You're as bad as Harry Chap You're worse than Harry Chapman! It has to be a fitness or injury situation, surely, as Butterworth has done well off the bench recently. To be fair, he's had some bad showings too, though, sometimes, when thrown into the Buckley role.

I think a switch to 3-5-2 is needed to relieve pressure. Can easily alternate if the players and manager are sharp enough. Buckley dropping would enable a midfielder to double up on Jones.

If Edun continues to struggle, an option would be to move Khadra left to offer some protection. Also, Garrett could be an option as left footer who has played left back or centre mid, but would be a big call. Boro have options on the bench with Balogun and Watmore, so Rovers will need to be ready to adjust to any tactical changes.

BBC live text correspondent has said that, off the ball, Gallagher is doing a man-marking job on Matt Crooks. Any truth to this?

Bradley Johnson could do a job in a defensive role tonight, just about, I think, but an issue I've noticed with him (and the management) is that he gallops forward to support attacks. I would hope that he stays put and shields, rather than get caught out upfield. Edun is going to need the support, I feel.

Mowbray wants Rovers to play the Liverpool way (albeit, with 3 centre backs), in which case we have to press as a team like Liverpool. We don't have the defensive numbers in the middle or the pace at the back to let teams play their passes. If Mowbray is intent on playing Gallagher, we should be dropping Buckley into central attacking midfield and playing a more traditional 3-5-2 and try to utilise Gallagher's hold up play - which is of more benefit in a central area. I do fear the worst, being a pessimist and seeing their form and two major loan signings. (I'm surprised Mowbray was talking them up so much, as if they need a confidence boost). Perhaps, a key man will be Edun, for us. He's been shaky overall and Boro's Isaiah Jones seems to be their preferred right wing back and he dropped a couple of stepovers and beat his man to cross the ball for their late winner against Reading. If Edun has his best game for Rovers yet, we probably will be in with a chance. I do feel that we're going to have to learn to mix up our play, if we're going to continue winning, as teams are going to sit deep to nullify the counter attack.

With the new signing, Markanday, injured, Dolan recovering from injury and possibly, not ready, and Brereton, I think, going to be away on Chile duty, if Chapman is fit, I think he should be considered for our bench and given a chance to make an impact. He or Butterworth should definitely be ahead of Gallagher on the right wing. Otherwise, Mowbray owes the fans a public explanation as to why he (or the club) gave the player a one year extension and recalled him to the bench at the start of the year.

I've been following Arsenal quite closely lately and am puzzled by Thomas Partey. I never saw him play for Atletico Madrid but I wonder if he is as good as his transfer fee and reputation commanded. His Ghana side were terrible and his performances for Arsenal have, often, been poor or average. That said, I view Arteta as a struggling manager who is not getting consistency out of most of his players, so that makes it somewhat more difficult for him.

If you look at the first Hull goal, especially, I think you see three of the key problems that Mowbray faces for the remainder of the season (aside of the ones of his own making by poor selections). Firstly, the three forward players stand off the defender in possession of the ball, allowing him the time to play a long ball. A major point of playing those three, I thought, was to press the opposition into losing possession. Secondly, the long ball is played in the space behind the full back and test the pace of the centre backs, who are, generally, not the quickest. And the efforts by JRC to stop the winger are poor. Lack of pace and positioning of the full backs will be costly in our attacking set-up. Finally, the scoring Hull midfielder ghosts in behind Rothwell who isn't looking around to track runners. A central pairing of two is a vulnerable one, even more so with Rothwell and Buckley who are defensively not that strong. In other words, we are playing a high risk, "top heavy" formation that can easily get outnumbered if the press is beaten. It puts a lot of onus on the team, from the forwards onwards, to defend as a team and close down defenders, to prevent the passes into the inevitable gaps. It seems to me, based on the limited highlights, that the lack of press up front may have contributed to the amount of time Hull to play balls to their tall strikers and this panicked the team - resulting in ending up with a back six defenders in the box trying to stop the goal that Eaves finally scored. If you look at the footage of that goal, the positioning of the team is embarrasingly bad. Three defenders marking one player and Lenihan marking two - and Hull even had a couple of unmarked wingers they could have played it to. Smacks of the organisational and psychological collapse against Fulham.

