Has anyone followed Damien Duff's coaching career? I believe he's recently left the Ireland set-up, after a spell at Celtic as reserve manager. I'm not suggesting him as the next manager, not really knowing of his record, but he might be someone to look to bring in for the future - if he's up for it. I think his family's normally based in Ireland.

I really agree with this. We need to return to some basics with the formation and defensive solidity. Our midfield and forward line is a free for all, with a distinct lack of positional or defensive discipline.

Watching the Watford game highlights, I feel that once again the team formation is helping to fail Rovers. In the highlights, you see a number of times two fundamental defensive weaknesses - on the flanks and through the central midfield. For all the criticism that the defence has received, it seems to me that they are receiving scant protection sometimes. By way of example, Watford's third goal, by Ken Sema, Ryan Nyambe comes out of position to close down a player in the midfield position. Watford work it around him and play it down the left and score. No Rovers midfielder is in the vicinity to realistically help the defence. I believe that this 4-3-3 business, mimicking the Premier League and other clubs, is a major part of the failing. It is all very well playing Harvey Elliot, Dack and Armstrong up top - but it requires players to track back to protect the full-backs, as wingers are expected to do in a 4-4-2 formation. It also requires someone to hold the ball up at the top. It also requires the central midfielders to know who will perform the holding role and shield the central defence. Until the formation is corrected, so that players know their defensive duties, I think we will continue to struggle. Just another point, normally, during central defensive injury crises, experienced full-backs are pulled in. I do not know why Nyambe or Douglas are not partnering one of the youngsters in the middle. Nyambe seems the obvious choice. It's not ideal but I believe is far preferable to playing two young players with so little experience (and who are not being protected by the rest of the team).

If Nyambe's coming back from a slight injury, the onus will really be on Rothwell, Douglas and Elliot to provide width. However, their record of doing so is not great. I hope Mowbray's given instruction to at least one of them to stay out wide.

It's possible that part of the problem is formation confusion. 4-3-3 is the fad these days but, as far as I see it (being no tactician), it is a glorified 4-5-1 or 4-4-2 (or so it should be) as without the ball, the forward(s) need to drop back to track the opposite full backs and to protect their own. I can think of three recent goals that highlight formational confusion - there's undoubtedly many more. The first goal scored by PNE when Nyambe covered in the centre and no-one was in sight to cover him in the right back position - though, he did well to try and block the wonder shot by Cunningham. That goal by Canos for Brentford when he cut in from the left, when Buckley was trying to stop him in the right back spot and for some reason Armstrong came ambling back without any real defensive intent and provided a decoy, helping the Brentford player to throw Buckley. Then, I can think of that Doncaster FA Cup goal when Travis and Trybull had vacated the centre of the pitch, giving their player the freedom to run from the half-way line and strike a shot that Pears should probably have saved. I believe the player haring after him was Brereton. I'm not that familiar with tactics at all but it seems to me that, often, our formation and positional play is, at times, undermining the genuine talent we have - particularly in terms of forwards defending the flanks and a central midfielder being disciplined in the defensive role. We've also had a litany of injuries and some key players getting Covid that may be affecting them still. Then there are Mowbray and team's dubious signings - Johnson, Downing, Pears, Ayala, Trybull to name a few most recent ones. Is the squad overrated? Possibly but I do think we are underperforming.

I hope Nyambe is brought back into consideration. He's inconsistent and has flaws in his game but he has so much potential, both going forward and defending, and at 23, should get better. I haven't seen direct quotes from Mowbray as to why he was dropped from the squad for the Barnsley match - and just hope that it wasn't a case of him being scapegoated for the first goal conceded in the previous match, especially, as others were equally and, I think, more culpable, in that case, and Nyambe went on to create the penalty opportunity with a strong run. It's possible that frustration from the club for the contract situation plays a part. It's really unfortunate he looks to be on his way but with his exposure to first team international football, he was always likely to consider other opportunities, I think. The fact that Mowbray doesn't seem to rate him too highly probably is contributing to his thoughts. Edit: If Mowbray's going to experiment with 3 centre backs, Nyambe has been playing in that role for Namibia, so, I think should be in consideration, if Bennett is favoured at RWB.

