Good performance, Conway I was surprised with, lasting the 90 and was man of the match contender. He's never lost that ability to cross a ball, probably the only player at the club who can, made a claim for a permanent spot today. Downing good distribution from the back. However still conceding 2 was a downer, bit harsh I know, but to be conceding another 2 after a 4 and a 3 is worrying, really need someone to shore that defence up as we won't be able to score 3 or 4 to win games all that much. All in all though very good performance.

Only difference being, Short was built like a tank, Downing is built like Rodney Trotter.

No it will be reed out of position again. Meaning our two wingers are reed amd conway, what completely out of position and the other who can't run and will be knackered after 30 minuts. So everything will go central as usual which becomes very predictable, meaning Smallwood will get a lot of the ball, and do absolutely nothing with it bar giving it back to the opposition.

What is telling for me is the following. Last season I felt Rovers and Wigan were very evenly match in terms of quality of player and squad strength, and both fixtures with each other were draws. Then came the summer, which is were Wigan made a bigger impact than us, in terms of buying the right players. Us We needed wingers, a centre back, an out and out striker, a full back a replacement for Smallwood and a creative midfielder. In came; Armstrong - nobody knows his best position, DIDN'T NEED Brereton - £7million on a striker that never plays DEBATEABLE Rodwell - a free central midfielder who plays centre back, DIDN'T NEED Rothwell - one who could be that creative midfielder, a nice looking player, but doesn't play ONE WE DID NEED BUT DOESN'T PLAY Palmer - similar to Armstrong, nobody knows his best position, DIDN'T NEED Davenport - can't comment Reed - the replacement needed for smallwood, but doesn't replace him and crazily place right midfield - DO NEED but not used correctly So I would say, 2 maybe 3 we did need and have or could be effective. Wigan Needed new full backs, a creative midfielders, some wingers, central midfielder after letting Power leave, and a centre forward, similar to us bar the centre half, in came; Dan Burn Full back from Brighton, good player, plays in correct position - NEEDED and good signing Reece James, full back from chelsea, tidy defender, can get forward when needed, plays in correct position - NEEDED and good signing Josh Windass, attacking midfielder, creative, good on the ball, plays in correct position - NEEDED and good signing Mcmanaman, winger, pacey, can beat a man and capable of bagging a few, plays in correct position - NEEDED and good signing Lee Evans, central midfielder, tidy on the ball, get's his foot in, plays in correct position - NEEDED and good signing All 5 they did need and are effective going off last night. Think that sums it up for me, they've made signings they needed, play them in their correct positions and they are effective. Last night they looked a far better side than us. Yes we are still above them, but I have no doubt they will finish above us if we don't significantly strengthen the squad, and if we do strengthen, actually play them and in their correct positions.

Have to agree. I argued with people on here about this before, and got told he was player of the season when coyle was here, my response was well that just shows how shit we really were.

Also didn't think I'd say this, but I think samuel is missed at the moment for an option off the bench, with his pace which he sometimes uses well out wide and on the counter and his physicality. I know he's not a goalscorer but at least that type of option is there if we are going to play long hoof ball

Some of smallwood passing tonight was painful to watch, I really can't get to grips with why he is starting games, when we have Reed who can play there.

Then again there is this lol

Well I'd be contracting myself if I agreed, but then again, I suppose you are right, how much worse could they be at the back.

This is the problem though "such a person would do a job" but we don't really have a clue if they would and shouldn't be in that position, defenders should have been brought in.

Said it all season, all the defenders at the club are league 1. Mulgrew because his fitness doesn't allow him to be all that competitive at centre back in this league, over exertion and he's injured, and far to immobile and poor in the air, the difference was telling last season didn't he score something like 15 goals, this season what, 1 goal or summet like that, and tonnes conceded. Williams and bell aren't good enough at this level, and nyambe at times can be like a headless chicken. Lenihan has potential but we need more than that for what will be a scrap this season, he's also been very poor in some games. The you have downing don't need to say much there, oh amd Rodwell who's played all his career in midfield. Then you have the worst defensive midfielder in the league in Richie Smallwood, surely.

Raya Nyambe Williams Mulgrew Bell Evans Reed Armstrong Dack Rothwell Graham Defence needs a shake up after some dismal performances, so would play williams at centre back, where he is a lot better than he is at LB. Drop Lenihan or Mulgrew. Drop Smallwood as he can't pass the ball and get's over run most games. Get Evans in there, who can interchange from defence to attack better than any other player we have, and Reed because he's a top player. Then two on the wings who are quicky or pacey and can create on the counter, with Dack and Graham. Squad really does need some proper wingers though.

Williams an nyambe were a joke, the whole back 4 was. The hype around mulgrew is astounding. Hes shite at this level and people don't like it. He'll be injured soon.

Dack was pathetic.

Mr jokers back on the scene. Didn't feel lucky today, worst performance for some years that.

Nothing short of pathetic. Terrified Tony team selection a joke, team attitude suited Tony, they looked terrified.

Yeh, he's a decent little championship player, they have another good midfield Pearson, bit like a Joe Allen. Gallagher also has bags of quality. They're a decent side.

It's crap these days, boring. Haven't watched it properly since that Helen left.

There is, but it can take a while to get out.

Trouble is, he should be up front scoring goals which we are badly lacking at home. Which brings that 7mil on him into question again, why not spend half on a proper winger which we havent had since mowbray was here bar Chapman and a striker for around 3.5 someone like a hemed who qpr brought in or that calibre. Doesn't make sense, but then again it does, the owners. They'll only spend on players they think they can make money on, so established or proved players who would fit the above bill aren't welcome. Tony knows that and is playing it well, but needs to work harder on deals or frees for more established players or loaning some like gestede.

We need a Jordan Rhodes. Graham doesn't score a lot of goals. And we have no other strikers who play up front they all play on the wing.

Poor result really. Failed to beat Reading, Millwall and Rotherham at home. Just missing that bit up front, a Jordan Rhodes who will always bag dare I say.

Subs when losing ? classic terrified Tony

Injuries and suspensions i should have said. Mulgrew injured and evans suspended, Reed off injured. Added to the injuries we seem to be getting every game, unlucky with them at the mo.

Injuries piling up Reed asking manager to take him off, probs asked him to stay on until half time.