What is the recovery for Diaz injury - is it something he can have physio for - or is it just rest ? If the latter, then unless he is going for a couple of months not really a good indication ? Not saying you are wrong about his injury - but it could just be the club giving him a well earned rest after his exploits for club and country.

I disagree - I think tonight's results show that (outside Fulham) anyone can beat anyone - so our recent poor run has to be viewed in that context. Personally I have no idea where we will end up - there are so many permutations, from suspensions and injuries (both ours and the opposition),the order of fixtures, poor standard of refereeing in the division etc. etc. I wouldn't be surprised to see us in the top 2 (though a lot of things would need to go our way) or as you say outside the top 6.

Everybody qouting Kevin Davies saying he would play Diaz and Gallagher as a front two - need to add the bit where he said just his opinion and that false 9 position had been part of the winning run we went on.

Agree - they could have balanced the books selling Diaz, Rothwell, Nyambe and Lenihan - £30m+ (Diaz being the biggest chunk) - with the contract position as the excuse. Keeping the squad together has cost the club a fortune in lost fees - lets hope it pays off.

Only good thing really - was a further 75 minutes towards full fitness and match sharpness (hopefully only as a sub). Though TM has done it to other players - why kick a player when he is down ?

I am not a fan of how TM has handled Rothwell - obviously I don't know Rothwell as a person, but feel we could have got more out of him sooner if handled better. But it is just an opinion, I'll leave it at that 😉

The second one was the worst - as he didn't need to be ahead of the defender to score. Possibly a sign that he is getting a little anxious - though I thought his general play last night was good.

I thought Rothwell had a superb game - he looked more like the complete centre midfield player than he has done at any time at the club. Begrudgingly you have to give some credit to TM who has often called out his lack of defensive nous to play centre mid. Perhaps he wasn't as effective driving forward as he can be - but offered good balance and workrate.

Rev - I am sure you must remember a side top of the old division 2 - rumours were bookies had stopped taking bets on them for promotion. Even with an experienced league winning manager, and huge transfer budget they only just limped into the top 6 on the final day. These things happen - we were never going to carry on winning match after match - even if TM had made better choices in the transfer window.

What formation did we play on our long unbeaten run ?

I think it is the opposition scoring first - and then sitting back - rather us changing our approach.

Though I agree with you - many on here are saying we have been found out - so (if that is the case) you have to change tactics.

Goals change matches - it would have been a different match if Buckley had scored. Our success so far this season has been built on scoring first - and then hitting on the break. Forest appear to be set up very similar to ourselves - to hit teams on the break - how they would have done if we had scored first - difficult to say.

Not saying there was a reason to drop him - but those stats are misleading - as it is only recently that we have had a right back available to cover for him. I would also argue that the reason we lost last night was down to Buckley not being able to score and Lenihan being a plonker - rather than Nyambe being dropped/rested/whatever the latest TM reason is. Stats always need to be taken in context - or there is a risk of doing a Boris 🙂

The whole match revolved around Buckley's missed chance - score and Forest have to come out of their defensive shell (and stop time wasting). I would love to see the stats for other teams in the Championship - but I do get the impression that the first goal is absolutely crucial - it definitely is for Rovers. As many have said, years after being in the job and moulding this team, TM still doesn't have an effective option when we concede first, other than chucking on forwards (which to be honest isn't always effective - as sometimes building in the pressure on the opposition by keeping them penned in can be just as effective rather than going gung ho (which seems to be TM Plan B).

Huge credit to the 10 men - a huge effort. IMO there isn't too much difference between that game and games during our unbeaten run - other than the rub of the green. Second game we would probably have won if Buckley had taken his chance. I think he needs resting - possibly Dolan coming back to fitness will give us a different option. I would play Gallagher and Diaz in the next match. We all know top 2 was a stretch - but still a chance of top 6.

Not really seen enough of Zeefiick to really comment on who is the better wing back. It is a big call from TM - let's hope it is the right one

For the U23s ? (they don't play until 14th - so he will be very lonely tonight)

I would agree that he seemed to grow into the game. It was a game where we missed Gallagher (not often I would say that). His height to get on Giles crosses may have made all the differences. But for all the criticism of TM - Buckley and Lenihan missed some relatively easy chances - either one had gone in and I feel we would have won the game. It was an opportunity lost - however it was only one game - considering we had so many players having to play after only recently joining the club - it isn't surprising that we have lost a little momentum. Also Rothwell isn't anywhere near as effective when playing against a packed defence - as Swansea were after going down to 10. Having said that, I felt he didn't have a good game at all, possibly a hang over of recent events. The positive - Giles - with him providing the ammunition I could see a forward line of Gallagher and Diaz being very effective. Hopefully his crosses will have more success as his team mates get used to his style of play.

It's really a matter of whether we are lucky 🙂

IF we get promoted, he will deserve all the plaudits going - but did Coyle not get Burnley promoted on a shoestring and without the type of backing TM has had ? I will give him some credit, as he has helped rebuild us back into something loosely resembling a football club. However, you could also say the owners have to take some credit for continuing to invest in the Academy (I know that statement won't sit well with some supporters). I think we will have to be honest - if we are celebrating next season getting thrashed by Man City & Liverpool in the Premiership (not a reflection on Rovers, but the reality for a lot of Premiership clubs) - it will be all about the stars aligning and our clubs long suffering fans finally having something to cheer about. Though biased, I think we deserve it after what Kean and his buddies put the club through.

Interesting to view this window - I think people's opinions are somewhat tainted by Bournemouth's parachute payment fueled attempt at promotion. They can obviously only play 11 players - but they now have great strength in depth. Will they be able to get the balance and team spirit though - only time will tell. For us, we have been unlucky with the Markanday injury, otherwise I think it would be viewed as a good window. But for those that criticise the owners - keeping the team together has cost the club millions in potential lost transfer fees for those players towards the end of their contracts.

I presume that is why Giles is coming in ?

Has to be a striker coming in - would be madness to let Butterworth go otherwise.

I suppose our lack of midfield players depends on whether we play 5-2-3 or 5-3-2. Buckley gives us the ability to play either - a role that conceivably Dack could play. That leaves us with only two midfield players to cover - with Travis and Rothwell as starters - Johnson, Davenport and Edun as cover. TBH right throughout the team we are in the lap of the gods - suspensions, injuries at the wrong time could bite hard. Not certain which position worries me most - Striker or Goalkeeper - because the back up for either position appears a significant down grade