He definitely was nowhere near as effective as he was against Luton, but his directness as opposed to the usual ambling suspects (Hedges, Dolan, Weimann etc) did allow us to get up the pitch, he got fouled a few times having taken it past his man, he won a few corners having beat his man and of course his pace led to our best chance which admittedly he messed up.

Why are you waiting to see something unfold so that you can be annoyed at our fans? If that does unfold, you should aim your annoyance purely at the owners.

Cantwell should not be playing out wide, the debate has been had many times but he isnt effective there either going forward or running back. ACD messed up his chance by taking far too long but is the only player in the squad who would have got that far in the first place. He wasnt half as effective as against Luton but he kept helping us get up the pitch and was often fouled in doing so to win us free kicks. A problem is he is quick but not lightning quick but beyond him, we have no one with any pace. I felt that the subs really weakened us and we were left lacking in any threat on the counter attack. Dolan was particularly bad.

Yep, McBurnie isnt happening. Next.

I dont think it matters to us in terms of his Rovers future where he spends the second half of the season as his contract I think is up in the summer and he should be let go. If a League 1 club will pay us a small fee or more of his wages to take him then yes, but otherwise, its all about what Markanday needs as he looks to a future post Rovers.

Was a terrible game to watch devoid of quality and the worry is that the injuries will have more impact on the season than the late winner. Usual story, (bar the winner) solid in defence with Pears not having anything difficult to do and the centre backs excellent. Going forward, nowhere near enough quality. Cantwell isnt half as effective wide, Gueye did nothing bar the poor clearance leading to the winner, Ohashi works his socks off but has gone something stupid like 16 without a goal and that doesnt look like ending soon. ACD wasnt as effective but you see from the chance he fluffed the sort of opportunity that can come from having pace on the pitch, problem is when he tires we dont have anyone else.

I dont miss the defensive side, but again I personally feel you have to still offer more going forward. Beck is a left back and when he plays there he offers more.

I am not missing it, I just happen to have a different opinion. I know he works hard, keeps the shape and presumably is a decent pro and fits into the dressing room. I personally dont see that as enough. Ive also mentioned before, but during his time here we have struggled with wide men. This season, Weimann offers much more but has had injury issues, Sigurdsson is an invisible man, Cozier Dubbery has been injured, Dolan has been needed centrally and we failed to sign another wide man as planned, so I dont see Hedges constantly playing as automatically meaning that he must be seen as a key player. I also think from a business perspective it makes no sense to commit to a new deal now. And we are assuming that Eustace is pushing for it. It is not as if the transfer window is open nor is there anything other to discuss, so a potential new deal is the only thing really. I dont think the fact that Eustace may like him and keeps selecting him invalidates the opinions of those who dont agree.

He has had players like De Bruyne, the 2 Silva's and last season Foden who were individually brilliant and at times off the cuff even within that system. Grealish has to an extent been neutralised but I dont think he was ever and never will be ever close to that sort of level.

Duff's main issue was injuries, he was a really important part in the first couple of title wins.

Im sure he is, they all seem to get on from the outside. We are having a discussion on what we actually see, not just dismissing our own opinions based on intangibles. Being a good guy in the dressing room, being trusted, working hard, all important but not enough on its own. There is also the business side of it which wont be a consideration even if Eustace has specifically said to give Hedges a new deal. At the moment, I think his deal expiring in the summer but with a years option in our favour which takes him to 31 is a nice balance. I dont think committing further makes sense beyond how Eustace feels.

You ask whats the main drawback. We are currently in a position where we can decidr over 6 montbs whether to then keep him for another 12 months at the same wage, until he is 31. A new deal with presumably a wage increase means we keep him until 32 with no get out so ties up crucial resources on a player who just isnt very good. You keep saying people are obsessed with stats. And yes that is a part of it in that his goal return for an attacking player is woeful. You also mention chances created as if hes put loads on a plate for strikers who have missed them, which isnt the case. He also isnt quick and he doesnt take players on. You also speculate on a few things. You keep referring to him being great off the pitch, you dont know either way. Im sure hes a solid pro but beyond that its just guesswork. And im sure his GPS does show he run around a lot but is that worthy of a new deal.

