If everyone was fit, what does everyone think would be our best starting line up, and what do people think Mowbray would consider his best team? Not factoring in further arrivals. I would say mine would probably be this below: Kaminski Nyambe Lenihan Ayala Williams Travis Holtby Dolan Dack Rothwell Armstrong If it has to be 4-3-3, I would probably say: Kaminski Nyambe Lenihan Ayala Williams Travis Evans Holtby Dolan Dack Armstrong In easier games, I would go Rothwell for Evans there and move Travis inside, and also it is early days for Dolan, maybe Brereton, Chapman or Rothwell could eye that place. I think Mowbrays would be the above with Bell, Johnson and Gallagher for Williams, Evans and Dolan.

I dont think hes done anything at this moment to warrant anyone else taking a look, but it makes sense to try and get him signed Regarding Bell, I just wonder if he thinks (wrongly IMO) that he has improved, that he is more suited to our current style (with no attacking threat id suggest not) or indeed with the players lost since Cunningham have left bigger weaknesses than Bell. (again I wouldnt agree)

He will forever have a big doubt over his place over him (or should) until he starts scoring goals or offering a goal threat.

It definitely might take some trial and error but the potential reward to get 2 goalscorers and our 2 best players working in tandem would be huge. I do think though that Dack is the least capable of playing from anywhere but a central role. If 4-3-3 is very much a constant, I would have to put Armstrong from the left and Dack central. Because Dack is unlikely to remain right up front, there would be a natural avenue for Armstrong to run inside and get goals when Dack gets involved perhaps with his back to goal. When Armstrong played wide in the 4-2-3-1, it was essentially playing with a second striker instead of a midfielder, and the way we played was rigid so it meant that there was far more responsibility defensively for him and also far more necessity for him to stay wide. The way we are currently playing I think would mean that he would be able to go central and link with Dack far more often, he would have that third central midfielder to help in terms of covering the full back, and we could perhaps have a wider player ie Dolan, Chapman or Brereton asked to stay wider on the other side. If that did happen, it wouldnt necessary be side-lining Dack. I bet he would enjoy having Dack working with him. I do also have misgivings about Dack as a false 9 to be honest, so I would potentially lead towards the 4-2-3-1 with Armstrong up front, but of course aligned with our current high press and developing style. I think that if you asked Mowbray now what his team would be, everyone fully fit, and its a guess of course, I think it would be Armstrong to the left, Dack down the middle, Gallagher right.

I am very much excited as to his start at the club and also very much enjoyed his performance yesterday, make no mistake.

It is a difficult conundrum regarding either signing 1 for a fee or 2 or 3 on loan. Firstly, I definitely think that the goalposts have changed since Thursday when Mowbray said he had a meeting. Maybe it is partially down to the Ayala deal. We have gone from wanting 3 or 4 and being close to a left back on Thursday morning, to now seemingly be contemplating our next step in regards to how to use the budget on seemingly less players. We also have to consider where we think we are and how far away we could be. In terms of short term v long term, our best chance might come this season because I cannot see Armstrong or Dack being here next season if we dont go up, and then there is a lot of work to do with Brereton, Gallagher etc obviously not capable of scoring regularly. I am not convinced that we are THAT close to the top 6 however. It also depends on how much flexibility/compromise there is there. Left back is far and away the weakest position for us but we also cannot have a season whereby Fisher could at any minute be needed because he is nowhere near up to it. If we could sign a permanent left back with the majority of our remaining budget and get a cheap experienced keeper on a free then that would be ideal. I also think we need a central midfielder and another attacker who can play wide, but not as critically. We also need to put some emphasis on longer term planning, we tend to lack proactivity regarding contracts. As touched upon, our main 2 players who are likely to generate transfer interest are both here until 2022, I dont think either will be here next season if we dont go up. I would be surprised if either will sign a new deal at the moment either. Nyambe is the obvious elephant in the room, the tribunal fee is a bit of a consolation if the worst case scenario unfolds although I dont think that any Premier League team would be interested, although that might change after another season. We have to prioritise that contract. Rankin Costello is less important but I dont think any other teams will be looking at him, I doubt he is on much money so it makes sense to give him a new deal, even if hes seen as a versatile squad player at the moment. I would be happy to give Holtby another year, whereas with Evans and Johnson, theres less urgency, probably 2 big earners, not 100% convinced for different reasons which to give a new deal to but probably not both so let that run for the time being. Mulgrew and Bennett, 100% released. My main worry is that Mowbray doesnt appreciate quite how bad Bell is. He did publically question him last year for his consistency (I think he has been consistently shite to be fair to him) and obviously signed Cunningham which didnt work out for long due to injury, then even put Downing there. But he said yesterday that he is doing well, and that it isnt the priority. Looking at what may have changed, we play a different way and there is a myth that Bell is a better attacking full back, which he isnt. And he was messing around with the left back area at a time when we had a keeper and a centre back on loan, the 2 main priorities he had in his mind to spend on this summer, and also at a time when Downing was here and Travis was fit.

