Admiral Nelsen

Certainly hasn't really worked so far, but the more ball players we have the more likely it is to work as planned. Travis and Johnson both play forward and quicker than Evans and Smallwood do, so the issue of the ball dying in midfield goes. Having 2 from Dack/Holtby/Rothwell/Downing in front gives them more than one dangerous creative option, so it's not just a case of stopping Dack = stopping Rovers. Could still fall flat, but I think we're better equipped to play that system than we have been. Lack of goals from Gally could be a problem, to be sure. Totally agree with the bench point. We're not there yet, but it's definitely a sign of progress that we have perfectly adequate Championship players who can't make the 18 when everyone's fit.

Trouble with a lot of three at the back systems is that they look good on paper without being as impressive on Saturdays, but I have to say I really like that. Rothwell, Graham and Armstrong to come in should we make changes to how we play. A side that can cause anyone in this league problems.

Could well be right. Only thing I'd say at this point is that our away fixtures have been especially unkind, both who we've played and when we've played them. Not convinced that Fulham are going to be the real deal over 46 games, but playing a side with that attacking talent for their first home game was always going to be tricky. Next four away are Reading, QPR, Brum & PNE. If we're being cut open in these games, then we should be worrying.

Have really high hopes for this one. I get (and share, to to a degree) the view that we already have a tonne of players in his position(s) and it's hard to know who should be left out. Having said that, how many times have we brought in players in similar circumstances and they've turned out to improve us no end. Friedel, Tugay and Samba jump out straight away. If only we took a similar approach to Zidane then we might've been a very different club these days. Spoke very well in his interview too, hope he's as impressive on the pitch.

Really wary about this one. At the start of the season I'd have had them down as in the group most likely to get relegated, but they've clearly got potential to cause damage when you look at the Cardiff result. Not an easy game to predict, an away draw might not be the worst result.

So taking that route it'll Rovers, Leeds, Huddersfield, or any of the other NW clubs. Watch it be PNE now!

Think that's right. Could probably put Rovers a few years ago in that category too, the likes of Appleton may well have done better if he wasn't trying to keep a half-sank ship afloat.

I wonder if Downing's age might be a slight factor too. As much as I've been pleasantly surprised by him so far, you can only really go 12 months at a time for a player in his mid 30s. Next season he might be gone/much less of a fixture.

Broadly on track for me. 10 points from 7 = 1.43 points per game, over the course of the season that puts us on just under 66 points. That won't get us where we want to be, but it would get us within a couple of results and if the early fixtures have been a bit unkind to us then I think we can say that this is a decent start.

His final ball was pretty dodgy, but the thing which surprises me is the way that he's gone backwards in the area he was so strong at, beating players. In the K**n years, he seemed to be torturing full backs every time he got the ball. He seems as though he's still doing it in flashes, but like you I expected him to get somewhere near the top by his mid 20s.

To be fair, it's more his mobility which I think will lead us to go with another option. Agree that he's technically underrated, and he's a very, very clever player. I think we'll probably opt for a quicker player to get in behind, but I wouldn't want to make Graham out just to be a battering ram, I agree he's far better than that.

Spoke to some Cardiff fans on the train when I was on way to Ewood on the opening day, think they were playing Wigan. Asked them about Hoillett, and whilst they were happy enough with him as a squad player at this level, they definitely weren't going overboard. I still can't quite get my head around how he hasn't kicked on after leaving Rovers. The form he showed in the spell you mentioned he looked as though he had the world at his feet.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/49429764 Cardiff missing Marlon Pack, big loss for them.

I suspect that we might try and play on the floor a bit more and leave DG on the bench. Obviously Graham's easily our best option for a target man, but given that we're playing a Warnock side I think playing direct balls for their centre backs to gobble up might be playing into their hands.

I thought his one-on-one defending was getting better. He was forever letting his man get past him/getting a cross in at the start of his time with us which didn't happen has frequently as the season went on. Grabbed a couple of goals and travels well with the ball too, albeit with his final ball still being pretty awful. Not denying for a second that Cunningham doesn't look like a massive upgrade, but I think Bell's steady improvement would've been commented on a bit more had it not coincided with our bad run. In any case, my main point is that Williams should definitely remain at centre back. If Hart gets a run out against Cardiff then I've got no issue with that.

Couldn't agree more. Bell has his weaknesses but did improve last year, and should be hungry to try and get his shirt back. Even if we play Hart (would Downing be a possibility?) Williams absolutely deserves to keep his spot there.

If we do, that'd be a really strong return. Especially when considering that involves having played two relegated sides and WBA away already. I think we'll win on Saturday too, but I'm not sure we'll get anything from West Brom. Obviously hope I'm wrong.

He's still a very loose player in my view. Still prone to heavy touches. Think he should've scored with that second half header that he ended up pulling back across goal. That said I think overall his contribution has been good in the last week. Take your point about relying on physicality, but that can go a long way if you've got the sort of attributes that Gally has.

Think this will be another game with Graham on the bench. No point playing it long to a target man if you're playing a Warnock side with two massive centre halves. Will be a good test for our possession based approach. Very important to be getting the first goal in this one. I'm going for an optimistic 2-0, Armstrong & Gally. Walton Bennett Lenihan Williams Bell Travis Johnson Armstrong Dack Downing Gally

Be very surprised if Evans plays. Didn't even come off the bench last week.

Emotionally, I'm sad to see him go. He was one of a few players who obviously cared in our relegation season, had he managed to get on the park a bit more we might very easily have stayed up. In League One, he was so much better than almost everyone else in the league it was embarrassing at times. Oozed quality on the ball. Fact remains, as others have said, that he has been found wanting as a centre half in this league. Not as often as some have made out, but enough to make this - head over heart - the right call. Even so I'm going to remember very fondly his time in a Rovers shirt.

I'd be surprised if Tosin isn't centre back. I think you could well be right with the other three.

Changed it for you ?

Some of those have had huge upheaval. They may have brought players in, but at least a handful have had to by losing their big hitters. I'd happily bet here and now that we'll finish above at least a few of those sides.

Again, fair enough, but there's a difference between bringing in Samba when we already have recognised defenders who are up to it and signing an albeit promising young lad to plug our biggest weakness. Not saying it's not going to work out or that I don't recognise the overall job TM has done, and I'm certainly not falling for some of the more laughably pessimistic statements. Even so, I'd feel much more relaxed if we brought in a proven defender, if we had I'd have no problem in saying that we've had a good summer.