Few things: - What makes you suggest that Evans "has half a season, max?" Mowbray played his strongest 11 yesterday, Evans played. Unlike Smallwood who didnt play as much in the second half of last season, Evans wasnt at all phased out, has a new contract and seemingly id a big part of Mowbrays plans. - Where does Dack fit in your 433? We cant play a formation that doesnt suit our best player. - Thats a massive, massive assumption. 50-75m is quite frankly ridicilious for 5 players who all are young and have scope for development, but none have really any evidence that they can or will ever justify the massive figures youve just plonked on their collective heads. - If you also are so focused on stockpiling young attackers, you remove yourself from actually the primary objective of short term success, if we dont equally focus on the rest of the team at the same time. For example, we continue to neglect the full back area. You have to understand why defending Venkys is always going to be a touchy subject considering what theyve done. Theres nothing to be grateful for.

As in you think its good or bad? I presume seeing as Mowbray said we are using the Raya proceeds for other positions that Walton is a loan.

Leutweiler is shocking, made a few camera saves but flaps at everything and very lucky Morelos was offside. Defence is not anywhere near good enough, we all know as does Mowbray from what he has said. New signings looked pretty poor, Johnson gave away so many passes and Downing looked so lethargic, hopefully fitness rather than age. Rothwell a breath of fresh air, no loose passes, always desperate to make things happen, one twos, trying to get through. Travis also so much better than Evans, and Buckley looked tidy too.

Its not, in fact im fed up of a growing trend of posts such as your earlier one, as @Mattyblue sums up "moaning about moaning" unwilling to tolerate any criticism, no matter how constructive or realistic. Whether it makes My opinion on Evans is that he has a part to play but I'd be very dissapointed if he started the season over Travis. (or Johnson) Smallwood I think should be moved on, but is not playing today.

Making a comment about a player I would agree shouldnt be starting for us this season on an internet forum is neither supporting the team nor not supporting the team.

Undoubtedly a big thing for me is whether Mowbray has genuinely reverted back to seeing the likes of Mulgrew, Bennett and Evans as first teamers, plus Downing, when for me the likes of Rothwell, Travis and Nyambe have shown vast improvements on the aforementioned.

Got a new number one at least...Leutweiler wearing the shirt today!

Not so keen on signing Walton, him on loan after selling a keeper at the same age with similar faults seems a bit backwards to me. Reading up on Wigans fans opinions, it seems his main frailty is commanding his penalty box, just like Raya. He also got dropped last season due to poor performances. If we bought him then I'd be more enamoured, from what I've seen he may be slightly ahead of Raya, maybe with the loan of an older head, but otherwise I don't get the logic.

Full back is just continuously blatantly ignored. I just hope the end of this window is the time when this is finally rectified, otherwise the centre backs are going to continue to be overworked.

Some people choose to adjust their opinions to match exactly what happens/what Mowbray does. Which is fair enough, each to their own, but theres no need to constantly hound people who do have their own independent opinions, some of which are constructive criticism. As you say, whatever you do around that defence, a better holding midfielder may aid its protection somewhat, and a goalkeeper might bail them out a bit more, but ultimately, them 4 (?) defenders are going to have work to do defensively each game, and ultimately, have shown more than almost every team in the league, that they are incapable of doing it. You can't cover up or totally protect an incompetent defence. Experience in goal doesnt mean a command of the penalty box either, Carson a prime example.

These comments are something to judge Mowbray on, from the end of the season. I wholehartedly agree, our current defence isnt good enough at this level. He said that defenders are coming and he said the other night that hes still got a budget so I would like to think that he meant it and the City kid is one of a few, definitely need a left back aswell, plus someone with more experience. If we get to the Charlton game/deadline with only the City kid, id be incredibly dissapointed in the manager. If he completes the overhaul he identified in May, then ill be excited at pushing on up the league. We can only wait and see. The defenders we already have, Williams, Mulgrew, Bell, Bennett, they are still not good enough as at 2 months ago.

