Norwich have been very impressive. 

Good lesson for the team tonight, shows the standards needed to get promotion, also gives Mowbray a chance to see who’s good enough to play at this level of intensity.

Mowbray very bullish in his interview with Radio Lancs today

https://twitter.com/BBCLancsSport/status/1121436813569216512

Music to the ears of many!

Sounds like he's ready for a busy summer

The 10 Bet logo on the West Bromwich kits looks good! Blends in well.

I think given a full year to design the kits (with the 10 Bet sponsor) I wouldn't be surprised to see the front logo be Red or Navy Blue.

Usually all Umbro designs follow the same template, haven't seen anything from the 19/20 Umbro range yet to make an educated guess.

I also would like to see us revert to the Royal Blue style. Bring the Cambridge blue out every now and again (possibly in the 24/25 season for our 150th?).

Similarly I'd be shocked if next seasons away kit wasn't predominantly red, as its been a couple of seasons now without red being the main change colour.

Also, we were the only team sponsored by Umbro who didn't have a third kit in 2018/19. I'd expect this to change next season, for obvious £/$ reasons!!!

1 hour ago, Swanson said:

I am guessing he is in Netherlands watching some games :

AZ Alkmaar - Heracles. Adrian Dalmau, spanish 25 year old striker with 16 goals for Heracles.

SC Herenveen - VVV-Venlo. Michel Vlap, 21 year old attacking midfielder. 14 goals and 4 assist for Herenveen, he is also 191cm high!

PEC Zwolle - Groningen. Julian Chabot, 21 year old talented CB from Germany.

 

Two goals for Vlap tonight, if Tony is there!

On 30/07/2018 at 11:46, rog of the rovers said:

 

Miscellaneous :  Which ever team he plays for....Harry Chapman to feature in less than 12 games due to injury.

Safest prediction I made all year!

Up there with the best performances this season, richly deserved three points.

Rothwell will grab the plaudits with his goal and effort, still managed to frustrate the hell out of me (especially his two misses in the second half) but he was a menace, if he can consistently hit that level and add an end product, we’ve got a talent on our hands.

That said, my Men of the Match would go to the middle 4, Lenihan, (the oft maligned) Williams, Travis and Reed. In NFL terms they talk about ‘winning in the trenches’ and these four set the tone all over the middle of the park.

Mention too for Bennett, he’s been as poor as anyone the last few months, but his tenacity and leadership tonight was everything we love about him.

Enjoyable night, 99.9% safe..... Hope we can end the season on a positive note.

15 minute cameo from Harry Chapman?

Uninspiring team alert [What I think TM will do]

Raya

Bennett - Nyambe - Lenihan - Bell

Travis - Evans

Reed - Rothwell - Armstrong

Graham

Subs: Dack, Chapman, Leutweiler, Williams, Rodwell, Brereton, Smallwood 

Whilst not writing him off yet by any means, I thought he looked distinctly average yesterday.

Didn't take his opportunity to shine and what was perplexing to me was his lack of end product, I can clearly think of two clear chances in the first half which lead to a tame effort on goal and a poor final ball.

Also, his first touch always seemed to be 5 yards in front of him!!

On glimpses this season and yesterday, he looks a million dollars, but I remain unconvinced.

Didn't Jokanovic turn down West Bromwich?

Why would he come here instead?

Having watched it, pity it took until 75 minutes to start getting the ball down and playing some nice stuff.

Still looked pretty toothless though despite the possession. 

Big summer ahead, many questions need answering, this season can't end soon enough.

10 minutes ago, Sparks Rover said:

Bennet is the problem, Chaddy.  His type, like Jason Lowe, first in training etc, pal of the manager....but in the end, will get you relegated from this level.  Like last time...Bennett was a major part of relegation 

This feels harsh. Bennett only made 17 starts and 7 sub appearances the year we went down, and I remember almost everyone saying ''where has he been all season?'' as he was largely frozen out by 0wen C.

Bennett in 16/17 

17 starts 7 sub

3 League Goals [Same as Mulgrew, Emnes and Joao]

1 League assists

A major part of relegation (in my opinion) was the lack of a defence, a poor goalkeeper for most of the year (Steele), bad attitudes from several players (Emnes, Joao) but primarily the lack of leadership from 0wen C, the sale of Hanley, Duffy, Marshall and the poor quality of players signed (Samuelsen, Byrne, Stokes, Brown, Greer, Feeney).

Bennett wouldn't figure much in any 'Relegation blame' in my opinion.

In response to the excellent video on Sheffield Utd (in the Summer transfer thread) it got me thinking about the best Championship teams we've seen down at Ewood Park in the last few years.

With only Stoke, Derby, Bolton and Swansea to come this season, who have been the best team we've seen at Ewood?

Sheffield Utd would be my vote, ruthlessly efficient as a unit, not surprised they are in contention for the title.

Although the two teams that always stick out in my mind are the Derby County team from 2014/15. Rovers 2-3 Derby, who were sensational that night with Will Hughes and Jamie Ward both magnificent...... cue Bowyer's classic line

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/29137521

and Huddersfield, the year they went up (and we went down) 2017/18. Rovers 1-1 Huddersfield, though how we got a point was daylight robbery. Aaron Mooy, Elias Kachunga and in particular Kasey Palmer (whatever happened to him? ) running the show!

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/38113555

Who would you think was the best Championship side we've seen down at Ewood this season? Or maybe in the recent past?

More youth signings!

Has to put out a positive message to any youngster wanting to join the football club.

