Blue blood

Thought about this and I think we are safe this season for a two key reasons. 1 As we have proved this season we are still capable of playing badly and getting the odd result. Sure it's down to the inconsistency and dross in the league, as well as some individual brilliance from a few of our players but we will still pick up some points. 2 We are (I think) about 10 points off relegation. This requires a three game swing where we get nothing and those in the relegation zone get wins. I'm sure we are capable of 3 losses but am equally sure that the teams in the relegation zone won't win 3 on the bounce before we pick up some points. Not a ringing endorsement of the team or manager and take away Armstrong's goals and you would be super worried. But until next season at least we are safe.

Agree. Even 5 or so goals in a season but making 5-10 more for the team would be a massive difference. The problem with Gally isn't just the lack of goals it's his overall lack of contribution to the team/the way we play. Contrast this with Bereton in his very brief run of form. His style suited the team, helped us keep the ball and caused the opposition problems. Gally doesn't even add this. You can be limited and enhance a team - Kuqi and Roberts for example. Gally doesn't add anything, although in fairness out wide and right back he was always going to be up against it in this regard.

Didn't post after last night in this thread as so angry. Thought it couldn't get worse than Preston but I was wrong. So many issues; Firstly the Nayambe situation. If he isn't deemed good enough for the first 18 when people are fit, why has he been at right back for much of the season and why hasn't a replacement been brought? Additionally if our current right back/wing back is playing his first game in months due to injury why was there no backup on the bench. If it is because of a poor performance how on earth did the Everton lad keep his place? Any application of logic (not least the fact Nayambe is hands down our best RB) shows there is no appropriate and professional reason for his omission. This brings me onto the formation. TM talks about identity and consistency and then choses a formation we have hardly ever played and is reliant on two substandard loans to play it. How does that help us? Where's the build or logic in that? Also saying we need to change our formation to counter Barnsley, with all due respect to them, if that's the case we need to pack up and go home! We allegedly model ourselves on Liverpool (presumably their 2021 form and lack of defenders) and it would be akin to them changing their system for an away game at Palace. Good teams don't change their system for mediocre opponents. And certainly not to an unfamiliar system. The two young defenders - meh. Experience is so critical at CB and both are showing their lack of it. Surely for their wages we could have picked up a seasoned Championship pro who knew what he was doing. Tosin mark 2 they ain't. Ironically our best loan is the one who doesn't start! He gets a ton of assists and managed another despite not starting. Evidently contributing is something to be frowned upon. It's not rocket science how to use Elliott. Put him on the wing and watch him get assists. Speaking of contributing without Armstrong's goals we are stuffed. Who else is going to get them? For a good squad on paper we aren't half lacking threats. When he goes - and he will - then we may be looking down not up unless someone gets on their shooting boots. It also helps if you can score in the first half. Honestly tuning in at half time would be a solid move and it's highly worrying that we are getting so few goals and none in the first half. With our fitness issues this seems a recipe for trouble. Then there is Evans. If TM doesn't know he is not the answer 4 years into his reign then he has learned nothing. With Davenport and Rothwell also on the bench, such a move becomes even more bizarre. There is no rational or justification for bringing him on. To summarise I cannot think of so many stupid decisions made in one match for a long, long time. TM has clearly lost the plot and really needs to go. And thats before I even address his scandalous comments.

Absolutely. Another utter and complete lie to make himself look less incompetent. Yes he is less corrupt then Kean but there is very little integrity there. Many of his quotes could pass for Kean's and that speaks volumes. Horrible person. Horrible manager. Get rid

Stackable in itself. Although given how many we go through he could have fooled me.

Aside from anything else, even if we buy his change fairytale, it's a lie. Graham hardly played last season, Dack was out for half of it so we never really played the Dack-Graham combo last season at all. Incidentally it's managerial genius to use both the presence and absence of Dack as excuses at the same time. Get rid. No integrity. No progress. No clue.

Even without this comment which is horrific it's a bad article. The comment shows he has written off a period of time more than most if not all managers get and is totally out of touch with reality - a dew on the grass moment? But even excluding this utter departure from reality it's bad. His list of excuses for inconsistency is terrible - the pitch injuries, Covid. Anything but him really. In fact I have never seen an article with so many excuses in it. TM souring his reputation by the day. Really think he has lost the plot completely.

I don't think it's the height of unreasonableness for Rovers fans to want a manager who doesn't make rediculous mistakes like playing a striker at right back. But then I could be being picky.

That article worries me. Why would we want to be in contract negotiations with Williams, Evans, Bennett, Johnson and Holtby? Only the latter has any sort of merit even thinking about a new contract and tbh I am not convinced by that. Get shot of the lot of them. None of them are worth new contracts. That's a recipe for holding us back and sabotaging the budget. Rothwell, Nayambe and JRC are the only ones we should renew and they are the only three who probably won't want to commit having higher aspirations. If TM offers contracts to any of the others he's more stupid than I thought. Perfect time for a revamp of the squad. Maybe we could afford a couple of proper permanent defensive signings if we get rid of that dross. Why do I bother though. We all know what TM will do.

