Im personally very hopeful that we stick to the 4-2-3-1 formation that has seen us well throughout last season. Our attempts at playing 3 at the back with the current personnel have been unsuccessful and I would hope that Mowbray sticks with the system that has proven itself to suit our current team.

Assuming Kasey Palmer will be playing wide, big assumption but Dacks obviously not gonna change position. Im not convinced that hes gonna do much tracking back, not naturally anyway. I do agree that there will be times for a wide player whose more defensive than attacking, Bennett predominantly, but even if its to compete with Palmer as the third attacking option in a side with Dack and Graham, I feel its always wise to have at least one option of natural width. That said, I hope the handbrake is released to an extent and Palmer isnt handled with the same gloves that Chapman and Payne were last season, seen solely as an impact sub.

Kasey Palmers natural position is as a number 10 chaddy. I saw him quite a few times for Huddersfield, usually flanked by wingers such as Van La Parra and Kachunga, obviously they were on TV a lot as they were battling for promotion, and he scored from that position at Ewood I remember. I am not a fan of playing players out of positions when it can be helped, and I hope that Palmer is not seen as the winger we have been rumoured to be after, as he isnt one. I can see him being effective from say the left cutting in and linking with Dack, but only if whoevers on the other side gives us more width to compensate, a direct winger. He can play wide but it is not his natural position, he is not going to be as effective there, its not a difficult concept to understand. And I never said he isnt a good signing so no need for that comment. Take on board your point Paul about the fluidity within them 3 attacking positions, but if you put 3 players together who all want to come inside for example, they can get into each others space and it can be counter-productive. Natural width and pace gives you that alternative if there is no space in the middle.# You both used the phrase "can play," Mulgrew and Lenihan can play central midfield, Bennett can play at right back, Williams can play at centre back, at a push Dack could play wide, but youve seen that you dont get the best out of any of those players in them positions. Disagree on there not being any natural wingers any more, albeit maybe they are not quite as common, I still feel width is just as crucial now as ever. We had a winger last season in Chapman. In the Championship, there is Albert Admoah, Yanic Wildshut, Hakeeb Adelakun, Florian Jozefzoon, Harry Wilson, Tom Ince, James McLean, Adama Traore, Jacques Maghoma, Kamil Grosicki, Jarrod Bowen, Gwoin Edwards, Adam Reach, Jon Taylor, Gareth McLeary, Tom Barkhuizen, Luciano Narsingh, Nathan Dyer, Oliver Burke, Matty Phillips and Calum McManaman. All natural wingers who like to run at full backs and stretch the play so they do exist still. To again clarify so im not misquoted, im very happy with the standard of Kasey Palmer and excited to see what he could bring to our team, as I know he has ability, and in comparison to some of the dross weve been linked with recently, notably Ashley Fletcher, signing a player like Palmer is a breath of fresh air, albeit on a short term deal. That said, I would be very disappointed if this was instead of a natural winger.

Think theres a unanimous verdict that hes a good player at this level who will add a lot to our attacking options, probably from out wide. Comments about the length of his potential deal are fair. As are those commenting on his natural position not being wide or up front where we need him. Quite a few including myself feel uncomfortable with players who "can do a job" in a position. Square pegs in round holes. Thats why I also want a natural winger.

This might sound stupid but I think our most under rated player is actually Mulgrew. Whenever you see peoples opinions of games and who played well it is rare that people pick out Mulgrew. I think personally his other assets ie his composure on the ball, his free kicks and set pieces in general take some of the focus away from how good he is as a centre back at defending. He is the organiser back there, I find it baffling that anyone would want him anywhere but in the heart of defence, his defensive work is taken for granted I think. Was very good last night but hasnt really got a mention.

