I found it interesting his comments about him needing to be more commanding. The way he said it made it sound like, our CB's are rubbish in the air so you've got to come claim more things. You look at the first goal on Saturday and there's no way Raya should be coming for that it's miles from his goal. But he's got it in his head that he has to come for that and gets himself stuck in no-mans land, if he stays on his line he saves that. It comes back to the last two transfer windows again, the manager wants to drop Raya due to poor form but can't because he didn't think we needed competition for him. He asking Raya to come for everything because we didn't sign a centre half that can head a ball.

My only hope at this stage is that Mowbray has another tactical shift within him. After the Oldham defeat last season I was very sceptical that he could get us automatic promotion, but he tweaked things and we went on a long run that got us into the promotion race. I'm hoping for a strong end to the season where he learns some of the lesson of this last 20 game run. What I think we'll get is the same old same old.

Think he's available for selection now. Should be in the 18 Saturday.

Interesting that Rich Sharpe seems to think that Williams return from suspension will see us shift to a back 3 at the weekend. Obviously Williams returning is always a bad thing but 3 at the back not sure how I feel about that. I think it would suit Mulgrew playing in the middle of a 3 would expose him to pace a lot less, give us an extra body to deal with crosses into the area, keeps Bell further up the pitch. On the other hand we've not been impressive last few times we've played that formation, and we don't have any decent wing backs. At least it something different-ish? I'm really trying to be positive but I feel that this time next week after the two homes games against North West teams that Mowbeay could completely lose the fanbase.

I don't get this either. Why change the law to give an advantage to the team who committed the foul?

Rodwell can’t play centre mid, his body is knackered. We either keep him as a centre back option or we release him.

Keep saying it Rodwell might get the odd hour in midfield but he's not a long term option for us in centre mid.

Sorry I've misread the initial quote. Your right we were better when we pushed up a bit more. We still weren't good though despite the last 30 mins being an entertaining watch. The tactics at the start of the game were rubbish, you just know we were never going to touch the ball in the final third let alone score it just invites pressure Only read that extract, but thats quite worrying quote from Mowbray, I wonder if the main imput from the players was from Mulgrew. He's the captain after all and he was dreadful vs Boro with the ball over the top. You look at the rest of that back 4 (Bell, Rodwell, Nyambe), they're all mobile. Strikes me of trying to protect Mulgrews sharply declining lack of pace. If they can't cope with their target man 40 yards from goal then he's going to be a bigger threat closer to the goal, sounds like they were more scared of Adams.

The bit that worries me where he's says it worked, it didn't.

If only... try 5 goals in 36 games.

I think it's fitness. You look at them at the end of every game and they look visibly knackered. Some might still be covering the ground but its affecting their game. You also look and our two main attackers aren't 90 mins players. Graham barely moves past 70mins, Dack would've scored the winner on Saturday if he was fitter and usually fades in the last 15-20 mins of games. We don't have an out ball and we don't move the ball well enough to take pressure off.

About time really. They need to nail down what position they think he's going to be a 'star' in and playing there until he gets some confidence. It's really quite sad that the first time we spend over a couple of million since Jordan Rhodes and he's ended up in essentially the reserves.

Doesn’t deserve the brunt that should go to bell. But he made a mistake too. If Lenihan was fit I’d go Nyambe, Lenihan, Rodwell, Bell (still better than Williams)

I went today, and i’d agree with your friends assessment. Thought we were poor today again and was very happy when graham scored as I thought we’d got away with it. Thought mowbray got his team wrong, too negative, 2 defensive wingers and only one subs. Only Reed out of position today so not as bad as last week. We said we’d only score with that team from a set piece or a bit of magic from dack, second half we were better and started winning more second balls, for all Tony’s talk of evolving our style of play we just lump it up to graham. we only really created one chance, and that was Dacks chance in injury time. Even the goals were a bit flukey, Graham’s was a massive defelection, and Charlie’s a corner. a few thoughts on the players Raya maybe should’ve done better for the 2nd goal but I’d need to see it again, Nyambe was solid, Rodwell was okay but outmuscled by their ex dingle striker. Bell is a really weird football, does some good things and makes a lot of errors. Smallwood was alright, Travis gave us some drive, Bennett tracking back was immense tracking back but other little going forward, Reed isn’t a winger and it shows. Dack was a little better today but faded late on, graham had a good game. But we’ve got to talk about Mulgrew. He had another really poor defensive performance, take the first goal, error from Bell, but he backs of Adams so much he allows the shot through his legs. He’s scared of getting done for pace and he’s backing off so deep. It looks like we’re seeing the begging of the end for him. It’s quite sad.

