For reasons beyond TM's control we're without Kaminski, Ayala, Douglas, Travis, Johnson, Rothwell & Dack. I reckon 100% of us would choose at least 5 of those 7 players in our first 11. On top of that, we have support players such as Bell & Bennett unavailable. We've barely had a fit left back available in 2020. These aren't excuses, they're reasons. I doubt other clubs have had such significant absences to cope with, and against that background obtaining consistency & momentum is nigh on impossible. Yes despite that, we're competing in games even against the toughest opposition in this division, but just not getting crucial things right or the rub of the green; every defensive mistake is being punished. I don't think Kaminski or Pears could've done much about 90% of the goals we've conceded. Furthermore, we've had some of the toughest games too; away at Watford, Bournemouth, Swansea, home to Cardiff - all pre season top 6 favourites. We've lost to 4 of the the current top 6, including the runaway league leaders. Our next game is against another of them, in Boro. On the flip side, we've hammered our other opponents; there are far more opponents of that calibre in this division than your Watfords, Bournemouths & Swanseas. I'd be more worried if we weren't competing in games, or if we'd been losing to the likes of middling clubs like QPR, Brum, Millwall etc. But we're not, so I can still see the positives going forwards. Mowbray isn't immune from criticism in my eyes. Gallagher isn't being played effectively, Davenport should be given a chance ahead of Evans, especially if Trybull is in a middle 3. Some substitutions appear strange. But to my mind these are consequences that flow from the initial adversity of unavailable players, and every manager at every club suffers fan criticism for such things, such is their lot. I know I'll get labelled a happy clapper for this, that's fine. I prefer to think however that I am being even-handed and offering context to the recent run of bad results. It's not black and white, however many might paint it to be. And there's still a long, long way to go this season. Chin up everyone!

I didn't watch the match and have only seen brief highlights on YouTube. The stats suggest it was a pretty even game, though I know they can be misleading. I bet Mowbray is tearing his hair out at what is going on. I don't agree with the Gally out wide thing & nor do I think Evans deserves the starts he's been given, but those issues aside he has been massively unfortunate. We're competing in every game, but players are either making stupid individual errors defensively (eg. Douglas, JRC & Lenihan v Reading), suffering huge misfortune (eg. Lenihan slipping when he went to challenge Ayew yesterday), or making the wrong choices up front & not making their keeper work enough. We've got a good squad overall, most of us agree that, but he's not been properly able to utilise it due to illness & injury, which is beyond his control. I'm not saying he ought to have forever, he should be accountable, but the signs are there that this can be a successful season if we just persevere in finding some consistency at both ends of the pitch. There's still plenty of time to go, if we weren't competing I'd feel differently but we are, we just need consistency & momentum. I remember in L1 feeling similarly, we stuck at it then & found that consistency. I think we can do that here, though I could be wrong of course...

Updates on here from anyone able to watch would be much appreciated ?

It certainly was a dampener on enthusiasm last night. Totally gutted at the naivety shown defensively. All their goals came from glaring individual errors (Douglas for the 1st, Lenihan & JRC for the 2nd & 3rd, & Lenihan for the 4th). We will not achieve any success whilst being so generous to the opposition, especially ones so clinical as Reading (and before them Watford & Bournemouth; some of the finishing we have faced has been top notch). Whilst I have some sympathy with the view TM can't set up a defence, those players named (especially Douglas & Lenihan, being as experienced as they are) need to take a long hard look at themselves. They just should not be making those types of errors so frequently. The real disappointment is that having conceded so early in daft circumstances, we got immediately back on level terms (to our credit) but then committed defensive suicide again. I don't know if it's a positive or not, but the games come thick & fast this season, so there's no time for the squad to dwell. Maybe we're better away when pressure is off & we can do one over Swansea to put this debacle immediately behind us. Fingers crossed it's just one of those days, but it does seem to be becoming a bit too regular a feeling. Credit where it's due, Reading were very good. Absolutely clinical & confident on the ball. They must be cockahoop with their start, but it's still early days yet, plenty if time for them to fall back down to earth. But I'd rather be sat where they are than where we are just at this moment...

I'm speechless. Keystone cops defending from Douglas, JRC & Lenihan in particular.

Of course!! ?

