Gallowgate Toon

Team is good enough to win. 2-1.

Class. Think he's going to be great at this level. Probably got one of the world's best defensive coaches to work with him too, as long as he wants to learn.

Some of the reactions to signings have been pretty embarrassing, tbh. The suggestion that Rafa is behind them but not happy is even worse. There would always be an element of transition and short-term buys. I'm happy we're building a squad.

Really excited for this lad, based off 5 minutes of YouTube

I'm fine with this. Its purpose is clear. We've bought some solid players - Clark and Murphy are the most underwhelming, yeah, but we are where we are and have solidified our squad as the best in the division now, imo. Just a winger short from clearly having the best first XI.

Left back, 2 wingers and a striker are what we really need. A CM would also be good but not an absolute necessity, IMO. Good wingers and strikers will see you cutting through most sides in this division. Especially when Benitez likes his wide midfielders to come inside and act as pushed up CMs.

He's going to be lethal with Ritchie, like.

Don't think they're that good and it benefits us that they'll probably come and try to open the game up a bit. Fancy us to win but still not look that great. 2-1. Would go: Sels, Anita, Mbemba, Lascelles, Gamez, Ritchie, Hayden, Shelvey, Perez, Diame & Gayle. Mitro to come on second half.

Shelvey seemed at the heart of some of our best play, judging by the highlights.

Mate who went said he was good but not enough movement ahead of him for a large period of the game.

You know they're 22nd in League two, we should f***ing stroll it in neutral tbh. Changes nowt. We've lost to worse.

Think this'll end up about 4-0 and we'll have not even got out of first gear

But, but I thought we were crap and needed 8 more players?

Honestly, it just sounds like a fairly standard underdog to bigger team performance. They're spirited, we're a bit lax. We'll open it up in the second, I'm sure.

People getting antsy again on Twitter

Sort of good, in a way. Pushes home need for wide players.

Seems like the sort of attacker Benitez wants/needs to play a more possession-based game. Does appear similar to Ritchie; not loads of pace but good close control, passing, delivery and vision. A hard worker too. Can imagine they’d be part of a very flexible 3 behind Mitro/Gayle. As he doesn’t seem to rely on speed, you’d like to think if there were any effects from the injury then it wouldn’t knack his game up much.

Decent side

Sounds like he’ll be a decent defender in an organized defensive unit. To be fair, that is the case for the vast majority of full backs. At least he has the recovery pace needed should he be out of position. I quite like Janmaat but I doubt we’ll be any worse off with this transfer.

Think he'd be a decent signing, tbh. Reckon Rafa might turn him into a winger and have Anita & Jesus for RB.

Aarons and Perez need to start this. They've both looked a bit off the pace so far and this is a potentially good game to get their confidence up a bit, but only if they're playing with other experienced players. Think the win is more important than anything else, just got to get into the habit of it.

Have a feeling we'll get a 'foreign' winger in, perhaps on loan, to help see us through until this shit Paddy can run again. Can't help but think saying we're using the same scouting network as ever after targeting two of the league's higher bracket attacking players is a bit of a melodramatic stretch. The window isn't over either...

Yeah, it's a long season, but we'll rotate a lot and that'll take the sting out of it, IMO. Strongest available 11 for tomorrow and blast them.

Apparently we've been working on Gayle's movement in behind in training. Good to see the plans and practise coming to fruition.

We've actually played 2 up top in most games this season, at some point.