If Mowbray had said when bringing in the 4-3-3 that it was a temporary adjustment and that we would revert back 4-2-3-1 once Dack returns I suspect the rhetoric would be very different. As it is, he hasnt said if he sees this as our permanent formation, or a temporary one in Dacks absence, so it is difficult to try and second guess him and thus the only thing left to do is put the problem off, downplay his importance and go off on a tangent implying that merely debating what we do when our best player returns is trying to rush him back and even making out that he could be a shell of a player or that we are about to sell him anyway!

Absolutely. The problem is too, our goals are concentrated in to one player at the moment, or when Dack returns, it will be 2. Remove them and it is perhaps then when we really curse the signings of Brereton and Gallagher unles they start contributing at that point. It is very rare that a team selling their star player will not pocket at least a decent chunk of the money too. Plus if you are signing 2 or 3, you have the additional wages to factor in and the money soon starts to vanish.

I never said that I would play Armstrong wide left in a 3. I think that Mowbray will put Dack back in, he has regularly mentioned his importance during his absence and you have clearly forgotten quite how good he is. 24 goals in 62 starts at this level. When Mowbray inevitably does put him back in, you will totally agree with the idea anyway! Theres no way that Dack can play wide either. Armstrong, Dack, Rothwell, Dolan, Rankin Costello, Brereton, Gallagher, Chapman, even Holtby, the most important 2 out of all of them are the first 2, the 2 are the goal scorers that can set us apart. The thing Mowbray needs to do is build the team to ensure that both of them How that happens, I am still unsure. Does it come within the 4-3-3, and if so, how? The 2 options would be Armstrong coming in from the left to the centre with Dack as a false 9, the second option would be Dack and Holtby in front of a sitter, Armstrong still central. I am very skeptical about both of those options. Maybe 4-2-3-1? That is beneficial because Armstrong can play as a striker and Dack in his favourite position. We can still play similar tactics, high press, possession based etc, but we have a secondary big goal threat, and also Armstrong has a better source of creativity in Dack. Still scope for Rothwell, Dolan etc from the 2 wider roles, maybe the biggest problem would be Holtby although why couldnt he play in a 2 with a sitter, maybe Evans until Travis returns? Really all that has happened is that the shape of the central three has been tweaked. I also think that you are overplaying the success of the 4-3-3. We have won one and lost one in both League and Cup, having not picked up many points last year with it. Not saying that we shouldnt continue with it for the time being but the importance of Dack outweighs the importance and success of this formation. We have to maybe have a bit of trial and error but the potential rewards should we get Dack and Armstrong firing together are enormous. I have never suggested that we need to rush Dack back, when he will be back, but it is likely that he will return this season at some point. When it suited your agenda, he was the player with the mystery (and seemingly fictional) £10m bid over him, why would anyone bid for a player who is not going to play any time soon to the point that his return shouldnt even be considered?! You are incapable of viewing Armstrongs position without blue and white glasses on. He is a player who's stock is rising and is at a club that has yet to demonstrate the ability to push for promotion. If he has any ambition, he will be working towards becoming a Premier League player and challenging himself, and of course enjoying the added wealth that he will bring. He would be crazy to agree to tie away potentially his key years and weaken any negotiating position should a bigger club come in for him, solely on the notion that he is been promised to play in his favourite position. If we are outside the play offs and a Premier League offered for him in January, you would be deluded to think that he wouldnt want to go.

I also think attacking players can be dipped in and out, sub appearances, cameos, or even if they start they can be subbed off with little harm done if its not working. You dont tend to change the defence really unless there is an injury. Very true on Magloire. There are seemingly still doubts over Wharton with 80 odd appearances under his belt.

As I said, I have never seen Thompson so I havent got a clue, my comments where more about the troubles we have had at left back yet hes never made a squad, even with 9 subs, so I dont think hes close. Kids football is a difficult benchmark though, so far away from first team level. It doesnt mean that young players cant break through, obviously they do, but ultimately impressing at under 23 level doesnt mean that you are good enough for first team football. I bet Bell would hold his own with the kids. But my comments were about how close/far away Thompson must be in Mowbrays mind, not mine. I also think some of the comparisons and predictions for Dolan, big money moves to Europe, comparisons to Eze and Bellingham are absolutely crazy after 1 League start, as good as it was. Im wary that people may be getting carried away which is fine now but when he hits an inevitable dip in form at that age, I hope theres not a similar overreaction.

@J*B where did mid November come from? Mowbray refused to put a date on it during his interview.

