This. And if clubs aren't meeting our valuation then that's more fool us for letting a players contract reach that point in the first place. Saying our valuation hasn't been met is futile when we're going to lose them for free in a years time. In that situation our valuation means very little.

Outside of financial doping, it's one of the biggest issues blighting the game today. My suggestions: Any set piece which isn't taken within a set amount of time is turned over to the opposition. During substitutions, if the player leaving the pitch isn't off within 20 seconds then his replacement is delayed coming on by 5 minutes. For injuries, the clock stops if physios enter the pitch. For physios to enter the pitch the hurt player has to signal with his hand up that he requires treatment. They then have to leave the pitch (like now) but cannot come back on for 2 minutes. If the player does not signal he needs genuine medical attention the game continues. Gentlemanly conduct is no longer expected, since the rules have been abused for so long. Those are some fairly simple changes that can be implemented. One thing is for sure, and that's that yellow cards are no deterrent at all.

Just get him onto the first team for the rest of the season. He's so talented but he's only 18. We need his talent right now, but I'm sure a bit of game time will do wonders for the team and his relationship with JDT. He's also on a 5 year contract and Broughton is in charge of transfers not JDT. Why would Broughton flog our biggest talent?

Edit: Should have sold him. £8m looks like incredible business now. Edit, edit: Clearly I can't edit and just end up quoting myself.

He's been horrendous for large parts of this season. Are we really going to miss him that much? Yes he's scored 12 goals, but there are players around who are very cheap or free who can match that output. If its not signed I can see the offer being withdrawn or renegotiated. If it is signed, then he'll be back on loan to a championship club within one year. Its hard to put into words just how drastic his drop off in form has been. He's capable of only one thing. Running at a reasonable speed with the ball if the opposition is stretched. He can only play in a counter attacking side.

This was our easiest game on paper. However, I actually think its a good thing we're now playing clubs in and around us. We're really struggling when sides sit back. And if we manage to pull results out the hat vs Coventry and Preston they are effectively 6 pointers. We've made life extremely difficult for ourselves but we're still in the mix. Right now I actually fancy our chances more against some of the better sides. JDT absolutely has to drop Gallagher though. He is no longer an option.

I'm not going to start calling JDT crap as I think he's done well to have us where we are and like the direction he's taking us. But when someone has an off day it needs calling out. After what he called our best performance of the season why oh why did he change formation. That was poor in itself but the lack of subs tonight had me screaming. Why the fu** didn't he make changes! This one is on his head. Really pissed off. Of the team tonight Carter, Morton, Szmodics and Dolan (bar the miss) I thought were all very good. Mortons second half performance vs Hudds and then tonight, I felt he's been much braver with his forward passes. Onto the poor. I'm not sure what planet Hyam was on tonight and Diaz's performance would usually have seen him awarded the worst player on the pitch. But, of all Gallaghers shite performances for us, that was one of the worst of the lot. Whether Leonard is quite ready or not is a valid question, but he's a million miles ahead of Gallagher. He didn't make a single positive contribution tonight. How it took until 85 minutes for Wharton and Leonard to get on is criminal. The cross that Hedges whipped in (with far too much pace), Leonard was actually there. Its something Gallagher manages about once per season. I don't wish him any kind of serious injury, but I do hope it keeps him out for a few games. Give Leonard a proper crack at leading the line. Conclusion: 2 points dropped Diaz 1/10 Gally 0/10 JDT 0/10

This is an actual rule. If you stop a clear goal scoring opportunity when giving away a penalty, but the ref deems it was a genuine attempt to play the ball it's a yellow card. If its deemed as a cynical attempt to prevent a goal when giving away a pen then it's a red.

Hoping they prove me wrong but not the line up I was hoping to see. Rather than focusing on the individuals I thought 433 really suited us. Disappointed to see us revert back to 4231.

Hugggggeeeee game tonight. As are the next two against Coventry, then Preston. Win tonight and we give ourselves a teeny bit of breathing space and draws then become acceptable results against those clubs. Genuinely see tonight as one of the biggest games of our season.

I see Spurs also had a certain, Lucas Moura playing for them today. That's a bloody big name to be playing academy football!

Brilliant comeback. Checked the score at half time and thought we were dead, buried and relegated. Agree with those saying survival is important for the club, especially given how reliant we are on our academy.

If he did he definitely wouldn't get the key in the slot.

I think we just need to stop knocking on Liverpools door. We've been doing ever since Harvey Elliot. Clearly someone at the club feels we've created a good connection with Liverpool but its just lazy. It feels a dead cert we'll loan a player from Liverpool every season. Some of the best loan players in the division are from lower Premier League clubs. Tella, Smallbone, Ki-Jana Hoever, Archer, Ramsey, Simms, Giles. The loans we've had most success with last year were from Brighton.

