joey_big_nose

Think you're right on the team except Holtby for Evans. Unchanged from last game. On the up side I do like the way we can pretty fluidly turn from 4141 to 4231 like we did against Preston around the 35th minute. Gives another string to our bow. We are also likely to rotate Armstrong with Gally up top to use his pace. Again a decent option. On the down side the names on the teamsheet just look like they will concede more than they score away from home no matter the configuration. Put a couple of commanding defenders and a striker who can get 20 a season in there and it's a decent team. But we don't have those players.

"You smash in a goal Tosin, then I'll do the same"

Watched the whole game back on ifollow. Undoubtably we were the better side. Should have scored a couple either side of half tome. Wednesday offered virtually nothing till the last 10 mins when they went direct. A deserved result on the balance of play. However when they did go direct though we were all over the show. Peel off a target man on Nyambe or the full backs and we're in trouble. And I think really that is why we concede so many late goals. We can't handle to direct stuff. They could have scored 3 in the final 10 minutes. How do we sort it out? We need defenders who are solid under the high ball and positionally astute. Only Lenihan I would say is comfortable under a high ball, and his positioning is weak. Williams is positionally okay but weak in the air. Nyambe I don't think can really be a dominant aerial player. Tosin maybe, but looks more comfortable with the ball to feet.

I have to agree with this. If you look at so many of our (few) goals this year they result from Armstrong's pace opening up the opposition. We make more opportunities out of him than any other player except Dack. Wish he was more consistent, but if he was he would be playing at a higher level.

To be fair we used 4141 last week and absolutely battered Preston in the first half, I can see why we gave it another go. Mowbrays bought himself a bit more time with the win but he's gonna have to put a run together.

Wow... But can we not concede!!!!! Please?!?

I like Rothwell but he did nothing last week. Holtby and Downing look much more effective than him. Travis, Downing and Holtby coming back into the side will improve us a lot (I hope anyway).

A loss next game will do it personally. He looks like he knows he's on thin ice. Just a gut feeling.

Preston went route one and we couldn't cope. We would have conceded from other chances. Mowbrays bought the squad, he chooses the players, he trains the team. It's all on him.

Worst sort of loss this. I'd be surprised if Mowbray goes today, but lose the next one and he's gone I think.

This is mental

I don't think we have any effective strikers, Id rather play Holtby, Rothwell, Armstrong and Dack together than drop one of them for Gallagher, Brereton, Graham or Samuel.

Great post. From where I'm sitting, while frustrating, Armstrong consistently creates chances and at least scores some goals so can't be dropped. Gallagher offers virtually nothing. I think we should stick with 4231 and play a front four of Dack, Rothwell, Holtby, Armstrong and stick to it. Get JRC, Buckley and Chapman on as subs. Try and buy a proper striker in Jan. May as well just write Gallagher and Brereton off. Graham looks nearly done too.

I dispute this. I don't think either Gallagher or Brereton played well for other clubs. Gallagher had a decent spell for us but average/poor elsewhere. Brereton has been totally average/poor at Forest.

Tony has made the following 100% factual errors 1) Bought two utterly ineffective strikers for 12m 2) not bought any central defenders despite being low on numbers and quality and it being a clear issue. 3) implemented a new tactical setup that is not effective, now lost and scrambling to figure out a new model On top of that there are the perceptions that we are unfit, that good players are being used poorly, that morale in the dressing room is low. He's a gonna, just a matter of time. He's set out his targets (top six) if we lose 2 out of the next 3 I expect him to be sacked. If he pulls a few results out of the bag he might limp on for a bit but I think he's mortally wounded as I don't think the three things I have spelled out above are solvable quickly enough.

The only time he could have been potted this year would have been on that abject run I'm Feb March. He hasn't had the critical mass of poor results up till now.

Id take Houghton. Would be interested to see what Damian Johnson could do, but a total gamble that could blow up in our faces.

We've got a very strong midfield but we're poor up front, in defence and I have to say the keeper isn't great either.

Have to say Mowbray may well be done. 3 tough games coming up and we are now playing poorer and poorer.

I think we are saying the same thing. You can get up if you find and attract a Farke or Dyche. But can our board and owners do that?

Id say the club's ambition has been reasonable in terms of budget provided and Mowbray is a guy with a previous promotion on the CV. So I think it's a bit unfair to say effort is not being made. I do however agree it is now clear Tony is not likely to get us up. Question is who will? To near guarantee promotion we would need to drop 30m+ which I doubt Venkys will do. Failing that you need to find the magic diamond in the rough manager who can haul you up with an average budget - the next Dyche or Farke. If anyone knows who that is there are 20+ clubs in the championship who would like to know also.

Mowbrays got a good squad together through picking a fair few good players. It would be be quite possible that whoever next comes in will lack that knack. It's not easy. But I agree with the basic point which is that after three years he is unlikely to suddenly turn it around and address the three key weaknesses we have 1- Poor mentality 2- Poor fitness 3- Poor recruitment in key areas despite a decent budget (centreback, centre forward) Agree that the board should be looking closely at the succession plan if they aren't already. Which they probably aren't. My main concern is the odds are we will appoint someone worse. Which is what makes ambivalent about change.

We are a frustrating team. We have a very technically strong team for this level who play good football when on song. Downing, Holtby, Dack can all really play, and I think Armstrong is better than people give him credit for. But we lack consistency, heart and desire. We always look like we can concede soft goals and frequently do, even if the opposition aren't creating chances. It's been like that for a long long time now.

Loss today and I think Mowbray is under serious pressure.

Frustrating