Doing a mercer but after the knives justifiably coming out after the Preston game from all quarters, TMs survival instincts will kick in and we will get a win. If we don't win it's Nayambe's fault. All the loan lads will get game time. What position they play though is anyone's guess. Armstrong will score for us as no one else will. If you tune in at half time you won't have missed much. 1-0 Rovers as we employ our trademark play badly and fluke a goal tactics that we have seen numerous times this season.

I mean this is a key consideration. We could have the next Messi on our hands with Buckley (I don't think we do btw) and he wouldn't develop being shunted to right back. Likewise with JRC a few stints at left back really isn't going to help his development either.

My thoughts exactly. A loan will show whether there is anything concrete to go with that fantastic potential. It's the only logical outcome of the situation which is why I can't see TM doing it.

When talking about ALL teams?

Yes an imperfect metaphor. Twice in a window?

Yes. That performance gave me real belief. Just look at the difference in form since then though. Shame as that was a great time to kick on.

On the set piece thing I do wonder if TMs motto is every little hinders. If it could give us an advantage, let's not use it. Players out of position, not using set pieces well, regularly changing formation and first 11. All guaranteed to hamper what is a talented squad. Remember the days under Big Sam when the opposition bricked it and we all got excited every time we got a corner. Remember under Hughes getting excited every time we got a free kick or corner too with MGP's deliveries. Even under TM with Mulgrew you got excited at set pieces (mainly free kicks) as well. How can he not see, especially having experienced it, how important these are?

Whilst I agree TM is as safe as houses when we are using Nixon as a reliable source we've got issues. Stopped watch seems to be the best phrase to sum up that hack.

Annoyingly this run of winnable games could have propelled us into the playoffs. However losses to PNE and QPR have seen us well and truly in the mire of mid-table and even a couple of wins won't make that much difference now at the final outcome. On a seperate note, and I may be overlooking a game, when was our last really good performance? Can't think of many since our early thrashings and the Preston away game. That speaks volumes to me.

Sorry chaps you are all wrong about the coldest place for football. It is clearly Carlisle. Went to a January midweek evening game once whilst I was living up there and to say it was artic was an understatement! Carlisle has its own subzero microclimate at the best of times. An evening game.in mid winter was something else all together. I don't think I have ever been that cold before or since. (Tbf the feet frozen to the terraces does sound pretty bad.) As for goals scored we really are flat track bullies (to mix sports.) We've a few convincing results which make us look good but also a load of scabby wins by a solitary goal often against the run of play.

Great list albeit I probably wouldn't want Hughes on there as the past few years he has been very hit and miss. But would still prefer him to TM. Had we moved a bit sooner we could have had McCarthy or Grayson both of whom were available. The latter may seem.a bit of a risk but 4 promotions and having worked for some batnuts owners before is nothing to be sniffed at and is preferable to TM and his genius ideas. Being an ex Rover and familiar with the club may help as well. A bit of a risk given his last couple of jobs haven't worked out but a gamble I would have taken over TM.

1) I think it is worth the risk as he is a good manager and may be able to hold it together in a once a year sort of thing. Surely he has to do that even in a hands off club like Leicester? 2) if it does go south I would LOVE to be in that meeting between Venkys and Pearson. Maybe he gives them a few home truths. This is beginning to sound like a plan without any drawbacks. The job he did at Watford was very good imo.

Yeah in fairness TM adds much more intreague to proceedings. Not sure I've ever seen a McCarthy team and wondered how many different formations they will use in a match or what position the £5 million pound striker will play. TM certainly is far less boring in that respect I'm give them that.

TM can only dream of McCarthys success. Several promotions to the Prem, managing an international side in (and to?) a major tournament, getting Ipswich punching above their weight. He's not an excellent manager but far better than Mr "I can play every player in the squad at right back".

Yes however if TM continues to play a centre forward at right back I'd say his name deserves to be in that company. And let's be clear for all the faults of the above list not one of them has made such a stupid error as playing a striker at rb. TM is clearly losing the plot. Whatever the relative merits of what he has done previously, TM has now lost the plot. The present is a nightmare with bizare formations, line ups and players out of position on a regular basis. Whether you think it Souness-esque after glory years of the culmination of years of mediocracy is largely irrelevant. The fact is that now is a chaotic head- scratching mess that needs ending asap.

See I agree about Venkys but then no other manager would play Buckley or Gally at rb and Elliott as a false 9. Literally none. So even if the next guy isn't the level we would want he cannot make dafter decisions. Gally at rb is like having a taxi driver who drives with his eyes closed. Doesn't matter how great the car he has assembled or how good his manouvreing is when he is focussed, they are a liability and a danger for you. Same with TM - regardless of squad or past achievements when you play your striker at rb you know that you have issues.