceive and Holtby is the best of the 3 but there are still question marks about him. Johnson and Davenport have not met expectactions so cannot be used to defend his record either.

He keeps getting played out of position, thats the problem. Hopefully Bennett wont be able to play.

Its not about bulking up necessarily, its their brain that is the biggest problem. Graham isnt massive but he knows how to use his body to hold the ball up. Gallagher and Brereton dont have the footballing intelligence no matter how big they got.

We are one of the 7 teams with prices sometimes above the Premier League cap.

“Nyambe coming back could give us the option of moving Bennett further forward and moving the midfield around a bit." Or just dont play him at all because he isnt good enough!

Hes quite keen to stress that we cant afford another "game changer." Depressing read really. We will trudge on without one.

He should. Bet he plays Gallagher and if at all possible Bennett. Bell probably too if Downing is in midfield.

We need them all starting. Especially Graham. Walton Nyambe Lenihan Adarabioyo Williams Evans Travis Armstrong Holtby Downing Graham

Nyambe cant cross though so not sure wing back suits him. That formation doesnt suit us as we have no back up at CB plus Williams and Lenihan are really poor on the ball so its difficult to play out from the back. Think we should stick to 4 at the back, either 4231 with Holtby off Graham or 433 with 3 from Travis, Evans, Johnson, Holtby and if we can sign a LB, Downing.

But he will be on substantial wages. He obviously would have to go to a worse team but smaller teams would not be able to afford his wages. If there was any chance of being able to get any money for him wed be foolish not too.

And its not like Wigan won one away game last season!

Very optimistic. I am not even convinced that we could shift them if we didnt ask for a free, as Gallagher will be right up there with our highest earners, not befitting for the striker with the worst strike rate in the League. And Brereton might not be on as much but he wont be on peanuts and the sides who would want him wouldnt be able to match it. They were bought as profitable assets but are actually liabilities.

We played it at Sheffield United and lost to the same score.

Preston have permanently signed Scott Sinclair. Excellent signing and one showing ambition. Would have loved him here.

Do you think we will sign a winger, keeper, cb and lb? Do you think we have a chance of the play offs without signing anyone? What has happened to Schmidt?!

Agreed on Jones, but Armstrong lacks the intelligence to play up front, forever offside and for me best on the right. I would like to see Jones left, Armstrong right, and obviously as our only competent striker, Graham up top, and play Holtby as a number 10.

Theres absolutely no chance whatsoever that we sign 4 players this window, especially enough to improve us. Armstrong might get a few, but he did in the first half of the season and we still are well down the goals for column even with Dack. They are on 15 between them, he wont score 15 more on his own. The goals just arent there. Our strikers aside from the ageing Graham are the worst collection in the league, no doubt in Gallagher, Brereton and Samuel.

Out of interest, what would you make if we did sign him? (Which I doubt, would be surprised to see us sign anyone) I know you repeatedly dismiss the quality of the SPL and also dont think we need any attacking players. For what its worth, a natural winger is needed IMO and I have seen Jones a few times, and he is a good player. I would much prefer him permanently though.

9 goals and 6 assists in 21 games. In 211 games in the League, 52 goals and 76 assists. West Brom have loads of players that score and assist. Phillips, Diangana, Pereira, Austin etc. We have/had Dack.

Yeah I agree. If we hadnt have blown so much money on Brereton and Gallagher I wouldnt have been against hitting his buy out clause which would have reduced the inevitable competition once he is on a free. If he had a bad reputation and hadnt have been still so regular in his goal contributions recently then maybe not but if he does have a bad reputation then its not stopping him from performing.

I dont know how much substance there is to the bad attitude rumours, although didnt Dack have a similar image? The question you ask yourself is, do you want a player with a "bad attitude" who consistently contributes with goals and assists or a player like Bennett with a "good attitude" who doesnt contribute anything?

Evans playing alongside Travis is far from the weakest part of our team to be fair. Evans has shown competence there, whereas we are lacking up front, in net, at left back and then at centre back and out wide. Central midfield is potentially our strongest area! To be fair, we shouldnt have gone near either player. Both dreadful!