The sticker book is full 😑

Would love this.

Is there any evidence whatsoever that this is happening? Seems unlikely.

I remember watching last night just thinking how ineffective Dolan had been, particularly in the first hour or so - don't know what minute he went off, but he had a couple of flashes in the second half. We can't consider him a starting player - he's good to have buzzing about for 15mins at the end, but he is so lacking physically - not just strength, but pace, balance, ability to get himself between man and ball. I really hope that Hirst can bring some power and pace up there.

Yeh he's a terrific player - great feet. Testament to our group that we managed to nullify him as well as we did - Pickering, Wharton, Diaz.

That's my train of thought too. Said last night, no-one else in the squad will score more than 6 or 7 goals. Brereton is still the only one that can run in behind a defence - no surprise that Dack in his natural position had the ability to find him. Even with BBD, I can't see us challenging the top 6, so you've got to make a calculated risk - is it worth £15 - £20m if it means we COULD get in to a relegation scrap. In fact, pre-game they showed a few extremely damning stats of just how blunt we had been all season. Last night incidentally we created more chances than we had all season, but BBD was still central in everything good that we did going forward. Without him I'd fear for us.

https://media4.giphy.com/media/tIk1NLkHzKYBboNhnO/200.gif

Am I the only one who looks at our squad and worries that we have a huge lack of pace? I barely see anyone run in behind the defence, when Brereton does he's usually offside. We've never replaced Armstrong's pace. Defences look really comfortable playing against us. Apparently Sammie is quick but I'm struggling to see what he brings to the table at all, frankly, pace or otherwise. I feel like we're so one-dimensional.... in fact, I'm starting to worry we might be 'none-dimensional'.

It's extraordinary how many replies he gets. Absolute star of the show, whether you agree with what he says or not.

The fact that I know who this guy is speaks volumes about the absolute chaos that is and was the Venkys ownership of BRFC. "When they wanted me to be their manager in 2012/13". This sounds like bollocks to me - what stopped him getting the job if Vs actually wanted him? His salary demands or his expectation that a better opportunity would come along? Bellend.

Honeymoon period now a distant, happy memory. The last two games we haven't only been soundly beaten, we haven't even laid a glove on Reading or Sheff U. Yesterday could easily have been 5, 6, 7 but for Kaminski. An absolute mess. I sat watching it and I just could not see a game plan all. There seemed to be absolutely no cohesion, no patterns of play, no identity, no idea. Seriously worried about Szmodics - I don't know what he brings as a player for us to have paid a fair chunk of our budget. Works hard... That's all I've seen so far. Can't see him having a big impact at all. Dack can't be fit - if JDT has made his mind up on him that's another big warning sign for me. Yes, we need players but if that's an indication of where we're shopping then these signings aren't guaranteed to solve all of our problems. Big two weeks until the international break. This group must restore some confience - I'm suddenly very, very nervous.

I did miss Dack, that's a good point, Gav. Was thinking more of his 'big splashes', if you like. Kaminski yes, but also bloody Pears and prior to that, Walton 😐 I'm also trying to think who he brought in Jan 2018, to get us over the line in League 1. Jack Payne was one... I had high hopes for him after he gave us a lot of problems at Oxford away... Was Paul Downing another or was he August? Anyway, would be interesting so see his January activity there and see if any really made an impact.

Out of interest, do you think TM would have made the adequate signings to get us over the line? I'm genuinely struggling to think of a signing that he made that really hit the ground running. Brereton obviously didn't, Gallagher still hasn't hit the ground, never mind started to run. Armstrong took a good while to set light as well. Of his Jan signings, Giles was a disaster and played literally on the opposite of the field to where he was supposed to, Zeefuik was rubbish before his injury, and we saw 5mins of Markanday sadly.

Haha, I love this massive split. Those that are convinced TM had money available and blew our promotion chances by stubbornly refusing to spend it..... and those on the other side of the fence who are convinced TM crawled over broken glass to beg for support, only for the overlords to banish him from their sight. Sort of passive aggressive messages throughout the thread - Rev on one side, Gav on the other, trying to bait each other from a distance.

£54.4m???? Extortionate!

He rolled his ankle last weekend and they've not yet given an indication of how long he'll be out for. Missed last night and I think they'd be lucky to have him available for Saturday - don't want to be rushing a rolled ankle unless it's heavily strapped. Last night was N'Diaye and Brewster up front with McAtee (Man City loanee) behind.

I didn’t see much of the game… no one has mentioned Szmodics yet. Guessing he was as poor as the rest of them?

To be fair, last season he created 3 or 4 goals through sheer persistence and I hugely appreciated and admired his work rate. I don’t think he’s a Champ starter though.

Dolan has a fantastic work ethic and it gets him a very long way with the fanbase, alongside quite a lot of over zealous ‘fancy footwork’ and a seemingly lovely personality and warmth with the fans. But I’ve said for 2 years, I do not see a good footballer there. He’s deceptively slow, he’s obviously very small in stature, he’s not got a great first touch, he makes poor decisions…. I think a lot of folk got very excited by him far too early. Could never and would never criticise his infectious work rate and I would love him to prove me totally wrong, but I think he’s probably a level higher than he should be.

Crash landed. That transfer window thread will see some squabbling after this. I had in my mind that tonight would be tough after the exertions of Sunday, especially after they got murdered by Rotherham. Just felt like we might falter. Not perhaps to the tune of 3-0, completely outrun and outplayed but there we go. 4 games in 10 days coming up and all of a sudden Saturday feels like a real challenge. Without doubt JDTs first real test after tonight and a real wake up call for some fans thinking this squad is anywhere near good enough at the moment.

How are you all watching this? Stream?

Why do we have an academy then? It's the same story over and over again, not just with us but with non-elite clubs up and down the country. The club invests huge amounts of money scouting, developing and guiding these kids through their childhood, only to be told him and his family owe us nothing and we should be grateful he ever step foot in the place. Bollocks. I don't blame him for taking advantage of the disgustingly unfair system, but he definitely owes the club a lot. In fact, probably a hell of a lot more than we are likely to get in any tribunal. As I suggested weeks ago, the club that develops a player through their scholarship should have first refusal on a 3-year deal from 17 - 20 years old - you can't tell me he's going to be playing for one of the top clubs at this point anyway. The wage structures/guidelines can be set based on a few parameters (league club are in... possible bonus clauses for appearances) to ensure they aren't given unfair deals, and then if any bigger club wants to take them, there can also be a minimum release clause parameter put in place. All this tribunal shite - it once again protects the big clubs who come like magpies. EDIT - Where have you plucked £3m from by the way? Is that an estimate of the tribunal fee we could expect? Is it a guess at the fee a club might pay?

Nearly had a heart attack on Sunday watching his performance. I keep saying this - I don't think anyone has a clue what he does as a footballer OR where his best position is. He was hopeless when he came on and must have given the ball away 5 or 6 times, putting us under increasing pressure.

Szmodics was very quiet on Sunday to be fair. Worked hard and put himself about, but had little impact. Can't remember him having a really meaningful touch in their half..... think he played the pass to Hedges for the BB goal if I'm not mistaken. You are being dismissive of Dack, you have been ever since Paul Mani told the world that him and Ayala were effectively dead men walking because they can't cope with the pressing game. Last week you were leaving him entirely out of the squad to face Swansea as well. Bloody glad JDT hasn't completely cut him adrift yet. I did wonder myself whether Dack would start tonight - Sunday would have been massively draining for the group.

I was wondering that. Bet he means Gally as the other goal scorer.