Miller11

I’d also question how much we as a team worked on crosses during training. We always like very susceptible to them defensively and barely ever utilise them in our attacking play.

They seem to be playing the market really well though. The players they lost had an air of inevitability about them, and have gone to ‘bigger’ clubs for decent fees. They haven’t hung about, seemingly cast their net wide and are quickly re-investing. Just had a look at a look at a highlights package they put together on announcing the Diaby signing... lad looks a beast! We all know the potential pitfalls of getting too excited over a bunch of clips, but I can’t help thinking I wish we had someone like that.

Just been having a look at the business other teams in the league have done. One team that really stood out was Barnsley. Not unlike Mowbray, Stendel has done a bit of a raid on his past club, Hannover rather than Middlesbrough in this case. But as well as a couple from Germany they have also bought in what look like two big young centre halves from Denmark and Belgium. I don’t profess to know anything about these players, and they might not be any good, but while no doubt helped by the fact they have a manager from Europe, their scouting network clearly stretches a lot further than ours.

Jordan Archer was released by Millwall - he looked really good there for a while but lost his way (and place) this season. I think he’d be one who could give a good no.1 a challenge.

Yeah, that’s true. The Derby fans on that forum seem to think there’s something about him. His career seems to have gone down a David Bentley-esque path... albeit on a smaller scale.

Comments from the fans of his previous clubs on here say a lot

Well before they reach their peak and actualise their potential value. Sounds about right.

That would be disastrous! Serves me right for asking!

Because I think if they do leave it will be to Premier League clubs for big money. Obviously I don’t want to see them go as they are our best players, but we are where we are and we wouldn’t be able to stand in their way.

I reckon he has been told he will be first choice right back and captain.

My reactions would be something like this... Mulgrew, Williams, Bell, Evans, Armstrong, Brereton, Chapman, Wharton, Samuel, Nuttall, Davenport, Hart - indifference. Lenihan, Dack - Grudging acceptance Bennett, Smallwood - relief Rothwell, Magloire, Buckley, Butterworth - annoyance Nyambe, Travis, Graham - Fury

Can’t see too many being miffed with that one. Come on @Bbrovers2288 don’t leave us hanging!

There’s just as many painting a picture of a Rudolph Hess and that fat lad who got in trouble for eating a pie on the bench hybrid to be fair.

I think this is a classic case of Mowbray taking flak for something beyond his control. Steve Kean and his cronies dismantled a defence containing Samba, Nelsen, Givet, Jones, Salgado et al. It’s never been invested in properly since. One defensive signing since has cost a seven figure sum. Only about 4 or 5 players in the shit defence merry go round that has existed since then have involved a fee at all, all of which were nominal. There is a pattern absolutely screaming out. Venky’s wont sanction spending on defenders. I asked specifically about this at the consultation meeting with a lot of facts, figures, quotes etc. Mowbray and Waggott vehemently denied this is the case and guaranteed and promised defenders would be coming in. Defenders who were ready to improve the starting 11. They’d been back from India all of 5 minutes before the backtracking started, and he was talking about playing Downing at left back. Nonsense quotes like “we like exciting, young, attacking players”, that knob head Shebby Singh claiming Pedersen (and Steven Gerrard) had missed their true callings as full backs, Nzonzi, Bennett, Rodwell amongst others all used out of position, picking up broken down never has been a like Greer and Brown, the fact that the first players frozen out and fucked over under their reign of terror were Salgado, Samba, Givet and Ryan “in traction” Nelsen (as well as Andrews and Roberts who were the two who got most stick from the supporters)... They are just as shit with keepers too. Replacing Paul Robinson with Jason Steele was completely idiotic. We really did luck out with Raya coming through when he did. He’s gone now, and for all the talk of how easily replaceable he is, I bet we get a downgrade. Anyone who thinks Mowbray, or anyone who proceeded him since Kean, has free reign over transfers I think is absolutely kidding themselves. I reckon the extent of the meddling would horrify people of it all came out.

If Raya has been told he’s not going to be first choice, I’d fully expect him to push for a move to a club where he was. He’s been a regular for 2 seasons so dropping back to the bench wouldn’t be seen as an option to him I wouldn’t have thought. Also hearing a bit of a rumour (nothing more than that) that he wasn’t happy with the terms of his contract. One of our lower earners and wanted a bigger wage which we weren’t prepared to give him.

Or you were trying to pass bollocks off as a reputable story? Can’t imagine you get that many notifications with my name on. Constantly is definitely a stretch. Any examples? The ones I can think of were correcting (actually questioning is a better description of what I did) you when you claimed Nuttall had played a lot more than Brereton. Someone else corrected you. And I disagreed when you said Brereton should be starting ahead of Graham. Still do. If you want to make claims that aren’t challenged or discussed, and want everyone to agree with everything you post I’d recommend twitter.

Replacing Raya with Fisher would be utterly ridiculous. One of the most idiotic decisions possible... therefore I think it’s plausible it could happen.

Yeah, I’m being harsh. Barrow fans as well so the talk of their ground/squad etc to be expected.

That and Brethererereton were annoying me. And the fact mentions of the game seem to come in 20 second bursts every 7 minutes

Be warned, it’s not great!

Jesus Christ... I can see him scoring two worldies, everyone getting a bit excited, him getting a contract, then becoming the next Danny Murphy.

Bit like the “pretty small fee” you claimed was a done deal for a free agent who is now at Millwall?

Definitely better than any of our current lot, Lenihan included.

If Gallagher comes in at £5 million, that will mean we have 12 million quid tied up in two back ups to our first choice striker (I can’t see Graham starting as anything but). As things stand we have an entire defence which cost in the region of £200k. Happy with our confirmed/speculated signings or not, there is no denying our approach is odd.

I expect Mowbray would welcome a massive transfer kitty... IF he had free reign to bring in whoever he wanted. Him coming out and telling us he had to talk down the owners I’d guess is a half truth... I imagine it far more likely that they were trying to foist players into him that he didn’t necessarily want that had been recommended by some trusted agent or another. I think he relented with Brereton in the end because it was him or nothing by that point. I can see them sanctioning/insisting on 10 mil for Assombalonga... can’t see them sanctioning half that for Cooper. I know which I’d prefer and I expect Mowbray would agree.