15 hours ago, Oldgregg86 said:

Yes I agree. Is everyone agreeing it’s Tony’s job to counteract these things when players are injured/missing and use the squad accordingly with all this in mind as well as the opposition where playing to nullify there threat and play to our strengths with the players we have available not starting Evans and playing fecking Gallagher on the wing. Leaving our best RB off the field and everything else everyone has constantly reiterated for the last three feckin years. I feel like I’m banging my head against a wall trying to understand an unreasonable ex wife . Tony is ex wife material. I loved him once but I’m struggling to see why

I said this after the last match.  4-3-3, or 4-2-3-1 it’s all the same really.  It’s just the direction from the gaffer on players selected, player roles and expectations.  Against the top sides we can’t select the same teams with the same directives as the bottom feeders. It’s abundantly clear our back 4 don’t have the quality required to boss the Watfords and Readings of the league. In both matches our center half’s needed cover, both in front of them and out wide. 

Anyone want to admit the pressing 4-3-3 line up is leaving out center half’s exposed.  Maybe with Travis back we could play this way but Johnson and Evans don’t provide enough cover for our outside backs to be so advanced.  Add to that our captain certainly isn’t good enough to be left even numbers.  

2 hours ago, joey_big_nose said:

Can't see the logic personally in moving away from the 433 that seems so good for us.

I guess you can put the names on paper however you like but the mid 3 are all fairly central, one has more defensive responsibilities, while the other two more freedom to operate. One more advanced and the other a bit deeper. The wide advanced players also have defensive responsibilities to cover the backs.  So 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 it’s really the same. 

20 minutes ago, joey_big_nose said:

Yes. What's really interesting is if everyone is fit it's very hard to pick a best team. I'd probably go :

                      Kaminski

   JRC    Lenihan.   Williams.  Douglas

           Holtby.   Trybull.  Travis

        Armstrong.   Dack.   Brereton.

But then I'm leaving out Elliot, Johnson, Rothwell, Dolan, Ayala who all have looked really good, and Nyambe who I really rate also. Any of them you could put in there without much argument.

It's amazing really. What a great young attacking squad we have.

For me it’s:  

Nyambe Lenihan Williams Dougless

                    Travis Holtby

elliot.                  Dack.               Brereton

                          Arma 

I think we would be exposed at the back with both JRC and Douglass against stronger sides. Also think Arma has earned the center forward role and Dack will be just fine playing off him. 
 

really a good problem to have trying to leave a quality player out vs years past where we couldn’t find a quality player to put in 

6 minutes ago, joey_big_nose said:

I think against a better team than Coventry we will struggle expecting Johnson to go box to box. Rothwell will come back into that role I am sure because he can cover the ground so effectively.

I think Mowbray won't change a winning team (as he shouldn't) but Rothwell will come back in eventually.

Agreed, we can be exposed in the counter.  It was very apparent vs Watford. Johnson doesn’t have the motor or pace to provide sufficient cover in front of the center half’s when the backs push up. Add to that, the final product from Bell and Naymbe are often times so poor and easily dealt with it’s almost begs for a quick break. That role is best filled by Travis as he will do much better providing cover and breaking up the quick transition. 

Decent strike there Ben

52 minutes ago, HowieFive0 said:

More important  ..how has Harvey got past Mowbray with a hairstyle like that ...? Questions need to be asked and answered ...

He saw an image thought it was a photo of Gallagher playing out wide.  He thought maybe if we play Harvey out there everyone will think it's the lad I spent $7 million quid on

2 hours ago, rovers11 said:

Harvey will play. No way Liverpool would have let him come here without some kind of verbal promise that Harvey will get game time, especially as they had no intention of letting him go until TM put up a strong case. Him and Dolan will compete for the right attacking spot. 

The signings today probably spell the end for Davenport and Chapman. 

 

Maybe Evans too?

11 hours ago, JoeH said:

From the opinions of our Norway contingent, this really isn't a deal that excites me big time. If he's not much better than Bell, at 29, what's the point? Hopefully he's actually an improvement

If we’re going to sign a Norwegian left back, might as well be the best one in the country on a free...even if he’s not better than Bell, we need cover at left back anyway. 

19 minutes ago, JacknOry said:

if you're a proper LB and told that, you go to another side that guarantees you will be in the side over an inferior player in the squad. Ala Bauer. 

That player has no ambition or drive and will never amount to anything.  Would said player also like a guarantee that no one will be brought in to challenge their spot? You either believe in your own ability and work ethic or you don’t. 

