I hadn't seen this. Yes that is a bit odd indeed. Perhaps nothing and a false alarm, or perhaps signs of unrest. That's the problem with everything going badly - you are much more likely to see the worst in things.

Factor in 2 novice managers of teams low on confidence after initial poor results - a great time to play both teams imo. Excuses excuses even when it's to our advantage.

I think it's more the lack of long term planning - no captain change was poor and no replacement is terrible. A past it Mulgrew is better than no one at all. Even good moves it seems are done badly at the moment. I agree it's very reminiscent of Souness's last days. No visible team or plan, no strategy and a directionless ambiance that's hard to define. Whilst TM has fallen out with less players there seem to be more holes in this squad then the one Souness left behind. Regardless of the tangibility of the air of unease I think many are sending it and that there's something very badly wrong at Rovers (aside from the permanent burden of Venkys) at the moment.

Didn't the Chelsea players tipping point come when he criticised the female doctor? Think she was in a relationship with Ivanovic (sp)? One incident may not lose the dressing room but it can push an unhappy one over the edge.

A number of posters at the match say that's where he began playing in the first half before later moving inside to be a two with Bereton later on. If he didn't (although several posters were said that he was) then I'm glad because that would be utter madness. Still doesn't change the fact he losing the plot albeit I would be slightly less worried if such a clanger wasn't made.

Quite possibly the case. Regardless I think he's pretty injury prone and that should factor into decisions. All squads can take a couple of gambles on injury prone players, especially if they have quality - which Lenihen does, he's our best cb albeit not much of a compliment. But you can't perhaps rely on this as much as we do. Certainly running with only 3 CBs when one is injury prone is madness. Would still keep Lenihen in the squad/team though as the pros ourweigh the cons still imo. Besides 1 keeper (ideally 2) a lb, 2 CBs, Graham and Downing replacements before any transfers out that are forced is quite enough to do in one summer.

The Graham as a left winger tactic is the oddest thing and the biggest sign he is losing it imo. All his other decisions are bad and wrong but not so left field (pardon the pun) as to be madness. The centre back situation is stupid - especially with Lenihen's record - but there is a very miniscule chance no more than one CB gets injured. (Actually I don't think there is on reflection but it is theoretically possible that the injuries won't coincide.) Bennett has played a couple of games at RB as cover before so whilst appalling again there is a bit of previous - it's not totally new. Again, you'd like to thing performances and more than the occasional game there would factor into the decision but still. Graham at left mid though? Why? We've a few players who can play there instead. Graham has to my knowledge never played there before. His main ability is his areal prowess and holding up the ball. He has no pace and isn't really creative. Graham has been great foil for the person in the hole role. So why on earth randomly stick him on the wing, nullifying his strengths, highlighting his weaknesses in a complely new position. At best it is an experiment. But with the raft of players who can play left mid and a host of strikers more suited than Graham to left mid (although not that suited at all, just better than Graham) and Graham being our best target man what's the point in the experiment? It's the most inappropriate badly thought through idea since... Well since the 3 centre backs only idea. This isn't bad judgement but plain stupidity.

This is the truth of the situation! We're stuffed for most formations. 4-4-2 seems best bar it doesn't suit Dack our best player. As you say 4-2-3-1 leaves us with an excess of strikers, 3-5-2 struggling for defenders. It really is a sad indictment of TM's tenure that all formations aren't a natural fit.

Possibly. But I still think we're light. Nayambe might be a CB in that system, but Bennett and the new lad will occupy the wing back slots. Bell is cover lwb but who would be back up rwb? And 4 for 3 places isn't great either. Agree Bennett and Bell would benefit more but I think we're still pretty stuck. Oh for squad planning.

The reason we couldn't try it is we don't have enough centre backs. We've only 3 recognised center backs in the squad! Given we're struggling to put out 2 this weekend, much less 3 I can't see it working. Also are our strikers that good it's worth playing 2 of them? And not sure where Rothwell and Dack fit in that formation. That said the squad's so unbalanced no formation is a good fit.

