Blue blood

Yes. There's been a lot of failures too. Even a rejuvenated Ben (who I like) isn't worth £7 million and certainly not a 2 year wait, Gally is a waste of £5 million. Walton must be one of the most costly signings ever in terms of mistakes. And that's not considering what he hasn't brought. Namely defenders. Armstrong and Dack are the huge hits. After that Kaminski and some astute loan signings who have never pushed us over the line.

Yes it was a good show. The first TLC match was good - .a big fan of MacIntyre who sells well and looks a beast at the same time. Lots of innovative spots, a good story and a bit of a curveball.with the Miz in there. Sasha v Carmella was very good. Lots of great counters and near falls. Would have been excellent if Carmella could sell. Still very good mind and Banks is just brilliant. Tag title match was good lots of tag team offence, 4 strong competitors and I like the Hurt Business look. Maybe a longer storyline tease too with Alexander at the end. Again it was good but lacking something to make it great like some of NXTs tag matches. Women's tag title match was solid. Reigns Owens match was good, with a strong storyline if a little long. Personally think they overdid it with 3 sets of interference from Uso. After being taken out - storyline a stomp to the ankle with a chair has historically taken competitors out for longer - 2 more run ins was too much. One final one would have made a much better storyline, surprise and been better for plausibility. The fire match - meh. So yeah a pretty good event. A way off being great and even ignoring the main event disaster the second TLC match could have done with a bit of fine tuning. Solid watch though.

Agree with BDS. In some ways an infirno match isn't totally stupid. I don't think it's easy to do well or leads to great matches but at least it ties into the history of the two competitors. That said a month's build (at best) after years of neither revisiting said beer between them lessens any need for such a match up. Hardly a blowoff to months of ongoing tension. Then there's the result itself. The Fiend comes across as unstoppable until he loses match after match. Totally loses the mystique and power. "Scary" characters are only scary if you think they are unstoppable. The Fiend clearly isn't. As for the ending itself that utterly killed off the Fiend character as he looked totally beaten. Orton didn't survive but crush him. Then there is Orton himself. What are they doing with him? A credible challenger for the title, wins it, and then loses it straight away taking away some dominance. Guess he gets it back after killing the Fiend but that seems a big trade off. Also enjoyable as Orton MacImtyre was am not sure round 4 isn't overkill. The lack of credible challengers on Raw (and Smackdown) is terrible. Poor booking all round. There's no thought beyond 1 month slots for the most part and it's no wonder they are struggling. Shame as there's a lot of talent there.

They do make some odd choices. Personally i think they should have stuck with Pearson. Had them above the relegation zone, and even if they went down he definitely had changed the mood. Would have got them bouncing straight back up. Good managers are key in this league and this seems like a heck of a gamble.

So it's about this time of year that I evaluate our new signings and the manager's nous in the transfer window. Half a season seems a fair crack of the whip for players to bed in and show their ability or lack thereof. The last few years TM has come out very much 50:50 with great signings vs clangers. Perhaps this year may avoid some of the latter. Here goes. Kaminski - 9 Great singing. I mean in comparison to Walton most players would look good but even so he looks very comfortable and fits the style of play well. He's the right age and the fee was reasonable too. Slight reservations he may revisit kicking his team mates genitalia which probably wouldn't do much for team spirit but so far he's done well. Pears - 3 The Middlesbrough welfare fund continues, with this keeper. The plusses, he's not Walton or Leuts, and he's young so will develop. That said paying a fee for a second keeper seems a bit of a waste to me, he is blocking the Greek lad's progress (who on paper looked promising). There's also the minor detail that he didn't look that convincing when he played. Waste of a transfer imo. The Greek ad whose name escapes me - N/A Hasn't played. Shame as on paper looked to have potential. Either he or the Pears signing seems very pointless. Ayala - 6 If it was solely on ability he'd be probably a 7 or 8 as in most games he has looked pretty solid. However, when you have a couple of other injury prone defenders on the books, signing another is not the smartest of news and has led to difficulties. Still it wouldn't be Christmas if Rovers weren't struggling for defenders. Douglas - 2 I think TM makes a lot of clangers in the transfer market but I do feel he has been unlucky with left backs. On paper both Bell and Douglas were astute signings. 2 promotions in 2 years suggests Douglas has something about him. The reality is that he has looked way out of his depth and just as bad as Bell, which is an achievement in a perverse kind of way. Doesn't help that having little cover from his front man at times and the system doesn't suit him, but that makes the transfer ever more of a mistake from TM. Trybull - 5 Really not sure where to call this one and am open to suggestions. Compared to Travis a massive downgrade. Compared to Evans he's streets ahead and not just because he's mostly fit. A tidy player but not one that imposes on games. The most positive thing I can say is that we needed another DM/CM with Travis injured, and he's filled that slot. Downing - 6 Brought in a bit late, and really would have liked to see another defender instead. He has looked decent when he has played though, and so perhaps more of a success than not since re-signing. May well have to revisit his left back role given the other options. Elliott - 9 Only problem is it's a loan. That said we'd never be able to buy him. Been very impressed with ability and attidue - goals, assists and width. Great signing. Dolan - 8 Scoring a bit higher than his impact (which is probably a 6 or 7) as he was got on a free and also is pretty young so will only get better. Very astute signing, regardless of whether it was by error or design. So this year TM to me comes out average, 8 signings with an average score of 6. Again, like most years under TM it seems to be boom or bust, although the notable clangers are fewer than previous years. Again there is the common theme of not enough cover for the defence, and one astute signing per year (Kaminski, Tosin) is not going to be enough in terms of quality or quantity. In fact it seems pretty familiar to last year - some good, some clangers, and not enough work on the defence. Think that may well remain till TM goes. Would be interested in other's thoughts.

