We were already losing by the time I got out of work to know the lineup so I didn't think anything. But even with hindsight, playing 3 of his usual back 4 when we are light on the ground for quality there, and Dack, suggests he is taking it fairly seriously. Not that I particularly want him to. Dack shouldn't be playing, for me. If we end the game with an injury in the back 4 I'll also be annoyed. But again. We are apparently dominating the play, so TM and the players are obviously taking it seriously. Just think playing Leuts is a mistake (wants to give everyone game time annoyingly). Keepers don't need resting unless injured. Ever.

Why did you think that? Our first choice back 4 (what should be anyway), Dack...I think we took too many risks if anything. We've also dominated the game by the sounds of it, just gash at the back. The only wtf inclusions are Leutwiler, Smallwood and arguably Evans (he's good enough for a cup game for me though, just not paired with Smallwood). I'd have benched Dack personally, and Cunningham, to keep them fresh.

You're like the anti-Mercer.

In fairness sounds like we have fielded a reasonably strong team and are all over them, but ballsing up at the back as usual.

I think it's inevitable Nyambe starts at centre half if we are resting Williams and Lenihan and Tosin is out, as Joe Harvey reckons. No way he goes with Platt and Grayson, who he described as not good enough at home against League Two Oldham, against Premiership Sheffield United away. He might play one of them (I'd guess Grayson) if what Joe Harvey says is true, as there really isn't anyone else. Short of putting Cunningham in at CB and Bell at LB. Games like this really do highlight how criminally short in defence we are beyond the first choice (except at RB, where our second choice should be our first choice anyway). As soon as people are injured, unavailable or need to be rested, our options look pitiful and the jamming in of unproven youngsters or square pegs to round holes commences in earnest. TM obviously didn't grasp the issue in the summer window, we can only hope he figures it out by January. I'm not optimistic about that from his track record, but the penny has to drop eventually. Surely...

I don't think we are overestimating the level they can play at (except for when we loaned Platt to League One which was never gonna pan out). If anything I think the loans are sometimes too low down, and if our main team were in the Prem, they'd be loaned higher up the pyramid. I think it's more that teams are reluctant to risk starting young players in defence, where basically all of the players we have loaned out in recent times play. Especially when they don't own those players to get the eventual benefit of their development. I think attacking players like Butterworth would get a fairer shake. I agree the situation is starting to get daft and needs looking at. Mowbray seems to get this, since he has been talking about clubs making bigger wage contributions to ensure they want the player and aren't just padding their squads cheaply.

It'll mean we get a better deal for him. It strengthens our hand enough that we may even end up keeping him longer as a result if nobody meets the higher asking price. I don't see losing him as an imminent threat though, as he isn't that 'spectacular', eye-catching type of player. With him being a mid, that matters. We might be in trouble if he starts bending in a few 25-yarders though.

If he does improve (not all young players do even though we always expect they will) he can go on to be a hell of a player. The LT article today reminded me, he is still only 21. Johnson will be a great one for him to learn alongside.

I have. Recently, at that. And repeatedly.

Has any player every played absolutely every position professionally? I think he was shoved up front for us once wasn't he, so he'd just be centre half and goalie away from the full set!

I hope Downing can pass on a bit of his footballing knowhow to Arma. Lad has talent and I like him, but he makes numerous wrong decisions per game.

Thought he still flapped in the air a bit against Boro, including one which nearly cost us a goal. Tonight was easily his most convincing performance even without the vital penalty save. I feel a lot less worried by him now (for now).

Great result! End to end game but we deserved the win. I thought I never wanted to see Williams wear our shirt again at one point last season but he's showing what a disservice he's been done by being played at LB for so long. Tosin is going to have to wait for his chance now. Several fine performances. Good team showing. We still look a bit prone to being pulled apart when teams counter us but I wouldn't say any of the defensive unit played poorly. I think we just have some work to do on shape. But in fairness Hull have some very good attacking players. So much more solid for having Cunningham at LB. Can't afford him to get injured for long at any point this season. Commentators a bit annoying. From saying Hull dominated the first half (nonsense) that Arma was fouling the keeper (nonsense, he was in his way but neither pushing nor pulling him) and that they thought Hull should have had a pen out of Cunningham (arguable, seen them given but would've been harsh). End to end, entertaining game that could've ended something like 4-3.

Seen plenty of evidence for it today personally. No idea where you're coming from there. Only been a few hoofs.

Ffs get Dack off. It's obviously one that risks getting worse if he plays on it now and he won't be 100% for the rest of the match.

No idea where the commentators get off saying they feel like Hull have dominated. The other way around if anything and the stats back that up. 56% possession for us, 1 more shot from us (same on target) and we've hit the woodwork 3 times. Better pass accuracy, more passes, less fouls, 4 corners to 1...fuck off Sky!

What an entertaining half! Think we've been the better side overall, but either side could be winning from the basis of chances alone.

Surely it's Gally on his own and Arma wide? Think that way around seems better suited personally.

Easily. I'll go one further and say we would probably have got automatic promotion.

Lyons is the other CM. I only caught the last 35. JRC looked very tidy in particular. Mols and Vale look handfuls. Yeh the goalie is Fisher. Good stop at the end like you say, but he came out for two crosses he had no chance of claiming and was lucky neither ended badly for him.

Great goal there. Chapman put a free kick into an odd area, and my immediate instinct was it was shit, but Grayson had peeled off and struck it sweetly into the corner. Clever free kick, definite training ground move.

I had no idea what to expect from this game until I read this. A defeat it is then.

It would be interesting to know who the other candidates were. Only way to know if it was the right choice really (and even then, proper info on a youth coach can be hard to come by). In theory, Mowbray shouldn't have been making this decision. The LT article makes it clear that he, Tony Carrs and Stuart Jones were all involved to some degree though. I'd have thought the ultimate decision would have been made by Jones and Waggott, but who knows at this place. TM certainly seems to have plenty of power here, for better or worse. Good luck Billy. Hope you're the man for the job and bring another great crop through. According to Wiki he is 50 but doesn't look anywhere near it on the LT pic.

That's part of the back?

TM says Butterworth has a back injury, as part of growing pains...the lad is 20 next month. I'm no biologist but I thought most people were done growing well before then?