Got to watch out for Eze tomorrow, decent player.

No every keeper... Ever.

Not playing centre forward might help...

He can play with two feet but is a pretty big and robust type of player. Rothwell can turn on a six pence, has great ability to pass and move into space in tight areas. Moves the ball around really well. Personally i see him as the sort of player you build a midfield around as we should have done with Cairney. To waste him out wide would be a great shame, coincidentally, something that Bowyer did with Cairney. Some of our best football this season has been when he has made a start, he allows us to play through the midfield instead of missing it out. Against Sheff UTD we were constantly going long to Graham, we looked far too predictable, lost the midfield battle and ultimately lost the game. Against Bolton first half and at times against WBA we looked far more dangerous when our defenders could pick their heads up and find Rothwell and Palmer, rather than just putting their foot through it. It makes us look better than just another championship side but one capable of actually doing something in this league.

I know TM has clear expectations of his players but i think there needs to be someone who's more technically gifted in there. We always seem to be closing down and chasing without dictating play. Tugay's defensive game was pretty much non existant but he could help us get our foot on the ball and make the other team work. Joe Rothwell might not be the best defensively but he's technically the best midfielder we have, if the defensive side of his game was as good as the rest then he'd still be at Man UTD playing first team football already.

I'd probably be more open to giving Fisher a game in goal than Leutwiller. Give him some valuable first team experience and get him pushing Raya.

Wanna see pretty much the same side against WBA but with Conway benched, DG up front and Nyambe at right back. Nyambe is undropable this season so far IMV.

I think it's harsh to presume his end product is lacking, considering he's only had 4 starts and sometimes played holding midfield. He was unlucky not to have got the goal against Bolton. Should have buried the one st the wekend though.

https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/17186899.rovers-boss-will-keep-making-tough-calls-with-team-selection/?ref=mac Sounds like Mowbray doesn't really fancy Rothwell because he doesn't work as hard as other midfielders we have. I thought he put a real shift in on Saturday. 11 Smallwood's won't win you games Tony!

Impressive tonight apparently and scored a cracking 20 yarder too. He might still find it tough to get in this side at the moment.

Did an unbelievable block towards the end of the game, was almost as good as scoring a goal.

TM is only human, he's got most things right at Rovers but he's only human, he's is going to make the wrong decisions at times, or ones we don't agree with. I've never understood the argument that just because someone is the manager that they know better... Should we say the same for Kean and Coyle then? Fair enough, the manager is in a better position to make the appropiate decisions but it's not possible for every decision to be the correct one, no one is perfect. I know TM is the messiah but that doesn't mean we can't have a healthy debate about his footballing decisions.

It's not that i'm blaming him, far from it, he's assembled a great squad of players that he has to manage and keep happy, it's a tough task. For me, there isn't space for Conway anymore, second half he gave the ball repeatedly and his crosses never beat the first man. That's a space that Brereton could have to get vital minutes.

Burnley did under Dyche as does Wolves manager. Take a look at most teams who get promoted, they tend to clearly know their best 11. Like I said, changes here and there are to be expected down to injuries etc... But no one can realistically expect consistent results when we're making so many regular changes.

I bet TM loses sleep over this one. I know most of us on here do!

We're in a really strange position at the moment, after every result you can't help but be proud of the sheer effort the players put in. One thing that I think is holding us back is that TM still doesn't seem to know his best 11. I honestly believe that consistency will bring consistent results, odd changes here and there are to be expected but i just dont see how we're supposed to get the best out of our better and more technical players when they're being played inconsistently.

Was not impressed at all with the starting 11, this Dack centre forward idea needs to be forgotten about. That aside, i'm over the moon with the result considering the circumstances. Harrison Reed is by far the best player we have, i just fear there's no way we're going to be able to keep him, absolute class. Keep saying it but Joe Rothwell is technically the best player at the club, we look a far better team with him in the side, although he should have buried that chance first half. People get on Smallwood's back, i though he was outstsnding today, not just for his GK performance. As my dad said, i think it just proved a point, he and Evans are too similar, without one of them in the team we looked far more creative. Rodwell again looked very good to me, looks so calm on the ball, never flustered, always finds a pass, hope he and Mulgrew's injury are just minor. I Imagine Raya will miss the remaining games before the international break now.

https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/17008496.tony-mowbray-on-whether-he-feels-rovers-are-a-striker-short/?ref=mac Very rarely i disagree with TM but i can't agree with what he's saying here. We aren't a striker short, he's just being played out wide. The lack of faith in Brereton to come on and step up for Graham i think is going to do a lot of damage to the lad's confidence. He might not be as experienced but he will offer something else different from Graham. Come Saturday, if we're still in the game and he makes the same change i might have to change channel because i can't stomach that substitution, it's painful to watch!

Wrong thread

Interesting. Suppose the difference is that was in the Prem, from the way he speaks you can tell he knows we need more quality to get there. Just hope he puts more faith in JR sooner than later, he's the sort of midfielder you build a team around IMV.

I don't think it's that he doesn't like him more faith in his 'soldiers' that have gotten him this far. Mowbray talks long term about wanting to play more posession football but leaves our most technically gifted player on the bench. Not a criticism, i understand why he does it but sooner or later he's going to have to break up that Smallwood/Evans partnership for Rothwell to play more retention football because Rothwell is simply a better footballer. Graft will only take you so far, we need more quality to control and win that midfield battle because running ourselves ragged for 60 mins is costing us late goals. I'd rather see players like Richie come on when we're trying to protect a lead. I have every faith in Mowbray to make the right decisions eventually.

Can't see us winning this one realistically. West Brom wounded animal and especially if we have Rothwell wasted on the bench and Brereton wasted out wide. Play Nyambe and Rothwell, use Brereton properly and we might be able to get something.

I absolutely love Mogga but i'm sorry, he cost us the game tonight. This Brereton out wide tactic is madness, how's he supposed to step up and fill Grahams shoes out wide? Dack hasn't the pace or physicality to play lone striker. The odd occassion it was played long to Brereton he looked dangerous. Can't understand it at all. Rothwell change was too late. I'll always give credit where it's due but TM has to take this one on the chin for me.

Mowbray on Swansea: “They started with a back three against Villa, but generally they play 4-4-3." Cheating bastards.

Just seen next game is at Leyland F.A. ground against Liverpool next Monday. Might pop down with the dog and have a look.