Not sure how youve come to that conclusion. He played what you would think he considers his strongest team yesterday for their first 90 minutes and he played the 4-2-3-1 that saw us through the majority of last season with such success. You mention Samuel but he wouldnt be able to replicate his performance out wide from yesterday in the system you suggest. As I said in the pre season thread I thought Samuel was very good out wide last night and actually used his physical attributes. That said, I would certainly hope and am sure that Mowbray would never be so naive to think thats hes the answer instead of a new, natural winger. Obviously it puts him forward as an option there and is food for thought but ive never seen him play like that out wide before. Palmer is a good player who will add to our attacking armoury but we still need a striker and a natural winger, because we need at least 1 player who can stretch teams.

So am I as long as its as well as a natural winger. Definitely of a good calibre but we need a natural winger to hug the line as if Palmer plays on the other sidw we will lack width. You were all for playing 3 at the back a mere few days ago!

He is never a striker in a million years. Palmer will probably be best served trying to play wide.

Very enjoyable night tonight and very impressive performance. Not fickle enough to think he should be starting at this level, but credit to Samuel tonight. Deserved his goal, he rarely uses his pace properly to run at defenders, or rarely uses his body well, tonight he did both of them things and was a constant menace. Dack terrific as always, the run for the second and strength for the third were brilliant. His link with the impressive Graham is telepathic at times. Evans was very tidy, came off seemingly like he was carrying something though, always the problem with him. Pleased that we saw the game out with a clean sheet too. Looked well drilled. Just need more pace and flair options going forward but a lot to be pleased about tonight.

Happy with the quality of Kasey Palmer, impressed me before and is definitely far better than some of the names banded around on this board in the last few days. Impressed me as a Huddersfield player. Not happy with the fact its only until the end of December. Also dont understand why we are signing players in positions where we have depth in Dack and Rothwell. Not a fan of shoehorning players into positions that they dont naturally play in. If its as well as at least another pacy winger and striker then its a good move however.

Record says definitely avoid. Not sure thats a reliable source tbh.

I really wish people would stop peddling this myth that theres a lack of trust in Mowbray. The lack of trust is quite evidently with the owners, and with good reason.

Well obviously, both are just rumours but who is more likely to be right? Waggott will be thinking of ways to further inconvenience and fleece the fans!

Rich sharpes rehashed article today says buys too, maybe higher than Dacks fee. Nixon thinks just loans. Who do you think is right?

Its a bizarre and inconsistent theory. Dack hasnt played any Championship football, hes our best player. Jason Lowe has loads, same with Hope Akpan, both rubbish. Ashley Fletcher has very little, of which all is negative, yet he wants to sign him. Armstrong hasnt been that successful in the past in the Championship, yet he wants to sign him. Chapman, has he played in the Championship? If he has, very little experience, yet he wants him. Maddison, Edwards, Adelakun? No he doesnt want them as they dont have the elusive Championship experience. If a player has been successful in this league, then yes, its a positive. But players who have played in this league and been below the quality needed, are not better than those that have yet to play but have been very successful in other leagues, just by saying "Championship experience."

We will see. You mention Hugill but they sold him in Jan, hes not the best of players and they had Maguire who looks a far better and more prolific striker and pushed them higher in the table. They are another example to us that even with little money, quality is out there. And who has said that they dont trust Mowbray? No one has. Any distrust is understandably at the feet of our terrible owners. If we dont spend anything/a competitive amount the brunt of the blame will end up at their door. That said, there have been cheap deals and loan deals that have already taken place to show you can get decent players on a budget but thats a conversation for another day. As pointed out previously, you are getting as impatient and panicky as anyone based on your pestering of journalists and supposed people who claim they know transfer news.

11th, 11th and 7th are Prestons last 3 finishes. Can you please say why you think they wont finish around there again, and if you think that they will finish below us? Turned themselves into a consistent top half Championship side, far ahead of us at the moment sadly. Agree that we should judge him on who he signs. But no one has said otherwise. Need to sign 4 players that combined, are better than Armstrong/Chapman/Payne/Antonsson to be better than last season. Armstrong over Harrison? Totally agree, but hes not our player so its irrelevant!

