Nyambe and Lenihan would've earned the club some money, had Rovers been more pragmatic and sought to cash in on at least one of the wantaways, last summer - or even before then. But, prior, to Raya, I believe Grant Hanley was the last academy graduate sale, some five years ago. In the meantime, there has been the odd compensation payment for a youth player, like Mahoney and Callum Wright. Also, on very rare occasion the club has successfully earned a transfer fee for a young U23/reserve player, like Joe Nuttall. I find it interesting that during Mowbray's most successful years in his managerial career, at West Brom, he tended to go for a mix of both foreign and UK players. Thus, he bought them Chris Brunt and James Morrison, whilst also signing Robert Koren, Roman Bednar and Carl Hoefkens. Whilst many of his signings didn't make it - it seems to me that part of his success, at that time, was a blend of British and overseas players. Not to mention, that was back in the day when every club played the same formation, just about, so Mowbray didn't have to think too hard in that regard. Mowbray's 34 signings for WBA: https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/tony-mowbray-west-brom-transfer-12793111

He formed a really strong midfield partnership with Lewis Hardcastle for the U23s - and with JRC, Travis and a few others, it looked a promising team that might provide several graduates for the first team. Sadly, it was not to be for them with Tomlinson being released and Hardcastle has had to retire, I believe, from a heart condition. Glad to hear that Tomlinson might be doing better now.

Not sure if mentioned before but just read that Tyler Magloire's Northampton loan spell was disrupted by a dislocated shoulder. It's sad news after him doing quite well over there and soon to be looking for a new club when his contract expires. I hope it heals fully as I have heard that it's the type of injury that can persist.

The Clarkson loan was an very odd one. We desperately needed someone to take the weight off Travis and who might offer more than Johnson and Davenport. Yet, as far as I recall, Clarkson was never played for any length of time as a CM, rather in the lone No.10 role. I could be mistaken in this. As it was, he got frozen out on the bench and on leaving, Mowbray described him as an outstanding talent: "You talk about Harvey Elliott, he’s got all those qualities, weight of pass, brilliant finishing, an amazing footballer who sees all the pictures, all the patterns. Yet he’s come at a time when our team is functioning and he understands."

Football management, arguably, is a lot tougher now. In the past, little thought often went into formation and tactics. Most players spent their entire careers as part of a 4-4-2 set-up and 3-5-2 was the exotic alternative. That's, apparently, all changed, at the elite level, any way. We've moved to what might be called the continental style of possession and a formation involving, often, three forwards and full backs becoming the creative outlet in teams. There is little scope for the direct play of a Beckham or a David Bentley in this formation. Even a Damien Duff might struggle to adapt, given that wingers are meant to double as strikers. The extreme version of the possession and press game even dispenses with the target striker. The game becomes all about pressing and counter-attack, with some managers preferring another nippy player up front rather than the traditional target man or the No.10, who might slow down the game. Perhaps, you might compare it to 5-a-side. These variations and changes have forced managers to think more about tactics. In my opinion, the game will evolve and we will see a return of 4-5-1 and more direct football, which can be very effective, as a counter-weight to the possession game. Nonetheless, the changes in the game have, I believe, left many behind, including fans, players and managers. I feel lost, at times, understanding tactics. I believe that Tony Mowbray is also somewhat confused and left behind. Mowbray is often playing a traditional No.10 type, in Buckley, and a traditional No.9, in Gallagher, in a three man forward line, which simply isn't working. To my mind, Mowbray is tactically stuck in traditional tactics whilst attempting to match the formation of newer styles. The result is a dysfunctional mash-up that just doesn't work. Despite having Adam Armstrong and Harvey Elliot performing well last year, as individuals, we finished 15th. This campaign saw a good run but it hasn't been maintained and increasingly looks like a purple patch. Incidentally, the run started with playing two wingers, in Poveda and Khadra. Now, Gallagher has been returned, usually, to his bizarre wing role. Khadra, Gallagher, Zeefuik, Buckley and Giles have all played the right wing forward role this season. They are all very different players, suggesting a lack of coherence in the choices and a tendency to experiment in the absence of principles or understanding. All this is a way of saying, Mowbray and many others, would do well to go back to what they know, rather than faddishly trying to match that which they or their players barely understand.

