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I think we should’ve gone in level if Semenyo had kept his head.

Unlucky to go in trailing at the break IMO. If anything, we’ve probably just shaded that first half. Cov are a tough nut to crack and Semenyo should’ve rolled that across to Weimann for what would’ve been the easiest of tap-ins. We’re missing Williams’ bite. Definitely don’t think we’re out of it.

Nige is doing very well IMO. He inherited an unbalanced squad with next to no money to spend, he's building an environment in which to develop the youngsters and there's a clear plan on the pitch for the first time in a long time. I also hear he handles himself impeccably around the training ground etc. The progress might be slow but at least we're moving in the right direction after all the off-the-field shit we've endured in recent years.

The most encouraging thing is all three of them have spoken on record about the positive impacts Nige, plus the likes of James and King, are having on them. As long as Nige remains for the next two years, there’s hope the three of them will remain and grow together. The dream summer scenario would be to get Palmer and Wells off the wage bill, get Massengo and Semenyo to sign new deals, and to land a windfall(s) from the sales of Kelly and/or Webster. That would enable us to keep our best assets, while complying with other FFP. With a bit of luck and a bit of ambition, we could be in for exciting times soon.

Exactly. It’s given Bentley a kick up the arse, while having a good look at Max to see if he’s good enough to stay for next season and beyond. I don’t see the harm in that when we’re comfortably mid-table.

Major differences between now and then being we now have a manager with a backbone and a CEO who wants to keep our best players. All Ashton cared about was doing deals and taking his cut IMO. I think we’ve got more of a plan under the current regime, rather than selling off the family china without having replacements in already.

Antoine’s development over the last three months is extraordinary, it really is. But any talk of £30m is fanciful for someone who’s not had a whole season at this level and has six goals to his name this term. That’s not to slight him at all, his career’s only going one way. I hope he signs a new deal and stays with us for another two seasons.

My best guess is… Bentley Kalas Klose Bell Williams Dasilva Massengo Scott Weimann Martin Semenyo Williams sitting and dropping in to make a back three?

I can’t work out this XI or formation.

One swallow doesn’t make a summer, and you don’t move one of your best players in that position to accommodate another square peg IMO. We’ve had enough of square pegs in round holes over the years.

No way in hell would I moving Scott to RM/RWB to accommodate Vyner in central midfield. Bonkers. Bentley; Kalas, Cundy, Klose, Pring; Scott, Williams, Massengo; Benarous, Semenyo, Weimann.

I think he's from Surrey, Dave. That's certainly where Chelsea picked him up from back in 1991, when he was in his late teens. It's a positive sign the club is looking to make this type of long-overdue appointment. It should've been made as soon as Ashton went last summer IMO. Pearce was Brighton's head of recruitment when they went up to the PL under Hughton and has been at WBA since 2018. No idea if he's any good, but he has pedigree.

SL's ego knows no bounds. Absolving himself of any blame after allowing costs to spiral out of control under Ashton, instead laying the blame solely on the pandemic; claiming food poverty "shocks me" when he's paid no tax into the UK economy for 10 years. I agree with him on the salary cap, an independent regulator and parachute payments, and not a lot else.

What JL knows about football can be written on a Post-It note.

The fact we have no recognised recruitment lead at the club falls firmly on SL, I'm afraid. That should've been addressed last summer and we're only left to speculate/assume the budget wasn't there for that. The money NP has spent (Tanner, Atkinson) has been pretty good value IMO and they should improve, so I trust his eye for a player and that he has the contacts to bring them in. The only thing missing is cash to spend.

Slow news day. We've got a small squad that is being stretched to the limit by injuries. Up until November, we hadn't been beaten by more than one goal and were fairly solid in a four-man defence often with Baker/Atkinson, Tanner and James in the starting XI and King's experience off the bench. Any club operating with a small squad a medium-term injuries would struggle in one way or the other. The individuals who are fit and have had a chance to make a name for themselves at this level and they continually fail to convince. I don't think that warranted 1,500+ words, though.

The quality of refereeing in this country has gone massively downhill since the introduction of VAR. I used to think that refs who actually played the game might raise standards, then along came Andy Davies who's the worst I've seen this year. They seem totally beyond reproach as well, which doesn't help. Who assesses their performances or is it a back-slapping exercise after every game while they climb the greasy pole? Someone said to me recently that Michael Oliver was the last Englishman to ref in the last-16 of the Champions League in 2018! At the same time, not one British ref was chosen for the 2018 World Cup. That shows how far refereeing standards have fallen in this country and it's bound to filter down to the second tier. Like our woeful home record until recently, our luck must change soon.

That’s my take on it, too. To add to your point, the three of them were brought in to “set the standards” and looking at how Scott, Semenyo, Pring and Massengo are developing, they’re showing them the way. Too many people overlook that.

Bit my tongue on this thread yesterday while all the doom merchants predictably crawled out of the woodwork. People have their own pre-conceived agendas against the manager. I get that; I didn't agree with LJ's appointment and still hold him partly responsible for the mess we're in today. I've long been fed up of players going through the motions here and it's this cosy club that needs breaking up. A lot of that was done last summer, but we still have players here who are guilty of it. Whether that's because they're on £20k+ p/w and can't be arsed or because they simply ain't up to it at this level. People seem to forget there are players here who have undermined LJ, Holden and NP. Because we have a small squad, we don't have a plethora of options. All we can hope for is a windfall or two from the sales of Webster or Kelly in the summer. Then, and only then, can we aspire to balance this squad.

To put another angle on this, have we ever heard of even one rumour about a bigger or comparable club being interested in signing Vyner? Not once, and I bet in the unlikely event any of us were to chat to a scout who’d watched him, the same failings would crop up. Nothing against the lad at all, but as a CB at this level he’s a serial ball-watcher who’s passive and far too casual. That’s not good enough and he’s shown no improvement in those aspects of his game under three managers here, plus Paul Warne at Rotherham.

Thing is, Fevs, the ball’s been in his court to improve for two-and-a-half seasons and he hasn’t. The same basic errors rear their heads almost every game. Most times they get punished, others they don’t. Every player has a ceiling and Zak’s is L1, possibly lower.

Today marked Vyner’s 111th game at Championship level. I honestly hate to think how many goals he’s conceded in that time. He’s 24 going on 25, isn’t a youngster anymore and yet he’s not learning from his mistakes, and his mistakes usually cost us a goal and undermine any good work he’s done. He needs to be moved in this summer IMO. Nowhere near good enough for this level, and that opinion’s based on a huge number of games.

Easy to say Cundy but he’s hasn’t made a single start at this level and is coming back from a long-term injury. He might be better but I think they’re phasing him in slowly. Vyner should be moved on in the summer, no doubt.

Who else is there? I don’t think Nige has any other alternative right now, sadly.

I’ve said it what feels like a millions times before, Zak Vyner is a liability at this level.