Hugill isnt very good. Seani Maguire is a far better player IMO. Cummingham will be a miss but Ledson (far more highly rated than Rothwell) will be a good accompaniment to Pearson and Browne, and they have plenty of attacking options.

Fair enough, thats your choice but im not going work off any presumptions that anyone knows our exact budget. If you believe what unleaded has said I presume you are mad at Mowbray for convincing the owners to spend less than what they initially planned? Regarding Fletcher, firstly im not convinced that Alan Myers has his finger on the pulse seeing as he left Rovers a few years ago, so not convinced the story is true. (Not calling him a liar either before you say it) Like I said, hes also not a loan whose at a Prem club as per what Mowbray has said. Samuel and Nuttall have pace, and neither of them are good enough for us. Pace isnt enough, and hes not provided a goal threat. His goal return thus far is pitiful. I find it slightly hypocritical that you are writing off my opinion implying that I havent seen them enough, considering your defiant views on the likes of Maddison and Kent, negative and positive, when you havent seen them play. I would say his career has kick on due to never had time to settle down play for a full season or 2 - that maybe the case to an extent, but hes never done anything to suggest that hes a good Championship player, anytime soon. He may have some raw attributes but the likelihood is that hed be on loan anyway. Preston have done well in this league for a couple of years and are well ahead of us. Sheffield Wednesday settled down towards the end of last season once their best players, Bannan, Lees, Forestieri etc returned to fitness and again both of them are well ahead of where we are now. That said, there are some pretty poor teams at the moment, Bolton, Rotherham, Birmingham etc, but we are amongst them at the moment with our non existent attack. Sign players like Fletcher and I still see us amongst them, sign better and youd think we would finish above the likes of these.

He might be, but based on the evidence we have about his career to date, which we are naturally going to talk about on an opinion driven messageboard, theres nothing to suggest it. Danny Graham is a bizarre example. He had a proven track record. He had 2 good seasons at Watford, scoring a combined total of 38. He then moved to Swansea and got a dozen goals in the Premier League. He had a bad time at Sunderland, like Fletcher (if I recall Graham was often played wide there) but unlike Fletcher, he had a career prior to it with plenty of evidence to suggest that he could be a very shrewd acquisition. Sadly, baseless posts such as these with no actual purpose or constructive point to it have half the messageboard eating out of their hands. You cant say that accurately, as because it was over a short period, against many teams (Villa, Brentford, Reading, Wolves etc) with nothing to play for. We will see.

Room for improvement is practically an irrelevance when the player is a loan, which he almost certainly will be. And hes never shown any real signs of quality for any of the 4 clubs hes been at. Barnsley was his best spell and even there in League 1, he was far from prolific. We have to be able to get better, otherwise we may as well persist with Nuttall and Samuel.

Its all guesswork and rumour. I pay no notice of such random figures, not to offend anyone on here before you say im calling people liars. If you choose to believe the rumours then fair enough. Only reason we are discussing what we think of the budget is because we have nothing tangible to talk about, ie transfers! In regards to todays rumour, us scouting Ashley Fletcher ahead of signing him up, a definite no from me, we could have just been looking at someone else, ie Chapman. Its all well and good saying hes not settled at Sunderland or whatever but across his career, nothing about it shouts that he will be a good addition at Championship level. Id be surprised however as it doesnt fit into Mowbray saying that his loans were on hold until their Prem parent clubs came back from their pre-season tours etc.

Even before that. And we hardly have loads of creative players to create chancea for him.

Ashley Fletcher would be a very poor signing. His goal record is shocking. Hope we are looking at much better than that. Saw him a couple of times for Sunderland and he isnt nearly good enough.

If thats the plan lets hope we do sign someone! Id rather play Conway and thats saying something. You mention McGoldricks injury record but Rothwell is no better... That radio link is probably rubbish. Not seen much of Harrison, where have you seen him and what sort of player is he? No evidence of interest in Josh Sims but I could see him being a good signing if its accompanied by a couple of permanent signings. Played a couple of games in the first team for Southampton at the end of the season and would add some much needed pace.