Agree with this, I cant think of a single big call hes made with the players. Always picks the most obvious XI. Hasnt punished players for poor performances. Hasnt rested anyone. I dont think hes dropped anyone except when injured/ suspended? Which given the results being relegation form is a bit surprising.

Well I always like to give the manager time and a decent run of games before coming to a view. But I think its fair to say hes not got it. We're not a brilliant team but we have the leagues top scorer and essentially the same set of players who finished seventh last year. If the first XI was disassembled I am pretty sure every player except Pears will get a contract at a mid table Championship club. With the team he should have had two or three more wins by now on the board minimum. I really thought after Leeds he had shown something but a performance like that today is not acceptable.

Surely need to change to four at the back now?

Its not an exact science though is it... If you went back and told everyone on this board that Szmodics would not only replace Diazs goals but more than double them then the pitch forks would be out. Its very hard to predict what happens.

Double post...

I do wonder if the games being more on TV will actually increase attendances. Certainly the trend across English football has been increases in attendances even though more and more games are available on TV up and down the leagues Rovers are going the opposite way but I think that might be more about terrible ownership. Youd think more TV = lower gates but just not been the case. Championship used to have very few games on TV but it's going up and up. Anyone with half a brain has been able to watch every EFL game using a VPN since Covid, but again attendances still going up.... https://www.european-football-statistics.co.uk/attn/nav/attnengleague.htm One of those things that might be counter intuitive? In 2016 100 championship games were on Sky. This year 193....

If the squad stays the same (and I assume someone will buy Szmodics and Carter while Gallager will also leave but let's wait and see) then I would say the priority list is : A genuine goal scoring target man striker A pacy winger with good delivery A reliable goal keeper A creative centre mid A left back (maybe Gent coming back covers this?) An experienced centreback Everyone loves listing that we need 10 signings or whatever which is not realistic. If we could get those 6 before outgoings and they were quality that would make the difference.

Tactically its an awkward one as the team against Leeds performed so well but it was a totally different sort of game as we knew Leeds would attack all game. Wednesday will probably be a lot more defensive.... That said they need the win more than we do so theyll have to commit players forward eventually - though if the clubs around them lose on Saturday they may aim for a point. It really is all about not conceding the first goal. Thats the most important thing by far. So probably setup same way as Leeds, sit deep, but be ready to break quickly. Think it could be quite a dull game.

I liked JDT a lot as the way we played on our day was brilliant... but I am not sure he really was the real deal even if we had backed him. We did well generally against other mid table sides, but we really struggled against motivated teams at the bottom and the top of the table. We only managed to get back into a game after conceding first once or twice over 20+ games. Those are two stats that persisted so long over his 18 month tenure it really make me question whether he has it in him to properly motivate and organise a team. The way we played sometimes verged on the unhinged with three players overloading the far right channel of the pitch but only one player on his own in central midfield. We'd dominate games without converting chances but end up losing over and over again to very soft goals. If he goes on to make a big impact as a manager in England or the big European leagues fair play. But I wouldn't bet my house on it. If I was a hiring CEO looking through his CV there would be as much to worry me as interest me in his time at Rovers.

Totally agree on this. Leeds smashed us at home earlier this season as we gave them so much room. Total opposite today Think off the back of this Eustace has already beaten JDTs record against top six sides? I dont think JDT won a game against the top six? Could be wrong though. Thought we were tactically and performance wise very very good today, and showed some decent offensive quality in the second half. I feared the worst when we went 343 to start, but it worked superbly.

I think to be honest the tactics have been pretty good and worked well. The issue has been on the half dozen good break opportunities we have had we've missed simple passes in the final third.

Well we have gone 352 which I don't think is a good idea, and Hyam has kept his place. But at least McFadz is not starting. Hyam central rather than him RCB should be better. How on earth we get hold of the ball centre of the park I have no idea. One or both of Dolan or Szmodics is going to have to really help Tronstad and JRC out.

Regarding the Wednesday game just been listening to Arte et Labore podcast and they mentioned that Wednesday despite their position have had top 10 form over the last 25 (!!!) games while we have relegation form in that period. Its got me absolutely cacking it.

Always a risk but I dont think ive ever heard of anyone rest players for 8 days away.

Wednesday is 8 days after so I cant see why we would rest anyone.

Agreed with this... While I'm not against three at the back generally I think it has not worked for us at all, mainly as we cant support the front three adequately so we just let the other side come at us over and over and the defence cant cope. We've limited other sides quite well with the back four Bristol City apart so lets just have confidence in that. Id go Pears Brittain. Carter. Wharton. Chrisene JRC. Tronstad Markanday Szmodics. Dolan Gallagher If we come away with anything it will be incredible.

This is the worst preparation for Leeds, all our defensive confidence up in smoke.

I tend to agree... First half we did okay I thought except two horrendous individual errors which is hard to blame the manager for. But the half time changes were extremely stupid - both in terms of bringing our best defender off and leaving the one having a horror show on, and the change of shape to a back three which totally evaporated our ability to create chances.

Wow....

Ooof that js really really really bad from Hyam. Worst performance since Duffy I think. So bizarre he stayed on.

Wharton coming off was weird. But same was Markanday coming off as he seemed like he was doing okay. Moran offering very little.

Well defensively we look more secure but look even worse going forward. Going three at the back in these circumstances doesn't seem the right call. We should go back to Four at the back...

Thought Wharton was the one defender playing well.... Very bizarre

Total self destruction. Feels like there will be opportunities to get back into the game though. We're playing a high line so need Carter on for Hyam for a bit more pace. As well as Hyam being a total liability.