Reflections on a fairy tale year in which Blackburn Rovers led the Premier League in 2022/23. When Sam Gallagher found a golden ticket in his Rice Krispies to win a free flight into space with Jeff Bezos in the summer of 2022, few would have thought it would be the catalyst for newly promoted Blackburn Rovers' hurtling back into the football stratosphere - and to the top of the Premier League, where they have not been since the mid-1990s. After much negotiation between player and his English football club employers, Gallagher accompanied Amazon-billionaire Jeff Bezos and four paying billionaires to outer space on June 22st 2022. His manager had expressed concern that Gallagher should not sit too centrally in the space craft, whilst most Blackburn Rovers fans had hoped that he might be released permanently to enjoy a new career. As it was, Gallagher became the first professional footballer in space and even enjoyed a kick about with a football with Bezos, both famously wearing cow boy hats and gesturing the Amazon arrow trademark with wide smiles. Those who saw these events, which was less than anticipated, given the nuclear bomb alerts declared globally, were moved to tears as Gallagher controlled a floating ball with his instep, on the third attempt. Despite the grumbling of Rovers fans, Gallagher returned to the club. His space training appeared to have done him no harm, though the experience had left an indelible psychological mark. He soon changed his name to Sam Gallagher-Gaia. The Gaia, he said, coming from Greek mythology and being the female deity representing Earth. His newfound status earned him a place on a UN delegation to Ukraine and he was appointed a governmental advisor on culture. The incredible story of the obscurely average English football player's rise to global attention was only starting, as he began the 2022/23 Premier League football season in incredible form. The striker-cum-winger scored twenty-eight goals in his first eighteen games and was suddenly being courted by the world's biggest club . Gallagher-Gaia, however, remained loyal to the club that had stuck with him through his doldrum years. Delighted fans debated whether it was the aura of Jeff Bezos, participation in international diplomacy or manager, Tony Mowbray's training ground work which was the key reason behind the stunning transformation. There was no doubt that he had found new confidence and transformed beyond recognition - scoring all his goals from the right winger role, where he had previously looked ill at ease. Things changed, however, after the midway part of the season. In the January transfer window, Jeff Bezos organised another space flight and invited Gallagher-Gaia, who was now a close friend and business partner to the billionaire. Despite protestation from his club, who were leading the Premier League, Gallagher-Gaia insisted on going, stating that the new mission could inspire the world to step back from the brink of disaster. Manager, Tony Mowbray, snapped up Ian Poveda on loan, for the second time, but otherwise persisted with his revolutionary false attack tactic, involving non-wingers as wingers and a non-forward as the lone forward. The tactic had been mimicked across the league and had even been the subject of a major study by Stanford University. However, without Gallagher-Gaia, who was now floating in outer space with, incidentally, Roman Abramovich, Rovers began to lose game after game. They looked disjointed and could not score goals. The perennial Rovers death spiral seemed to be in effect. Other teams began to catch up with the league leaders. Some began to wonder aloud whether a full back should be playing on the wing. Pressure was mounting on manager, Tony Mowbray. Gallagher-Gaia returned from space an even bigger global hero but seemed distracted, perhaps, by talk of Hollywood film of his life - or perhaps, the real threats of nuclear war and climate change, putting in performances reminiscent of his old days. The manager criticised his players for being young and naive and letting the pressure get to them. With Rovers falling off top spot, Mowbray stepped up the false position tactics, throwing defenders up front. He called for a pack mentality. "When lions hunt the gnu," Mowbray said, "they work together. They don't bother about who stands on the rock and who runs around. They hunt together and get the job done." Rovers finished the season a respectable eighth place. Gallagher-Gaia was subject to a bidding war, won by Real Madrid. And Tony Mowbray retired, deciding to go out on a high and to spend more time with his chickens. Football makes you do bizarre things.

Mowbray is over complicating it. Stick a forward as a forward and wingers as wingers and we'll beat most teams in this league. I suspect that there's no other team in the football league that plays with false wingers and a false striker.

Giles as left forward, presumably, with Gallagher on the other side. There's quality in that side but the usual dysfunctional positioning. That said, if we press well and Buckley's on form, we might get something, despite the out of position players. New recruit Hedges still rooted to the bench.

Van Hecke and Lenihan are doubts, presumably, having missed out during the internationals. Ayala also is coming back from injury, making the choice to loan out both Carter and Magloire even more suspect. Mowbray has implied he'll patch one or two up but I'd rather see a reserve defender like Sam Barnes come in. It'll be a mistake, too, to draft in Johnson in defence alongside not fully fit defenders. It might be possible to get away with it when everyone else is fully fit. I'd like to see 4-5-1 with true wingers or, maybe, 3-5-2 with Dolan and Brereton strikers and try Rothwell as the AM and Buckley alongside Travis. Giving Rothwell some licence might help him improve and Buckley can recover his form by playing passes, which is more hos game. But, more likely, Dolan will be lone No.10/false 9 and Gallagher right wing. Edit: This line-up could be brilliant if it could be made to work. Kaminski Nyambe, van Hecke (if fit), Wharton, Giles Travis, Buckley Dolan, Rothwell, Khadra Brereton

Just had a look - doesn't look like Leutwiler makes it into the squad these days. Yugoslavia-born (now Croatia) Milan Borjan seems to be No.1 and Dayne St. Clair of Minnesota United and Maxime Crepau of Los Angeles FC, the back ups.

