[Lara Crofts Butler]

Yes I suppose I get where you're coming from with that, often it flashes across the box in a decent place with nobody there as we seem to have no real recognised striker, but for me the frustration is we often don't meet the first man, pluck it straight to the goalies hands or quite often recently out for a goal kick the other side of the goal!

[cads_ap_albion]

Rumours are that he is off to the Hammers.

I hope this isn't true. But we have also been linked to Neil Taylor.

Would be very disappointed if true. From someone who also knew the Dike news. I hope this is wrong...

[gazberg]

Rumours are that he is off to the Hammers.

I hope this isn't true. But we have also been linked to Neil Taylor.

Would be very disappointed if true. From someone who also knew the Dike news. I hope this is wrong...

Maybe he knows he's off and thats why his performances have been down but who knows. Anyway if its a good fee then fair enough but if it's a few million it ain't worth it.

[SmethDan]

Maybe he knows he's off and thats why his performances have been down but who knows. Anyway if its a good fee then fair enough but if it's a few million it ain't worth it.

We should be ok price wise........ so long as those pesky Arabs stay out of the running.

[gazberg]

We should be ok price wise........ so long as those pesky Arabs stay out of the running.

Lai needs to turn his phone off now!

[cads_ap_albion]

Maybe he knows he's off and thats why his performances have been down but who knows. Anyway if its a good fee then fair enough but if it's a few million it ain't worth it.

Too good to be true to believe we could afford Dike without some sort of sale...

Connor is the only player we have who can beat a man.

[alex1]

It will mess up Val's 3-4-3 a lot if we lose Townsend.  Reach will have his work cut out to match Townsend's consistency, unless we can find an adequate replacement. (unlikely).

[gazberg]

It will mess up Val's 3-4-3 a lot if we lose Townsend.  Reach will have his work cut out to match Townsend's consistency, unless we can find an adequate replacement. (unlikely).

SELL HIM NOW

[alex1]

SELL HIM NOW

Selling our better players isn't going to help. Whichever system we play, we need good players. 

[gazberg]

Selling our better players isn't going to help. Whichever system we play, we need good players.

Let me flip that and suggest we need a better system.

[SmethDan]

........Connor is the only player we have who can beat a man.

Not if that player's standing at the near post he can't. In fairness to Conor though Sam Johnstone couldn't even strike a Flint yesterday never mind beat a man    .

[baggiebof]

Rumours are that he is off to the Hammers.

I hope this isn't true. But we have also been linked to Neil Taylor.

Would be very disappointed if true. From someone who also knew the Dike news. I hope this is wrong...

Would make some sense, with Cresswell's injury they haven't been as effective and certainly in my mind Toensend brings a lot of similar things to the table as Cresswell although I haven't looked up the stats to confirm this.

He'd be a big loss for us, for the last two season he has been one of our main progressors of the ball up the field and you'd expect would be more effective having a target man to play in to and find with crosses. However, this system probably does suit wing backs with great athleticism and physical prowess so if we had somebody in that mould lined up, it might be ok. The burden would be on a centre back to help us progress the ball better up the field although perhaps with Dike we have someone who can be that outlet and make ball progression a much easier task.

[CL3MO]

Does anybody genuinely think that this guy is anything else other than a poor/average Championship full back?

Hardly contributes offensively and often loses his man defensively.

He was God awful today. And the worrying thing: Bruce and the club are happy to have him playing 46 league games this year with no serious competition.

[beechyboy90]

Does anybody genuinely think that this guy is anything else other than a poor/average Championship full back?

Hardly contributes offensively and often loses his man defensively.

He was God awful today. And the worrying thing: Bruce and the club are happy to have him playing 46 league games this year with no serious competition.

Think Ashworth deserves a run. Townsend steady midtable championship poor technically.

[gazberg]

Seems to have regressed massively since the PL season.


Ashworth is a very promising young player. I don't think he will get in ahead of ADAM FLIPPIN REACH though.

Blackburn started a 17 year old at CB, we'd have sent him on loan or left him in the kids team.

[alex1]

He needs to vary his crossing a bit. Too many outswinging crosses in the air aiming for someone at the far post. He needs to try cut backs along the ground, which might suit our forwards better. (If they are clever enough to find spaces). 

[OldburyWBA]

Has gone backwards over the past 12 months and seems to going backwards each week, very little in the squad to replace him as the only like for like is probably Ashworth and we know how Bruce favours the old guard so more likely to see Reach replacing him..

[Atomic]

Blackburn started a 17 year old at CB, we'd have sent him on loan or left him in the kids team.

This is true. Caleb Taylor being an obvious example.

It seems to have become a default thing now, every kid needs to go on loan. I don't agree with it, some do, some don't.

[gazberg]

This is true. Caleb Taylor being an obvious example.

It seems to have become a default thing now, every kid needs to go on loan. I don't agree with it, some do, some don't.

If they have never played a senior game and they are young i understand it. When we see our kids play and hold their own against decent EFL opposition like in the cup against Sheff Utd it makes no sense to freeze them out.

Bruce seems insistant on putting square pegs in round holes. When the square pegs are Reach and Phillips and they are put ahead of them it's a disgrace.

[Atomic]

If they have never played a senior game and they are young i understand it. When we see our kids play and hold their own against decent EFL opposition like in the cup against Sheff Utd it makes no sense to freeze them out.

Bruce seems insistant on putting square pegs in round holes. When the square pegs are Reach and Phillips and they are put ahead of them it's a disgrace.

Agree.

A kid makes an error and they are "not ready yet". Senior players do the same and worse and they keep playing.

It's not right.

[ttree30]

Townsend tries.

He’s just not very good. Might be OK at Walsall.

[gazberg]

Agree.

A kid makes an error and they are "not ready yet". Senior players do the same and worse and they keep playing.

It's not right.

It's just a total cop out. It's Sunday league level management. The amount of times i'd watch managers pick their mates even in positions they didnt play and not give others a chance, always failed but nothing ever changed.

[MarkW]

Blackburn started a 17 year old at CB, we'd have sent him on loan or left him in the kids team.

I believe that's down to injuries. When he went down the Blackburn commentators were suggesting they were experiencing an injury crisis at centre back. That said, he played very well when given his opportunity

[gazberg]

I believe that's down to injuries. When he went down the Blackburn commentators were suggesting they were experiencing an injury crisis at centre back. That said, he played very well when given his opportunity

I appreciate it's due to injuries but my point is we (likely) still wouldnt do it. We'd find an old pro to stick there

[LiamTheBaggie]

He has regressed in the last 12 months but he is what it says on the tin. An average full back who will have average games of football more often than not.

I’d love to source a replacement but let’s face it, with our very limited budget the money is not there to replace him whilst we have other pressing concerns in the side.