The system annoys me. Loans are important but I think there should be a lower limit on the amount. 3 maximum. There are a few sides playing 4 or 5 loanees per game. The form of the likes of Boro and Stoke are no coincidence when they've packed their sides with loans, many of which were brought in January. I know we could in theory do the same, but I'm just a bitter man 😂

I think Real will adjust tactically. They did it superbly well last season with Ancelloti proving to be a master in knock out competitions. I see Real sitting back, staying compact and either hitting City on the counter or picking short spells in the game where they up the intensity. If City get the lead in the tie it'll be difficult for Madrid. But given their quality I wouldn't think City would feel remotely safe until there is a cushion of a couple of goals.

You can never tell too much from YouTube but he looks excellent. Strong, a good and intelligent tackler, good at shielding the ball and breaking when pressed and a decent passer. Can't see us having a chance with him. Maybe he's been looked at for if we win promotion. The only other possibility would be a loan with an option to buy, to put him in the shop window.

Given the quality and rate of youngsters developing into first team players, it does give me a feeling we're seeing the start of something special. Should we still be in the championship in a couple of years I don't think it's a stretch to say 8 or 9 of our strongest 11 could be either academy graduates or youth players who've joined us aged around 16. Balance that with ambition and a few shrewd additions and the future is beginning to look very bright. Reputations matter. Our academy coupled with the open pathway to the first team is going to make us an increasingly attractive proposition to any younger players. The clubs and Jack's vision are looking like a reality and the momentum which is building is only going to increase.

The entire purpose of the academy is to feed the first team and its doing an incredible job in doing so. The fact its being used to maintain match fitness of the first team is an added benefit which also brings huge value for our younger players, getting the opportunity to play with and learn from senior pros. The fact we played such a strong team against Forest is of little concern. It wasn't done to ensure we dispatch them with ease, it was done with development and fitness in mind. The win is positive, but that success to me is just a small part of the bigger picture and goal of the academy.

If memory serves me correctly JRC held out a long time before signing his last contract. He's bang in form. I'd say he is showing what he was always capable of, but injuries always curtailed his progression. Part of his value on the pitch are who he is, in his determination and his intelligence. He's good technically, but not superb. His real value is his reading of the game, not directly in relation to his own position but the game as a whole. What I'm saying is he's smart and I'm sure he is enjoying playing football. He's also smart enough to see his value and brave enough to back himself. Any contract is a negotiation, so those two qualities of intelligence and bravery come into play here. I think he'll sign a new contract. But he's holding out for what he sees as his perceived worth. Broughton will see that and they'll find a deal they are both happy with. It's just not as straightforward as someone who is willing to jump at the increase regardless of other factors. Fair play to him. I love him as a player and even though it makes negotiations more difficult those are the characteristics I like to see. Hopefully we'll reward him with what he's worth and he'll repay us with his winning mentality.

I saw Ethan Brierley got a goal and an assist on good Friday. Led me to look at Rochdales form and even though they are firmly rooted to the foot of the table, their results have seen a significant upturn since he came back into the side. Hopefully there is an agreement in place after the January debacle.

Kaminski Jrc - Carter - Hyam - Pickering Travis - Morton - Wharton Sorba - Leonard- Szmodics My only other considerations would be JRC in midfield for Morton and as poor as I think he's been, leaving Diaz out would be a big call. Really hoping Leonard starts. Give him a chance because the other options are poor and he showed promise.

Two suggestions I'd have would be anytime physios are on the pitch the clock is stopped and alternative punishments for certain forms of time wasting. Yellow cards are an insufficient punishment as often players are given multiple warnings before one is dished out and you never see a second yellow for time wasting. The reward outweighs the punishment. One alternative punishment would be if during substitutions a player has not left the pitch within 20 seconds, the replacement is effectively in a sin-bin for 5 minutes. Another being, during restarts if the ball isn't back in play within say 20 seconds the restart is given to the opposition. Same with corners changing to a goal kick, or a goal kick to a corner. If there are any mitigating circumstances like a player carrying an injury, the ref has authority to step in and stop the clock. I'm not a fan of stopping the clock each time the ball goes out of play, but simple punishments such as turnovers of possession would hugely speed the game up and increase the quality of the product. JDT is correct when he says fans have paid money to watch, so play football.

I agree with those saying it's not the time for experimentation. We are firmly in the playoff hunt and it's all about points between now and the end of the season. But... if I look at it objectively. I saw him hold it up today, his touch looked tight and he got himself into goalscoring positions. 3 things you need from a striker and 3 things Gally has rarely shown. Dolan can do a job but it isn't his position. So I'd stick Leonard in, based on what he showed in his cameo today. I think he earnt the chance, even though that's largely influenced by the lack of alternatives. You never know, he might fire us to the promised land.

Also, I'm willing to hold my hands up. I was fully in the camp of him needing to show it in training before he's in the first team. But after seeing him again today, even if he's lacking in stamina there's no way he shouldn't at least command a place on the bench. I'm all for JDT giving him a hard time and making him work his arse off to keep getting better, but he is an absolute gift. He's got more talent in his little toe than most of our squad.