A classic "must score first" scenario this one. If we don't it could be a long night,; they've beaten Cardiff & Watford in their run to 1st place so cant be taken lightly. Despite the suggestion they've been lucky, there must be more to it than that; their performance here last season & their 2nd goal on Sat show there's no shortage of ability there, and we know what Joao can do if motivated. That said, I believe we have enough to give them defensive nightmares. It's imperative that we get off to a strong start, front foot from the off, high press, incisive penetrating balls forward through the lines, let BB & Elliot run at 'em and draw the fouls for Holtby & Douglas set pieces. We have many more options than we used to and must utilise them from the first whistle. Personnel-wise I would keep it as close to the Cov starting 11. Hope Kaminski is ok as I know little about Pears (not a criticism, just better the devil you know). If Ayala is deemed fit I would leave him on the bench for now as Lenihan & Williams did nothing wrong & play well together.

Both Derby & Coventry have -8 goal differences; our 4 goal wins at their home grounds (kind of, in Cov's case) inflicted half of them. Wycombe have a -13 goal difference, of which we accounted for 5 at Ewood. Each of them has played 7 games, so in their other games Derby & Cov average approx -0.6 per game, Wycombe Approx -1.3. So yes, other teams have beaten them and they may be near the bottom of the division now, but our wins are a key reason why and no-one else has beaten any of them anywhere near as emphatically. Does that make us flat track bullies? Maybe if looked at in isolation, but then if you add in that we played away at Watford & Bournemouth and gave them their toughest games, albeit leaving without a point, then I think that points to something of more substance. Time will tell of course; bring on Reading I say!

As often, we're losing the balance of this debate. IMO we're not real challengers for top 2 in this division nor can we expect to be top 6, as we still have too many faults in crucial aspects of the gam at both ends of the pitch. But that said we're not way off either; out of 7 games, I think we've put in 5 good overall performances, 1 average one and 1 poor one. That has to bode well as whilst it's points that win prizes, good performances are more likely to bring points than average and poor ones. If we can just find some consistency at the back (i.e. avoid silly mistakes or 3 goal deficits) and be more clinical in front of goal, then we can be properly excited I think; but they are quite big issues to solve, hopefully the way the new lads played yesterday makes that more likely.

Maybe Watford did have 2 or 3 more gears to go up to, but isn't it a fact that we stopped them from being able to find those gears through the way we played? I don't know for sure as I only saw the last 40 mins due to ifollow issues, but the stats (besides the main one) back that theory up. If you add that theory to the view of Watford's manager that we were the best team they've played, and Bournemouth's managers similar views as referred to on Quest last night, then it gains further credence. After all, they're not going to say those things publicly just to stroke our ego are they? Yes we need to be more clinical at both ends of the pitch (even yesterday we missed a hatful of chances before getting a 2nd; had they equalised it would have been much tougher) but to refer to us as having played poorly at Watford is way over critical IMO.

Very funny! I'm guessing (hoping) that their assault on the summit is built on far less solid foundations than ours, but I guess we'll see. After all, weren't Charlton flying this time last season before dropping like a stone into L1?

Really pleased with today. We started well I thought, neat in possession & good approach play without creating much. Then they hit the post, a stroke of luck to be fair, but we went straight back at them & the long pass from JRC to BB was perfection, as was his touch to get himself between defender & ball, clear penalty for a rash push in the back, correct sending off for no attempt at playing the ball. Thankfully Arma put the pen away, then after that they just could not live with us. Our fluency, transitioning, recycling of possession, dribbling, passing, chance creation (if not finishing) was top notch. No word of a lie, we could have had a VVV Venlo v Ajax score today. We were superb. Brereton was MOTM for me, what a handful he is proving to be. His decision making seems much improved too, and his direct running is hated by defenders who have to commit, drawing fouls or leaving runners. He was pretty unplayable today. Holtby excellent too; a few months ago I likened him to Tugay , someone on here replied he wasn't fit to place Tugay's boots; whilst I would have Tugay in his prime over Holtby any day, I do feel that my comparison is valid, as he ran midfield. Good debut for Douglas & full debut for Trybull, they both more than played their part. Elliot looks v impressive too; he seems to want to be here,I feared he might have a bit of a "I'm too good for Blackburn Rovers" attitude about him, but not so far, he's slotted right in to the shape & style we have morphed into. Solid enough overall defensively, not tested too much. Am slightly concerned about Kaminski's injury, hope that's not serious. It was only Coventry, and mostly with 10 men, but good intelligent play made it that way and we cspitslised; what more can we do? Big test on Tuesday as Reading are flying, but we should have absolutely no reason to fear them. We could really send out a signal to the rest of this division that we mean business this season.

