joey_big_nose

Id aim to get back to the 352 personally, it suits us when everyone is fit. Just been stupid we have stuck with it without Alebiouso, Hedges, Gudjonsen. We absolutely have to sign a left wing back. But I can see the money men saying - quite logically - that we have to shift two out of Riberio, Pickering and De Neve first.

He can be quite good on form. I wasn't a fan last season but this year August to October he was quite good, and surprised me by being motivated by the captaincy and clearly his intensity upping a bit. But then got injured and off the boil again (although to be fair to him he still works very hard). Not worth the money imo. If he was unavailable and we played Baradji and Mori as the attacking mids I wouldn't expect any real change in the quality of our attack. Maybe be a bit better on recent form.

Yes this is true - performance similar to where we were in October - competivie but very blunt going forward. Do feel that Watford were really really poor though. A better team could have hurt us quite easily. But then again Watford are top eight so maybe this is the standard. Need Gudjonsen back to give us a bit of threat. And we need to figure out what we are doing down the left side - its a real mess without Hedges. We can't end the window without having something serviceable there - we've got four (!!!!!!!!) left backs / wing backs and they all can't do the job - i.e. be able to both defend or get forward across the full length of the pitch - at LWB (Cashin, Pickering, RIberio, De Neve). That said if we're looking to get an attacking option on at LWB at the end of the game like today surely Powell would have been a better option. How did he not make the bench? He looked pretty good against Swansea.

I really doubt anyone will fancy him and his wages in the UK. Could see a Saudi club or something like that going for him.

Cantwell has been so poor today. Since his injury hes been a total waste of space. No lack of effort or interest, just gets so many simple passes completely wrong.

Looked better more central... Maybe swap him and Ohashi round would make more sense?

Im pretty confused by our formation... I think its 343 but Mori doing absolutely nothing to provide cover for Cashin. And Jorgensen looks pretty lost. If i was the Watford manager id focus on getfing down the channels. Alebiouso could make a massive impact I think. Is powell not available? I thought bringing him in left side would make sense.

Yeah but he can control the ball and and pick a good pass. I think Id rather have him in than the other options.

Think we're back to 4231 Toth Miller O'Riordan. McLoughlin. Cashin Forshaw Tronstad Mori. Cantwell Jorgensen Ohashi Worried how slow Cashin is though...

Given our track record on rejecting keepers I am fully expecting Pears to surprise us all and get premier league games like Steele, Walton, Raya.

Its a spectrum, and having Hyam in the squad would move us towards the positive end of it. When you step back and think we let all of Hyam, Dolan, Baath, Travis, Brittain, Wieman go in one fell swoop and got two players with Championship experience (and then not as first XI players) in TGH and McLoughlin that is pretty radical.

For me last 5 games or so there has been a really noticeable dip in intensity and confidence. I would say a combination of : - The key players for the system to work are unavailable (Alebiousu, Hedges, Gudjonsen. To some extent Mori as well) - Exhaustion from so many games, and so many young players coming in, and lack of battle hardened experience in the squad of coping with 14 games in 9 weeks or whatever madness it is. - Crucially, the senior players (which given all the injuries and disastrous transfer policy etc is basically just Tronstad and Ohashi) have lost belief in the manager. We've weakened and weakened ourselves, but managed to look reasonably competitive in midfield and defence up till October-ish. But now - very very very predictably - just got to the point where the whole squad is broken, moral sapping away, and we just don't have any experience to help dig us out.

On ismael i was somewhat sympathetic that he could only play the cards he has. But since Alebiouso and Hedges becoming unavailable his desire to continue with 352 has been really bizarre, even more so when Gudjonsen got injured. We just dont have the available players, but he persists.

I think to stay up we need Alebiouso to come back as good as before and hedges to rise from the dead. Without those two we are completely done imo.

A small positive is Jorgensen - looks like he can beat a defender and create his own opportunities.

On the plus side this will focus minds before Saturday...

Well 1-1 but we got absolutely battered!

We've gone from competitive but toothless a couple of months ago to not competitive at all anywhere now. We genuinely do look like we are going down. We look absolutely outclassed.

The only highlight this season is how well the academy grads have done, so hope Powell, O'Riordan and Doherty continue that. Still totally confusing Pratt doesn't get in? Thought he more than proved himself.

Does really feel like the wheels are coming off now. We are looking for Powell to come in and impress. In terms of completed Championship games this XI must have a really really low number? Lowest ever for Rovers since we came down from the Prem? Only Ohashi, Tronstad and McLoughlin have done more than a season I think.

With the way the tv money is vastly expanding and the financial gap between Premier League and Championship widening its more about timing really. The resources to bridge the gap and growing year on year. There are a bunch of clubs who made it the mid to end 2010 and have managed to stick or yoyo (Brighton, Brentford, Bournemouth, Palace, Burnley, Sheff Utd, Wolves). But recent years the only new club in who has stuck a bit is Forest and they spent mega money. Will be interesting of Leeds and Sunderland can last.

Football isnt all about physical attributes, but Cashin seeming to be both slow and relatively small is a big hurdle to get over. Its very puzzling as we brought in Pratt as we thought Riberio and Pickering were too small and slow for LCB but then have pulled in Cashin. Feels like maybe we have knee jerked to bring in experience, but not fully considered the implications.

If Alebiouso is back thats absolutely massive. Hope he makes it.

Not relly sure what the thinking is with forcing Pratt out of the team. Pratts looked really reliable to me. Really puzzling that weve spent money/waged on Cashin who looks a bit of a liability. A lot slower than Pratt, less height. More quality on the ball maybe but i dont think thats the priority.... One positive for us has been generally defensively we have been okay but today really poor. Very lucky Ipswich didnt score a couple more. If we lose that defensive competence we are in huge trouble.

Even if thats the case overall i am not really sure Riberio or Pickering are better choices in the lwb role as they cant do it either.