Admiral Nelsen

Bit of a missed opportunity, but a perfectly acceptable point under the circumstances. With Dack out for Saturday, I wonder if there could be a role for Bennett as a number 10? His best performance last season was Brentford at home when Dack was missing. Really made the most of his engine, pressing from the front. Obviously not as dangerous as Dack but capable of knitting play together. I imagine there will be a few changes so Holtby will probably get a spot elsewhere.

If ever there was a team to get bums on seats it was that one! I also thought a bumper derby crowd seeing us pump Burnley 5-0 would have skewed the overall figure, but surprisingly the gate was only just over 23,000

That was my feeling too, although surprisingly we've won there as much as we've lost since we've left the top flight. Not exactly a happy hunting ground but not as bad as I expected.

I'm amazed he's still there now. He's been under pressure for a while and that was before losing to Reading & Luton in the space of a week! They've got WBA tomorrow so they might just beat us to it.

Something which jumped out from watching Swansea's abject defeat against (admittedly a very impressive) West Brom was how their midfield seemed very lightweight and were forever being out fought & let the Baggies run riot. If they play the same side on Wednesday, Travis Evans & Dack should be licking their lips.

That's the issue for me. I'm not against bringing in more firepower, arguably we need it, but whoever we bring in is going to need to have the all-round game to be able to step into Graham's boots and contribute in our build up. If the young lad has the ability to do that, then great, but otherwise he can learn the game in someone else's team.

I'm not trying to be facetious when saying this, but you can just as easily say 'periods of good form, followed by a sudden awful dip, then back to good form'. In fact given the progress we've made (and for now, looks like we're continuing to make) I'd say that's a fairer way of putting it.

Wouldn't disagree, Tosin of the last few weeks looks a real upgrade on anyone we've had there in a good while, including Charlie. Only saying that in a different set up which plays to his strengths a little more then I can still see him looking at home at this level.

I'm still one of those who thinks that Mulgrew has something to offer in this division, even in defence, but if your team has already got a soft underbelly and then he's not going to do anything to remedy that. Strange signing for Wigan given that their away & defensive problems are not too dissimilar to ours last season, only quite a bit worse!

Agree with basically your entire post, but this bit sticks out. You're talking about Downing, but I think the same point can be made about the whole set up; we're playing a side who from back to front are able to keep possession much better and it's s had a massive knock on effect on our overall performances. I've said this on another thread, but I don't think it's a coincidence that this has coincided with not playing Armstrong and Gally at the same time. Both have shown in the last week that they are dangerous and can contribute to a successful team. At the same time, both are absolutely murder for not looking after the ball. The great thing about this XI is that we have players elsewhere who are very good at recycling the ball and building a platform for us to attack and control the game.

I'd be the first to admit to having already written Evans off, but his performances really have been top drawer. I'd maintain that his big problem has always been being too passive rather than not being good enough, and he needs to carry on to really change my mind, but there's no doubt that he's played a big part in our resurgence. Easy to forget that he's a member of the squad with experience of promotion to the top flight

Left back for me is the only absolute must in this transfer window, although should the right keeper be available I agree that it is the other priority position. I thought I saw some progression in Bell as last season went on, but like others I've made my mind up on him now. Out of contract in the summer too, so chances are that we'll need a second one before long.

I'd like to see Gally get gametime, but this is a game made for Graham in my view. His cleverness and touch is so important in building a decent platform for the rest of our midfield. If we're in front, bring Gally on in the second half and keep Graham sharp for the midweek games. Completely agree about Rothwell. Seeing him track back as well as create against Brentford, he has to stay in the side if he keeps that standard up.

Agree, remember thinking this about relegated teams too. We won a few under K**n before teams worked us out and we had players with the quality to nick a 1-0. Also, as much as this may be true and as much we played poorly in both of those games, it should still be remembered that they were both ridiculous results. I think Charlton only had 2 shots and I remember Luton being an absolute sucker punch, even if we played well within ourselves.

Agree with this. Pet theory of mine is that a lot of our problems this season have come from playing both Gally and Armstrong (both of who I like individually) at the same time. Both can be good finishers on their day, and both have got either the pace or power to trouble defenders, but both have had troubles looking after the ball. Nothing stopping a midfield with Dack, Holtby and Rothwell really hurting teams. We just need to be a bit more respectful of possession to make the most of it, don't think it's a coincidence that our best performance of the season coincides with Graham coming in.

Very much looking forwrd to this, big game too with tricky away games following at Bristol City and Swansea. Not saying that it'll necessarily have any bearing on our second half of the season, but it will mean that we'll have played all bar one of the top 8 teams away from home before Christmas. Back on Derby, it looks like the weakest squad they've had in a few years, and they're short on personel, but they still have players capable of hurting any team at this level. A performance near Brentford levels should see us through. Same team again, 2-0 Rovers.

If they want a big name they'll want to act sharpish. There's still something of an attractive proposition there in that they have a squad with talent (albeit under-performing) and an owner with fairly deep pockets, but the more they get cut adrift the more it's too much of a risk.

Johan Vogel in shot there! Bet he hadn't played in too many matches like this one in his illustrious career.

Believe Derbyshire got two that day. His career never really developed in the way I hoped it might've, but a 21 year old Derbyshire coming through now wouldn't half be a good addition to our squad imo.

I think/hope that come the end of the season we'll be looking at those two opening fixtures and see them as playing them at the wrong time. Charlton flying after being promoted at Wembley and relegated teams can often have good starts before tailing off. The only game which concerns me at the moment is West Brom because of how we let in so many so quickly, but so long as that doesn't become the habit that it did last year, I think we're in a good spot.

Some very poor views of Joao from their fans. Maybe justified, but surprising. Very impressed (albeit sometimes exasperated) when he was at Ewood.

They've got a home tie with Leicester tomorrow night, which I imagine will be their first team. Gives us another couple of days preparation. Looks like they're a side who play on the deck, regardless of opposition. Should suit some of our squad quite nicely. Walton Bennett Lenihan Williams Cunningham Travis Johnson Dowining Dack Armstrong Graham

I'd say it's premature, but both are getting dangerously close to giving themselves a mountain to climb and the schools have only just gone back! Both have got squads to compete, so if they get out of a nosedive in the coming weeks they can both still stay above water. They play each other in a couple of weeks, if either of them still haven't won going into October then it's panic stations.

I'm not sure I'd go quite as far as that, there are still plenty of teams that have a very consistent formation/style of play/personel which are only tweaked, which is different to Mowbray's approach. I think there are strengths and wekanesses to both approaches, and which is best probably depends more on the resources to build a squad more than anything else. One thing I'd definitely say in Mowbray's favour is that our changes look to be based on him doing thorough homework on the opposition. I don't think we've seen much evidence of that from any of our post-Big Sam managers, so from that point of view I don't mind him taking his 'reactive' approach, because at least he's doing it properly.

I'd look at Luton & Hudds as the games that I'd probably 'expect' (dangerous in this league) to win. Forest & QPR are picking us results, and Brum have only lost once at home so far, albeit with some kind-ish fixtures. Four points from those three plus two wins from the winnable home games would mean 10 from 15, which is automatic promotion form, so I'd be very happy with that.