There have been times this season when Mowbray looked on to something - eg. the performance against an admittedly dreadful Newcastle side. However, Holtby, who was key to that hasn't retained form, fitness or favour and no-one has filled his boots, yet. Ironically, a fragile but talented freebie, in Holtby, is more important to the side that the multi-million pound forwards we've signed. If Don Said is accurately reporting that Nyambe was left out of the match day squad on merit, rather than injury or illness or another reason, it is a terrible example of management. Nyambe deserved, at least, to be on the bench. We know that Buckley is not going to play much, after Mowbray hooked him from the sub cameo, so Nyambe, at least, should've been on the bench ahead of a player that is definitely not going to play.

Except in immediate relegation danger, I don't think we should have loaned three Premier League 'starlets' that we have little to no hope of securing long-term. One and, maybe, two, might be ok but signing the three suggests utter short-termism. All three, Branthwaite, Elliot and Harwood-Bellis will go away from Rovers with experience gained and possible increased asset value for their clubs (barring a high-profile end of season collapse which the young defenders get tarnished with). For developing such players, we need to get something commensurate, long-term, in return and I don't see it, however, good all three might be. Perhaps, finances will dictate being an overt feeder club but I'd prefer to resist as much as possible.

In a recent interview with Rio Ferdinand's Youtube show, Ravel Morrison reiterated his claim that, whilst at West Ham, Sam Allardyce conditioned the offer of a new contract for him on switching agents to someone linked to Allardyce. Morrison, who says that he was satisfied with his existing deal and life at West Ham at the time, says that he refused and then after this, he was eased out of the club, first on loan and then permanently. Allardyce and his agent denied the allegations when they were first made in 2014 or so. The BBC have covered the Morrison interview today and their headline focuses on Morrison stealing first team player boots which got him banned from the dressing room at Utd. The Allardyce allegation is dealt with in one line: "he alleges a disagreement over a contract with then manager Sam Allardyce ended his time with the Hammers." Allardyce's side of the story must be presented but the allegations are extremely serious and deserve far more attention from journalists.

I think Lowe is a clear example of the fan criticism of managerial player selection proving vindicated, in a way. Most Rovers fans knew that Lowe was sub-standard - but was somehow a manager's favourite and, if I remember rightly, even trusted to play as an emergency centre back, as well as his more regular central midfield or right back. He was tall, athletic, had good fitness - and, I suppose, had leadership qualities - as he captained England U20s, Rovers and Bolton. I guess it was something about his off-field personality that appealed, especially, to certain managers and may have elevated him to have such a good career, racking up over 100 appearances at Rovers, as his ability was noticeably low, even for us. By contrast, Alan Judge, who went on to be nominated as Championship Player of the Year with Brentford and international caps for Ireland, who were not short on decent creative midfielders, received, I believe, a couple of appearances during his first stint at Rovers and 11 in his second. But credit to Lowe for making the most of his abilities (and managers' inabilities) and still playing at a good level with Salford City. When he was in the England U21 team, I remember talk of Premier League clubs considering him. What a coup that would have been for Rovers and Lowe. With Buckley, I think he could do with watching footage of Tom Cairney play. I'm not equating them as players but that's the sort of style of player Buckley is, I believe.

I agree with Ewood Ace, that Nyambe actually defended the first goal incident well. A criticism might be that he should have spotted the danger and screamed earlier for Gallagher to get back. You'll also see a Preston runner from midfield not being tracked by Rovers central midfielders which means Nyambe has to stay central by then. The first goal was a wonder strike, so that has to be taken into account too. And, Nyambe 'assisted' the Rovers pen with a surging run and pass. Going on those two incidents, only, he did some good work.

Yes, sorry, didn't make myself clear. I don't know the full details of the Lyle Taylor case at Charlton, except that he refused to play after the season resumed post-Lockdown 1, last year, to stay healthy to secure his lucrative move to Forest. However, MacKenzie, in typical style says that he blames Taylor "exclusively" for Charlton's relegation to League One, which is ridiculous and unfair scapegoating, no matter how badly Taylor might have behaved.

Tabloid man, Kelvin MacKenzie playing the exploited football fan, a group that he has made a career, at least partially, exploiting. And, back to scapegoating individuals, I see.

