Smokedsalmon

We've probably been after double digits in terms of players we've enquired for and it not come off, to be fair. You'd like to think we have at least 3 choices on the go for each spot at any one time.

I'm quietly confident that we agreed the Scott deal mid-way through the transfer window and he's taken 1 look at Warnock's planned window and said "yeah no ta lads". Warnock at first was getting exactly what he wanted - Lumley, Ikpeazu, Crooks et al. Then all of a sudden we've gone in for all these random Europeans and South Americans and he has hardly seemed delighted by it.

Keep imagining because Payero and this new lad will literally never be on the pitch together, put your house on it.

The fact we're gonna have a Champions League and Copa Libertadores midfield pairing sat on the bench watching Howson and Morsy chase shadows for 90 minutes because they've got northern accents (are ya with me?) is gonna be brutal viewing.

The minimum for me is Sporar and a LB. Being greedy, I'd like another striker/winger and a CM.

It's not quite as bad as when we signed Chris Killen and Lee Miller, or when we were relying on freebies like Bart Ogbeche and Maxi Haas.

I'm sure this guy has torn us apart a couple of times before?

Not sure going with 2 strikers who aren't going to get into double figures is a promotion master-plan like, but it is a very Boro thing to do so yeah will probably end up happening.

Man's scored 7 goals in the last 9 years. He is proper, proper dire.

He was quality on Fifa last year. Only reason I'm gonna be upset if we don't get him tbh.

It's so weird to think that, in the same summer, we have signed: Matt Crooks from Rotherham, League 1. Martin Payero from Banfield, Argentine Primera Division. It's the sort of thing I do on FM. Nuts.

We are not good enough to get promoted and there is no point whatsoever in "planning to get promoted" this year, or even the next. It took Brentford how many years? They had to replace their front-line about 4 times and went through 2-3 managers before Frank finally did it. Even if we did get promoted, bringing in a new manager for their first year in the prem with a whole new squad sounds like an implosion waiting to happen.

You and me both know Warnock isn't interested in leaving the club any better than he found it. He's not a Boro man, he's got no loyalty to any club other than Sheffield United, he's here "to do Steve a favour" and "show him what he can do" and have his final hurrah. He definitely thinks we need him more than he needs us, has had that vibe about him since the start.

Surely Bolasie on an expensive 1 year deal whilst Warnock is here is better than trying to sign cheap European guys on half the wages? Our transfer window started exactly how I expected. Freebies and cheap relegated players. Ikpeazu, Crooks, Lumley, Peltier. I thought it'd carry on in the same vein. Then it was Payero, now we're being linked with random guys all over Europe. It's like we've just totally changed track halfway through the window. I'd just love to know what's gone on, really. Did we decide to pull next year's plans forward? When was Scott decided? Was he originally

It's very clear not everybody at the club is singing from the same song-sheet. It's such a weird, weird position to be in, as well. What's the point in signing players like Payero now, and going for people like van Bergen, when Warnock is so clearly stuck in his 1980s attitude towards football? Why not just go ahead and sign Bolasie and Hoilett whilst we could?

Is he Croatian?

It is weird that last week we had deals agreed for a LB, Sporar, and Van Bergen, and we're sat here instead with a kid from non-league. Think we suffer a lot from our reputation for playing boring football, Middlesbrough's location, and our disjointed CEO/chairman/manager/analyst royal rumble mess at deciding who to bring in.

Alright mate, you're right. We've played much better so far. Keeping the ball well, attacking through well drilled rotational patterns, movement, and a nice injection of creativity. We've defended very well, too, keeping some good clean sheets and not giving away silly goals.

Snap your hand off for 10th? Not me, I'm afraid. I accept we are going through a transition, but I'm not going to sit here and celebrate finishing 10th in this league. In the first 4 games, we have played no different - no different - to the end of last season. You can blindly shout FOUR GAMES as much as you want mate, but you can't just will success into existence. We'll see where we are at the end of the season, and that will settle this debate. If we finish in the play-offs under Warnock I'll eat my hat.

The only way he could have not improved on the Woodgate season was if he literally got us relegated. At the end of the day, neither of us have a crystal ball. We will either finish in the play offs, or we won't. If we do, I'll admit he did well. If we don't, I'll be very glad to see the back of him.

We'll finish 12th this year and he'll still bring up Branthwaite kicking Fry in the head. He's never been the same since! Would've gone up there and then, are you with me? Vomit.

Didn't we bring in 3 brand new wingers in the new year who could have taken Tav's place? Maybe he should've signed a back up CB in that time, instead of leaving us with only 2 in the squad? Weird how the manager is in charge of building his team and then bemoans the... lack of depth in his team.

Dael Fry got kicked in the head and so our season collapsed, aye?

We finished 10th, 13 points off the play offs. Again; if you're happy with that mate, all power to you. But that is not a play-off push. By that logic Tony Mowbray was class as well, because we were second in December once.

How is it that everyone has managed to airbrush last season from their brains? Was he not our manager then? Am I tripping? It's like I said in a few threads before the season started; if you're genuinely happy paying your money to watch what Warnock serves up, all power to you. I'm happy for you, I wish I was. Even if I was seeing signs of improvement I'd be satisfied. But I don't. We are no better than we were at the start of last season. If your manager isn't improving you, what is the point?