I can't fathom the tall striker out wide tactic. I recall Del Bosque playing Morata there in a recent international tournament, for Spain. Has any team ever made it work consistently? A somewhat averagely paced tall striker out wide is not going to be much of a threat or offer strong defence. Perhaps, the only threat would be arriving at the far post from crosses and, also, competing with full backs for long balls. So, perhaps, in a direct or long ball team, where he's the target, it might have value but it's clearly not the role set-up for Gallagher. Edit: I do think posters who remind us that the team was poor in the previous game against Cardiff have a real point too. Even the preferred line-up, albeit, without Pickering, has shown signs of flagging. Perhaps, some fatigue plays a role - as well as other teams combating our tactics. So, we certainly need some variation to our play, rather than pure counter-attack every time. It looks like Hull were looking for long balls to test the pace at the back and, perhaps, by-pass the Rovers press. I think we'll see more teams doing that, seeing how effective it was. Just had a look at the match highlights and it's notable for Hull's second goal, Rovers are playing a back six. Looks like they were struggling with organisation and reminiscent of the Fulham defeat when despite virtually the whole team being in our own penalty box, we were still getting picked off. (A Rovers forward points at Eaves overloading Lenihan at RB and runs away - perhaps, assuming that the six at the back would be enough to stop him).

I disagree with the claims of having a shallow squad, in terms of numbers. We spent money on a back-up left back/midfielder and just recruited another two right backs. We're lacking in defensive midfield and that's a big fault of Mowbray having loaned and signed a number of players and not addressed it. He could, alternately, have nurtured Davenport or Jake Garrett for the role but Johnson has been the one he's generally chosen and, suddenly, when the time came to start him, Mowbray backed away. Otherwise, we have Butterworth, Markanday and Dolan (when fit) as options to play as wing forwards, rather than Gallagher, which, I think is a pretty good selection relatively speaking in this league. It's Mowbray's flawed choice to go with Gallagher in a wide role so often.

The 2000/01 Division 1 goalscoring charts, the year that Rovers were promoted with Fulham and Bolton (courtesy of worldfootball.net). We're viewing it through the lense of hindsight, but the quality (at least, in terms of strikers) was superb. I think, the majority scored goals in the Premier League at some point in their careers. Further down the list were players like Crouch, Helguson and Dean Ashton, who were, presumably, still very early in their careers. 1. Louis Saha 27 (10) - Fulham 2. Matt Jansen 23 (0) - Rovers 3. Lee Hughes 21 (3) - WBA 4. Jason Euell 19 (2) - Wimbledon Jon Macken 19 (0) - Preston Tommy Mooney 19 (1) - Watford Michael Ricketts 19 (0) - Bolton 8. Luis Boa Morte 18 (1) - Fulham Barry Hayles 18 (0) - Fulham 10. Carl Asaba 15 (0) - Gillingham, Sheff Utd Marlon King 15 (2) - Gillingham Iwan Roberts 15 (2) - Norwich 13. Chris Bart-Williams 14 (7) - Nottingham Forest Bruce Dyer 14 (0) - Barnsley Clinton Morrison 14 (0) - Crystal Palace Jason Roberts 14 (0) - WBA Neil Shipperley 14 (1) - Barnsley 18. Marcus Bent 13 (0) - Sheff Utd, Rovers Mikael Forssell 13 (0) - Crystal Palace Gerald Sibon 13 (2) - Sheff Wednesday 21. David Dunn 12 (4) - Rovers Ian Thomas-Moore 12 (0) - Burnley, Stockport Aaron Wilbraham 12 (0) - Stockport 24. Steve Claridge 11 (2) - Portsmouth Dougie Freedman 11 (1) - Crystal Palace, Nottingham Forest Dean Holdsworth 11 (0) - Bolton Rob Hulse 11 (0) - Crewe Tommy Smith 11 (0) - Watford