5 hours ago, JacknOry said:

LB definitely has to be an upgrade - and a big one. 

What I don't like how he says this stuff is that it is no wonder we lose out to so many signings at the last minute. new signings are being told they have to fight their way in. It may be true but you don't say that. 

If you’re a proper LB, are told you will have to earn your name on the team sheet and know that only Bell is between you and match time, that should not be a deterrent from putting pen to paper. If a player doesn’t think they can beat out Bell, and sees his presence as restricting his chances, do we really want them on the side?  

Checked in on the Noblers forum to see what they thought of Dolan. 
 

Seem to think he wouldn’t make the bench in their side. The delusion of fans never seems to amaze. 

6 hours ago, joey_big_nose said:

I just can't see any manager wanting Dack in a middle 3 when he scores so many goals.  Reckon when everyone's fit/bought it will be something like :

                         Kaminski

Nyambe.   Lenihan.    Ayala.  Cunningham?

               Travis.  Holtby.  Johnson

              Dolan.     Dack.   Armstrong.

Subs : Pears?, Williams, Rothwell, Evans, JRC, Gallagher, Brereton

Decent team that. Though it has to be said a bit weird. 

Too many players not out of position for TM to pick that side. Not much hold up play in that front 3 though. 

6 hours ago, davulsukur said:

So, another silent day on the transfer front for us.

Didn’t we sign the former man city keeper Fran something or other?  Good to have our #2 sorted

14 minutes ago, bluebruce said:

Davenport only needed to go for either corner and instead went down the middle (probably unintentionally). Think it was a bit of a bottle job, having been out for so long, waiting for his chance, then having the opportunity to beat possibly the best side in the league with one touch...

Gally actually played well, one of his best showings. He and Rothwell looked motivated and tidy, stark contrast to how they've been lately.

Both seemed to need a boot up their arse and motivation to compete for their place.  Gally in particular might have been too comfortable seeing his name on the sheet every day.  

It's hard to second guess the line up as we have no idea who is fit, who trained hard during the lock down and who sat on their ass eating bon bons

22 minutes ago, Doogs said:

How many clubs today will start with their leading goalscorer from last season, and this season both on the bench?

Didnt Kun start on the bench for city mid week?

On 10/03/2020 at 02:16, JoeH said:

Just not true. This squad is nothing like 3rd. 

I think you need to reread the comment 

Any chance this means matches extend further into summer?  Could allow Holtby to recover and be available, no?

13 hours ago, JoeH said:

3rd by a long chalk is taking the mick something rotten. This is a squad that would have to fight & struggle to finish 6th WITH a decent manager. We'll finish 9-12th under Mowbray because he isn't that manager, but to say this team should be looking to finish 3rd, easily, with a decent manager is baffling to me. 

A decent manager wouldnt have pissed away 12 million quid on two worthless strikers, rather investing in the areas of need.  So yeah a decent manager and the squad, not this squad, would be 3rd

It was all so poor today.  Both of the first 2 goals we were defending with only travis behind the ball.  Do much space and time for both players 20 yards out.  One a screamer, the other good enough to cause a rebound which we were 2nd best like the rest of the pitch.  

I understand the manager trying to go for it, but playing 3 center strikers, 2 free players with a makeshift back 4 is fucking mental.  That white should be reserved for the last 20 min when you need to nick one in.  Fucking pathetic 

36 minutes ago, Tugay's Right Foot said:

3-0, well, we go to 10th

Right! It should be 5 or 6 nil.  

3 hours ago, 47er said:

Can't agree with this post-match comment from TM:

"That said, they are a very good football team, well coached and a well-run club but for long spells we were on top, so we leave frustrated and disappointed."

We were overrun for virtually all of the first half. 2nd half was better but "on top for long spells"---I don't think so.

 

Only if you consider "on top" as winning.  But without a doubt they were the better side.

27 minutes ago, superniko said:

Only 3 teams have scored more goals than us this season (West Brom, Brentford and QPR). Surprised me!

TM's investment in attacking players the cause, no doubt.

13 minutes ago, Exiled_Rover said:

You have to manage different personalities differently - not everyone is a motivated self-starter. Some need an arm round the shoulder, some need a boot up the arse. 

From the outside looking in, Chapman has been brought in and left to 'prove himself' in the reserves for 6 months, despite our first team screaming out for pace and width. He doesn't even make the bench - some personalities react to that by taking their ball and going home. 

He was injured for 2 years.  Couldn't get a sniff at boro, came here to get a chance to prove himself.  Doesnt seem like hes up for it.  Theres always darts if he doesn't want to push on.