Just found out that Deby is showing the match live for free if you sign up. https://www.dcfc.co.uk/fixtures/results/2018/08/13/u23-v-blackburn-rovers I'll take a look at the second half

Pilkington would barely be an upgrade on Conway, we should aim a bit higher. Isn't Tomlin just a fatter version of Dack with an attitude problem?

Yes I thought that was a bit off as well. Seemed defeated after the window and no longer confident of pulling off the loan/perm options he alluded to earlier.

Yeah, a bit too much last dance on the disco for my taste. Getting things done on the last day almost never happens, I would guess 90% of approaches fails in general. Hard to know from the outside, but it appears we waited too long for our first choices to become available. Mowbray is a proud man, maybe in this case he's been too proud. We'll see how the it goes with untill the end of the month. At this point I'm more concerned getting the players in where we lack, rather than being loans. Need to keep the ship afloat untill January. Expecting a new move for Bauer in January at least.

Agreed. The failure has been getting the ones that will come straight into the team. Davenport (injured) and Rothwell was buyed for potential. Only Palmer and Armstrong was expected to challenge for a starting place which means we are we are still light on improving the core of the team. I think Mowbray also realises that it will be very hard to bring in that quality now when there is little chance to replace them for the selling club. Premier League surplus, but then you have the wage issue since even reserves there are paid over the top Championship wages. Foreign players are probably better since most windows closes 31 August, but then you really need your scouting in order.

Seem to remember last season that the manager was getting a budget for each transfer window. Waggott claimed that they had a very healthy budget for the January window which they didn't spend too much of. Bell, Downing and probably some loan fees for Armstrong and Payne. Rich Sharpe says that Mowbray doesn't like to overpay for players and will rather wait. Rothwell and Bell being two examples of this. They tried for Bell last summer ended up waiting untill January to bring him for under half the amount quoted in the summer. Similar story with Rothwell. I'm sure there will be money in January, though you would expect if we have we have some distant chance of a play-off that will really help towards a big budget

Very much agree, saved me from writing a review I agree with Bennett should replace Smallwood in the center. Palmer will be an excellent addition. So calm with the ball and can easily beat any defender with tricks and pace. He was though guilty of 3-4 through ball where we lost posession.

Very interesting in many ways and quite a few myths debunked as you say. Main takeaways for me: - The money was always there, and much more than imagined. I thought 3-5, but budget must have been about 10 mill+ given the players bought and bids. - Fair play to Venky's. They have obviously provided the money and responsibility to the manager to spend them without running the process through them. - Wages seems to be our biggest obstacle. We can spend big on transfer fees, but averages wages. - Mowbray has aimed very high on targets and failed. The way he speaks about the Rothwell and Davenport transfers suggest he was aiming his main money on far bigger players: “With due respect to Joe Rothwell and Jacob Davenport, they are a few hundred grand who will develop in to top players I’m sure. “But we tried to add some more ready players that would help us be at the top end of the table.” - Mowbray seems reluctant to spend on a stop-gap player, even if we might be lacking in options. So we will probably see some loans.

He is not match fit at all. Haven't been involved in pre-season at all, and I'm very unsure if he has even trained much since he's been expected to go all season. Wasn't part of their Portugal trip. I we sign him I wouldn't expect him to be fit for a few weeks.

Kevin Davies is a very good example regarding Gallagher and Bereton. He played right winger for the first part of his career and when we bought him for 7mill+. Was probably in his mid-twenties when reinvented as a hold up striker.

No we don't, and that was not my point either. I was just trying to make a point that is a normal route these days that young strikers will be deployed at the wing when breaking into the senior squad and get moved in centrally when they bulk up and get experience. The big difference in "modern" football is that few play with two striker anymore which put a lot more demand on the lone striker. Both Bereton and Gallagher in my opionon has the tools to become the main man up front, but are probably need to be understudies of Graham for the season. On the other hand, they are a lot more dynamic and offer more movement and ability to run behind when we break. To me there are two paths regarding strikers. Either the young potential like the two mentioned or the old established ones like Chris Martin who is 30, expensive, but can challenge Graham directly. Marquis was also mentioned as a decent punt. He has the right profile if he can step up to the Championship. Sam Vokes would fit the bill, but then you're talking 10 millions and wages far beyond what we can afford.

Either would do for me. They are quite similar players. Both very mobile and seem to have pace, Gallagher is very fast when he gets in his stride. Both has been utilized as wingers which is quite common of young mobile striker coming into the game (similar to Armstrong). Their goalrecords is not as poor as it looks. Looking at starts Gallagher has 17 in 58 games(last 2 seasons) which is not bad for a young striker. Brereton has 8 in 38 starts, but very young (turned 19 in April). Both has a lot of room for improvement in the hold up role, but that kind of strikers often get a lot better with age as they bulk up and get experience. Nippy strikers like Armstrong (similar to Michael Owen) can often be more deadly when younger because they compete on pace and not as much the physicality.

Fair statement. Prefer permanent for the future. Loan players we cannot afford to buy like Palmer. Also acceptable to fill out the squad.

QPR fans not very happy with the news or the price

Always liked Kalinic myself. Had something about with movement and decent touch. Was just to weak for Premier League. Can see why he blossomed in a less physical league, but never expected him to reach the level he has.

Be nice. As a "half full glass" supporter I'm sure everybody would be well pleased. We will discuss that the money was wasted on wrong players, but I'm sure everybody would be happy that we spent

This is crazy, we could end up as one of the biggest net spenders in the league if that is followed through..

Regarding Freeman, their chairman tweeted 1 august he was not for sale. Things might have changed? They are under FFP so probably need money http://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2018/08/01/queens-park-rangers-owner-tony-fernandes-updates-on-future-of-lu/

Sharpe thinks we have the money

Agreed. You really can't find that "know how" with younger players that comes with experience and years in the battle.

4 million sounds crazy, but seems QPR would be willing to sell: https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/qpr-to-cash-in-on-luke-freeman-if-3m-transfer-valuation-is-met-a3900521.html

You are correct. That was just a name suggested here by someone who said he fit the profile. So far the only "real" striker links is Nhcema of Man City on loan (Alan Nixon) and Sam Gallagher (Rich Sharpe replied in a tweet that he could be a target).

Tribunal would apply given his age. Boro would never agree to a loan unless a new contract is signed. So probably has to be a sale. A lot of deal on deadline days if often dependendant on selling club getting players in first, Chapman can very well be one of those given he has been on the bench.

If you had read the links being posted to you, you would have read that "A striker is top of Mowbray’s wishlist" according to local journalist Rich Sharpe. Under Mowbray, very little leaks out as far as linked players

We get them for a full season. They didn't even play at the same time. Palmer has come in as an upgrade on Payne who only were here for half a season. Davenport and Rothwell has given more depth. The whole premise of that question is that we don't add anybody else which we certainly will.