I think Szmodics is probably the best all-round player we've had since we came down under Venkys tbh.

You could certainly question it by the end, where he was just taking stupid pot shots instead of playing people in. A lot easier to score 28 when you rarely pass. Szmodics has a decent chance of hitting the same figure in a worse team, often from a deeper position, but doesn't have that failing. Armstrong was still very valuable to us, and we weren't better off without him as some suggested, but it was a definite weak point of his game. Good for him if he's moved past that. Probably been forced to, playing in a better side and spending time in the Prem where he couldn't just do what he wanted.

I was about to talk about him too. I've only seen him in highlights I think, but his contributions recently seem to have improved, at least at the top end of the pitch. Hopefully one that's developing well.

Needs a lot more than just pace and finishing to be a Prem player. Armstrong was selfish and not particularly smart in his decision making. Besides, any move can go wrong. We'll just have to disagree, there's no way you're convincing me Sammie couldn't play for someone in the Prem and be at least useful, and I'd imagine there's no way I'll change your mind either so we'll leave it there.

That really wasn't my point whatsoever. I believe he's good enough right now. The point about his age was merely to say why there's not a large queue for his services from the Prem. They rarely spend big on any 29 year old, which is what he'll be soon into the next season. But I could definitely see someone plumping for him at about 8-10 mill.

I keep thinking this myself, that due to his age etc, we would probably be looking at a fee in the region of £10 million for him to go to a Prem club, or about £8 million to go to a Championship club (would have to be one of the recently relegated ones, nobody else has that dosh really). Give or take 1 or 2 million in either case (probably take, if we get relegated). I firmly disagree with that assessment. I think he's definitely Prem level. Not absolutely smashing the goals in at Prem level like he does in the Championship of course, but I'm sure there are a few teams he could start for and several others he'd be a good squad player for. His game isn't missing much. Works his ass off, reads the game well, can pass, can score. He's short but that isn't the be all, and he's not lightning but he's not a slouch. He has also scored twice in two games against Premiership opposition in the last 12 months in the cup. If he were 23 we'd have Prem clubs all over us trying to get him.

Jesus Christ... According to the stats on google, Plymouth had 21 shots, 7 of them on target. Premier League Newcastle had less! In fact in the league, the last time another team had more than 11 against us was the Preston game on 17th Feb (16 shots). In what universe is 21 shots and making your keeper perform 6 saves 'very few chances'? Preston was also the last time we had such a horrific pass completion rate (59%). In all other games inbetween we've had over 70%.

Oh you know the future now? Incredible. Can I have this week's winning lottery numbers please?

I think the idea has come from us conceding a lot less goals.

Concussion? I thought they said he was ill?

That will only work if Waggott is CEO at his current or future club...

I'm not sure why you're so certain we'd lose to a team who have lost their last 8 games straight, after we just drew with a team who had just won their last two, and we've recently drawn with other teams who are also better than Rotherham. 'At least we drew with Rotherham' has to be one of the most backhanded compliments imaginable. They're the absolute whipping boys of the league. We're merely draw specialists right now, and playing turgid stuff. As depressing as it is, we're actually in better form than we were in the latter days of JDT's reign, a patch including the Rotherham game you mention. We could have done with more draws back then.

I'm going with horror. Given the budget has been repeatedly slashed. We all also Know What They Did Last Summer (and Last January...and this January, and...) Although it could be both and be a horror-comedy. I certainly find myself wanting to Scream.

Funnily enough, I thought within a day or so of appointing him 'this guy gives me Appleton vibes'. I didn't post it as I didn't want to jinx it, speak too soon, or be too negative about it so early, but as the matches keep coming the comparison seems more and more apt.

I'm sure that's because we bring Markanday off the bench on occasion, yeh.

I'm a bit puzzled that you're a bit puzzled, your initial post seemed to be very much saying the first 6 months of money from Wharton was spunked on Fleck. If that's not what you were saying fair enough but it's very much how you put it across. Agree on the insurance and I had the same thought. When a risk is high you tend to pay out a huge portion of what your payout might be, so most likely we either thought it wasn't worth splashing out on, or the initial outlay was even bigger than suspected but at least much of it will be reimbursed.

It's a struggle to think of a worse one. A few are comparable, until you factor in making our club record sale in the same window (so really should have been able to do better), and the fact this all happened whilst blatantly hurtling towards a relegation dogfight! So far there's been one signing that's looked decent, and that's an ageing CB who can't have long left in him, and already looks tired. O'Riordan might turn out well, but we've not seen much of him yet. The rest look crap or pointless and all except O'Riordan will be gone in the summer. A reyt farce, basically.

It was a total failure of a signing, but I can't imagine that's accurate. Wharton was sold for 18 million guaranteed. I know it will be paid over a few years, but I can't imagine how 6 months worth of it would equate to the wages and fees paid for an injury prone 32 yr old who hadn't played for his prior club since 6th December, on a 6 month deal. Fag packet maths, let's assume the 18 mill will be paid over the length of his 5.5 year contract (which I'd be surprised by given our need for urgent cash due to the India situation), it's 3.2 million a year. If we paid 1.6 million to Fleck for 6 months work that's about 61k per week. That would be beyond scandalous even for us. It probably equates to more like one month of the Wharton money, two at most, which is still an abject waste given we got 17 minutes out of it.

I wouldn't say the re-selling part was bizarre...

The JDT death spiral was 2 points from 8 games, so yes, it has improved. It's still shit but like I said, he's improved the death spiral form a bit.

True, although he has so far improved the death spiral form a bit. Like Tyrone said, I think a lot depends on how he goes until the end of the season. But turning a 7 point buffer into relegation has to be seen as a failing...one mitigated a bit by inheriting a mess. I think I'm likely to want him gone if we go down though. My personal prediction is we scrape staying up, but go down next season.

Pears has played really well recently, and I hoped his club-best showing against Newcastle would spur him onto some confident keeping and new heights. Then I watched the goals from yesterday and realised I was being too optimistic. I'm confused by his showing yesterday tbh, as I've long felt he's a confidence player, so I'm not sure why after impressing on national (and international) TV he played like he's been leaking 4 a game. Hopefully just a blip, because if we get the Pears of yesteryear again we are as good as relegated. I do think he was fouled for that first goal though and likely would have saved it otherwise. But the flap was pathetic and he moved in the wrong direction for the second goal, which really wasn't aimed far from his starting position.

Actually, he's had 15 hours first team football just this season. 10 of them in the league. Last season he had a little under 8 hours first team football between us and Abderdeen. So you're only off by about a factor of 23.

Especially against Millwall. However, whilst McFadzean probably needs a rest after being immense until Swansea, and I'm alright with giving O'Riordan a chance in his stead, we got a mixed bag from Koumetio against Newcastle and I wouldn't be willing to trust him with a start yet. Especially not alongside someone else who hasn't had a start yet. Too risky in a key game against a relegation rival who will really battle. Shame McFadz looks knackered, the performances we've seen from him so far would be perfect for the next game.

I'm of the belief that the first goal was a foul on Pears, and wouldn't have been given under VAR. It was also pretty jammy the way the guy attempted some smartass flick and it ricocheted in a perfect way for him to bear down into the area. That said, the defending was still unacceptable, and even moreso for the second goal. Having seen the extended (Swansea-side) highlights, which still show the majority of chances being ours, and the short highlights which showed a couple more chances for us the extended didn't, it certainly looks like we should have won that game. But the usual failings (coupled with their keeper having a good game) meant the usual outcome.