I'd also like to make a shout out to Middlesbrough as a much better than expected away day. Its consistently voted the worst place to live in the UK, but it's a nice walk from the station to the ground. There was also a great pub next to the station showing the cricket and early and late kick offs. ...

:| Not one poster on here has suggested Gomes should be sacked. He remains very much in credit for keeping us up last season. TBF I`m reacting to the social media kids. Fair enough. There is one particular tool on there who keeps repeating he wants Gomes out but the vast majority are telling him to...

I keep hearing about Meite’s limitations. He is under-estimated on here. He is good in the air, pretty quick, puts himself about and reasonably composed in front of goal. His first touch isn’t great but that’s why he is playing in the Championship. His goal conversion rate was impressive last seaso...

Being an adopted Northerner, I only make a handful of games most season and was unfortunate to have my holiday booked for the Hull and Huddersfield matches. Being my first game of the season, I had several observations. I follow our reports, podcast etc. closely, so it's not off today alone. - we ar...

Interesting that Boro have sued the EFL and Derby over their stadium sale. Think their main complaint is around the price and valuation, so if we can demonstrate that our sale was at a fair market price we'll be fine. Seems inevitable this FFP loophole will be closed soon.

It's not about the individual players, but about the lack of technical ability and mental strength endemic to the pool of players that any England manager has to pick from. Until that is fixed, England won't be. But I guess a few posts about shuffling chairs on the deck of the Titanic will keep wor...

We don't have a Xavi or Pirlo, so Southgate will need some time to try players in different midfields until we find a formula that works Defintiely agree with this. Henderson and Rice doesn't really work for me. Rice is someone you'd potentially add to a midfield if you're 2-0 with 70 minutes gone ...

+1 The midfield is why England will fall short against the better sides. Every competition when it comes to the crunch and their put under pressure the midfield just don't put their foot on the ball and try and dictate the pace....they just crumble and become headless chickens. Its that technical m...

I've got loads of time for Southgate, but I'm becoming uninspired by his central midfield 3. Rice is a DM, and Henderson has never been a technical player or passer. The line up doesn't have the ball retention skills to compete at the highest level. Winks should surely be playing, while in the atta...

I've got loads of time for Southgate, but I'm becoming uninspired by his central midfield 3. Rice is a DM, and Henderson has never been a technical player or passer. The line up doesn't have the ball retention skills to compete at the highest level. Winks should surely be playing, while in the attac...

It's a new team. They will have the occasional shit days. We're improving overall; onwards and upwards.

NewCorkSeth Tshibola gone to Belgium. Waasland Beveren. 3 year deal.

Waste of talent. He should be Championship level at least. Our club should make a tape of his career and show it to all our academy kids so they don't make the same mistake he did, starting with Loader.

Watson on loan to Coventry for the year. He'll be 23 when he gets back, and is behind Howe in the pecking order. Is his time at Reading likely to end soon?

Is Ovie young enough to be eligible for U21s? I expect he'll get a call up this season if form continues. Great for Richards though, and good for our academy too.

Less games in September will be good for us. It must have been a whirlwind few weeks for the new arrivals with fixture congestion and not much time to rest up and settle in. They seem to have relished it, but a bit more down time and less pressured time on the training ground with their new team mat...

Richard ls playing very well. Yesterday was Obita's first competitive appearance in 22 months. The shirt is Richards' to lose, and even if his form drops I think Obita needs another month of U23 and cup appearances.

With the new formation, Blackett is surely a CB option? Out of the equation at LWB

Obita captain. Chuffed to bits for him. Also looks like plenty of guys being rested; good call.

If exciting football and better results bring in bigger crowds, this will seriously help FFP too. Reduced matchday revenue was a big factor in our big losses in 17/18, with a couple of home games under 10k.

I expect the vast majority of first teamers to sit out, especially the new arrivals who have had a fast introduction to the rigours of Championship football. Obita will probably feature at some point, off the bench if not starting. It's good that he will soon be available.

It feels great to know this thread won't be desperately watching relegation rivals in March. I really couldn't give a shit about Wigan,Barnsley and Luton.