Mark Holmes

I'm not linking injuries to overseas recruitment, for the record, and we clearly need a bigger core of players who'll start c40 games a season, but Jared Dublin's player identification has certain similarities with Walters' recruitment. Even a DOF works within a framework.

I vote to retain the status quo at Stoke. I have gripes with recruitment and tactics, but I think injuries have been the biggest factor. Albeit linked to recruitment. But does anyone think our overseas policy is Walters'? Or one from above that would remain even with a change?

Luke Littler rated my darts technique 8/10. I'm just leaving that here... sportbible.com/darts/luke-lit…

Then you've got Cisse (especially) and Bozenik, who look more promising with each cameo. And Donley who could quite easily get a chance and shine. There's Lawal to come back, Bocat taking his chance, even Gallagher to come. And players will want to join us in January.

I haven't tweeted much this season. But what a manager we've got on our hands. Every player is being managed perfectly. In seasons gone by we'd be flogging Rigo and probably moaning he's not up to it by now! But he's come out and I guarantee he'll be stronger for it.

Not sure how well known it is, but I played @RetroFootyMan for @planetfutebol and it's superb! It's like the good old days when you could do a season in a night (actually an hour!) and you can play from any year back to 1974-75. Love it! planetfootball.com/latest/retro-f…

@pharbron I'm not surprised at all! But I certainly agree with you. And if we'd have equalised when we were on top, I'd have backed us to go on and win tbh. We look in for a decent season.

@Homzy I’m surprised at the reaction on here tbh. Take the Vik mistake out of that or the fact it shouldn’t have even been a corner for a push then it would have been a fair point each 🤷‍♂️ Cisse, Rigo & Gallagher hopefully give us options next time out

We saw some of our deficiencies today, but we still created enough chances to get at least a point. Unfortunately we didn't take them, and once West Brom sat in we didn't have the ideas - or the subs - to hurt them. We were sloppy at times too, but it wasn't a bad performance.

Perfectly summed up! I'll say it again: we look a big, fit, tough team with a fair bit of quality. And that gives you a chance in this league. I'm impressed with how much threat we're carrying. That was Mubama's best game until he went off. Daft...but we are top of the league!

@Stok1e Certainly does seem like we're the best Championship team of all time

@Homzy Mate, I'm bed wetting already. Thomas looks quality eh? Going up, champions, +110 GD, 101 points

It definitely wasn't perfect*, but we look a fit, strong, streetwise Championship team with some quality. *And how exciting is it that we know we have several very good players to come into the matchday squad to hopefully make us even better. Sorba Thomas outstanding. Get in!

Hadn't noticed this yesterday as I was too busy celebrating. Great the players weren't: drawing at home is nothing to celebrate and it's great the team has that mentality. And great the new-season optimism is still here on Sunday!

@bayernoatcake2 @Mozzaa92 @pharbron They are, in terms of them both being able to play wide and through the middle, and I'm sure we would sell Gallagher for the right offer, but Robins clearly wants height and power in the squad too. Would he ever play Manhoef, Junho and Cisse together? Just got a feeling here...

@Mozzaa92 @pharbron @Homzy We might as well not have Gallagher though and even when he does play he’s weak as piss. This bloke seems to fit the profile of Gallagher more than anyone else. But will actually be available to play.

Excited by the Lamine Cisse news. I can't profess to have seen much of him, but he's the type of player we never seem to sign: a forward who can do the unexpected. Vidigal was a punt at it, but Cisse seems the real deal. I think a forward will leave now, but who? SG? Or MM?

@slacktheplanet Yep, I really wouldn't be surprised to see one of them leave.

@Homzy For P&S reasons, you’d think it’s more likely to be Manhoef or Bae, purely from a profit POV. Not sure who pays 1m for Gallagher for us to break even (maybe Wrexham if Moore’s injury turns out to be a bad one), but then again breaking even wouldn’t help us all that much.

@mdegg02 Everybody's got an ego, it's not a criticism. And Manhoef for eg would quite rightly see himself as a star of a Champ team rather than a rotation option, as he knows he could get a good move elsewhere. It'd be a nice headache for Robins, but I'd rule nothing out.

@mdegg02 I'd prefer that nobody leaves, but I've just got a feeling... Would Manhoef be happy splitting minutes for eg? Would Junho? Numbers wise we're fine with one more, but egos wise I'm not so sure. And there's PSR to consider too... Be an interesting end to the window.

@Traff Yeah, definitely not getting carried away by yesterday. After an hour I was thinking 'same old, same old' - dominate but don't create enough and lose! But Mubama getting a debut goal is a big plus. And you can see what Donley will bring. With Cisse to come? Exciting.

@Homzy I think the fact that we were the fittest i have seen us at the beginning of the season showed in that last 15 mins. I agree still light at the top if the pitch. We will have a better idea in a months time about how we really look. Great win though

A great start to the season! We largely looked as I expected - strong and competitive but without much threat. That's still true - we mustn't get carried away by those two late goals - but when you work hard and give yourselves a platform, you have a chance. A deserved win.

@Stok1e Yeah, really impressed with Thomas, we've missed a direct winger like that for a while. I thought Junho played pretty well too, picking up nice spaces, but I want more from Manhoef tbh. Hope it clicks soon. I'd be delighted with top 10 tbh. Let's just be in the conversation!

@Homzy *If* we can get one of Lawal, Junho or Manhoef firing early on one of those "young player confidence seasons", we could cause a bit of trouble - happy with a 10th upwards Homzy - where you sat?