paulhanley

Quite rightly there is a lot of talk about us needing to bolster our striker and winger ranks soon. We really do. However I would argue that there is equal urgency to sign a quality central defender. SS has made clear he primarily sees Famewo as a left back. That leaves us with Toal, Forino and Davis as the mainstream central defensive options. I know there is Temple and Inwood too but nobody knows whether they're ready and especially so now we are in the Championship. Do we think Toal and Forino are Championship standard? They have it to prove. Ben Davis probably is but didn't play too much last season. Surely we can't be proposing to go in to the season with only three mainstream options, especially with Toal and Forino's injury records. That would be a clear case of cutting corners. We did it after January as well but got away with it. In my view we need to bolster ourselves with an upgrade on all three of the current options by signing a real leader with proven Championship quality. It will make us far more resilient and robust as we move in to those crucial first few months of contact with Championship realities.

They aren't on their own to be fair. I have seen Chile, Uruguay and Paraguay play the same way. Paraguay just the other week against France! My favourite example of Uruguayan shit-housing came in 1986 when they had a man sent off in the first minute against the Jocks but scrapped, kicked and pulled their way to a 0-0 that meant the Jocks departed in the group stage. Again.

Last night was obviously a big disappointment but also a proper reminder of what a dislikeable shower the Argies are. Come on Spain.

I honestly don't think Forss would be a bad signing, he is very experienced at the level and showed us glimpses of his abilities. Offering him a one year deal to supplement that frontline might be worth a thought.

Very, very professional job by Spain. Rock solid goal in each half 2-0 win against a side who have looked fantastic throughout the tournament. The kind of clinical footballing efficiency previously associated with the Germans and Italians. Whoever wins between us and the Argies massively has their work cut out on Sunday.

France are the best team I have seen at this World Cup. However it has been pretty much plain sailing for them - they found Paraguay tough but kept a clean sheet and negotiated it. Teams who look serene game after game at a World Cup can come unstuck.

Ben Broggio, Villa winger being linked. Only 19. On loan in Scotland last season and a Belgian.

Yep and it is showing through. This ere European scout we've got will add to that corporate knowledge base over time hopefully

This bloke looks like a physical/target-man type. Not prolific but at the same time not a poor goalscoring record. Decent age. It's interesting how so many of our signings/links have some connection to the SPL (Watson, Davis, Stephenson). It's clearly an area Fergal built up a real depth of knowledge around in previous roles.

My heart bleeds.

Same age as me by the sounds of it. You are not wrong in what you say but when you compare the Greaves era against what happened in the 60s and early 70s and then after it in the 80s its like chalk and cheese. It was certainly considered successful in its day and stirred big interest in the town.

Aye. Eric Mbappe from Stenhousemuir on a free. Recommended to the club by Gerald Cid.

Big Sam was immense that day, he did everything to try to get us over the line. One of the great things about the BSA management era at Bolton is that one of the great influences on his was Ian Greaves and they occasionally spoke together during the 2000s before Greaves's death. A thread that runs between two of BWFC's most successful eras.

I agree with all that but at the same time given what you say re the injury record it has to represent a bit of a gamble. As you say let's see.