I think the Premier League clubs won't be convinced yet of spending a sizeable fee given he's 26 years old and, perhaps, had his first consistent half season. Remember, last year, he was a squad player, playing behind Trybull and, even, Downing, at times. Fulham, Bournemouth, WBA and Glasgow Rangers et al would obviously take him but know that Rovers would ask for a large sum, if they even agreed to sell. Perhaps, only Fulham could pay up and, as mentioned, they're scoring for fun as is. I think we're probably going to see our best attacking central midfielder since Cairney/David Dunn(?) for another 4 months or so before he goes for free. Edit: That said, I agree with your allusion that an astute club would do well to gamble on him. His late development as a first teamer are, I think, down to confusion about his best position and, also, perhaps, a lack of the natural confidence of Dack or Brereton. However, he seems to have found his groove now.

McBride seems to be hitting some form. Interesting to see what the club decides about him. I suppose if the club's decided that he can go this summer, he might be free to be talking to clubs now to sign a pre-contract. He won't be short of suitors, as his success as a PL2 player of the season nominee was being reported in the nationals in Scotland, last year. People are rightly hailing the achievements of the U18s this season. However, my concern is that the success of the U23s last year hasn't translated into first team promotions yet. Carter and Butterworth have been involved but are a little older, I think, and they weren't involved that much in last season's U23 campaign that resulted in an impressive 4th placed finish. The team were in the top two, I think for a while, but fell off at the end. By contrast, the prior 'year group' has seen Buckley, Butterworth, Carter, Travis and Nyambe come through to make appearances. There's still time for players but it does look as if the U23s of 2020-21, are largely going to fall by the wayside, despite success amongst Premier League peers. As much as there is no guarantee of success or transition, the fact that not a single member is, apparently, anywhere near coming through must raise questions. It begs the question whether the next generation will face the same issue. With Ash Phillips and Adam Wharton being fast-tracked to appear on the first team bench for the FA cup tie, it may not be the case.

I'm guessing he's competing with Khadra and Brereton. Moreover, Mowbray experimented with Clarkson and Poveda as the No.10, before Buckley became the regular, so, can imagine him throwing him in there, if Buckley's absent. To start with, I guess he'll take Butterworth's place on the bench and, perhaps, his place at the club. We'll have to see if Butterworth will sign a new deal or if Rovers will even offer him one, as Transfermakt site has his contract expiring in June, though, there might be the possibility of the 1 year extension, which the club seems to insert as a standard clause. It's a shame for him, as he's shown fleeting glimpses but hasn't quite had the minutes to convince, I'd say.

An interesting article. Thanks for sharing. It paints, generally, a rosy picture, though, referencing the high wage to turnover ratio. I think a key omission is the contract expiry situation with so many players in the last or second to last year, which is a major uncertainty with the club (and, perhaps, as a poster here suggested, with other clubs too). The situation with the planned sale of the training ground which was in the offing before is also a worrying sign which needs to be considered when assessing the state of the club. I would contend with the "and limited finances restricted Mowbray to a handful of loan signings," as we did sign Harry Pickering (albeit the deal was done in January 2021) and Tayo Edun, whose transfer fees were undisclosed but LT online suggested that the latter deal cost £450k and I can imagine Pickering could have been a similar value. It is nice, however, for Rovers to be getting some limelight again. Though, it should be said that though we have been in the doldrums, as former Premier League champions, it doesn't compare to some other clubs - including former Prem clubs such as Bolton and Portsmouth.