Played as many games as Charlie Mulgrew in the league, and its pretty obvious that he isnt up to it anymore sadly, so that means nothing. Common consensus from the forums/posts Ive read are that hes no right back, West Brom were really short there, signed Tyrone Mears as a cheap, short term option and ultimately it was the signing of Holgate on loan, himself naturally a centre back but much more comfortable at right back that saw Adaraiyobo drop out the team and at times the squad due to loan limitations. My opinion on him would be that id like to think that his underwhelming spell at WBA was down to being played out of position but will have done him good in terms of knowing what to expect. I watched West Brom a few times on TV, plus twice v us live and he looked a little awkward and cumbersome and very much the weak link of an otherwise very solid Championship defence. If hes the sole addition to a really poor defence, id be unhappy. If he was one of two or three including some experience, and if he has been signed solely as a centre back, he may be a shrewd addition. Ive seen no one suggest that they wouldnt give him a chance so theres no need for people to take the moral high ground. Im fed up of people constantly trying to be a better fan and put down anyone who offers any sort of doubt or criticism.

Yet another totally unwarranted attempt at playing superfan, something that has become sadly rife amongst our fans recently. I made a comment about a potential new signing, not even about his general ability, but his competence in a position that isnt his natural one. Defence is an area that we are quite blatantly and statistically not good enough in, and full back in particular was an area we was lacking in. Dack, Graham, Lenihan, Travis, Rothwell, Armstrong, Johnson etc are all rated above competent so your needless attempt at pointing fingers at our "negative" fanbase was inaccurate.

West Brom fans are pretty insistent that he is not a competent right back. If we neglect this really poor area of our team then it will cost us points, undoubtedly.

Horrible, and clashes with half of oue opponents so pointless!

Not sure how I feel about this, felt that we were needing experience beside Lenihan so would be disappointing if this is our only signing. West Brom fans seem very unimpressed by him, although are quite insistent that he must play centrally. Hope hes one of a few additions in defence, sure hes an upgrade on Mulgrew and Williams.

Thats a big question, it would be crazy to play a formation without a number 10 considering our best player plays in that position. We will see, theres bound to be a bit of skepticism because Mowbrays previous tactical experiments (3 at the back, Dack/Palmer as a false 9, strikers playing as wingers) havent worked and indeed hes found that simplicity is key at times. Theres very little to talk about. This quote is something to talk about because its a guide to how we may play. Obviously people will judge after performances, goes without saying, people can question/hypothesise/suggest things in advance.

Hes said defenders there, plural, he also said "defenders are coming" a mere 2 months ago. I stil totally disagree with the assertion that people are only asking for more than one defender to make it unobtainable for the manager so that they can have a go at him after the window shuts. Not for conspiracies like that. Our defence was woeful last season and needed more than tweaking We need full backs far more urgently than a sub keeper. Full back is a major weakness in our side, both in terms of quality and quantity.

Seems Carson is about to leave.

That worried me too but at least hes trying to bring in more than 1 defender.

“The defensive area of the team could do with some competition and some bodies added and we’ll try and do that.” @Paul Mani seems that he still wants more than 1 defender and it isnt an unrealistic demand of people so that they can moan when he fails!

Is that a response to Foderingham? Think I'd prefer him to Carson.

Is Foderingham the one you think is quite close? And is the Celtic one Jack Hendry at a guess?

Rothwell played for the weaker team on Saturday and again tonight, if I had to put money on it (thought this beforehand) itll be Armstrong and Downing v Charlton. Johnson and Evans over Travis too.

Youve said numerous times that if Mowbray doesnt strengthen the defence you wont be happy so to be fair you have put in black and white something you are going to judge the manager on, positive or negative. But I dont think that its unrealistic/some conspiracy to hope for/expect more than one defender to come in considering our current defence is so bad. And crucially, that the manager made a very straightforward and clear public promise that "defenders are coming" suggesting more than one because our "defenders cant defend." (or something along those lines) I havent seen anyone suggest that Mowbray is purposely derailing our promotion chances by playing Bennett and Mulgrew. Fact is, Mowbray wouldnt be the first or last manager to have a blind spot towards a senior player who doesnt deserve to play as much as he does. I also think that its always going to provoke people when you infer that they "know very little about football" whilst making many cryptic references to some sort of vague expert knowledge about the inner workings of the club. For example, you mention Bell as someone the club rates. He hasnt shown anything on the pitch to suggest he can contribute to a top 6 Championship team IMO. Nowhere near. And thats where it matters.