"Stokegate" hasnt been brought into this season because he is seen in purely a positive light due to his results.

I think what this season has proved is that if Eustace went on to do well, which of course so far this season he very much has, people would lose the doubts they had and not allow them to linger. In fact its gone the other way where people are seemingly intent on belittiling those who criticised him last year. Some criticism was valid at the time.

Yes, I imagine he would have been criticised had results been poor just as he has been praised because results have been good. Funny that.

17 points from 16 games, 1.06 points per game. And much of the criticism was obviously prior to winning 2 of the last 4.

Its more that no one has really said why as a winger that they rate him, or why he needs to be on an extended contract considering his age and his current deal. Eustace's opinion (and like I said, he hasnt had much in the way of alternative to him, he did v Luton and dropped him) is irrelevant. We can disagree with him if we choose.

We may aswell close the messageboard if thats the default argument.

He praises everyone, he isnt going to slag players off. He probably wont have autocracy over contracts, maybe he does want Hedges to sign for longer and maybe he does like him. Im not saying otherwise. But just because he does, doesnt make it the right decision. It might be a case where its deemed cheaper to sign him than find a replacement, especially with no one on a long term deal in that position. But I dont personally think its the right decision, he doesnt contribute enough and to me it doesnt make sense in terms of the deal he is currently on, his age and the proposed/assumed new contract duration.

You are the one that is obsessing over stats. Its not a case of a fuss, its just a talking point. That hes "brilliant" with the young players and in the changing room is total speculation. I still am yet to see why we are offering him a new contract. He doesnt offer enough as an attacking player to merit a deal on performance. He doesnt score goals, he isnt creative, isnt quick and doesnt take people on. And there is no logic in committing to a 2 and a half year deal now taking him to 32 years old, when IMO a more logical solution would be to let him see out the season with the option of another year available should it be required. Like I said, a big contributing factor to him playing so often is a lack of alternatives IMO. But even if Eustace has personally pushed for a new deal, which again is speculation, I personally dont agree with it.

But this idea that he is the easiest implies that they all need to be done. On an individual level specific to Hedges, the question is should we be renewing his deal presumably for 2.5 years from now up until he is 32 based on his contribution? Its not about reading too much into it, its not as complex as that.

The 2 crosses you refer to werent even good crosses, Gueye assisted a goal by missing an open net but that wasnt a positive contribution. Hedges isnt having the credit for 4 points, you can strip any goal down and find a minor contribution at some point in it. Its not just his stats, from an attacking perspective. Not only does he not score and is not creative but he isnt quick and he cant take people on. He has played for us at a time where we have been starved of natural wide men, so its not like hes being selected over good alternatives. Doesnt mean managers love him necessarily. And just because its easy to do doesnt mean its worthwhile to do. Its not a case of we need to sign someone on a new deal, get anyone to sign. His current deal includes an extension until the age of 31. I cant see why we would rush to extend that considering his lack of contribution.

Again, the same buzz words and absolutely nothing about what he actually provides as an attacking player. And nothing to justify why as a player who turns 30 in the summer and for whom we hold the option to extend his current deal until he is 31, why we would have any urgency in getting him signed for an additional year.

I cant see why he would voluntarily agree a wage drop even for an extra year. Especially if his deal becomes more incentivised as he will know that he doesnt contribute to enough goals to get those bonuses. My "problem" is that I dont think he is good enough. I keep seeing platitudes about his work rate, his experience etc without anything about his actual ability. Both of those managers have had very few alternatives but to play him. We have never had a massive squad nor lots of quality and/or pace out wide. But either way, even if they did both really rate him, which as I have suggested isnt as clear as that, I am allowed to hold an opinion that doesnt fall in line with them. No one has ever said hes quick, he takes people on, he scores goals, he is a creative player etc because he is none of those things. Hes a plodder and there should be absolutely no urgency to extend his deal until he is 32.

The biggest compliment that anyone seems to be able to give him is that he is useful, tries hard and gives decent cover. So why do we need to offer him an extended contract when his current one with the extension should we choose to activate it already keeps him until he is 31?