14 minutes ago, Scotland1 said:

Primary and secondry contracts.

Don’t think that it quite works like that.

However this is interesting, both his very quick departure and very quick return, Why?
Did he fall out with Mowbray, has he now fallen out with Cooke?
If both, it doesn’t look good but having said that, Mowbray appears moody and he changes his set up as the wind changes and I can see Charlie not liking that and speaking his mind.  With regard to Cooke, who appears to be a nasty piece of work, anyone could fall out with him, and Charlie who can be volatile maybe gave him a good kicking.  If so I am with Charlie.

31 minutes ago, bob fleming said:

This. Along with 4000’s post. Why buy two strikers for so much money if it was never the intention to play them both, in their normal position at the same time? Why buy so many midfielders when apparently there isn’t one amongst them that can play the Dack role? 

Fully understand that you go with one up front when Dack is fit, but don’t we “need to have different ways of playing”?

Putting Brereton and Gallagher out wide does neither of them any favours - evidently. I’ve said it for months (not on here admittedly!) but no defence would fancy playing against Graham and Gallagher with a team whipping crosses into the box. Or Arma, maybe even Brereton would benefit from playing with a strike partner (why haven’t we even tried this?). We just don’t have that in our locker it would appear. Downing can cross a ball though. Rankin Costello? Chapman? But your limiting your options when there’s only one striker to aim at.

I’d go 4-4-2 and to hell with it. Get organised, disciplined, stick to the system and let the other team worry about us for a change. Wide men drop back in when we don’t have the ball and help the full backs / midfield. 

For whatever reason Mowbray is so negative it’s untrue.  I agree with your comments wholeheartedly but in our set up and by playing so narrow that I believe anyone with a very basic knowledge of football could choose a team of journeymen and set them up to adequately defend against us.

Brereton and Gallagher have not been helped by pushing them wide in unnatural positions but having said that I think that there is enough talent in that squad to be effective in this division, all it needs is the set up to be right.  Unfortunately I am coming to the conclusion that Mowbray is not the man to be able to sort it out.

I have read many, many comments re Brereton on this board like he has no idea, he is not a footballer, he is a waste of money, etc.

However in fairness to the guy I have never had the privilege of seeing him play in his correct position aside from the odd cameo.  He has been played, extremely spasmodically, starting about once every 3 or 4 months and other times brought on as a sub and been asked to play on the wing.

It may be correct that all of the above comments not a footballer, etc. but I can’t make that call as the situation he has been put in has been impossible.  As a result his confidence must be shattered and if Pardew is serious about wanting him on loan then that should be taken for the sake of the club and Brereton himself.  The way he has been treated by Mowbray is disgraceful and he is not the first.  Mowbrays man management skills are appalling and something needs to be done about it.

4 minutes ago, JoeH said:

I disagree completely about Smallwood. He came in, was a star in League One and without him I think there's a real chance we wouldn't have got 2nd place. He was top quality in that division, and for the cost/wage he was on, he was a great signing. Antonsson on a year long loan was a great bit of business, scored some key goals especially away from home, and helped relieve strain going forward on some of our other key players, far from a bad signing for the cost of bringing him here. 

Bradley Johnson is not a flop, that's what the red category was described as, and that's just completely ridiculous to say he's flopped. He's been okay, not great, but far from a flop. 

Johnson is a footballer, however he needs to move into the area because commuting from Blackburn to Derby is too much, too much for anyone let alone an athlete.  For his own sake he must make up his mind if he should embrace us or simply move on.

Alan Judge the third.

This guy is such enormous stature that I can see Mowbray playing him as a target man.

A bit off topic regards Forrest game but I see Mowbray has now challenged Chapman to keep a place on the bench as players return from injury and stating that he has been in the squad due to lack of numbers.

To me that suggests that no matter how well he plays, he is not going to start as a regular.  What incentive is there for Chapman?

Mowbray's man management skills are abysmal at best.  I am certain that if I worked for a clown like that, it would only be for a very limited period.

There is good talent in that squad, unfortunately the set up is wrong.  A half decent manager would get more from them despite having a crap defence and awful goalkeeper.

We need a goalkeeper, wish ref had sent him off.

Well done Herbie.  Thanks for the smile and a very happy new year to you and all who contribute on here.

Far from first memory but one of my favourites.  1969 I think, playing PNE.  Rovers attacking Darren end in first half, George Sharples scores from a header.  I swear he was allowed to run from Shadsworth to score.  Rovers 3 up in first 20 mins.  Won game 4-2?

Was standing on the Riverside with a friend who supported PNE, opposite the 18yd line directly in line with where George made his run.  My friend couldn’t believe it and neither could I.

13 hours ago, Sparks Rover said:

Their stadium is full though.. ours is eerily empty 

Bournemouth capacity is around 11500.  It should be full.

24 minutes ago, Nelsonthedog said:

We need to so more fans attend.. but I think even with prem football the days of 20,000 plus regulars are gone without major investment to excite the fans. If we got back, I'd expect around 15,000 home fans, with the rest of the crowd made to look decent by considerable away attendance.