Stranger things have happened but Brereton will either need to get very lucky or make a drastic improvement. He really needs to improve his technique in shooting, as someone mentioned in another thread. Strikers like Jon Stead and Matt Derbyshire, might not have been the physically strongest (though Stead, in particular, was pretty good on the ball) but they had a powerful strike in their arsenal, which they could get away before a defender thwarted them. I'm not sure Brereton has it, at the moment. Emile Heskey is a player who I think couldn't strike a ball cleanly very often, either - but, he had other strengths. Brereton, currently, is neither a winger nor a forward but a mixture of the two and often out of place in our team. Of course, it's not Brereton's fault that anyone was ignorant enough as to spend millions of pounds on him and, to his credit, his work-rate and his readiness to run at defenders can be impressive. The signing is as mystifying as when we spent a lot less, but still a silly sum, to buy Jordan Slew from Sheffield United, when he was a back-up player there - albeit, considered a prospect. To get back to Chapman - he clearly has real ability and will comfortably have a good Championship career, in my opinion, if he avoids injuries, works hard and has a manager who believes in him. The fact we have Dolan makes it more understandable that we let him go - but, I think it's not good business he'll walk away on a free - no transfer fee or sell-on fee. For a club of our finances, talented young players, with England youth international pedigree, especially, who are sold should be earning us some transfer fees, however, small, to be financially sustainable.

Injuries permitting - which, I think, is a concern for him, based on his record - I think Chapman can do an Alan Judge and flourish in the Championship with another club, after being let go. I see Chapman, in a few years, playing at a higher level than Brereton - injuries permitting, again. It's a shame that we won't get any money for him, assuming he leaves for a free this year. However, I'm partly glad he's going and will get an opportunity to prove himself, including his attitude, which has been cast doubt upon during his Rovers spell. Given the formation we play and the preference for persevering with Brereton and having Dolan and Rothwell, his chances were even more limited. Moreover, Shrewsbury have given him the No.10 position, based on his debut, and, I think that that might be his best position, especially, if, as it seems, he has lost some pace as a result of injuries.

I'd be interested to know from regular U23 watchers where Buckley tended to play when he was a star performer for that team. For the first team, he seems to play as a deep-ish lying fulcrum midfielder, when in midfield, which doesn't seem to suit him. Recently, Mowbray described him as an attacking midfielder who glides past defenders in training. That's not something that has been seen in first team matches. I am not ready to give up on Buckley, given his success at U23 level and the occasional glimpses he has shown, especially, initially - but he does need improvement and, perhaps, a fixed position that suits him would help. Joe Rothwell has come more into his own since finding a role best suited to his game. Mowbray turned down League One loan enquiries in September, last year, but, if there was such an option now, I think it might be for the best for Buckley. If he stays, he should get regular U23 games to prove his worth again and build confidence.

Though Pears should have saved the shot, the midfield failed to protect the back four & GK for the Doncaster goal. For some reason, no one was in the DM position, leaving Richards the freedom to collect the ball in front of the Rovers defence, turn and run at them. Lenihan et al had little choice but to back off. The positioning really was a very basic error, especially, when both Travis and Trybull are mean to be defensively minded CMs.

The criticism of Buckley on the second goal seems harsh and rather unfair. He was isolated against a ball running winger. He correctly seeks to hold up the attacker so that others can come and support him. As he does so, he can see another Brentford player going down the line, effectively creating a 2 v 1 situation for a moment. Buckley's jockeying does enable other players to get back. However, the Rovers player (can't tell who it is) who comes to directly 'support' Buckley neither confronts the winger nor tracks the full back. This leaves Buckley not knowing who to track and what his team mate is doing. Arguably, he made the mistake to go with the full back. However, also culpable is the backtracking Rovers player who does nothing, except to create further confusion. Then there was another Rovers player inside who allowed the Brentford to get his excellent shot away. Buckley might've made mistakes elsewhere but in this case, I would lay more blame on the inadequate backtracking player, than the makeshift right back.

Perhaps, if PNE had the budget for an U23 team, Dolan would've been kept on to show his abilities. Maybe, a reminder to Rovers, if and when drastic cuts are contemplated. The U18s FA Youth Cup match highlights from Rovers v PNE in February this year are interesting to watch. Sorry if it's been already discussed - but though Rovers ran out 4-2 winners after a PNE player got sent off, the highlights suggest that PNE were very impressive and, perhaps, even the better team against a side with highly rated Rovers youth players like Brennan, Burns and Whitehall, amongst others. Dolan scores and plays well for PNE and another player, Ethan Walker, performs very well and scores.