If England were genuine about winning trophies the media would pay attention to the U21s and other youth levels a lot more. That's the stepping stone for many players and where the winning ability and mentality is developed - though, admittedly, the best few will by-pass it. England U21 just drew 0-0 in Spain and, it seems from highlights and reports, got battered. The result could have been 6-2, with England not hitting the target once and Spain fluffing many chances. And the FA's title for their Youtube video highlights? "Jobe impresses on first start". It's all very well paying eye-watering sums for managers of the national team, but most of the work is at the lower levels.

Dredging this up again as I noticed Ayari starting for Sweden again. He's had some starts for Brighton too, though, probably is going to be a squad player this season. Also, noticed the other day that Ben Chrisene made an England U21 appearance. Thinking back to Branthwaite, Clarkson, Harwood-Bellis (he was decent, I think, for Rovers) and others, it does seem that a lot of the times Rovers are paying for the 'privilege' to develop Premier League players for relatively little if any gain for the club. Fortunately, Owen Beck has been a success story, as loans go (thus far, because if Liverpool are still flying high, I can see them trying to recall him). It would be more palatable if we were getting comparable benefits with our outgoing loans. In most cases not, though Markanday is doing well and adding a bit of value as an asset, if nothing else - and Gent's loan success earned the club a fee. The system looks very flawed - with relative added value skewed hugely to the Premier League clubs. No doubt, Beck's transfer value will rise a lot if he finishes the season with us as player of the season. Rovers are surviving by loan patch-ups - and will do more so as our academy pipeline looks like its drying up. However, we need to have a longer term outlook. If we get a Chrisene on loan and he looks promising, we need to consider signing him up permanently and retaining and growing the value we've added. It's tough to compete for Prem players, but I think there'll be cases where it can be done, if there was a will.

Given what the handball rule looks like now, it seems that smashing free kicks and, perhaps, in other attacking situations, straight at defenders might be more fruitful than anything else. Northern Ireland won a penalty as a Belarus defender in the wall instinctively tried to protect himself - it seemed to me. On another point, looking at the highlights, it seems Scotland and Rep Ireland had some joy with traditional wing play, with Ben Doak and Mikey Johnstone running at the full back. Looks like it’s coming back into fashion after all.

George Gent looks to have done well with his move. Had a difficult start but is now one of Barnsley's best players, from what I've read.

I think it's a shame for Buckley, on a personal note, to not play. He might have passed rings around the 17 year olds and got a trial at Athletic Bilbao. At this point, it seems only a move to a slower paced league might bring the best out of him.

From what I have followed, which admittedly is far from thorough, Markanday’s performances are being misunderstood. He’s doing well and improving - holding down a first team spot and getting some goals, but he’s not blowing away the league yet. This is a league where Tyler Magloire (all credit to him for what he’s doing) can be a starter, before his terrible knee injury.

Back when Rovers closed their official fan message board, I seem to remember emerging social media was given as an alternative by the marketing/web team.

Aren’t these games perfect for the education and development of our best youngsters, to match up against opponents from probably the world’s elite nation in youth football? Why are Buckley and Baker in there? And would it serve Montgomery and Edmondson to be there (fog permitting) than away in non-league? Seems self-defeating to me. Edit: Match abandoned!

That’s Buckley’s game too but sadly doesn’t seem to have the mentality to apply it, for whatever reason.

Fair point, you could argue, also, that extra-time and pens is the best bet for a cup upset, rather than a replay. Though, I do feel 5 subs (rather than 3) gives teams with better squads a greater advantage, especially in extra-time. To me, replays gave smaller clubs greater representation in the game, reminding us all where the roots of the game lie.

Sad to see no FA Cup replays any more from 1st round onwards. Weston-super-mare would’ve taken Bristol Rovers back to their ground in yesteryear, as it was a draw today, but under new rules, Rovers went on to beat the semi-pros in extra-time. The replays were removed to free up spaces for the expanded European tournaments at request of Premier League. Not much else to be said, except that the heritage of domestic football and lower leagues are under serious threat.

Maybe, Mike Sheron should ‘get out there’ too and stop waiting around for relegation/jeopardy-free U21 fixtures? In all seriousness, it has some logic but not, in my opinion, the scattergun manner occurring now. More reasonably, some planning takes place and a select group are sent out early for a whole campaign away - with time to adapt. The remainder stay behind to build a team unity and grow together at U21s. Then, in January, you revisit. I await examples, beyond the anomaly of David Raya, of a player showing serious improvement or added value after a spell in the national league/confernce. I don’t doubt it’s useful for an Eastham or Saadi who’s leaving. And maybe it could be so for a player who has a whole season to adapt and gain experience. Edit: Beyond this point, there’s not much signs of the levels of serious talent seen before on the conveyor belt - though there’s hopes for a few and Duru and Tyjon are on the fringes. The club are surviving off academy graduates and if that dries up, the future looks bleaker. Moreover, none of the new U21s recruits are making too much of an impact, though, again it’s still early for them.

"We took the final decision [on Wharton], he will have surgery. He tried [training] but the pain is too much and then it makes no sense. He has really struggled in the last weeks and months."

Selling McTominay seemed like an attempt to undermine the manager by the upper echelons. Never the most popular, but a very useful player to have around. It’s a different era but Utd have forgotten that players like Nicky Butt and P. Neville emerged as integral squad players and McTominay seems like a better player than them.

Without knowing the details of the injury, but the fact they know he needs surgery but are delaying it just highlights a paradox of professional football. Investing huge sums at every level on players (down to schoolboys) and their health but still relying on injured players in their first team. Wharton has been poor to average the past few months and they surely would not lose anything by playing Kamada or someone else. Perhaps, the league is more competitive now and that is why, but I recall Alex Ferguson getting tunes out of the likes of John Curtis, Luke Chadwick and the like when his regulars were absent. A different less competitive era but there seems like no room for giving such players a chance these days. Guardiola, in his wisdom, prefers two goalkeepers on the bench than have a reserve youngster take another spot.