So he could have played but TM thought we would get away with it ("unless we need him").

Clearly never listen to Danny Graham. And of the three games in a week debate, the striker said: “It’s getting a bit boring to be honest. “I’ve played three games in a week already this season. “Everyone goes on about me being 33, it doesn’t matter how old you are as long as you keep yourself fit and right. “I feel as though I’m fitter now than I ever have been at this football club so I think three games in a week is fine for me. “If other people want to talk about it then that’s fine. “In the past the gaffer has even changed players who you think would play three games in a week so it doesn’t make a difference.” Of course, Danny Graham is always going to say that isn't he. And Mowbray is always going to say he was too tired when he drops a tactically clanger like on Wednesday.

This "coming from a lower league so be patient" theme is another thing that I have some issue with. I do not blame Mowbray at all for relegation. Had he come in 2 or 3 games earlier we would probably have stopped up. The team that season were good enough to stay in the league under Mowbray but were undone by Coyle. He's kept a lot of the team together and has replaced from the lineup that went down at Brentford:- • Lowe with Smallwood • Guthrie with Reed • Gallagher with Dack • Ward with Rodwell. He's shifted out some of the deadwood and, in the instances above, has improved the starting XI. Out of the above, only Dack had no Championship experience - and he has taken to it perfectly. Therefore why are we talking like we are a team such as Southend who are playing at a new level for the first time in 25 years. We shouldn't have gone down last time, we have improved since and the players all know what the Championship is about. It's an excuse. Think big.

I'd be happy if Nyambe was at RB, starting from Sunday. Would I sell? Depends if we had someone lined up. If TM has his eye on someone who he felt was superior, would not cost significantly more, and the only way to get him was to sell then I possibly would. But that probably applies to all positions ! Purely on picking a team to win a game, I would play with Williams as I think he is the best of two poor defenders. I've said this all along but his displays at Preston / Wigan were so bad that I started to change opinion. However after seeing the Bristol City and then the Reading games, for me it's clear he's a generally better player than Bell. The dilemma is that I think we obviously need a better player for left back at this level, and there's probably more re-sale potential in Bell. As they are both dodgy, I'd maybe play Bell as the more games he plays, the more he will be classed as having Championship experience. Next season, I really hope we have new left back in and one of these two has left. From a playing perspective I'd like to see Mulgrew and a Samba / Dann / Duffy style bigger defender. I'd still like to have Lenihan as cover. However, if the business model is bring players through and sell for a profit to keep within FFP, then we'd have to keep playing Lenihan until his value is at his peak. Good thread.

Good point well made.

Graham says he can play three times a week. He did it last year. He wasnt injured. He could have started yesterday if required. The fact is Mowbray was never going to say Graham and Dack could have played but he thought the team he put out was tactically better suited to getting a result. We didn't start with our goalscorers and didn't score goals. You keep mentioning the chances we created but all this does is re-inforce the folly of leaving DG on the bench. You can spout all the superfan rose-tinted shite you want but, for the posession and positions we created, the result itself speaks volumes.

If we'd have won last night, we'd only have been 5 points behind 6th place Middlesboro with them coming to Ewood on Sunday. But we lost - because he thought Danny Graham "looked fatigued"

I thought the general play from Rovers until their box was good and the work rate to win the ball back ezceptional, albeit helped by a suicidal Reading strategy to play it out from the back when the players clearly aren't good enough.

He was shattered on Saturday. Its Wednesday night now !! Ridiculous decision to bench them which blunted our threat and contributed to us losing a game we dominated.

WHAT HAPPENED was we created chances that the players Mowbray picked weren't good enough to score. Therefore we lost a third consecutive game, this time to a team in the relegation zone. What we are asking is why dack and Graham were dropped because we all believe, including you I suspect, that they would have been more likely to put those chances away.

Played well by comparison to previous performances. Looked up for it with some great first touches to turn away from defenders. Good cut back to set up a chance after a poor ball by Armstrong. Faded after about half an hour. Fell over a lot. Missed sitter.

Mowbray has said: "We controlled it but didn't have any end product in the final third, the final 20 yards wasnt good." I wonder why? There quite a lot of Mowbrays quotes from tonight on the LT but the main question, why leave your main source of goals on the benchmark, is not touched upon. Worringly, he says on the official site "The drive of ..... Conway was unbelievable"

And there is 25 seconds added. How do they get away without being questIoned about this. Happens nearly every game you watch. it just encourages teams to waste time.

My usual pet hate. There should be another 60 seconds at least added on here due to this ball farce.

2-1 Reading Are we learning Rodwell isn't a defender yet.

He tried to cross it along the six yard box and put it in the top corner by mistake.

Best left back since Le Saux

Amari Bell is a football genius ?

Raya in no mans land again. Reading miss sitter of a header..

I've been impressed with his barrel rolls though once he goes down.

I suppose when you leave two players with 21 goals between them on the bench, then dominate a half and can't score, you deserve a bit of stick.

Williams has always been better than Bell. I've said it since day one. Neither are good enough for this level.

About right. Lack of cutting edge going forward and then sucker punch at the end.

Worry not. "Clear the air talks" are booked in for tomorrow.

Imagine if we were Reading fans !