Would love to see a team of entirely ''home grown'' players like Middlesbrough did against Fulham in 2006

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/4957456.stm

Statto Alert

This recent run has made for some interesting reading

*At Championship Level

Lambert

P 30 W 10 D 8 L 12 Pts 38

League Win Percentage 33.3%

Points per game 1.27

xPts (Expected Points over a Season) 58

Mowbray 

P 53 W 17 D 17 L 18 Pts 68

League Win Percentage 32.1%

Points per game 1.28

xPts (Expected Points over a Season) 59

58/59 Points usually good for 14th - 16th Place (Based on last 5 seasons)

Was that actually the Under 18s or the Community Trust team?

Why wear last years kit? 

Either way, that's some shocking goalkeeping.

Only 49 days to go til the season ends....

Massive refurbishment needed in the summer.

To use an Americanism, the 'depth chart' on Centre Backs must read as follows.

Mulgrew

Lenihan

Rodwell

Downing [Loan]

Williams

Nyambe

Wharton [Loan]

Grayson [Loan]

Magloire

Doyle

Proving with nobody out on loan, and everyone fit, Magloire is probably 9th choice. Even with the loanees, he's still 6th choice. Desperate times!!

I'm convinced the pairing tomorrow will be Nyambe and Williams, with Bennett at right back. Bell at left back......[shudder] My guess therefore would be the following team. 

Raya

Bennett - Nyambe - Williams - Bell

Smallwood - Evans

Reed - Dack - Armstrong

Graham

Subs - Leutweiler, Magloire, Travis, Rothwell, Conway, Brereton, Nuttall

26 minutes ago, bigbrandjohn said:

Hopefully Mowbray will recall Downing and as always when asked to step in, he will do a sterling job. And everyone will wonder why he was allowed to be loaned out in the first place. 

Paul Downing made a costly error yesterday for Doncaster, which allowed AFC Wimbledon to score.

An error that any of our defenders would have been widely criticised for making.

New signings of a requisite quality in the summer are needed.

Just seen the disallowed ‘goal’ again....

FUMING

https://www.skysports.com/football/blackburn-vs-preston/392964

Watch the video. Time 1:26

Has anyone seen the Graham ‘foul’ again, in the lead up to the disallowed goal?

Looked very harsh in real time. Hoping the footage shows something conclusive to alleviate some of my frustrations.

Similarly with the Nuttall chance....

Best Case Scenario - Turns into one of the world's best players, puts Rovers on the map in India, leading to a swell in supporter numbers, increased interest and funding from that area of the world, back into the Premier League as a major force.

Worst Case Scenario - Not good enough, but forced into the team due to Balaji's dream of having a 'local' play for 'his' football team. Opens the floodgates for more mediocre talent from the sub continent and we slide down the league due to poor quality of footballers.

Most Likely Scenario - Comes over, not good enough, but better for the experience. Unlikely to get a work permit regardless.

Slim pickings at the moment

Danny Graham probably the most deserving, but still 11 games to go (nearly a quarter of the season) so chance for some to stake a claim.

Dack, Armstrong and Reed have shown flashes.

None of the defensive quintet deserve recognition based on our record.

Corry Evans has performed well in patches, but hardly a Player of the Year candidate.

96% of BRFCS members have voted BACK

And let’s be honest, those of us who have been here a while, know this board can be pretty fickle and vociferous at times....which fans messageboard isn’t?

Mowbray had a dream, to build a football team..... let him get on with it!

96% Back based on 56 votes

How anyone could think sacking Mowbray is the right thing to do is beyond me, but football is about opinions and I respectfully disagree.

My thoughts, yes, the recent run has been poor and performances have ebbed and flowed all season, but this year was always about stability, re-establishing the club as a Championship team (on and off the field) whilst rewarding the commitment from those who helped us get out of League One, whilst trying to add wisely to keep the club moving forward.

Personally I wouldn't fancy us to beat any of the current top 6 over two legs/final at Wembley so this ''playoff push'' is a moot point. There's no point getting into the playoffs if you're just making up the numbers.

If by some miracle even then we managed to get into the Premier League we'd be the least prepared team to make the leap since Reading in 2012/13 (who won 6 games all season and finished with 28 points - they've not been in the Premier League since, and are threatened with relegation to League One).

Expectations need to be kept in check, done correctly, the process will take time. 

Current promotion hopefuls

1. Norwich* (last in PL in 2015/2016 - 3 seasons ago)
2. Sheffield United* (last in PL in 2006/07 - 11 seasons ago)
3. Leeds United* (last in PL in 2003/04 - 14 seasons ago)
4. West Bromwich Albion (last in PL in 2017/18 - 1 season ago)
5. Middlesbrough (last in PL in 2016/17 - 2 seasons ago - Only 1 season in last 9 seasons in PL)
6. Bristol City* (never in PL)
7. Derby County (last in PL in 2007/08 - 10 seasons ago - Only 1 season in last 16 seasons in PL)
8. Nottingham Forest* (last in PL in 1998/99 - 20 seasons ago)

* = Club has been in League One in the last 10 years

If on the 18th February 2020 we're in a similar position, then its maybe a question to have, but for now, the rebuild continues.

Having slept on it, still disappointed with the result and complete lack of quality in both of the final thirds.

As said by others it seems to be a real mish-mash team at the moment, players out of position, no set XI and predictable substitutes.

Upgrades needed in the summer, particularly across the back. A LB, CB and RB on the transfer target list, for both depth and competitiveness.

Other reflections:

• Brereton showed some positives, though that miss in the second half was a shocker.
• I've enjoyed watching Craig Conway and championed him on here several times, but he's a winger who needs bodies in the box to be effective, Graham isn't that striker and with Chapman now signed his days are surely numbered
• Dack's form has dipped 
• Travis has been average the last 3 games (Brentford, Bristol City and Reading) he should be held to the same standards as Evans and Smallwood
• Amari'i Bell's goal shouldn't mask another poor performance
• Elliott Bennett should play in the midfield or not at all
• We're 4 or 5 short of being competitive in this league