Although I see your point and to see Ewood  buzzing would be wonderful, there is no need for big crowds to survive in the premiere these days.  Money from outside sources far outstrips money through the turnstiles.  Look at Bournemouth as an example.

17 minutes ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

What's the chances of Mulgrew being back in January ?

God I hope not.  I think I said a central defender.

1 hour ago, iSeeRed said:

Yeah, our priorities in January should be a new keeper, a new right-back and a new left-back.

I think in an ideal world you are absolutely right but in my view we need a centre back as priority.  Two reasons:

1  Don’t know what would happen if we got injuries in that position.  Ok Williams can step in but no way is long term there.

2. Tosin is class and will be back at City next summer, so we need someone in place ready to take his position.

Absolute priority for me

8 hours ago, Parsonblue said:

If Rankin Costello is a League One player - then Chapman is North West Counties level!  Chapman has been dreadful this season with an attitude that stinks.  

However, we still need to play with more width for 2 reasons.

1  we need an outlet for when the ball is won in mid or at the back, options are so limited it’s untrue.

2. Playing so narrow is extremely easy to defend against.

Not sure we have the personnel to play there, but it must be tried.  Armstrong not playing very well but has been asked to play all over at the front.  Time to tell him to show some discipline and hug the right touch line, at least until the next window.

For those of us who think Mowbray has gone beyond his sell by date.  Hope and pray that Middlesbrough get turned over in the lunch time match today.  I feel a Souness situation coming on.

1 hour ago, WIR Second Coming said:

I hope we go on either a really excellent OR really poor run to be honest. I'm sick to death of all this zombie-like meandering around mediocrity.

I want to be excited again when I hear the words 'Blackburn Rovers'.

I long for the day when I no longer peer nervously down the M65 knowing the sixfingeredknuckledragginggoonsofalter-ego have a better manager, better players, and better prospects.

At the moment, I'm not holding my breath - all the signs are there of a long, lingering lurch towards oblivion.

(Am more than happy to be shown otherwise by the boys in Blue and White!)

CMON YOU BLUES!

Meandering around mediocrity.  At the moment we aspire to mediocrity.

Just now, chaddyrovers said:

Still angry about yesterday second half horror show. 

 

Be angry with Mowbray Chaddy.  He has proved that he has a total inability to affect and read games as they are occurring ie he just appears incapable or unable to react to situations until it’s too late.

Yesterday, the game changed more or less at the beginning of the second half, directly as a result of what the PNE manager did.  Did we react?  No.  Was it inevitable they would score? Yes.  By that time our momentum had gone.  He was going to react just before they scored their second but again too late.  As they got that equaliser, you could see by the body language in our lot that we would be leaving with nil points.

Due to poor or non existent recruitment during the last 2 windows, we are not equipped to compete.

My view is we will be relegated unless Mowbray is replaced before the next window.

As I said Chaddy, be angry with Mowbray, he is a dinosaur.

No surprise.  No defence, no bottle.  Pointless trying to shut up shop when you don’t have a defence or the personnel to do it. Comes down to recruitment, when you get rid of defenders, from an already porous team and replace them with midfielders, this is what happens.

I can only see us being relegated unless TM is potted and replaced with someone who can organise a team.  This must be done before the next window or otherwise it will be getting re-aquatinted with Shrewsbury, Blackpool, etc.

Just now, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

I'm not against keeping the ball but the passing has got to be quick and snappy. Most importantly the movement off the ball has got to be top class. All the team have to buy into wanting the ball at all times and making it easy for the bloke in possession to have several options. Basically we've got to be prepared to run a lot more and I doubt ether we've got that degree of desire or athleticism.

Agree with that, our passing is painfully slow.  But looking at the game last night, it is also obvious how easy it is to defend against us as we play so narrow.  The opposing defenders don’t have to run very much to snuff us out which ultimately leads with no one available to accept a pass.  Once in the first half just before they scored, one of our mids picked up a loose ball on the inside right area.  It was perfect for putting it into the left wing but all our players were on the right not out wide and being marked by Birmingham defenders who were just jogging.  Result, our mid gets caught in possession as he has nowhere and no real options available. It was notable that that not one Rovers player was on the left between our 18 yard area and their goal line.

i would back myself to be able to organise Mill Hill third team to defend adequately against us while we are set up as we are.

A vacancy has just become available at Sunderland.  Just saying.

Time to move on Tony.

His recruitment has been awful (far too many in midfield)when everyone certainly on this board and even the Ewood cat who keeps the rat population down on the riverside was calling for defensive players

His set up is abysmal.  Players out of position, no natural wide men and not playing wingbacks who are capable of playing wide. Result is that we are so narrow it makes it really easy to defend against.  I know our strikers are getting stick for lack of goals but I do have a deal of sympathy because there is simply no space for them.  They are also being played out of position much of the time.

The tragedy is that I think we have some very talented players but the team is so unbalanced that it is making life very difficult.

All talk of top 6 finished.

Now hope that there are 3 worse than us.

Defence not consistent enough.

mid field is so narrow it’s untrue, just no width which makes it easy to defend against.

Front line not clinical enough.

Needs a change of formation and quick.  Oh and a proper centre back come Christmas.