Exiled_Rover

Bloody hell.

I think there's only two games being broadcast this round - Bolton and Villa tonight, Tranmere and Newcastle tomorrow.

Why is everyone obsessed with going to a back 3 when we look so much better with a back 4?

I actually don't want Van Hecke if he eats up the majority of our budget. He's a good player, but we have 4 guys capable of playing CB at this level (admittedly 2 are injured and 1 is on the verge of being injured), but I'd rather invest the money in a LB and a forward and loan in that Liverpool CB.

What a shitbag.

This is just PTSD from Mowbray. I'm fine with a project as long as there's a clear end point (to be an established PL club) and clear improvement year on year. It's way too early to judge Broughton and JDT - there's a lot of promise so far, but obviously clear frustration at the lack of signings. I'd rather make the right signings than just signings for the sake of it.

Evidently so.

You clearly don't sit near me in the Jack Walker - we were flabbergasted that he was being brought back, especially at that price.

Oh massively agree to disagree.

He wants to play 4-2-3-1 with the option to play 3-4-3 against the better sides.

Tosin stood out because he could pass (he basically took over the role Mulgrew had in L1 of being a ball playing CB). He couldn't defend though.

I'm the opposite - if they take it seriously and put out their first team I can't see any way we win it.

Agree to disagree - I was hugely entertained watching us play WBA, Swansea and QPR.

If we agreed a sell on percentage for an unproven 18 year old that we spent £7m on then heads need to roll.

I'd be ok with the Dutch lad from Liverpool and loan Phillips out in Jan if he's not getting any game time. Carter needs to be in the rotation or sold at this point in his career.

We switched from a 3-4-3 to a 4-2-3-1 at half time.

I hate defending the Venkys, because they're the worst owners in football, but time and again they've shown that money doesn't mean anything to them. They write off £20m losses a season and backed Mowbray big whenever he wanted the money. To me this is Broughton trying to right the ship and get us on an even keel - you can't go spending £7m on Van Hecke. He's a good player, but he's not worth that. Time will tell, but we're all frustrated - I just have hope based off what I've seen on and off the pitch so far that we have the right people in place in Broughton and JDT.

I bet he's a damn sight better than Edun or JRC at FB.

Oh wonderful, we're disparaging Travis now - a bloke who covers the ground of two players - because we've lost a few football games and haven't brought in enough new players. What a lovely fan base.

And how is Mike Newell's managerial career going? Assistant Manager at Waterford... oh. I guess sometimes it pays not to be an egotistical see you next Tuesday and rest on your past accomplishments, eh?

I'm genuinely ok with just a loan at CB - let Wharton, Carter and Phillips round out the 5. I'm not really interested in loaning Van Hecke again though. I'd have liked him as a permanent (although not at the rumoured price). Seems an odd decision by him to re-up with Brighton - lack of ambition perhaps?

Either JDT doesn't fancy Dack, or he doesn't think he's anywhere near full fitness. I'd love to be a fly on the wall there...

I assume you've not been watching the games? We lined up with 3 at the back today (Pickering at LCB and Edun at LWB) - on Wednesday we ran out in our 4-2-3-1. Obviously we've also tried different philosophies - against Swansea and Sheffield Utd we tried to absorb the attack and hit them on the counter. We simply don't have the players to compete 3 times a week at this level - there's probably 7 really good First XI players in the squad - so we need 4 really good First XI players bringing in at a minimum. If we can get into a situation where the likes of Pickering, Hedges, Gallagher et al are squad players rather than nailed on starters we'll be ok. At the end of the day this is a long-term project. Mowbray has left JDT and Broughton holding the bag after years of mismanagement.

He won't play in front of that many at Brighton - that's silly reasoning.

The sad thing is he's a damn sight better than Edun at LB.