We do need cover but whoever comes in would have to wait. No way should Hyam be dropped. Hill isnt happening anyway but even if it did, he should start on the bench. We do need a CB, I think 4 is a normal amount so even allowing for Carter coming back. McFadzean is too old and cant play in a back 4 so doesnt count as genuine cover. With Pickering out long term, we need at least one defender that can play both positions.

It wouldnt be harsh to drop Hyam. It would be crazy, he has been outstanding.

As you touched on too, those loss figures dont include a breakdown of exempt expenses not publically available. So we will be even further away.

We are absolutely nowhere near FFP limits. The Wharton sale will count as pure profit and the Szmodics sale will be predominantly profit.

The tactics were essentially to get a nil nil draw. We had absolutely nothing in attack and that is because of a lack of resources. None of the attackers gave us a threat in attack, no goal threat, no out ball and no pace. Eustace is working with his hands tied behind his back. To go to Elland Road with no attacking threat for reasons beyond him makes it even more difficult to go there and keep them out for a whole game when you arent threatening at the other end. The organisation was so good that not only did we keep them out for 85 minutes but we barely had a shot on our goal, and it took a debatable penalty. We have scored more than 1 goal only 3 times in the last 17 games. That is ridiculously bad and it highlights the job Eustace is doing to have us anywhere near the top 6 purely on the basis of a solid defence. However it clearly means that it is very difficult to win games/get results unless you get a clean sheet. We have got plenty but its impossible to do it in every game, we havent in the last 4 games and because of that lack of ability to score goals we have only got 2 points. ACD would have at least offered us a threat on the counter attack but I suspected that he might be rotated because hes never really played senior football and has tired in his appearances so far, so all 3 games this week felt like a stretch. Eustace needs some money to actually sign some quality in attack. The job he is doing is so impressive but some quality, some pace and some goals would give our team an added dimension and less reliant on the organisation that is so impressive.

Not over the last 4 games which was my point. We went from conceding 0 and winning games narrowly despite a lack of goal threat, to conceding 1 or 2 as we have in the last 4 games and our form turning as a result because we dont have the attacking quality to score more than the odd goal. I think it tells you a lot when a striker has one goal in early January and people are scrambling around talking about "goal contributions" including knock downs for 30 yard half volleys to justify his improvement. As I said before, perhaps a useful sub in terms of if we are chasing a game and need a lump to win a header to pick up the pieces. Was terrible in his last start and offers no goal threat whatsoever. So I am not particularly appeased by this improvement. I definitely havent "defended Gallagher to the hilt." I think when fit he is a below average bottom half standard Championship striker. Hardly a glowing endorsement. I just think Gueye is worse even than Gallagher. You said you predominantly didnt rate Gallagher because of his lack of goals. In the 3 seasons prior to the last one when he spent much of it injured, he got 8 or 9 goals in each. Gueye has 1 so far in early January. I did question you on this the other day but you ignored it. I also am not "worried" that Gueye will be better. It would massively please me.

Ohashi doesnt look like he wil be fit but either way especially at home I would want more attacking quality. We didnt have any today as I expected with the line up but relied on organisation and a late set piece. ACD maybe was deemed not to be able to start so many in quick succession but he actually gives us a threat. Cantwell should come in to if fit enough. Eustace badly needs some money to spend on the attack. It isnt good enough and he is doing remarkably well to have us anywhere near purely on the defence. In the last 4 games as I said, we have been conceding 1 or 2 a game rather than 0 and that has been turning wins into draws and losses. You cant just expect to keep clean sheets every single game.

No, Brittain has developed into a solid defensive right back under Eustace. When he has played further forward in the past he has struggled.

Definitely wouldnt want Buckley to be put in any Championship, let alone this one. If Cantwell misses out I would probably go with JRC there and keep Baker next to Tronstad.

It doesnt, because they have clearly been keen to further slash the budget. But the profit will be in the June 2024 accounts relating to the Wharton sale and it wil be those accounts that likely show a small profit, not the 2025 ones. Even with the Szmodics sale (predominantly all profit considering his amortised value would have been comparatively small) in the 2025 accounts, we will almost certainly make a loss. Either way, if any reasonable % of that was to be made available, it would have been by now.

You do know that Hyam got player of the season in his first season? He has been even better than he was then this season, and the impressive Batth has definitely helped as have a lack of injuries and a more defensive tactical approach. But hes not a bad player looking "decent," he has been excellent. Today probably shows the limitations of judging a striker on "goal contributions" because the assist stat is meaningless on its own. He wont get today's assist despite it being an excellent header. He did get an assist for making slight contact when trying to tap in the ball from 6 yards, for a knockdown for a 30 yard half volley and also for a 5 yard pass when Sigurdsson really made the goal from an excellent turn. Today's contribution was miles more meaningful than all 3. Says a lot that its become such a big conversation topic when it wouldnt have been if he didnt have one solitary goal, less than Batth. But his main use does seem to be to chuck him on when we need a goal to see if he can knock something down as he did again today. He started v Hull and was dreadful.