Not sure if it involved a play off or normal qualifiers but I see that Canada booked their place for the World Cup for the first time since 1986, I think. Our academy alumnus, Junior Hoilett, bagged a goal in the decisive win over Jamaica. I'm glad to see him get there, if he stays fit, despite leaving us on a free he was developed by our academy and is an exciting player.

Jake Batty played in England U17s shock 2-0 defeat to Luxembourg U17s. They miss out on the Euro U17s tournament as a result. Edit: Rovers website reports Dan Pike returns to Rovers with agreement of loan club, AFC Fylde. He hasn't played their last two games, so uncertain about his health and fitness.

Listened to an interesting interview with Treacy. Football relies, to an extent, on dehumanising players and the use of their surnames is, in a way, part of that. It's easier, as a fan, to publicly fault Treacy, than it might be to do so to Keith. Treacy is a commodity, Keith a human being trying to get by, like all of us. Incidentally, I was always convinced it was an error by Allardyce in preferring Treacy and getting rid of Alan Judge. The latter had more to his game, I feel, though even in a second spell, I'm not sure we saw it. His height was probably an issue for Allardyce.

Excuse me for a random post but it occurred to me that this season the following, I believe, have all played in the centre forward position (albeit, not necessarily as centre forwards): Buckley, Dolan, Brereton, Clarkson, Poveda, Hedges? Johnson. As far as I remember, the obvious centre forward, Gallagher, hasn't played there - not for any length of time, anyway. Aside from Brereton, who has, I believe, got most of his goals from a left wing/forward role, that list consists of midfielders who have barely scored any goals - and in some cases, literally not scored any goals. Herein lies Mowbray's unforgivable failing. Even if we get promoted, I consider it a tactical failure. The central forward must score goals. It's a sign of the irrationality that has taken hold that this needs stating. I'm increasingly of the opinion that we will look back at this season in a way like we should do last, when we had Adam Armstrong and Harvey Elliot in the squad and finished 15th. But for a sensible formation and tactics, we would be doing much better. In this season's case, much better would be pushing for automatic promotion.

Dolan in the England U20 squad. I wonder who the last Rovers players were, excluding loanees, who got into that squad? Mahoney and Jason Lowe? The Dolan signing is, perhaps, amongst the best value in recent times. Were he to play consistently as a winger, I'm sure he'd be developing further.

I question Mowbray's record of nurturing of youth talent, especially of late. Rovers currently have five "homegrown" players in the side in Wharton, Travis, Nyambe, Lenihan and Buckley. Lenihan might be the doubt for this category, as I'm not sure he would have played for the U18s. Where are the next academy/U23s youngsters who will save us millions in the market next summer and fill the spaces left by the inevitable exodus, should we remain in the league? Of the U23s side that finished 5th, I think, in the top league last year, no-one is currently close. Hayden Carter is doing well on loan and may come through but all else have fallen by the wayside. A few suffered serious injuries such as Whitehall and Barnes. The only hopes that I can see to come through at the moment are Jack Vale, Jake Garrett and, perhaps, Cirino, who is also injured. But none of these are close to being the next Travis or Nyambe. From the U18 age group, Adam Wharton and Ash Phillips have made it on the bench on occasion but they are likely to young to be expected to make a real impact next year - though, given the exodus that may happen, we may end up turning to these sort of players. Rovers have, I feel, failed the U23s by not getting them decent league loan experience in the league. No one was allowed to go on loan in the summer, save Chapman, I believe. McBride was in demand at the time but wasn't allowed to go and now is at Queen's Park. Then outside of the transfer window, players headed out to non-league level. I don't understand what Rovers were thinking devaluing a Welsh U21 prospect, in Vale, by sending him out to Halifax, albeit on a half season loan. The one month loans for players like Sam Burns were even more absurd, to my mind, given that playing 3 games for FC United does next to nothing for the player or Rovers, as far as I see it. When the window opened, Scunthorpe have taken him on and though he's not pulled up trees, he's at least playing league football and scored a few goals in a crisis club. Mowbray definitely persevered with Buckley and deserves some credit for that - though I question whether he is now hindering his development by fielding him in this lone No.10 role which he's now struggling with, to the point of being dropped. Wharton got his chance in defence after an age and numerous excellent loan spells in L1 and L2. Mowbray refused to use him and denigrated the loan promotions with Northampton and others, favouring Derrick Williams and others, until injuries, I believe, forced his hand. I think we are lucky that Wharton didn't walk after being overlooked for so long. Aside from Buckley and, perhaps, JRC, of late, I see Mowbray engaging in excessive short-termism, possibly, sensing his job is on the line. He wanted to keep Elliot Bennett. He favours Brad Johnson as his back-up CM/CB. He'd rather loan a Prem youth player and boast about polishing them up than doing so with a Garrett or a Vale, even though, we need that progression if we are to be sustainable as a club. If we go up, Mowbray will justifiably argue the gamble paid off. If we don't we're going to have a greatly weakened squad and will rely on big sales to try and rebuild.

