10 points off sixth. Would be a logical time to change the manager.

Been totally dominated since the Barnsley changes.

For what it's worth I think we should play 433 against 4 at the back and 3412 against 3 at the back. Gives the team the right balance.

Sorry - Bennett I mean!

Tactically we look a lot better with this 3412 against a 343 than we did with the 433. We're not getting overloaded and we are creating a fair amount of chances. Both sides really technically poor though. Pitch and conditions part of that and that 343 Vs 343 is pretty attritional stuff... Game could go either way. My money is on Buckley coming on for Bentley at some point...

Think it's the right formation but very surprised Bennett is in. Mowbray gives Nyambe a lot of grief about his attacking prowess but both goals against Barnsley last time, and quite a few others, cane from Nyambe skinning his fullback.... Interested to see if Armstrong really do play down the middle or if they play wide.

Yes it's strange - he used to play 3 at the back a lot at his previous clubs, but is avoiding it at the moment like the plague despite it seemingly being needed in certain games.

Why do you say that? JRC look like he will be a very good wing back imo. Great engine, good delivery, can tackle a bit.

A bit more aggressive. If they've got quality down their left I don't think Elliott would be tracking back much... Similarly Downing hasn't got the engine to get up and down any more. We'd have to be pretty comfortable we could stay on top in the game to be secure in that formation imo. On the plus side I would like to see Gallagher and Armstrong as a proper partnership. It's mad they've been at the club 18 months together and we haven't played a proper front two once.

Barnsley are ideally setup to beat us. 343 pressing, hard working, good on the break. Everything we have really struggled against this season. Preston are a case in point - battered them when they were 4231 but got absolutely taken to the cleaners when they switched to 343 last game. 343 is so effective against us as we play quite narrow up top and the middle and we get crowded out, and the full backs who we utterly rely on to supply our width get overloaded by the wing backs and forwards of the oppositions 343. I think Tony on the whole has done well, if not spectacularly, with Rovers. But this sort of situation really frustrates me where it has been obvious since October that we have a very significant issue when playing against 343 but we haven't done anything about it. We should have a plan b (ie. probably switch to 343 or 3412 ourselves) but we don't. Tony seems vaguely aware there is a problem - but then also says "I don't do formations". Hmmm. Expecting us to get done 2-0. If I chose the team it would be Kaminski H-B. Lenihan. Branthwaite Nyambe Travis. Rothwell Douglas Elliott. Dack. Armstrong

For me Lenihan does actually play some decent balls from time to time. Worst passer is Gallagher, absolute garbage. Don't think Ive ever seen him once get his head up to try and pass the ball, let alone actually complete a pass at range. Which makes the whole playing on the wing even more bizarre.

I agree we could easily get someone worse. But.... also feels like we have gone as far as we can with him. We have a decent squad now but not really kicking on in the table. If we just tread water things the team can get demotivated or distracted, and suddenly a mid table team finds itself in a relegation dogfight.... A year ago I was on balance up for giving him more time, but I'd say now it's definitely time to switch. We're probably safe, so could get Damian Johnson to care take while we do a proper full manager search, if we are not already looking with Mowbray in post. Maybe he knows that is already happening in the background and that's why he's looking disengaged? We can hope I suppose.

His body language was really weird tonight, utterly passive (even more so than normal). I'm totally guessing but made me feel something is going on behind the scenes.

Branthwaite's been great last few games but today he's been unbelievably bad. All round a really poor performance today and it's been similar to other poor performances in that it's been against a 343 pressing side who just nullify us. I can accept that happening a few times, but to not have an answer to it after 6 months I really struggle with. I'm not sure Mowbrays even identified it as a problem.

Really don't think going 433 is going to help. If anything it's worse against a back 3...

I think we could just change dynamically in the game to match up without even making any subs... Kaminski Nyambe. Lenihan. Branthwiate Travis Rothwell Davenport. Douglas. Dack. Gallagher. Armstrong. We're getting absolutely mullered by their formation. if we had a decent way to play against 3 at the back we would be in the playoff spots imo.

Same old story of us having absolutely no idea how to handle an opposition with 3 at the back. Front three and midfield getting no space. I would consider changing to 343 or 3412.

D'oh back to be bed for me.... Armstrong will start imo with Dack from the bench. Kaminski Nyambe. Lenihan. Branthwaite. Douglas Travis. Davenport. Rothwell Elliott. Armstrong. Brereton

Pretty certain we will start : Kaminski Nyambe. Lenihan. Branthwaite. Douglas Travis. Davenport. Rothwell Elliott. Dack. Brereton Maybe could have Gallagher up front for Dack if Dack still isn't considered fit.

I don't get the logic of Dack in the midfield at all.... He's one of our two top scorer. We've gone for Mowbrays classic throw every forward on. Edit - now switched to 4231 so Dack can get forward which makes sense.

Harwood Bellis looks a pretty decent right back. Thought he was a CB.

Are we going 343?

It's so hard for the midfield three against 343. No room at all.

Defence looks great, Lenihan and Branthwaite have been superb. Only been caught out when Nyambe has been pretending to be Cafu as his want. Midfield as we always find against teams with 3 at the back has been totally out numbered. We've dealt with that by being a lot more direct than normal which has worked pretty well. Travis has been excellent, Davenport and Rothwell so-so. All forwards have played well. Armstrong superb down the left. Looks like he will score. I would probably change the system at 60 mins when Dack comes on. Go 4231. Tony might stick with the false 9 433, straight swap of Elliott for Dack. With the joy Armstrong I can see the sense in that also. Very even marginal game. Could go either way. But entertaining.

Think it will be Kaminski Nyambe. Lenihan. Branthwaite. Bell Travis. Davenport. Rothwell Elliott. Gallagher. Armstrong. But could equally be Kaminski Nyambe. Lenihan. Branthwaite. Bell Travis. Davenport. Gallagher. Elliott. Rothwell Armstrong. Prediction for the day is Bell has a surprisingly good game as Branthwaite is super solid along side him. 2-2 draw.