Yes. Perhaps had instead of have would be better for clarity. I know we lost but it seems like we were/are being presented with a good opportunity at the start of the season. Factor in Charlton was a good opportunity with managerial uncertainty over the summer, had lost a few key players and how that'll have effected their summer, and we really are looking a gift horse in the mouth.

Apparently we're "really thin" with Lenihen and Tosin out. Well I never! Only surprise is that it only took 3 games for this to catch up with us

Well last night taught me my hypothetical horror examples of players out of position weren't daft enough. Really shows how much TM is losing the plot.

Yes they seem in a bit of termoil. Personally I think we have a good start to the season catching both Fulham and Boro when their inexperienced managers are still getting to grips with the championship. Add in their poor form and a home game and we really should be looking at a win. Also TM seems to get a few good results when the pressure is on and after an uninspiring start to the season the pressure is definitely on. We saw this a number of times last season. With all this in mind I predict a win for Rovers. 2-1 or 3-2. No way will we keep a clean sheet but all things point to a win. Much needed imo to stop us getting into a relegation battle early on.

Thanks. That's worse than Bereton out wide. Graham on the wing??? He's loosing it. Graham has none of the qualities of a winger. Madness!

Was Bereton on the wing or up front. Just to say we started another rather positive cup run against Oldham amidst a difficult league start. Just saying...

As you say that right side is horrifically weak. Of all the strikers shunted out wide Gally is the one who will do worst out there and is least suited to it. Mind you questions should be asked if 12 mill later we've still no successor to Graham. I think Gally is the most likely of our strikers to do so and best fit for the team's shape. However it's not easy to become the punch hitter (to borrow a term) in a struggling team.

You've said this before yet admit that Bennett switches off too - your main criticism of Nayambe. Given positionally Bennett is ropey too and Nayambe has better pace I'm struggling to see what Bennett brings to the role. Even if he is better going forward - and as a midfielder he should be - he's not that great in attack (few assists and goals even at right mid) and what we need our full backs to first and foremost defend. Add in that Nayambe is young and likely to improve and it seems obvious to me. Additionally if Bennett is better (and limited which I'm sure most would agree with) then it's another poor recruitment decision by TM not to get a specialist RB in and have to rely on a midfielder.

This is what I don't get. We have investment projects and pay big bucks for it, yet the investment projects we have at the club we don't actually invest in. Seems very contradictory imo and suspicious. Incidentally you could add Rothwell to the list of muck ups too.

Not all players and clearly some players are more suited to some positions than others. Granted changing positions happens and works - Henry to striker and Emerton to RB are 2 which jump out to my mind, but many don't work as players aren't suited to these new positions. For example Bereton is struggling out wide, which isn't really fair to him. Bennett is struggling at RB and I suggest the same - it's not fair on the player. You would rightly recoil in horror if I said we should play Smallwood up front or Graham as a winger and rightly so. So just because some players can shift positions it's very clear that many can't or shouldn't and it can be bad management I'd put Bennett in that category.

Evasive! And that's not true. I may believe the correct decision to get to Scotland is to head south from Leeds but it doesn't make it the right decision. What do you think the evidence shows?

But not quite so clearly and appallingly in the wrong. Being honest Parson do you really think Bennett is better at RB? I think the evidence is pretty damning. It might be his decision to make but it doesn't make it the correct one whatsoever.

I have one talking about Keith Andrews as an all action midfielder on the front. Surely that is worth a few quid... Thanks for the help guys. Any Rovers museum or anything might want them?

Absolutely - having done a lot of work with international students saving face is as important as it gets. That said I so wonder if there's a hiding criminal activity from the early days of their ownership - although with the league's tardiness to discipline again this may be a face saving exercise as well as hiding illegalities.

Cements Bennett's place. non playing captain's exist but are rare - and let's be honest does anyone really think Bennett will be a non playing captain? We might as well rename this thread the goodbye Nayambe thread. Too much competition in midfield for Bennett to play there regularly and there's too many strikers to cram in at right mid. Sad news as I liked Nayambe as a player and Bennett guarentees a couple of horrendous muck ups per game at RB.