Blimey Rev you are being a bit confident with setting the upper limit to 10 goals! (Agree with your valuation of him mind.) He only really scores when central which he gets to do when either he plays centre forward (when on the bench) or when he can massively drift inside when we are battering someone and keeping a position doesn't matter. Neither happens that often and there are £5 million reasons why he will be stuck on the wing and lucky to get over 5 goals a season for us. Incidentally Ben is showing what it looks like to not get too many goals but still contribute more than goals (never thought I would write this!) Carries the ball forward, creates space, gets the odd assist and draws fouls - the guy is enriching the team. (I really never thought I would say that.) Gallagher does none of those things.

It's disgraceful on so many levels. Firstly our attack had got a ton of goals this season (second highest scorers?) so it is utter bull. On that, doesn't said line up include the league's top scorer so it's totally rewriting reality that we struggle to score because we are a young team is horse manure. Secondly its deceptive as he doesn't mention the £5 million pound carthorse he plays on the wing. Gally is neither young nor able yet is conveniently ommited from the analysis. Thirdly theres the issue that aside from the reality of our situation the general principle of young players struggling to score is not true as evidenced throughout the league's and history. Fourthly even if such a link were true, and the strikers were too young to score (must be news to Elliott and Armstrong but there we go) then whose fault is it for fielding a young line up? If they aren't up to the job it's his fault for assembling the squad and selecting the team like that. No culpability, no shame and no truth. Not the actions of an honest guy whatsoever.

Don't mean to pick on you specifically but your excuse about centre backs is all of TMs making. Having three injury prone CBs on the books was asking for such a situation to occur. Also even if it's just an off day for our attack and an unfortunate loss, as your post seems to imply, what about every other game against one of the stronger teams? It's the whole move on with no accountability that is helping to cause this malaise.

Let's be perfectly clear. Venkys pre Mowbray and no accountability are not the only two options. No one, including me is asking for a 5 manager a year circus with political infighting. People just want a bit of accountability and higher standards than currently displayed within the club.

I expect progress within 3 years. I expect not to see players hopelessly out of position. I expect us not to stock up a defence with crocks. I expect us to be able to beat teams above us from time to time. I expect basic idiotic mistakes like letting players chose if they are fit not to be made. I expect good players contract situations to be sorted. I expect us to have a bit of bottle and launch a serious promotion bid. I expect us to not hide behind the excuse of they spent more than us. Boo bloody hoo. Didn't stop Hughes or Souness's teams. (And by that inference TM should get little credit for promotion.) I expect that if Brentford can turn a profit to increase their budget than so can we. On that I expect us to be able to at least match the achievements of Millwall and Preston who both finished above us with inferior budgets. I expect a good balanced squad after free reign and no forced outgoings in 3 years. I expect some sodding accountability for the management. You know targets, performance reviews and other radical measures. I expect us not to arse away money on extensions for dross in an extended season. And I expect some pride in the shirt.

