They dont want to full stop. They hadnt been in the years prior.

Presumably with the unexpected nature of Baker leaving, we hadnt got together a list of 3-5 midfielders in half a week. If we had, I can only imagine the level of the others on that list. Corry Evans having left a short term contract in League 2? Jason Lowe?

"Good quick management" to sign Forshaw. Glowing report from Eustace, cost "next to nothing."

Eustace is as publically underwhelmed as youll see based on those quotes. At least Gestede did his old mate a favour.

I very much doubt that theyd sell him for that even considering his contract situation, with it being mid season and especially to us. And im not convinced we have a million to spend on a fee. Maja and Rhys Healey became your obsessions for a while. Maja's goals this season have come from nowhere really, his last few seasons bar a flurry in Ligue 2 havent suggested this was round the corner. Healey has done nothing.

None of the 3 are Championship standard strikers so its all much of a muchness.

It was, he missed the first half of the season injured. He then had a sticky loan spell at Stoke when he regained fitness in the second half of the season. As it was another summer of selling a big asset (Armstrong) and not reinvesting anything, it would have just been a loan anyway and he would have gone back in the summer.

Even so, Preston will want a reasonable fre especially considering its us and do you see us paying it? Maja would have been a loan but an issue was found in his medical.

He had a season prior to his injury where he scored loads and he was being linked with big money moves away. He doesnt look like he will get close to that sort of figure again and from when I have seen them hes not quite as sharp. He would be an improvement on our strikers but we wont pay the money so a non starter.

He has never really recovered from his serious injury and he isnt that quick although a clear upgrade on what we have. But as you say, we wouldnt get him for a twix and a curly wurly.

Definitely a game we need to be winning, Portsmouth are not a good team and at home its a huge opportunity we cant pass up after some bad form. Real issues in attack as we know, Leonard and Gueye arent Championship standard (the former hopefully will be in time) so I have reluctantly gone for Dolan. We need more from Cantwell. Midfield a issue too as to who to put next to Tronstad. Pears Brittain Hyam Batth Beck JRC Tronstad ACD Cantwell Weimann Dolan

I think someone who is quick who will run in behind. Allow us to play on the counter if needed, give us someone to press high up the pitch if needed and give Cantwell in particular an option to play passes through too rather than having everyone coming short. Gueye isnt very good full stop but I dont think a target man suits the rest of our players.

One thing I did notice yesterday. You saw how weak our bench was but no Garrett or O'Riordan so they must be getting sent back out on loan.

The answer will always be open ended so there can be a change if the opposite happens. Never a yes or no.

We shouldnt be focusing on resale in January but we should be buying players in general to develop. But if we had money to play with, we would be able to obtain a higher quality of player anyway so youd be killing 2 birds with 1 stone.

I think January does require a bit of a short term push but in general our lack of budget leaves us with a shell of a squad because we dont buy anyone. Whether its from this country or abroad. We are in a mess again in the summer.

Leonard isnt ready for Championship level. Would benefit from a loan. And Danns would only be acceptable as a bonus signing on top of a main striker bought, I dont want him to clarify. Bamford is constantly injured, his body cant seem to sustain itself anymore. There is also a stat that hes missed the most big chances across a number of leagues. His best was a number of years ago when he got an England cap. Obviously he is not anywhere near the same level now. Henis out for another month anyway so it shouldnt even be considered. Wallace was a brilliant Championship winger for Millwall. Hes gone from a regular at West Brom to a bit part player as age has caught up on him. Eustace apparently said he wanted cover for Beck yesterday. Not sure if it was BBC Lancashire twitter or Elliott Jackson who reported it.

We always end up back to people calling out supposed negativity. And I imagine there isa lot of frustration around because we never have the budget in spite of sales to get what we need to achieve our objectives. Obviously all of the linked players might be total bollocks, we are discussing the players in question as if we are signing them just to stimulate some conversation.

