Would like ACD to return and replace Hedges and Beck will be probably expecting to come straight back in. Otherwise, the other 9 players should be confident of retaining their places.

Szmodics has scored away at Tottenham to put Ipswich 1 up. I suspect having taken probably the last chance he will ever had to play Premier League football, and having scored goals at big stadiums against the big teams, whether they come straight back down or not, this idea that he made a poor choice going there is one he certainly wouldnt agree with.

Its not based on stats. More often than not when I have seen him, he has been very good and made numerous saves. Its not objectively true, its my opinion that a keeper of that calibre at this level will earn you points.

Good to see him on the mend.

How can you coach it out of him? And how would it then come back? The one manager who would have question marks over his usage and treatment of Travis certainly isnt Mowbray. Travis was very good in that last Mowbray season.

Fingers crossed a random European side will take Gueye back off our hands.

It was a great effort especially considering the disregard shown to them with a third 12.30 kick off on the bounce. I dont rate Hedges, no. He has shown over a number of seasons that he is incapable of producing in the final third on anything other than a very sporadic basis. He had a great chance to do something yesterday and made the wrong decision. Was clean through v Stoke and took too long. I dont have a clue how close ACD is, I just would like to see him in the side ASAP to get Hedges out and to give us some pace. Ohashi wasnt one of the two players no, my comment was in reference to the idea that Pears and Hedges were scapegoated. But I dont think that he is up top being a regular striker at this level, nor was he intended to be. Eustace referenced him as a Telalovic replacment when he signed. Problem is, Gestede found an absolute donkey in Makhtar Gueye so Ohashi has to keep being our main striker. You wasnt seen post Stoke, but have been very keen to dismiss the idea that Gueye's lack of success has been in anyway down to his lack of movement/anticipation, and purely on a lack of chances created for him. Cantwell put a header on a plate for him midweek and he still missed, has your opinion on Gueye changed at all? I said that you had fabricated this idea that people were so critical of Pears as if they felt that he shouldnt be making errors. His issue had been the quantity and regularity of them.

Its not a figure, its obviously an opinion. With Pears, he certainly cost us last season far more points than he won us. Either way, this idea that people expect Pears to make no mistakes is very misleading. His issue was the number of mistakes he made.

Considering that it allowed him to play every game in a Premier League season, to suggest that it was unwise would be wrong. Similar to Szmodics, was probably a last chance to do it.

Seems a strange conclusion within the aftermath of an away victory to come to the conclusion that our best side makes 4 changes to that and adopts a totally different formation that we have never played before.

We definitely didnt deserve to beat West Brom, they had the main 2 chances, and there are other games we won when we on the balance of play "shouldn't" have done according to the same logic. You have totally fabricated the idea that people expect a goalkeeper to make no mistakes. The issue with Pears last season was the QUANTITY of mistakes made. It was far too high, I think it worked out into double figures directly leading to a goal and be didnt even play all of the games. This season he has been afforded much better protection but he certainly hasnt been the same level of calamity that he has been in the past, so far anyway, he has shown notable improvment. Johansson wins his team more points than he costs, hence why he is regarded as one of the best in the league. Doesnt mean that he never makes mistakes. I am not comfortable with the narrative that the nasty fans are scapegoating individuals. Those 2 players either are or have been consistently our weaker performers. Thats why they naturally receive an above average amount of criticism. Pears to be fair has not been the liability that we saw making so many mistakes last season. And I think that has been acknowledged by most, although especially as a keeper he has to work to get peoples full trust in him. Hedges is an attacking player whose main asset is trying his best. He consistently fails to be productive in the final third. He again today wasnt, the main time he got into the final third he made the wrong decision and played a poor ball well in advance of anyone. You look around him, Weimann scored twice and Cantwell slipped in Travis to set up the first. He again was less effective.

Great win today to get off the mark away from home after very poor away form so far. We did very well to get to 2 nil then a mixture of tiredness and a moment of stupidity let them back into it, although that goal felt like it was coming anyway. Lose today and our start to the season becomes very underwhelming with the relegation battle coming into view. The first 2 goals were brilliantly worked, especially the first. Travis was outstanding and him and Tronstad are a very nice pairing. Pears made a few saves you would expext him to make, a few good claims, acted like a dick (not a complaint as its in our favour) with timewasting and whilst unfortunate with the penalty, he does have a tendency to palm shots back into danger. He did it against Sheffield United and has done it many times before. But he had a solid game today. The defence in the main again was solid and the team is well organised. Batth made one terrible pass and Brittain is awful at one on one defending and stopping crosses, but we deal with balls into the box well. Pickering is an excellent second choice left back and Hyam has done well this season and not got the credit he deserves. The attack still feels like the issue. Cantwell didnt have a particularly good game but the side looks to have much more of a balance to it with our best player central and getting on the ball so he has to stay there. Weimann doesnt have the legs anymore to play regularly but you dont lose a goalscoring instinct. Hedges again was very poor and needs dropping and ultimately moving on. Ohashi wasnt as ineffective as usual but he isnt the most gifted in any sense, technically things often bobble away and physically he lacks pace and strength and he doesnt really look like scoring at the moment. Still a better option than the clown who came on. Hopefully ACD will be fit to start the next game to give us more pace.

You are sticking to your stance on Johansson arent you? One of the best keepers in the league.

Yep, no idea where he has got that from, unless hes getting confused with Tomasson. Track record of Rothwell's dad on a train telling everyone that all of our out of contract players were about to follow Mowbray, and the Buckley £10m stuff isnt great.

Some of them are pushing it to be squad player worthy. And also there is such an imbalance to them. No competent striker, no one with any pace.

I think our fans were split on him before. Some could see a blatant lack of technical ability, finishing ability and the intelligence and movement to find goalscoring positions. And some felt that his main issue was needing chances creating for him in a way that supposedly suits him. So for the latter, to see him have a ball put on his head that didnt even require any clever movement from him, and for him to miss that chance how he did caused a rethink.

A third Saturday 12.30 in a row is an absolute joke. Sky really thinking of the fans as they always do.

He is not sharp enough for this standard. He gets caught offside so often and he regularly takes one touch too many and loses the ball.

Id rather leave Hedges at home.

The point was that those are the sort of options we are looking at it when we need to change things. It wasnt a criticism of fans suggesting those players, it just shows how weak our squad is. We needed a more mobile centre back instead of McFadzean, especially with Batth coming in. As for what I would do, I would only consider a back 3 if Beck is fit and put Pickering to left centre back.

I can see how understandably desperate people have become when you see the players that are being suggested as we scrape the barrel. McFadzean hasnt played a league minute and is approaching the age of 38. Sigurdsson is now injured but hes been suggested despite being shit throughout his time here. Buckley keeps getting suggested, that cant be on his own performances. Leonard is mentioned, he wasnt up to it last year and missed a sitter last night.

How do you look back at your comments about Gueye and Ohashi after a friendly v Stockport? They seemed to be the second coming but are both well off it.

Another bad night at the office and the fact that we have 2 goals and 4 points in 7 games is embarassing. I can not see who is going to score the goals to avoid us slipping into a relegation fight. It all comes down to the owners and their unwillingness to spend but Gestede has really found a couple of duds with the peanuts available. Ohashi, constantly offside or seeing the ball bounce away from him. And Gueye, wow, what a joke. Hedges again shite, summed himself up taking too long when clean through. Cantwell looks like he is frustrated because no one is on his wavelength, even better in a central role.

What a thoroughly depressing team. 1-0 Stoke.

I wasnt dismissing your expectations. I was saying that seeing as you would take anywhere in the top half, I am guessing you dont have faith in a play off push.