Admiral Nelsen

It's so good. I've made up my mind about his talent, we've seen other midfielders (and some good ones) play hundreds of games for Rovers without weighting a pass that well. He'll probably still need some bedding in over the coming months as he learns to improve and manage his weaknesses, but I hope that we'll finish the season with him being as established name on teamsheet like Travis has become.

No doubting that it'll be an unpopular opinion! But I agree it's where his weaknesses are least exposed and his strengths (such as they are) are best used.

Might be a decent time to play them, seem to be missing a few up front. Waghorn & Lawrence not played yet this season & I think I'm right in saying that Marriot & their new Polish winger both went off injured against Luton. They let Martin go at the end of last season too, could be down to the bare bones up front. Expect Nyambe to come back in, otherwise the same team as against Wycombe.

The idea that Mowbray has his favourites and he picks them in front of more deserving players has cropped up on here quite a lot, but in fairness you didn't mention it in this case so I'll hold my hands up for that one. But you did say the bit I've highlighted, which clearly isn't true! It doesn't keep happening, it's happened twice in eleven months, and one of those was explicitly to do with preserving him from picking up the sort of injury he has been susceptible to getting after putting in two big shifts in a week. I think you're right about the tendency to chop and change too much, but the game is in trouble if a player in Ryan Nyambe's position won't sign a new deal on the basis of getting dropped for one game in thirty, and then rested for another.

He's played there plenty. At the start of last season, and since then when Nyambe moved to centre back to cover injuries. The point is that in the last 11 months or so, Nyambe being dropped for Bennett has happened once, and even that was in a period of playing a match every 3 or 4 days. I've no idea if he's inclined to stay or not, but this narrative of him not signing because he's forever being dropped in favour of Mowbray's pals needs nipping in the bud, because the evidence simply doesn't back it up.

Post the restart, Nyambe was dropped for one game, which happened to be the 6th game in just over 2 weeks. Before then he was our regular starter since October, where he started every game other than three where he was injured. Ryan may or may not sign a new contract, but if he doesn't it won't be through lack of playing time. The idea that he has been unfairly treated and/or is an easy target to get dropped is a complete myth.

Cardiff away too, when Armstrong scored from 40 yards out. He can without question be a frustrating player at times, he gives the ball away too much for a player who has reasonable ability. Having said that even when he doesn't play well he brings things to the team that others (Travis aside) can't in his physicality and know-how. He'll be an important figure over the coming months given how many young players we've got involved at present.

Hilarious. Maybe he doesn't get in their side. Maybe he doesn't get in ours when Dack and others get back. The point is that he's a baby in footballing terms, in a few years time he could be so far ahead of either of us that you could buy ten Tom Barkhuizens for what he might cost. And they gave him to us for nowt.

Yes, just read what I wrote again and realised that 'not the sort of player' could be interpreted as me saying saying that he didn't have Buckley's talent. I just meant that it's hard for a defensive midfielder to showcase what he has in his locker, like you say.

Tidy. Not the sort of player who could use the 25 minutes to really show off what he can do. Buckley on the other hand...

Buckley's pass ?

Things I wasn't expecting to be saying this afternoon: I can't believe this is only 4-0

The attacking players will rightly pick up the plaudits, but Johnson has been vital to our success in that half. Brilliant first 45 by basically everyone, hopefully Buckley can get decent minutes in the second half.

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