Playing on the side of a front 3 carries far less responsibility and would be easier for a striker like Armstrong to play than out wide in a 4231 which needs more tracking back. Weve seen albeit from a player who cant score goals that with Brereton. But Armstrong undoubtedly is best down the middle. Theyve never been played in a system whereby they could both thrive in tandem, but its not as if Dack is a big brute, hes a very technically gifted player who could compliment Armstrong within a more technical and pressing based set up. That being said, it takes a short memory to not be desperate to get Dack back into the side when fit. There is no reason why we cant play both as a 9 and 10 whilst still pressing high and ultimately Dack would be brilliant in terms of playing Armstrong in. Either way, we have to try and fit them both in because with one consistent goalscorer proven over his 18 months into the Championship, and another who has developed into one in 2020, having two regular goalscorers gives us a massive leg up over most teams in this division. When we have had them together in the past it has always been with Graham in a far more rigid style. The rest of our attacking players, Rothwell, Dolan, Rankin Costello, Chapman, Brereton, even Gallagher, theres plenty of pace and promise there but im not sure how much substance over the course of a season. Even if one of Armstrong or Dack would be slightly compromised by having them both together positionally, they would still be far more of a goal threat than any of the above players.

Theres no way that if a Premier League club failed to promise him regular football as a number 9, that it would overrule the benefits to him of playing at the highest level and a massive pay rise. We cant justify leaving out Dack, such a regular source of goals and such a catalyst to us. Him and Armstrong are so far ahead of all of our remaining attackers in that they are regular sources of goals. We have to make it work. The 4-2-3-1 wouldnt have to be as rigid and direct as we played when Graham was in the side. We could still have similar flexibility and high pressing as we do now but a secondary potent goal threat added.

U23 is not the same as competitive league football, but my comment was not specifically about him as I have never seen him, I just think considering our problems in that position and his inability to ever make a squad, it is safe to say that he wont be in the managers thoughts in the near future.

If he cant get a sniff of the first team with Bell repeatedly struggling and last season with Rankin Costello and Bennett shoehorned in due to lack of alternatives, I cant see why that would change anytime soon.

Yeah, I cant see that being critical to a new signing. I just dont think that a deal has been done or is imminent.

Cant see that being true, Fleetwood wont be able to pay much of his wages anyway with the new rules.

Agreed, and journalists dont seem to have directly followed it up. I think the meeting on Thursday went badly.

Absolutely. I also think that if you post something, especially as surefire as that someone has signed, and it turns out to be false, you cant expect to be exempt from a bit of ribbing and questioning. ITK information is always welcome but it doesnt mean that you should be put on a pedestal and have people blow smoke up your arse even if the information is not right. That is just in general, not saying JoeH is wanting that.

I wasnt overly impressed with Rankin Costello, for a natural winger I thought his crossing was really poor, always to the keeper. Seems technically ok but whilst it wasnt shown today he also is obviously not a natural defender. I can only assume that the meeting went badly, more changing of the goalposts perhaps? As you say, he said we can potentially afford one player for a fee. Warnock said we bid for Pears earlier in the week. We should be spending our fee on a sub goalie.

Dack has to come in when he is fit as our best player. He along with Armstong are the 2 guaranteed starters in the attacking position. There is room for the pair of them but it might take a bit of trial and error beforehand. The options will presumably be either in the 433 with Dack central and dovetailing with Armstrong coming inside from the left. Or 4231 which doesnt have to involve a change in style but would mean our number 10 and number 9 are both prolific scorers. Question would then be which way you play the other 4 around them. You can be as naive as you want about this working relationship but im saying as someone in his position I would hold off. If he has a really good season, we dont finish top 6 and a Premier League club offered him not only the opportunity to play at a higher level but probably double or triple his wage, no amount of respect for the manager or even a guarantee of playing in a certain position would stop that. You look at young English players like Bowen and Eze who had a couple of stand out seasons in the Championship and got big moves. He has only scored regularly for 6 months, if he makes it 18 and we dont go up and Premier League clubs circle, with a year left our hands would be forced to sell. Conversely, if we went up or indeed he didnt have quite as good a season as we expected, he could still sign a new deal here then. I would love him to sign a long deal as I would Dack and Nyambe but I wouldnt rush to do so if I was him.

Im not sure why people even think that Bell SHOULD be a good player, the only attribute he has is that he is fairly fast, which is often perhaps the usual thing that causes people that a player well out of his depth COULD step up. @chaddyrovers not a positive interview there. Mowbray admitting we have no money is one thing but I hope his delusion around not needing a left back urgently is false.

Very true. The 2 times he ran through (as well as when Brereton did) in the second half was obviously down to pace but also woeful dithering by their defenders to begin with. One thing that pleases me is 4 goals being a tap in, a penalty, a one on one (although he should have had 2) and a good finish in the box last week. My worry was that his ability to score screamers was undoubted but they are the goals that get the numbers up.

Definitely needs to be a priority to try but I cant see from his point of view why he wouldnt be better served holding off. If we went up somehow, perfect. If not, hes in a powerful position if and when bigger teams start sniffing around. Million dollar question is how do we get Dack in the same team. If we do and get it right we have 2 superb attacking players at this level.