I would have gone Downing at Right back. We've no suitable options so I'd have gone for experience. Any highball in to the back post with Buckley challenging is going to be a massive mismatch.

For your opinions in 2018 and 2019 you have obviously been proved correct. I've already said (in my linked post) " If the argument is that he is now proving effective and proving people wrong who said he'd never amount to anything, then I agree." So I'm not sure who is finding your opinion "hard to take" but it's not me, hence why I think you are making a point to other posters in your replies to me. And here's another bit I agree on. Ultimately he's making a bit of a fool out of me at the moment and long may it continue. The only difference of opinions seems to be whether he improved for having a run of games, or had a run of games because he improved.

I posted my link as, rather than type it out again, my reply to you would have been the exact same reply I gave you you about an hour ago. Hence why I just linked to it. The comment you have linked to has no relevance to my post. As I said in my post, I don't really understand what you are arguing here any more. Or if you are still arguing, I don't think your arguing with me. I think your arguing with other people but replying to my posts as though I hold the same viewpoint. ?

https://www.brfcs.com/mb/index.php?/forums/topic/33524-ben-brereton/&do=findComment&comment=2141293

And likewise, he has only had a proper run of games because in the first couple of games this season he actually played well. If he had played well previously he would have had a run of games. Otherwise let's drop Dolan and Elliot and throw Chapman in for 6 games to get match fit.

And in other peoples view it was easily enough time for him to show some potential, which he didn't. I never made a full judgement. I just kept saying that "on what I have seen so far he is pretty shite". I've never been one to not hold my hand up, and he's showing a lot more this season regularly being one of our better performers. I'm not actually sure what the argument is here to be honest. Brereton was poor for 2 seasons and, based on what we saw, many people said as much. Naturally then people give their opinion on whether they think they will improve or make it. It has always happened with practically all players. If the argument is that he wasn't poor in those first 2 season then I completely disagree. If the argument is that he is now proving effective and proving people wrong who said he'd never amount to anything, then I agree. What I did get frustrated by was the fact someone like Chapman would get 10 minutes here, vanish for 4 months and then 10 minutes there, despite showing more for the Unders 23's,. Whereas Ben got a lot more chances. And that was purely because they needed to try to make sure their 'investment' wasn't being squandered, even if it was to the detriment of the team and performances.

I do think it's fair. Until the end of least season, he made 45 appearances for Rovers of which 28 of those were 20 minutes or more game time. I'm sure many of those appearances were weren't always 'chasing a game'. I know its more difficult for an attacking player to show their potential, but I just think in that amount of time on the pitch he should have shown a lot more than he did, regardless of his fee. Regardless, that's history now and he does look a different player, albeit playing in a different role which seems to suit his game far better. As for irony, the reason he's had a decent run in the team is because he has actually performed well. See Tyrhys Dolan. Get an opportunity, take it and you will keep featuring for the first team. If you don't perform you will get bombed out rarely to return like Harry Chapman. Brereton ultimately got a lot more game time than most youngsters because of his price tag. Had he cost £500k he would have been shelved a long time ago.

And Shearer had criticism when he signed because he wasn't Speedie and didn't do an awful lot in pre-season. That's what happens with a lot of players. They then have to get their chance and prove what they can do. Brereton had chances and didn't do that for two whole season. I've posted stats on this thread about how may of his appearances were 25minute+ appearances alongside his starts. It wasn't a string of 5 minute cameo's in which he consistently showed nothing. And yet, whilst people grumbled in the stands to each other about being "a waste of money", he always received support from the Rovers following, so to suggest otherwise is ludicrous. It's going back to the poster who was basically saying "don't state your opinion on a message board if you don't think a player is very good". As for playing in an unnatural position, we thought he came in as a striker. There were calls to play him upfront with Dack or Armstrong in behind. There was quotes from inside Ewood about his finishing being superb in training. He simply doesn't have the touch, technique or instinct to play a goalscoring role. What we are now realising is that his strengths lie outside the penalty box, picking the ball up and driving at opposition. He's more of a Rothwell than an Armstrong, and playing him to his strengths is turning his career around at Ewood. His intentional lack of balance is also proving to be another huge asset too ?

Ok. I'll slow it down for you. You said one on one finishing would stop Armstrong being a 'top striker'. I pointed out Andy Cole wasnt the best one on one but he was a top striker. You said Cole wasnt a top striker. I said that if your expecting Armstrong to be Ibra, Aguero etc.. thats a bit unfair, to which you said- So we are back to the original point that it didnt stop Andy Cole, who was without doubt a great Premier League striker, even if not a 'top' striker by your definition.

It wasn't a dig at anything. I just don't think most people would have seen Mattyblue's interesting post on this thread / forum as not many people visit it. I'm not sure why pointing out the fact it's got far less traffic than the other forums on the board appears to have rattled your cage !

But you said it would stop him being a top striker. When I said it didnt stop Cole you said he wasnt a 'top striker'. Now you are backpeddling a bit claiming it will stop him stepping up to the Premier League. So, again, it didnt stop Cole.

Good spot. Pity this is hidden away in the wasteland of the Concourse.

Ha ha. What a tool. Chapman more chance of an England call up than Dack. ?? Oh wait. That was me. ?

Nick Powell moved for 5.25m from Crewe to Man U in 2012. Assombalonga also moved for around 5m in 2014 to Forest who were in the Championship. I don't think transfer prices have risen that much for league one players. I just think Dack was extra-ordinarily cheap at the price we paid.

If you are saying one on one's will hold Armstrong back from being in the top class Aguero, Ibra, Shearer, Messi, Ronaldo bracket, then I think there's far more to his games he needs to improve upon.

Andy Cole. 175 goals for Rovers, Newcastle and Man United alone. 229 goals in total. England International. Record British transfer. All round top class striker. Dodgy at one on ones.

Someone said the other week that the sides that have beaten us would 'definitely be in the top 6 at the end of the season", as though it was to be expected we would struggle to compete with those sides. Since we lost to those sides, their records have all been iffy. Forest - W1 , D3 , L1 (Failed to be Luton, Derby and Rotherham) Ex Premier League Watford - W1 , D2 , L1 (Failed to beat Wycombe. Lost at Barnsley) Reading - L2 (Lost to Coventry and PNE) Swansea - D1 There's always an excuse when we aren't doing well. Always a reason to leave it for 3 / 6 / 12months. . We needed another proper striker at the club in the summer. I said it was one of the 3 priority signings and got names like Gally and Brereton thrown back at me. If they are leading the line we will always be blunt, unless Dack somehow returns and fits into our formation at the top of his game.

Just looking back through this thread and I think I've found the exact moment the wheels came off this season..... Since then - L L W L L D

In answer to the topic title, tippy tappy shite with an overloaded midfield that is suited to counter attacking, coupled with rancid defending.

Gallagher looks poorer now than he did first time around. He looks less mobile. I don't think he's a player that is improving. That said, the attributes he has shows point to him being more effective up front than stuck out on the wing or dropping deep.

Give him time lads. It is a work in progress lads. Two centre halves that played in our defence when we got relegated four seasons ago. Still playing in our defence tonight. Work in progress.

Holtby wasn't out on his feet. He was our best and most creative player we had. We lost momentum when Gallagher came on and we lost further momentum when Holtby went off. Mowbray masterclass.

16 minutes.

We've lost a lot of momentum since he pulled Elliot inside and put SG out wide. Master stroke.

He has lost the ball every time he has touched it with his feet so far.