booth

All we need now is for Mercer to say fill your boots lads, it's an away win.

Best squad we've had since going down that, two good goalscorers, and we didn't even threaten the play off spots. I doubt JDT will get as much sympathy.

Probably hiding under there with all those defenders that Mowbray promised.

And we still didn't spend as much as United. Our back four cost less than Newcastle spent on Darren Peacock (oh dear...), and less than Liverpool's defence. Our midfield was a lot less than Leeds. Berg, Le Saux, Wilcox, Hendry, Pearce, Gayle, Atkins. Massive players in that season and cost buttons in comparison to what other clubs were paying. Dalglish spent money but he was a genius at spotting talent. I don't think the argument is that spending money is wrong, it's more that your lot won't accept that you're storming the league because you're spending.

That striker we were desperate for has been swept under the carpet too.

Bowyer... The last time we had a decent squad and two good centre forwards. Imagine if we'd had a good manager in charge back then 😩

Oh for the days when we had a centre forward.

You subbed on a £4m midfielder then two strikers that you signed in January, including a fellow you've pledged to pay €11m for. You threw money on the pitch to avoid a loss. Positivity and team spirit doesn't come cheap.

We did it last year, two managers, two dips after Christmas, many of the same players. We often struggle to perform for two halves of a game, never mind a season.

Been waiting since 2019, I just don't think the lad has got the talent or passion for the game. He's 27 and looks like he's already retired.

It's extraordinarily pathetic. And it happened last January too, and both times we've been in a position to crack on. The difference between the two transfer windows is that this year they managed to make it worse, despite employing a DOF and being even more desperate for goals. At any other club the fans would be going nuts. I think our fanbase has become numb and simply expect it.

Obafemi scored last night. They brought him on and their 11 million euro striker. They've got Rodriguez, Zaoury, Benson and Tella cracking them in regularly. That would create positivity in any team wouldn't it? Or did you mean that Brereton, Gallagher and Vale can compare in terms of the goalscoring talent in their squad? Brereton, Gallagher, Vale, Dack, Dolan vs Rodriguez, Zaoury, Benson, Tella + January arrivals Obafemi and €11m dude.

Double post.

I should have said "youth" players (I meant over seasons, not just this season - last time we signed a striker was 2019). We're relying too much on the academy or other clubs youth. The point is that there's been nowhere near enough investment, and previously the investment hasn't been well spent, I'm sure that much is clear to even the most ardent critic of JDT.

If we're talking about scoring goals I'd say it's more of a talent issue primarily. Teams with a good mentality certainly benefit from signing two goalscorers in the January transfer window. One of which was the goalscorer last night.

I think it's to do with all of the above. Tomasson has been naive on occasion, we are too reliant on young players, we haven't invested in the team enough, our one decent signing in January didn't happen, and the one thing you haven't mentioned is that our previous manager left us with some mediocre and in some cases appallingly bad players. It all adds up.

It's like the "we were better under Mowbray" brigade. Mowbray had far more cash thrown at him and had five full years to impose his ideas on the team. I'm not sure how you can compare the two at the moment. I have issues with Tomasson sometimes and have been frustrated watching Rovers this season, but I'm not going to attribute hypothetical situations or things out of his control just to back my views up. I'm willing to give the guy a chance considering the injuries, lack of backing, squad and player quality. Maybe I'm more lenient because I fully expected a mid to lower table finish with the squad we started with, and how the second half of last season went.

Or, he's saying... "I'm f***ing pissed off at not being backed in January." And so would I be.

That’s why we needed players in January. If we take the 9 points away, do we take the same amount from other teams? Apart from the top two, I imagine they would be in the same poo.

I can’t see how you can compare Mowbray. The squad is of his making, JDT just has to deal with what he has. Also Mowbray had a more settled Brereton, Rothwell for half a season and a more settled defence. He also had a nightmare second half of the season where we couldn’t score goals. I just see this as a continuation of that. It will be a struggle to know what to do with the current squad. When we attack we leave ourselves open and make mistakes. Midfield is lightweight. And if we attack we don’t score many anyway. I believe if we’d seen a few new players in January we would have seen a more attacking side. I’ll repeat something I’ve said before. Why have we brought in a manager who clearly needs investment, if we aren’t going to invest? I can’t blame the manager for such shoddy forward planning.

They don't have Gallagher and a host of young none or rarely scoring wingers! Also Rotherham (20th), Hull (12th), Reading (13th) and Birmingham (18th).

Threw it away in January.

It was more a message to those dickheads in the boardroom really.

That's what happens when you sign decent cover, when your regular players are misfiring.

I think that look is his "getting excited" face.