Raya Nyambe Magloire Rodwell Bell Bennett Reed Travis Rothwell Dack Graham Subs: Leutwiler, Mulgrew, Evans, Davenport, Chapman, Armstrong, Nuttall Drop Mulgrew doesn't deserve to start after last week. I'm not writing him off just think he needs to send a message and its a good chance to blood a youngster.

Don't think them being converted midfielders is the reason he'd struggle....

Anything is preferable to him playing

He's never going to be an asset for us in centre mid. I know it'd be great if he could play that role for us but theres a reason why he's rocked up here at 27 when he should be at his peak, thats because he's can't be that player any more. He has to adapt to his new role to continue his career, his body can't handle playing 90 mins in centre mid week in week out, it can barely handle playing CB. I agree that him and Mulgrew are too similar but that's happened due to Lenihan's injury and poor recruitment, really he should be vying for Mulgrews place at left cb and after Mulgrews performance on Sunday he should be ahead of him.

I thought Rodwell played okay yesterday. Mulgrew had his worst game for Rovers, he was really poor and continually got caught out with balls over the top. I don't think that was helped either by some of the positions that Williams takes up. Some of the criticisms i've read here that Rodwell wasn't aggressive enough and that the Titanic turned quicker are extremely harsh and should be aimed at Mulgrew not Rodwell. I'd be dropping Mulgrew next week to send a message even if that means we have to blood Magloire. Rodwell at the moment has a lot of individual traits of a very good centre back but can't quite put it all together, his positioning is not quite there yet. I'd keep starting him and working on him in training and then at the end of the season if he doesn't progress then we release him. Nyambe has to come straight back into the team next week. Interesting that Rich Sharpe said that Mowbray had told him that he taken him out of the firing line after the Birmingham collapse at home. But that was a long time ago now and for all his faults he's an actual right back unlike Bennett who we need on one of the wings. Bell needs to start at left back until the end of the season after which we can buy a new left back, Bell can stay as backup. Williams should be fired from a cannon into the sun . With all the talk about how many goals we concede late on in games I didn't realise how poor our record actually was (worst outside the bottom 3, 1 less than Bolton). If we are to do anything other than stay up next season then we need at least 2 defensive additions probably 3 really.

Another game when I looked at the starting lineup and knew we weren’t getting anything. my guess on Tony’s plan is that the idea was to get in round the side of boro’s back 3 and the wing backs using the two repurposed strikers out there. Williams inclusion I think was due to his Ariel ability against a big side when we lack big Cb’s. Bennett at right back I can’t get my head round because he’s proved every week that he’s not a right back, my guess he trying to mould him into a right back as a long term option. Anyways Mowbray lost us that game with some poor tactical decisions, they completely overran us in midfield and we didn’t have a single touch in their box in the 1st half let alone a shot, pathetic. Then when he did change the shape after 25-30 mins we had Reed as a RWB, Bennett as LWB, Dack In CM and Armstrong and Brereton floating behind. IMO he wasn’t bold enough he should’ve changed the personnel if he was committed to changing shape. Better 2nd half, down to 10 against a tough side to break down we created 2 good chances and should’ve taken one, although they had enough good chances to run away with the game ( fletcher is a handful and rubbish at the same time) Mulgrew was dreadful today and I hope it’s just a blip rather than the beginning of the end. thought Rodwell wasn’t decent before he went of but I may be wrong Williams should’nt play for us again Dack was shunted about too much to make an impact didn’t help that he had to run about more, didn’t look sharp. Evans was poor, Travis was better. Brereton after playing okay on Wednesday went back to looking like he’d won a competition, the fans around me were starting to get on his back tooo which is a worrying sign. Id put him in the under 23’s and promote Butterworth. Reed has tailed off but doesn’t help that he’s constantly plays for of position. my hope is that when Chapman and Davenport are fit they come straight in along with the promotion of some of the under 23’s. Give Rothwell a start next week. tine to start more aggressively fading some of the old guard out

I keep saying it but Bell ain't great but he better than Williams. Williams takes up some of the weirdest positions ive ever seen from a full back, he gets dragged all over the place. He's not good at anything. I assumed that Williams was recalled for his ariel ability with Boro being a pretty big side at set pieces. That was the only reasoning that made sense to me. I'd happily never see him in a Rovers shirt again. He's not even good enough as back up, belongs in League 1.

He wouldn't get a game for them

Doubt either are fit enough, Davenport won’t be too far away, no need to rush chapman back with the problems he’s had.

Don’t get your hopes up, doubt we’ll see him for another month

I don't think he is. He's better in the air that's about it. He's been abysmal this season