I'm guessing that teams have got onto our counter-attack style and are also matching us up in formation more often. The team's rising to the challenge but a lot of onus is on Buckley to create and hold possession. Last two games, he's struggled, by the reports. In the last game v. Huddersfield, one of their attackers was drawing Wharton, I think, into midfield and creating gaps in the backline. I think Buckley's got to be doing that at times for us to disrupt the other team. The other issue might be Travis. He's playing every game and physically, it's asking a lot

With the talk of at least of one new forward coming in, I'd be interested to know what the general view is on the club trying to keep Dan Butterworth or letting him go this year or next. I can only guess that he rejected an offer of a new deal, thus far. It'd be madness from the club to extend Dan Pike and Louis Annesley's deals last summer (U23 defenders now on loan in non-league) and not seek to do so with Butterworth. However, the club seems to work in mysterious ways, so who knows. I think he has done enough to earn a new deal. I don't like the idea of relying on any potential 1 year unilateral extension, as that increases the likelihood of the player leaving on a free, even if they make a impact, as we are seeing with others.

Whilst the possible Spurs forward signing sounds promising, I have two concerns. One being that, I think central midfield is the most pressing need at the moment, given that our back-ups are Johnson and Davenport. I hope we'll bring in someone to make an impact, as Rothwell and Travis can't be expected to play every game. Moreover, I think the ideal situation would've been to try and sign Reda Khadra on a permanent deal. He looks like a brilliant prospect and, even, when thrown in right at the start, he showed his ability in a constantly shifting line-up. It might well be that Brighton wouldn't sell but, given that they aren't taking him back in January, it seems he is down the pecking order. A January bid might, possibly, test Brighton's resolve as Khadra hasn't gained as much publicity as might do, should he continue in the team ans coring goals. If not, I would hope that a bid might be made by Rovers in the summer, money permitting. Possibly for van Hecke, as well. Edit: On a different note, I am surprised to read that Tayo Edun might have cost the club £450 k or so, according the LT online, Where they get that figure from, I don't know, but so far, Edun hasn't shown his worth. He may well do with more opportunities but it was a big outlay for a future prospect/squad player from League One, in these times. He has at least go youth on his side.

Boro managed to sign Folarin Balogun from Arsenal on loan. Wages permitting, if we're going to get someone on loan, we should be looking for that kind of level. If we're going for the slightly lower level loan signing, I think deals should be done in anticipation of potentially seeking a permanent deal. It worked brilliantly with Tom Cairney and can be a way of testing a player before spending big money. "Polishing up" players for the benefit of other clubs doesn't seem sustainable as a strategy. It's hard to develop and build a squad when key players are coming and going every half or full season - and then the benefit of the loan deal - and the financial outlay, redounds to other clubs. It starts to act as a subsidy from Rovers for Prem clubs' youth development. In other words, I believe Rovers should either be loaning in the best (Folarin Balogun eg.) or, players who might become available and fit into Rovers wage structure, as permanent recruits. In the latter case, the expenditure becomes more of a longer-term investment and there's potential for a sell-on transfer fee. Moreover, I wish Mowbray would wax enthusiastic about polishing up his own fringe and youth players, as much as he does the Prem loanees that he likes to laud. I don't see that kind of consideration going to his own squad members. PS. Rovers haven't made an announcement on Poveda, as far as I can tell, so it looks like we might end up paying his wages and loan fees for the rest of the season, though he's unavailable and doing rehab at Leeds.

Somewhat misleading regarding Harwood-Bellis as, although he signed on 1 Feb 2021, from what I can tell, he only made his starting debut as a centre back (alongside Branthwaite) on 20th February, against Nottingham Forest, by which time we'd dropped to 12th. That was after a period of three defeats, including losing to Preston and Barnsley. The team capitulated around this time and, eventually, Harwood-Bellis established himself as first choice, alongside Lenihan. Incidentally, the line-up recorded by the BBC website for the 17th February 2021 defeat away to Barnsley, when Harwood-Bellis made his starting debut, speaks volumes for the utter confusion amongst management as to what the strongest line up and formation was. According to that site, Gallagher was left wing, Elliot Bennett right wing, Stewart Downing central midfield, alongside Travis, with Harwood-Bellis and Douglas the full backs. Rothwell, Brereton and Buckley were on the bench. It would appear that a few might have been unavailable, such as Elliot and Nyambe. A few games later, a 1-0 defeat to Reading, eight changes had been made to that starting eleven.

