I think it was confirmed that he had a medical? We just didn't end up completing the deal. Or did I misremember that?

Like Jason Steele I think Bell is just a player who is actually quite a lot better than the fans (including me) thought. We can't be right every time.

McGinn is really top drawer. you could see him playing at Barcelona or somewhere, he's got everything. Completely bossed the midfield. If we'd signed him we would have ended up selling him after a couple of seasons as I doubt he would have got us up on his own - but would have made a lot of money. Usually the Premier League bores me to tears but this year is actually very interesting with Arsenal, Villa, Spurs, Liverpool all looking very good and Man City being shaky. Would love it if Villa could stay up there, just for the variety. Always more engaged if a side is involved who isn't part of the traditional big six clubs (much as I hate that term)..

The more he is out the less fee we will get. At the moment id be surprised if anyone paid anything, but if he has a run of games and a few goals second half of the season we might get something. Like replacing Dack with Szmodics, Lenihan with Hyam or Nyambe with Brittain if we're smart we can improve on him for modest investment. I think we will signing someone in January whether he goes or not. Really all about Gregg the egg being fourth time lucky with strikers after Hirst, Ennis and Telelovic. Anyone who knows the FFP maths have an idea if we can spend this window if the Raya money comes in? Assuming Venkys let us use it.

Doesn't press off the ball... the way we play that's a huge problem. If you don't press you don't play, JDTs been absolutely consistent about that. He'd rather play someone out of position who runs the yards. And I agree with him personally.

I can't say we've really looked like we need a winger personally... we create a lot of chances the way we play at the moment, and have no forwards who are any good in the air to get on any crosses anyway. Issue is more on finishing the chances we create imo. Need someone to share the burden with Szmodics.

JDT's happy to play a right back at centre back, left back, right back, right wing, left wing. Happy to play an attacking midfielder at striker or full back. Play a defensive midfielder a number 10. He'll basically play anyone anywhere except GK, centre back or centre mid. JDT is more into playing the players out of position than Mowbray ever was.

Agreed on the one touch... Dolan particularly is guilty of taking too many touches but he was brilliant one touch linking up yesterday until his injury. I can't really see how Gallagher is going to fit into that way of playing when he comes back....

I dont know... Our forward play is very dependent on good link up, and probably Gallaghers weakest aspect is his touch and passing. I wouldn't be that surprised if he ends up joining the queue. JDTs pretty ruthless.

Yeah i agree that would be good.... But the lack of success finding a striker for no money hardly makes him a dud? Anyone across football would look at the budget we spent and the performance of the players we have brought in and assess Broughton as having done very well.

Broughton has signed Szmodics, Hyam, Moran, Hill, Tronstad as well as JDT... What is it exactly you want?

Rev's MO is to make a call way too early to realistically judge on a player / manager / DOF / owners then stick with that call for decades if necessary in the face of any evidence.... Broughton could bring Pep to the club for a twix and win the Champion League and it wouldn't matter.

Agreed - I don;t get it, Pickering is solid every week. But for whatever reason he's seen as the weak link. I guess its because he doesn't appear quick, strong, great in the air, particularly talented on the ball. But then he is very effective - not only at left back, but also playing left side of a back three or moving into midfield. Very underrated. He's a lot better than people credit him for, hes kept quite a few really good wingers quiet recently. If we lost him long term it would be a big problem for us.

We played really well today, but I think our whole team should buy Ruddy a drink. He was horrendous on all four of the goals! Been a while since I've seen a GK performance that bad.

Everyone else in the team covers so much ground and he just doesn't seem interested in mirroring that. Wonder if its just not going to work out for him. We're selecting a right back ahead of him but hes just not putting the work in when he gets a chance.

Loving Hyam's dulcet Scottish tones btw

Why Garrett hasnt come on is mystifying.... Were playing four forwards...!

That would be some serious stoppage time!

Think we need Garrett on for Moran.

He isn't a midfielder... Hes a striker, played as one all season. Hes our furthest forward player every game.

Thinking about Garrett I guess something we could do is move away from 4231 and go back to the 433. That would give Garrett a natural role on the left side of midfield.... Leo Travis. Hill. Carter. Pickering Tronstad. Wharton. Garrett Brittain. Szmodics. Moran But downsides are Szmodics ends up playing on his own up front, and I dont think the right channel role really suits Tronstad who is more of a sitter. And Wharton struggled when he was playing as a single pivot... On reflection I am quite intrigued about playing Garrett at number 10... His goal involvement stats when he has played are really high I think. Dolan needs a rest. Leonard and Telelovic have struggled to physically impose themselves which is not an issue Garrett has... Ennis is injured. Leo Travis. Hill. Carter. Pickering Tronstad. Wharton Brittain. Garrett. Moran Szmodics You wouldn't really want to be a Birmingham defender on the ball with Szmodics and Garrett charging in.... Its a weird Xi with five players out of position but I can see it happening

Financial reward, and also I suspect designed to keep him settled at Rovers for the long term. If we under pay that often leads to players leaving early or refusing to sign a new contract when we do eventually offer it. I think part of this contract offer will be lessons learned from BBD, Lenihan, Rothwell etc.

I watched the game back today. A good all-round performance. Stoke were very poor - it was strange they didn't go direct given the power and height they have and how we have struggled against the direct game, and that they had no incision to their passing or movement whatsoever - but we also looked so dangerous whenever we came forward despite not playing that well. We should really have scored two or three more. One thing to bring up... JDT has always been criticised (including myself here) for not "having a plan B". But I thought yesterday was very clever defensively - 1) we were happy and effective to play it long and not "tip tap it around", 2) we shifted to a back three with Pickering playing as an extra CB from very early on to counter the extra player stoke were putting forward and suit Travis coming on, 3) we man marked Hoever out of the game with Brittain. Tactically it was quite different to how we have played recently. So hats off for that. I think defensively we are looking quite smart these days, able to change between a back 4 and a back 5 mid game, push the LB or RB to play in midfield, play with one or two pivots in front of defence, drop the wide forwards in to make a back six. I know some are of the view that all the tactics talk is all nerdy nonsense that over complicates, but for me it's a key part of the game to be able to shift how you play, and JDT and his team look to me like they are becoming be very good at it. I would say we are a bit one dimensional up front so would be good to see some innovation there, but still we are creating a lot of chances so can't complain too much.

Garrett came on and played inside right very well. I think JDT has come to a similar conclusion with him to Travis - not good enough technically on the ball to be a pivot, but if you let him press, cover ground and get into tackles he can be pretty useful. Not sure where Garrett would play in our starting 4231. I think the only place he'd get a go is probably - as bizarre as it sounds - number 10. Or I could see us using him at left back if Pickering got injured in the same way we use Travis at right back. I cant see anyone displacing Tronstad or Wharton from the deeper midfield roles, and if one of them was injured I think Moran would be drafted in from further forward to keep that technical quality on the half turn.

Same here - I think Brittain will play midfield. I would be suprised if we made any unforced changes to the team tbh.