Like that team, some good ambition there, let's just hope the back 5 work well together & get support defensively from the midfield 3; the signs with Trybull are good...

I think we all know this is the defining season for Mowbray. If he gets top 6, whether or not we get promoted, he will definitely be kept on unless he chooses to leave, and deservedly so. If we miss out on the top 6, then I think it will be time to try something different, especially if here is little or no improvement on last season's performance. So far this season, there are strong signs of progress in terms of style of play, but also still some of the same weaknesses. The key here is that we have strong players yet to come into the fold, who should improve our options & bring with them a winning mentality. We've had 6 league games, which have seen 4 strong performances overall, but only brought 2 wins. Thankfully 2 if those were away at probably the strongest teams in the division. I'm pretty sure we've enough about us to win those types of games against weaker opposition. The Cardiff & Forest games were disappointing, no doubt. But I can see Douglas, Trybull & Harvey (and in a month or so, Dack) being the difference in those games and thus helping unlock 2 banks of 4. There's cause to be hopeful I think. Nothing is won or lost after 6 games in any season, least of a this one.

Decent line up I'd say, glad Holtby us back, hopefully he splits up the Johnson / Evans partnership & they each link well with him. Some decent pace up front, solid (of late) back 4. We've another game on Sat, sure we'll see Douglas & Trybull then. Good options. COYB

Superb stuff!

To pin any kind of blame on Kaminski for that goal would be extremely harsh. He was completely wrong footed by the deflection which took it in by the post; had he saved it,it would have been akin to Gordon Banks' v Brazil!

Just for a bit of context, whilst accepting that Rovers didn't play especially well today, below are the stats from Forest v Bristol, Lamouche's last match. I don't think that their performance today was that far removed from their performance last time out. I suspect they're in a false position and will be up there or thereabouts come May. So let's not be too despondent, we'll have better days. I thought we deserved a draw today, certainly not a cruel defeat in that manner, but then we were the authors of our own downfall too.

Sigh.

Fair enough. Save him to terrorise in midweek then! ?

All true but that probably applies as much,if not moreso, to our rivals. Teams need luck as well as ability, hard work & good tactical nous. We certainly missed out on the first of those last season due to long term injuries, hopefully we get dealt a better hand this season but if not we're as prepared as we could be to cope. The best form of defence is attack, as the saying goes...

Mate of mine, a Bristol City fan, said Forest were excellent against them a couple of games back, should've won. We can't take this game lightly, they've a strong squad & a manager who knows how to get results in this league. That said, we've got to be confident & be on the front foot from the off. Assuming there's no Holtby or Rothwell, I like Rev's team. A little concerned about Ayala & Douglas being new to the back 4, but worth giving it a go with Bell benches. Options off the bench are v promising, with Elliot likely to get a 25 minute run out whether we're struggling or cruising.

Well that was a fun day deadline wise, made even better because I woke up this morning and it wasn't a dream! Some excellent looking additions have been made across this window offering a real mix of competition, depth, creativity potential & winning experience, all done at relatively low cost. Equally significantly, we've kept hold of our main men whilst having moved on some of those who no longer offered enough value. I'm really pleased, though of course the proof will be in the pudding & TM has given himself some real positive selection headaches. I think he views this season, rightly, as the one to go for it. Certainly subject to luck with injuries, he's got to be achieving top 6 now minimum as he's assembled the tool to do it.

Kaminski Nyambe, Lenihan, Ayala, Douglas Johnson, Holtby, Rothwell Dolan, Arma, Brereton Stergiakis / Pears JRC, Williams, Wharton / Magloire, Bell Travis, Buckley, Davenport / Trybull Chapman, Gallagher, Dack Plus potentially Downing, with Vale, McBride, Brennan, Butterworth and a few others looking good behind them in the U23s I've probably missed some, and there's a couple of assumptions and a couple of square pegs in there too, but overall I'd say any combination of the above two 11s has a chance of matching anything else in this division this season. Reasons to be hopeful I think.

Karlan Grant set to move to W Brom from Huddersfield for £15m. 23 year old Englishman who scored 19 goals last season. We should be looking for at least that for Armstrong should anyone come sniffing. Hopefully they don't...