Excellent point and brilliant to see us get a late equaliser after a debatable penalty. Funny old game, had we beat Hull and lost today which I would say would have been par, not many eye brows would be raised. Just the one point but today in the manner that we got it and the reaction is probably greater. Today showed again how brilliant a job Eustace is doing. The attack is so poor, Hedges works hard but offers nothing, Dolan offered nothing and also didnt work as hard/diligently as Hedges, Weimann was anonymous as were both Ohashi and Leonard. We offered nothing going forward. The organisation and structure of the team is absolutely incredible though. Batth has been an unreal signing, a goal topped off a colossal display. Hyam I still dont think gets the credit he deserves for how good he has been this season. Beck returned back to his best after 2 poor performances and Brittain has gone from a defensive liability to a totally different player. Tronstad is brilliant too even though Baker is a downgrade on Travis. Pears dealt with the little he had too once he got rid of his slippers. The results have turned from 6 wins in 6 to 2 points from 4, the issue is we are so reliant on clean sheets due to the lack of attacking quality. Its not sustainable to keep a clean sheet every time though so now those 0 againsts have become 1s and 2s those finely balanced games go against us. He badly needs and deserves backing but likely wont get it. Big challenge on Saturday after the massive workload today. We need to add some attacking quality but Cantwell seems unlikely to be back (and has struggled lately) but ACD should at least start.

If I was a Plymouth fan and my side was just appointing Everton mates/former players then I would be fuming. Phil Neville would be worse than Rooney.

Drab side, no pace, no flair, no goals. Hard to see past a comfortable home win but hopefully can be proven wrong. Need Cantwell and ACD back in the side at the weekend.

Presumably running around for 90 minutes knowing that any reduction in physical endurance will be taken advantage of by your opponent?

Those players wouldnt be in Ferguson sides, definitely not for very long. Dont doubt the other stuff but I also think their players just arent as good as people assume. De Ligt and Ugarte maybe are good examples, Im guessing youve seen little if nothing of them before but we just assume they are quality coming from big teams. There does seem to be something rotten although I dont think Sancho is particularly good full stop. Slow and predictable.

His turning point was the game before he kicked one into his own net?

How much of Ugarte and De Ligt have to seen to know that they are good quality players? They havent looked very good so far. I dont doubt that Mainoo and Garnacho have some ability but they have been massively overhyped. The latter seems to have an application issue too. As I said, I dont doubt that there are well documented issues surrounding tactics and potential attitude as well, compounding their hilarious woes, but the players individually are not as good as people seem to think. Anyone would look good if you chucked in 4 top class leaders like you mention. Forest, Bournemouth, Fulham etc dont have Keane, Vidic, Ferdinand or Van Der Sar.

My point was about quality, the media puts it down to application etc but many of their players carry a reputation far exceeding their ability. Even the players you mention. Mount is a waste of time. Garnacho had a bit of hype but in the main flatters to deceive. Mainoo is massively overrated. Dalot, not very good. Ugarte looks lost. De Ligt looks like a bug lump that Juve and Bayern didnt want. Forest are a better organised and drilled team so naturally are getting more from their side. But equally, I bet if you asked someone to put a joint team together, most would mainly include United players.

Amidst the hilarious situation at United, a strange thing to say is that I dont think that anywhere near enough focus is put simply at the lack of quality. Obviously there are issues with work rate, effort, and then questions about the manager, issues around ownership etc but most of their players just arent very good. Its unfathomable but take Forest, is it just bad form/tactics or would it be reasonable to say that Gibbs-White, Anderson, Murillo, Milenkovic, Aina, Sels and Wood for a start (maybe Elanga and/or Hudso Odoi) would all walk into the United side? Ten Hag signed a load of players who might have done well in the Dutch league but just dont seem to be very good. Hasbeens like Casemiro and Eriksen, players like Ugarte, De Ligt etc who were seen as not good enough by big teams, and then domestic players and/or graduates like Rashford, Garnacho and Mainoo who have been hyped up to ridicilous levels at various points but just arent that good. Fernandes is their best player and even he wouldnt get into the best teams, and flatters to deceive in the main at major tournaments.

Of decent quality too, ideally at least a couple for decent fees. That should be the expectation but wont happen.

I dont think it did, it ensured that a small profit was made, so no losses to offset by raising share capital. Championship owners have to accept regular losses as par for the course at this level, knowing that a solitary promotion can offset a series of losses. But either way, the key to trying to be as self sustainable as possible is player trading. So there is no justification for not spending any of the Wharton money, its not just one of those things, any other club at least spends a % on players who you can benefit from and potentially profit on in the future. Our squad doesnt have any sellable assets anymore. Obviously its about who we sign. And just as obviously, having more money gives you a far better chance of signing better quality. The most likely outcome is that we will spend little to nothing, and our play off charge will again run out of gas. So the budget to be spent is not interesting, its really annoying.

"Miracles" dont surprise you?

A club record sale just all going to the owners and that being accepted makes the rest of it immaterial. It still isnt acceptable to not reinvest any and leaves us with a squad lacking in assets. I wouldnt then define whether we spend £0, £200k, £500k or £1m of a slither of the Szmodics money (also mainly pocketed by the owners) as "interesting." More depressing.

I dont think we will spend half of that.