It's hard to judge fully because the Rovers team last season was extremely dysfunctional. We played a 4-3-3, with wingers who were strikers and who didn't track back effectively and full backs who struggled to defend. Hence, we had Adam Armstrong and Harvey Elliot amongst the top goal scorers and assist-makers, respectively, in the league and, yet, we were headed for a potential relegation fight. Harwood-Bellis came in in the Jan transfer window and improved our defence a lot, overall, and was key, I feel, to guiding us to 15th in the league. He complemented Darragh Lenihan, who likes to play the somewhat more passive sweeper role, by being aggressive and on the front-foot. In a team with a structure, I think he should be very good. I would've wanted him back at Rovers as he looked like he could play LCB. which, for us, after Wharton, I'm not confident we have someone who can do that, in a back three.

Hayden Carter and Joe Rankin-Costello, supposedly, joined the club in 2014, aged around 15 years old. Without a youth football system that accommodates that age group, they may have ended somewhere else. Similarly, Scott Wharton, Ryan Nyambe and, back in the day, David Hoilett, apparently, joined the club aged 12/13 years old or so. Other players, now elsewhere, such as Connor Mahoney, James Tarkowski, Matty Pearson, Joe Garner had spells in the Rovers youth academy, with Mahoney and Garner earning the club some transfer/compensation fees. (In Garner's case, it was probably a mistake to let him go for £150k or so, given the transfer fees he commanded after that). The number of players that have come all the way through, like Buckley, who reportedly joined the club aged 6 years old, might be limited but those that join at a later age and have success can be considered, in some way and to differing degrees, products of the academy. Certainly, Ryan Nyambe, Scott Wharton and Jason Lowe are 'products' of that system. Some of those that didn't make the cut would have supported the development of the few that have by being team-mates and opponents in training. I don't know enough to know if having very young age categories for boys in the Rovers academy is particularly helpful for the club or healthy for the children. Unfortunately, the elite clubs have turned the youth system into a relentless "gold rush" and there is pressure on clubs to compete with that system. I'm sceptical about boys as young as 6 or even younger being taken into academies - though, I don't know much about what that experience involves. However, I feel that having a schoolboys system for teenagers, at least, whichever format it takes, is beneficial, and has proven so - and could be yet improved. Rovers probably could get more out of the system. If Jason Lowe can contribute 173 first team appearances, I think more youth players could contribute to the first team, given a chance. It would also help to somehow keep hold of the likes of Mahoney, O'Connell and Alan Judge when they're recruited and come through.

It could be that, or, perhaps, he's not considered match fit/sharp? You're right, though, Liverpool fans/press seemed to think he'd come in to play in the FA Cup. Will be interesting to see how his career progresses as Mowbray praised him highly on leaving: “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. He knows football, it’s hurting him because he’s a Rovers fan and I haven’t been able to give him the game-time and he understands that because the team is winning and functioning." I find these comments disingenuous, as, if Mowbray thought so highly of Clarkson, or was so keen for him to play, he would have given him sub appearances at least. He would also have talked more about trying to keep him. Barring some kind of onerous contractual obligation, like high appearance fees or something, a Harvey Elliot talent doesn't remain rooted to the bench, whilst Bradley Johnson is coming on, with all respect to Johnson, who has greater experience and physical strength but is coming to the end of his career.

Could it mean that Leeds are insisting on Rovers fulfilling the loan and wage payments for the full season? In which case, the Poveda loan contract didn't have a termination clause based on serious injury or a Jan break option and no other settlement has yet been reached, so he remains on Rovers books. I'm speculating but it does seem likely that Premier League clubs are calling the shots on loan deals. Also bemusing that Clarkson was on the bench every match and not trusted to play a single minute latterly. With Prem youth players increasingly in demand on continental Europe, I can imagine that, the big clubs especially, are making a fair sum from loan deals and, at the same time, dictating terms. By contrast, Rovers are sending out some U23 regulars into the regional leagues below conference level. Another example of the grotesque gulf between top tier and second tier - which gets worse the further you go down.