We definitely can't complain about the officiating for a while. Felt like a stonewall pen for them (possibly two) right before we went 2-0 up. Plus a host of other decisions that went our way (a soft booking aside).

Great cross. Great header. Gueye isn't convincing, even when doing things right, but that was at least a glimpse of what can happen when he's used properly.

Hedges managed to make an incredible mess out of a 2 v 1 overlap.

And there Weimann has ben incredibly lazy to not gamble on the possibility of the pullback making it to him.

Pretty awful from Weimann. We should clip that highlight and send it to India. It may even convince the blind that we are in need of a better goalscorer.

And, at that point, I realised that I could stop listening.

Not only do we need improvement up front, but we also need options. I'll welcome virtually any signing that adds to our attacking options. 1.7m for a bit of pace and strength could be useful. It's difficult to read into the goalscoring records of players. When we were good, we made a living out of signing underperforming attacking players and getting a tune out of them.

You know, the myth doesn't really matter. Our owners are wealthy enough that paying double shouldn't really matter. With their level of net worth, whether it's 20m, 40m, or 80m it shouldn't be a hindrance to sending money over. So, I'm fine with the myth being perpetuated, because it really shouldn't stop the hard questions being asked.

I know that I don't and I agree that he's likely been promised more than has been delivered, but neither of those things are really my point. My point is that he shouldn't have believed what he was promised and should have taken the job under the assumption that he would be treated in the same way as every other manager before him. Ie - very little spend with the occasional little blip when the mood strikes (he got his in Cantwell).

I'm sure I could find similar quotes from basically all of our former managers under Venkys. Let's hope this time it is correct.

Or I could reverse it and say that we were in the playoff picture until mid-November last season and that was when we saw what was capable with a squad that is mostly unchanged? The reality is that the Championship isn't THAT good. It doesn't take that much to become a competitive side. Ipswich pulled off back-to-back promotions, Bristol City consistently find themselves in the top half of the table. We are surrounded by clubs who are no stronger than we are. Eustace is doing a good job, but this isn't Leicester winning the league.

But they aren't the same. Replays aren't predictable. You can plan exactly when the international and European games will take place, but you can't truly account for replays. If a team were unlucky enough to have a replay in virtually every round then it would potentially ruin their season.

Miracles is a bit strong, but he's doing a good job.

He's actually won me over. I think we are really well organized and he's doing pretty well with a fairly limited squad. I don't think we're at risk of losing him to a Premier League job, but he's a good manager and could have a very good stint here if he's given the time and resources necessary to succeed in the Championship. But that doesn't change the fact that he took the job just after the club had misled and stifled the previous manager. It doesn't change the fact that we've had over a decade of every decent manager either gradually lose interest and see this as a nice payday (Mowbray) or get so frustrated that they've got to leave (JDT, Lambert). I would have sympathy for a foreign manager who might not have been as aware of the ongoings, but it is impossible to believe that someone like Eustace won't have been fully aware of what he was getting himself into. That isn't me being critical for him taking the job. I'm happy that he's here, but he can't really cry ignorance when the money never arrives, the best players are sold, and the club is a circus behind the scenes.

I don't doubt that, I'm sure it's shocking for anyone, but there must be enough information circulating within the footballing world from either former coaching staff or players for anyone to do their due diligence and know what they're getting themselves into.

Phew. I know I hang on to yours. What a perfect little circle.

You're right, but would you have trusted what they promised you? After JDT. Lambert. Bowyer... It's not like the past 12 months had been an anomaly. I understand why he would take the job because we're a relatively big club and there aren't that many better jobs going that he would have a shot at. You'd be unwise to turn many of them down in a world of 20 Premier League jobs and 24 Championship jobs. That's fine, but he should have known that any promises made beyond getting his salary were to be taken with a pinch of salt the size of India.

Crap. You don't think Eustace cares what I think?

I've got zero sympathy for Eustace if he is frustrated. He watched exactly the same thing happen to JDT and would have had to have been willfully ignorant to have not been aware of it. Not only that, but he came into the club and immediately spoke about the focus on survival and played his own (small) part in the continual lowering of expectations within the club. So, now he should be surprised? Because we are doing a bit better than expected halfway through the season? He thought he would be the manager that got backing? Or that Rudy would get money to spend that Broughton didn't? Or that he would be loved in India because he didn't mention the coach for a while? He took the job. I don't blame him. But the parameters haven't shifted. I feel sorry for the supporters. I feel sorry for some members of staff. But I have zero sympathy for the manager and his coaching staff and I'll have even less respect for him if he resigns for 'broken promises' that he should never have believed in the first place.

'Probably sensible'. You're right, we should still be having 5 replays and derailing our entire season if we can't find a winner against Boro in the 3rd round of the FA Cup. Few arguments are weaker than 'you don't have to watch it' whilst also expressing - and seemingly really valuing - your own opinion on the same subject. I know that not everyone will agree with me, but my opinion is equally valid and can't just be dismissed by 'if you don't like it, go elsewhere'. If that's your logic, the footballing world has spoken, so find something else to discuss. You've also switched there. I proposed a solution (albeit one that would never be enacted) where lower league clubs could be rewarded for forcing extra time as a result of their potential lost revenue. You then countered with 'wHaT aBoUt tWo sMaLl ClUbS?!?' and when I pointed out that these matches probably aren't big money makers you've switched back to 'bUt RePlAyS wItH bIg CluBs MaKe MonEy'. I certainly didn't want a replay against Boro. Did you? Honest question. Do you think the majority on here would have? Yes, it's a loss of revenue for some clubs (could be fixed) and yes it's a shame for players who could have the biggest days of their lives (say the Tamworth players getting to go to Spurs stadium and that can't be fixed), but the real argument for having replays is because 'that's how we always did it'. And that's just not good enough.

This is very much a must-win. Things have been a bit shakey in the league recently and this is our ideal chance to get back on track. Anything other than a win here and we can probably write off the playoffs as I doubt we will outperform 4/5 of the other clubs in the mix in the second half of the season.

How much are two league two sides making from a replay? The big argument for why you make so much money is the sell-out crowd (or the revenue split from an away match) and the potential TV money. You're clutching at straws a bit if the argument is that the replay would be useful cash boost for two sides in the lower leagues playing against each other. Wouldn't surprise me if they almost lose money on hosting the additional fixture in that situation.

Don't disagree with that. I much prefer a penalty shootout over 30 minutes of added time anyway. Could have at least made it golden goal to add a bit more excitement (I know that history shows us that this makes teams more conservative). But it would have at least added some spice to the extra time.

That might reduce the load on some players, but it doesn't ease the actual fixture congestion or the challenge of fitting matches in. Easy enough for this round, but a lot tougher when European fixtures come back.

Well, it's not that I don't 'give a toss' - although I don't really care about Tamworth - but my enjoyment of football isn't driven by the concept that a smaller club is getting a payday. You could easily offset this loss of revenue by offering League 1/2/non league clubs a bonus for taking a tie to extra time. Easy fix if that is the biggest reason for keeping replays.