I have never doubted that Eustace might well be pushing for experience. I am saying that whoever wants experience, I dont think that is the primary thing that we need. Our team has quite a bit, contrary to when it didnt use to and you used to say it had (plus leadership) by saying Dolan has this many games, Pickering has had this many games etc. We need athleticism, we need pace and we need goals in my opinion. Our side is steady, organised, solid but flat, slow, lacking energy, lacking ideas. I have also never totally written off a signing prior to him playing. I have no doubt disagreed with a signing that has gone on to prove me wrong or been happy with a signing that has gone on to prove me wrong and stink the place out. I dont think thats unhealthy. If Forshaw comes in and does well, then great and I will praise him accordingly. You can have a negative opinion of a signing rather than just blindly trusting that its right. Weve made plenty that arent right. My expectation of what should happen is for us to invest in the attack. Buy a winger, buy a striker, I dont know who. Then maybe a loan or two on top, left back cover, another midfielder, whatever. Jayden Danns looks a talent and at least hes fit. But hes a young kid who has barely played any football. If we bought a striker and then loaned Danns as well, maybe. If not, then it wouldnt suggest that promotion was the aim. If we just get in a couple of older heads in attack on the cheap, players past their peak (not just age, take the 2 weve been linked with, their best days are behind them) I expect any play off push to soon fizzle out.

Tamworth robbed of a replay in favour of crap like the Nations League and extending competitions that dont need changing.

I dont understand why you come onto a forum of fan opinions if you have such disregard to what supporters think. People are offering their own opinions. It doesnt mean anyone thinks they know more than the manager. But equally, we can disagree with decisions made, we dont have to be totally neutral and I personally dont think it offers to much to dismiss peoples opinions because Eustace said this or did that. It just shuts down discussion which is the whole point of the messageboard. If someone says Eustace is prioritising experience but I think we need more pace and athleticism, does that categorize those people into football manager wannabees? But the thing is, even if Eustace endorses a signing, it might be a case of best of a bad bunch. He might sign off all signings knowing that its them or someone even worse/nothing at all. It doesnt mean that our squad come February will be suitably stocked to sustain a play off push, and if thats the case, it likely will be down again to the owners for not providing a competitive budget.

I was asking your opinion. You dont have to keep saying Eustace said, Eustace wants etc and assuming if thats what he wants, then echoing him. We dont know for sure how much input Eustace has and how happy he is. He isnt going to say in the media, well player x is a bit shit but they signed him anyway. He also might consider signings to be the best we can afford, indeed he referenced yesterday that both signings dont take up much budget. Obviously he should have the final say, but it doesnt mean if he endorses it, thats its the right signing. We can have opinions that are different. We clearly have different opinions on being backed considering our league position, prior sales and a thin squad. Being backed is not just him agreeing with a signing. He might well have wanted better quality and cant afford it. You think being backed is just the manager agreeing to the signing. Youve made that up on Weimann and Batth. Weimann I said at the time was a useful pickup as a squad player. It was McFadzean out of the 2 centre backs that I didnt agree with signing. Also, when Hyam came, Coventry fans did rate him. Batth also came with Sunderland fans all saying hes a good player, I dont think Norwich fans had much of an opinion as he didnt really play. And my mind isnt made up on either of the new signings. Sanderson is reasonable enough cover as 4th choice and an upgrade on McFadzean, Forshaw in a position where we need someone in the team now I think is a poor signing. But especially on the latter as I have a stronger opinion, if he comes in and does well, I will happily change my opinion. FWIW, Thomas Asante is not a source of many goals and has had a shocking time at Coventry. We are just discussing rumours, theres probably a strong chance we get neither of Bamford and Wallace. Im just asking, if our remaining business was to get them 2 on loan, would you consider us well prepared/likely to get into the play offs? Do you also think we need pace, or is your mindset, if Eustace prefers older experienced players then you will just agree with that?

As long as you are open minded when they sign, which people are. Then I dont see the problem in criticising (or praising, although that side doesnt seem to be shot down as much when people say its a good signing) based on recent form or their career to date. Its all we have to go off. When say Gestede signed, and there are more recent examples. People questioning them was still justifiable, but then once they started exceeding expectations, people praised them. On the flip side, weve signed players expecting them to be good and theyve not worked out as expected.

Whether Bamford is past it or not, an improvement or not, the solution to our striking problems or not. Surely the fact that hes out for at least a month takes that discussion off the table anyway.

Seen where?