Just checked, to be fair he was on the bench more than I remember, but he still missed a few. Anyway, he's started the vast majority of the games that he's been fit for since about October-ishlast year and he's started this year really well, so I'd be really surprised if Mowbray's just dropped him it being partially a fitness precaution. I hope so anyway, because it really wouldn't make sense otherwise.

He was injured for plenty of those, no? In any case, I'd be astonished if this is down to anything other than being cautious about his fitness. Not saying it's the right call either, but very much doubt it's just him being dropped.

Almost all the games missed by Nyambe over the last 12 months have been through injury or wrapping him up in cotton wool. I could be wrong, but I'd expect the same is going on here.

Match Report: Blackburn Rovers 0 - 3 Wycombe Wanderers 9 man Rovers succumb to defeat after Amari'i Bell & Bradley Johnson are sent off for fighting

I think he does. Seems like the only plausible reason for him being out there on his own anyway. Flip side of that is that he is considered good enough to take free kicks! Like you I don't really know much about the defensive side of his game, but I'm taking heart from that he seems to be leaving because of a contract dispute, rather than him being a defensive liability.

Sure that him being a set piece taker will be playing a big part in him being so far ahead of everyone else. Even so, that's an incredible statistic. Whilst Gally rightly came in for plenty of stick last year, that sort of service to him could lead to us seeing a totally different player.

That's interesting - going off what you've heard would you say that the issue is Suhail personally or is it more that we need to have someone as the go-between with the owners which is the issue?

As a relative Bell apologist (he is clearly a weak link - but I think some of his criticism is OTT) it has to be said that his crossing is as weak as I've ever seen from a Rovers full back. I would've thought that Douglas would be beyond us, and I don't know a huge amount about manning, but looking at those assists it seems as though either of them would look like Le Saux compared to what we've been used to.

I think that depends on how we're trying to play. A proper sitting player, absolutely, but if we're talking about Travis replacements I can see some value in playing him in a midfield three providing energy & athleticism alongside at least one more talented and creative player. I know that there are plenty on here who just don't rate Bennett full stop, but I think there are decent aspects to his game which are more likely to come to the fore when he plays in the middle. I think back to the Shrewsbury game in L1 and when we beat Brentford in our first season after getting promoted. Both games where he didn't need to be better than mediocre with the ball, but his closing down and snapping into tackles really helped the team. He would obviously be a pretty sizeable downgrade on Travis, but putting him there as a stop-gap suits his game as well as any position in my view, and wouldn't be the worst idea to keep balance in the midfield.

A game with all the hallmarks of those over recent years where we should've won comfortably and ended up with a bloody nose. Having said that, I think we'll come away with a much needed three points. Ayala obviously won't be fully fit, but if he is anywhere near the this is a good game to bring him in. We'll expect to be dominating possession and hopefully not need to spend too much time defending. Unless he's a mile away, I'd start him. Travis and probably Evans being out & us dominating the ball presents a good opportunity to bring Buckley in, but I suspect that he'll be on the bench. Kaminski Nyambe Lenihan Ayala/Williams Bell Buckley Holtby Johnson JRC Armstrong BB 2-0 Rovers

Agree that there is still work to be done, but to be honest I'd be happy for all of the remaining signings to be loans so long as the quality is right, now we have the goalkeeper & centre half sorted for the long term. Obviously permanent deals are preferable but we don't suffer from instability in the same way we would (arguably are continuing to) from having loans in goal or at centre back like last year.

No getting away from this being a frustrating summer on the transfer front, but getting Ayala on a free really does put it in a wholly different light. All of a sudden we're a left back away from being a team to be reckoned with at this level

In fairness, this is exactly the sort of game where he should be playing. Keep Nyambe fresh for the games where we need him.

That's my team too, I think. Certainly Getting Wharton & Buckley in. Might be inclined to start Davenport too but then again you can''t be resting everyone. I'd keep Bell in place of JRC though, not because I'm especially enamoured with Bell but I don't want to get in the habit of playing Rankin-Costello in a position we don't really want him playing unless we have to. If he's going to develop into either an attacking midfielder or a right back, I'd keep playing him there rather than shoe-horn him at left back, even if it means playing Bell.

If he was dropped regularly, I'd be interested to know how he still managed to rack up thirty-odd starts whilst at the same time missing plenty of games through injury.

Agree that we need a better defence. Bell in particular needs replacing, but it was the relegation thing I was reacting against. Nothing in that performance suggested that that we'll need to be looking over our shoulders in my view.

Give over, clearly we need at least two more to come in but all four have played plenty when we've been just outside the play offs. Not sure what Nyambe's done to be included in that either,

Yessssss!

I was including the wing backs too, although in fairness it seems that you're right that Kelly & Mepham have played a bit more than I expected from such young defenders.

Hard to know what to make of that Bournemouth side. There's no getting away that there's plenty of inexperience there, especially at the back. That's not to say that there isn't talent there too, but I think there are definitely goals there for us today.

Mine's working okay, audio took a while to come through though

I can see him playing Evans if he thinks that he's fit enough - otherwise that'll be spot on I think.

This is pretty much where I am too. I'm not happy with our defence, and there undoubtedly need to be additions sooner rather than later, but I think the stick that Bell and certainly Williams gets on here begs the question how we've managed to win so many games with them playing. I think we'll turn up and do pretty well, but the result will probably come down to where Bournemouth are. If they're determined to right a few wrongs, then like any relegated team they'll have the quality to cause us real problems. If they're underdone, feeling sorry for themselves or think that they can breeze through the division, I think they're in for a rude awakening.

The one thing which I'm taking some solace from is that the players who have been linked most strongly (i.e. the ones you mention) are exactly what we need, as I hope Kaminski is. Hopefully this is a sign that we're holding out for the best which is available, but time will tell.

"more reason to hope than worry" - a pretty good way of summing it up for me, but obviously we're short of a couple of quality defenders before we can really hope.