People are only just hearing about him now because of how well they're doing in the CL, I've followed him since he made his debut when he was something ridiculous like 15/16 years old, he made his debut for the national team at 17 years old, starting at centre half,he had an absolute nightmare but it was valuable development experience. The earlier you blood them the earlier they will be ready for first team football and understand the demands of true competitive football. In comparison to German football and Dutch football, 21 years old isn't really that young, obviously these players at this age aren't the finished article but show a high level of maturity. The issue in English football is the money, the pressures to stay in leagues, achieve playoff or European places mean that managers don't want to take risks. Ajax being in the league they're in with only PSV to challenge them, they can afford to take risks. Rovers are in a tricky position, well the manager is anyway. The financial situation is dire, there is no point investing lots of money into the academy if we're not going to give the youth prospects game time to attach some valuations to their names. For me, the playing the youngsters is a model I can really support the manager on, throwing money at players isn't. Recruitment is important of course but in the Championship spending big is dangerous, look at Derby... 8 mill on Waghorn, 11 on Lawrence, are they really any better than Rothwell who cost a few 100k? Not for me. Same goes for Brereton. Being mathematicaly safe, I'd like to see the manager be bold and make one of the youngsters like Buckley or Butterworth captain and give them some real experience.

Just listened to Chris Wilders post match interview "for 2 years we've played to win games and today we took a step backwards and played safe, you're not going to win anything playing like that" Take note Tony Mowbray.

Remember, what media Mowbray says... Manager Mowbray does the other.

I don't think anyone has built him up it's just everyone is expecting that one to go through. I saw him play against Sunderland at the start of the season, big chap seemed OK but impossible to judge a centre half in league 1 to see if he could play in this league.

Did OK but simply not good enough. Needs a league 1 loan to learn on someone else's time, not ours.

I'd give time to Fisher.

Well, we have beaten Leeds, Derby, Forest (twice), Should've beat Villa at home but drew, beat and drew against West Brom. All teams expected to get promoted. Also, our best side is a better side than Wednesday and Hull who we've both beaten too who are also pushing for a playoff place, I truly believe we are better than both of those. The depth probably isn't there but our best 11 if played all season would have had us in and around the playoffs I think. I just hope some lessons have been learned by the manager going into next season.

Right first of all, the POSITIVES. Lennihan and Williams were brilliant. I hope the lesson is learned about Mulgrew, Williams is simply a better CB. They were aggressive, won what they needed to win, a proper centre halves performance from both. Special mention to Bennett, I've slagged him off, especially for his performances at right back but he was my man of the match today, top class performance against some tricky wingers. Rothwell, technically outstanding. Watching him carry the ball for 50 yards is just a pleasure we've been starved of for some many years. Completely changes the dynamic of the team and gives us an Identity. First name on the team sheet from now on hopefully. Now for the NEGATIVES. Although there aren't many, they are bloody critical. BELL AND RAYA ARE LIABILITIES. Both simply cannot be trusted and cannot be on the team sheet next season if TM want us to move forwards. They both did everything to gift them some points. Both of their positional sense is just non existent, Bell doesn't know where he is half the time, he couldn't even clear the ball, Raya gets caught in no man's land far too often, it was just hearts in mouth each time any of them had a simple task to do. Bell only works in a back 5, he can't be trusted in the last line of defence. Raya needs to learn from a better, more experienced keeper because at the moment it's pretty clear that he isn't going to learn by walking into the team every week. He doesn't just need some competition, we need a more reliable keeper that he can fight tooth and nail with and learn from. It's bloody obvious, I hope it's obvious to the manager too because if he doesn't address it then the lad will cost us points no end. He has no calming presence whatsoever and is (along with Bell) complicit in causing us to be at panic stations every time a team attacks us. That aside, a top win and the looks of a team with style, identity and a plan going forwards. COYB!

Bell is Woeful... Jesus christ. THE LAD IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH TONY!!!!!

Raya is a bloody liability. Can't rely on the lad. Not good enough.

Murphy on for them. Nuttall on for us, no chance we will see this out IMO.

Had support, just hasn't a clue the lad.

Raya costing us again. Bell is absolutely awful at defending. Both need replacing and can't be trusted

Bell is awful. Definatley our weak link, they're ruining him. Lad has no positional sense, simply not good enough.

Ahem... Joe Rothwell is magic.

Rothwell gets ball off keeper and proceeds to drive at them for 50 yards and wins a free kick. Such an exciting player.

Almost 1-0 down on their first attack.

Bennet already been skinned and given away a free kick on edge our box.

I'm actually looking forward to watching this team today for the first time in a long time. Bar Bennett at right back we look solid, if we're going to get picked apart then it will occur down the wings. I think we can really hurt this lot today if we win the midfield battle. Trav and Evans need to get the ball forward.

Just sitting in there spreading the ball around, think he'd do a solid job. He has played there for large portions of his career tbf.

You must've missed that stat of points gained with Mulgrew at centre half! Williams is a dogger full back but a decent CB IMO. Rather have him in there at the moment. Quicker and more aggressive, Mulgrew is where he should be from now on.

Anyone else that would have preferred to see Mulgrew in DM than Evans?

He keeps referencing Sheff UTD in the press but we all know by now that what media Mowbray says, manager Mowbray will do the other.

Well, I didn't call him a bad manager, who could? The question from many fans is, is he the man to take us forwards? I'd bet large section of the fan base are unsure, especially after his many blunders the past 2 months. It's been a very public and self inflicted dip in results, with the manager largely to blame. No manager is perfect, I can accept that but what he needs to do is start learning from his mistakes and play to our strengths. Perhaps also reign in the outlandish comments in the press too, currently he's talking a lot of nonsense that I just cant fathom. I hope he gets it right, he's a good bloke, I want to see good people in football succeed, especially at Rovers. That said, it comes back to that same question, at this level, is he good enough? We'll soon find out. If he learns his lessons, plays our strongest side then he'll do OK. If he starts reverting back to chopping and changing after every result and continues to play Smallwood/Evans in midfield... He'll get what he deserves.

Agreed. Williams is actually a decent centre half but a dogger full back. QPR at home Williams was MoM easy whilst at CB. He's quicker, more aggressive and I don't often see him diving in back there, which is good. Think back to how many last ditch tackles Mulgrew has had to throw himself into, one against Stoke certainly sticks out but there are countless others, like Maldini said... It's not the sign of a good defender, if you're having to dive in it just highlights poor positional sense and bad organisation.