I can only put it down to extreme ignorance or stupidity. Mowbray has stated that in the modern game formations are not that important. He has cited Klopp's Liverpool as an example of a team that attacks and defends as one. Yet, though Liverpool don't play with a target man striker, they have a system. Their wide players are always quick and skilful. They would never put Jordan Henderson as a forward. They use Harvey Elliot as a midfielder presumably because he's not quick enough for the forward role. Whilst they rotate, they bring in like for like. Giles and Gallagher are not similar players yet all both, at some point, played wide forward this season, clearly indicating Mowbray has no meaningful system.

Really good summary, I feel. By comparative standards, albeit, in a poor quality league, we have an embarrassment of riches. We've just had three players called up to the U21s or U20s of some of the biggest football nations. We spent money on a back up left back in Edun and when that didn't work out we signed Giles on loan from the Prem. With Nyambe and JRC needing back up, we signed Zeefuik and Brown. Edun, Harry Chapman and Jacob Davenport were all signed for transfer fees and none regularly get into the match day squad these days. We're not the big spenders we once were and Mowbray has made some good signings. Yet, we have brought in a lot of players and spent money throughout the squad. We also had a strong U23 side, competing in the top league, that didn't develop and is now being dispersed but still has some promising individuals. Despite all this, we resort to, as Glen mentions, players out of position, having their self-belief and development ground down, as performances and results stutter. We can hope we pick up and get into the play offs but it'll take management to get out of the way and let the players express themselves. Edit: In the second half of the season, last year, Harvey Elliot was dropped to the bench and Mowbray desperately rotated Trybull, Evans, Downing and others to get a result. In a way, options only add to his uncertainty, it seems. During our strong run this season, with injuries, he didn't have many options.

Why have Rankin-Costello and Brown on the bench when you have no intention to bring then on at RWB? Mowbray's decision-making defies logic. And, yet, in spite of him, we could still sneak a winner.

Might be too sensible for Mowbray but at least Giles won't be playing as a forward.

The plethora of international call ups and recalls (in the case of Lenihan and Kaminski) reflects our good run and league position. It also reveals what it takes to keep players and develop them. Having been mired in middle to lower league for the past seasons, despite some outstanding players for this league, players have stagnated and inevitably looked elsewhere to develop. The retention of Kaminski, therefore, is a pleasant surprise, which goes against the grain. However, we won't keep him long if we sink back into our old ways.

I would hope that Rovers made some attempt to permanently sign van Hecke and/or Khadra in January. With their U21 international call-ups, it becomes less and less likely we will be able to afford to keep them.

I would be surprised if there was not some open dissent against Mowbray, in the changing room, from a player or two, given the first half display and tactics. And not just some of the youngsters, but some of the dominant voices who have been Mowbray favourites. This game, though a win, seems like another flux moment, comparable to the Fulham thrashing defeat. Once again, there is uncertainty about the future formation and line-up.

The most worrying decision for me at the moment is the signing of Hedges on the cusp of a historic promotion push, only for him to apparently not be ready. Mowbray deserves credit for signings like Khadra and Van Hecke but this one was crucial and at the moment, it looks a missed opportunity to bring someone in to make an immediate impact. Having said that, even if we had signed the next Armstrong (or Markanday had stayed fit), I'm not convinced about the team as a whole. After all, even with a firing Armstrong, we finished lower mid-table in 15th, last year.

We all know Gallagher is limited but he has been severely hampered by being played out of position. He would score goals played as a striker and supported by wingers.