Crazy how little the owners expect from him. Wins, promotions, expensive signings working - don't seem bothered about any of it. Is there another job in football like Rovers?

Have to say if people are thinking TM is a good manager they must be in awe of Warnock and O Neil. Turning round clubs without 3 seasons - unthinkable. The reading manager must also be pretty handy too. Time to get rid because once Nayambe and a few others go we will only be looking downwards...

On what basis insane? Because he is going to get us promoted. There's very little evidence of that. Not sure how it is insane - as in no evidence or logic. If after 3 years you are no nearer to promotion then I don't know when you will be. Hardly insane on any level.

13 months Vs 3 years - the point still stands. It's bad when you try defending TM by quibbling over whether another manager has had 12 or 13 months...

It reflects badly on TM either way. If the squad isn't that good what the hell has he been doing the last 3 years. If it is, then they are underperforming. As it is, very few championship clubs are that good and it's about getting the best from limited resources and playing to their strengths and hiding their weaknesses. A lot of limited players in some of the teams above us but they are used effectively. That's the key and not many of ours are. My biggest gripe with TM is the basic mistakes that we make which we really, really shouldn't. Mistakes like just having injury prone centre halves and letting them decide when they play. Playing Gally as a winger which only bares fruit when we are battering teams. Mistakes like letting Nayambe's contract run down. These are mistakes only an amature would make and yet we make them consistently. As for the not beating top 6 etc. all that's happened is we have got more predictable. We have always been inconsistent under TM, now we are just doing what is expected on paper. The predictability is perhaps making things more frustrating but it is no change. The most worrying unchanging thing is no matter whether GB or TM we bottle it when real chances to progress occur. Today would have pushed us up the league, nearish the playoffs. Coincidence that this is a game blown, against a mediocre at best Stoke side? I don't think so.

Hmm, given how Boro and Stoke are now above us with managers with less than 12 months in the role, you do wonder how TM gets such an easy ride after 3 years plus in the role. Some terrible decisions, basic decisions from the manager, which utterly hinder the team. Taking off arguably our best player in Trybull? Playing Gally on the wing? Needs Ng a midfielder at CB? It really doesn't help us whatsoever.

We got a chance to get near playoffs. No wonder we are struggling...

Outscoring them is the only way to win this. I know technically that's how you best all teams, but what I mean is I can't see us keeping it tight and nicking a goal. It's got high scoring written all over it.

I'll be honest in the circumstances Johnson at CB is as good as it gets. Not sure who else would play there given the physicality of Stoke. It also keeps Nayambe in his best position which is another plus. That said, that we have come to this situation is all too predictable and a poor case of squad construction.

But the other 2 missing was very obvious! And after Travis and Dack we really should be aware long term injuries happen. The problem is that going with so many injury prone defenders means that we have no room for error, no margins for any other long term injuries in defence. It's basically having a strategy that hopes nothing bad/unexpected happens and having no room to manovere when it does.

And we are without centre backs. Who would have thought it? Make make no mistake about it, it makes today so much more difficult. Shame as today is shaping up to be a real opportunity for progress.

We may well do. I missed that! Thought Ayala wasn't fit and that's why Williams started? Glad I got that wrong. Yeah it's going to be ok IF those 2 remain fit but it's a hell of an ask. Even before their respective injury records, centre backs pick up cards it's the nature of their position. Factor in the intense load of games this season and I can't see us getting through this period with just 2 centre backs regardless of who they are. So yeah, not a disaster as yet but we are wobbling on the edge of one.

Agree with you that it might be the biggest squad but my word it isn't balanced! 3 injury prone centre backs meant it didn't take much to, as you say strip us bare, and a collection of the worst left backs really doesn't help us. Not sure what I would do to be honest. Are Stoke still quite a physical side? If so me may need as physical a defence as possible, although not sure who that would include. As for longer term we need defensive reinforcements.

We might as well give up then! It's the same for all clubs. Honestly whilst the owners are our curse and burden, fans standards being so low is depressing to see, and seems as though we are condoning the malaise.

Yeah just saw they lost to Preston. How we lost to them is a mystery and a huge mistake. A win there would have made a huge difference for is in the table. It's results like that which are just as costly as not beating the better teams. (Although they are technically about us, although echo the questions as to how.)