No point. Manager would have played him right wing inside forward and Dack up front. Only started 1 game all season even though Graham has been injured or unavailable for a few. Turn your attention to the manager because he had the choice to sort these issues out during the summer. Instead he bought 6 midfielders and a striker in Armstrong whose league 2 level. I'll say it now. This lad will be made into the scapegoat and the reason why the team isn't performing. It must be the manager whose been here 2 years and still can't organise a defence or buy a decent centre half.

I'd like him to give Brereton some more chances down the middle. Sounded like he was okay today. Not brilliant but not the worst on the pitch either. Travis also sounded like he held his own. These two sound be in the 11 or in the 18 man squad for now and future seasons. Maybe because I've a bias for academy players I'd rather Travis before both Evans and Smallwood.

If someone gave you the scenario of a 15 million transfer budget and a wage limit of 25k-30k per player who would people suggest we signed and why? I know it's more than likely to never happen but it's become depressing recently with the results from the team. I'd be looking at Goalkeeper, centre back, left back, Reed permanently, Left winger and Striker so we had a team set up of the following. Raya Nyambe New Mulgrew New Reed Rodwell/Travis Bennet Dack New Graham/New

I said well done to the manager before the game started because of the team he picked. It was something different and it was refreshing. That said though to say the managers subs weren't an issue isn't really truthful. Why not bring Danny Graham on for Brereton or even leave both on and go for the win? Instead he brought an advanced midfielder on and a player in Armstrong who no one knows where to play him? It doesn't make sense. An experienced target man to play into once 10 vs 11 was exactly what was needed.

How can you blame the striker whose had his first start of the season today away to a consistent top 6 team at home even though he's been here since the summer? Game collapsed on itself once we brought a midfielder on to play striker again and the managers son got sent off. Fans need to see past an individual player or price and ask why this is happening. What's the odds that once Smallwoods ban is over he will be first pick again? Travis showed why Smallwood should be relegated to cone duty from now on unless we want to be back in league 1.

Good half and well done to the manager for his team selection. Now keep faith in these lads and send them all back out. We don't need any subs yet.

Hope the lads who are starting take their chance and do well. Wouldn't like the likes of Brereton, Travis, Rothwell to be the fall guys if this is a battering. Fair play to the manager though. He's tried something different and I can't argue with that. Only one I'm questioning slightly is Dack but let's show everyone we aren't as one man of a team as we appear. 2-1 Rovers, Brereton, Rodwell, Sharp

Do we not have any young academy lads who are natural left or right fallbacks? Team I think he will pick Raya Lenihan Mulgrew Williams Reed Evans Rodwell Bell Dack Armstrong Graham That team won't win though as we can keep relying on a Mulgrew set piece or individual play from Graham and Dack. Armstrong might as well be in the crowd with the fans at the moment as well.

Don't really mind Billy Sharp. I think he's a very effective player at what he does and that is why Sheffield United value him so much. Would he make the BPL in his prime? No but he's handy to have and I'd have him as Rovers. As for Leeds. They are playing well but only half of the season has gone. Their manager is well known for being brilliant but crazy and has imploded at a few of his previous clubs. When things go wrong he generally goes wrong. Whose to say you won't lose the next 4. The manager loses the plot and your season ending at this point being as good as it gets? I'd have him as Rovers manager but it's a fine balancing act to do it for a full 40 plus game season.

The problem with this inside forward stuff is it's a lot more technical and difficult to pull off. There's a reason teams like Barcelona, Real Madrid and the likes play it. To do it well you need to be in that top drawer of player. 2 decent wingers. A centre half and a decent target man should have been brought in and for 10 million pounds it was more than doable. The manager tries to play a structured style without the players specialised in doing so. It isn't rocket science personally.

Go for a full on defensive shut out here with experience to grind out the game. Raya Nyambe Lenihan Mulgrew Williams Smallwood Reed Bennet Dack Conway Graham 2-1 score to Rovers, stranger things have happened.

If we we're being ruthless in the summer the following would have happened. Raya starting but an addition goalkeeper brought in to compete. Lenihan replaced and put on the bench. Smallwood replaced and put into 24 man squad. Graham replaced and put on the bench. Conway let go and two wingers brought in. Armstrong not signed and a genuine winger brought in. The manager gets a two year deal to keep him on his toes. Goalkeeper - Fielding or Henderson Centre half - Konsa Left back - Douglas Centre midfield - Reed Wingers - McKay and Barnes or Reach Striker - Pukki, Maupay, Watkins Roofe Obviously it would be a real stretch to get some on that list but it would have sent a message to our players and other teams that we mean business. Seen at samba is without a club at the moment and played for villa last year, would he do a job for 6 months? Or is he finished?

I don't question that we have some very talented individuals in the likes of Dack, Graham, Mulgrew and the likes who if they had an extra bit of pace or physicality would play in the premier league. The main reason I'm concerned is this team is meant to be full of determined strong together fighters but I don't think they've ever had to fight when it's going wrong. In league 1 the standard was very very poor and we walked the league literally at times. The lad Brereton whose been brought in I think will eventually make it at this level but if someone offered me a winger of championship level. Reed on a permanent and a tough centre back in exchange I would snap their hand off. That isn't a dig at Brereton I just think he's the right player at the wrong time. A luxury signing in its entirety. If I was the manager now I would get the entire squad together and say right lads lets get to the 40-50 point survival mark and think of nothing else until then. I was one who a few weeks ago pushing to aim for the play offs. Naively really but when you look at the squad I do think 3-4 quality additions in the right places would have had us near. I don't want the manager to go. He's a nice enough guy but I would like some accountability from him. He doesn't have to say it but I would like to see him sort it. As the moto goes, actions speak louder than words. Aims for me are a centre defender along with real concentration on defensive coaching and if we are winning or losing games 1-0 then we can build from there. Kamikaze football is a very dangerous way to play and 3 points yesterday would have been massive.

Go get Robert huth in at centre back. Proper defender who defends first and takes no chances.

Depends on what budget you think this manager has had? Around 10 million in transfer fees at least with signing on fees and wages to add on top. No one also knows how much the manager earns. Seems to remember the former Fulham manager buying the such as Cairney for 3 million and building a fast attacking front footed team with not to crazy of a budget over the period of 3 seasons. Why couldn't Rovers do the same? Are Fulham a bigger club? The manager is also free Has anyone highlighted the fact that the manager and director both have the same agency. Are good friends and both are on long term contracts? Or is that over looked because he's a nice guy unlike a few previous managers.

Fair enough. It wasn't a dig out or anything it's just for a good few weeks now it's felt far to comfy at Rovers. Everyone's good mates and there's plenty of "banter". I don't think this manager will be the guy to take the club to the next level. Even if he had lots to spend every transfer window. He doesn't have that ruthlessness about him to win at all costs. If I was given a choice now of ditching these owners for a group who have enough money to run the club but not 10s of millions to give in transfers but they had a genuine plan and ambition then I would do. But that also goes for the manager. There are definitely better managers out there now for free who would get more out of this group. Conceding in the last 15 minutes of games consistently should be criminal at professional level and it's down to tactics, attitude and fitness. All of these start at the manager. It's just bloody frustrating as I don't think there's is a massively stand out group of teams in this league. Correct ambition would get us promoted. I'm not one to feel eternally loyal to someone. I appreciate last season from the manager but the same errors are happening to many times.

The same planet Leeds fans live on. During the summer they got a far far superior manager to the Fulham guy. Are they delusional? Or did they go all out and go big?

I think the lad should be given the full season to settle in and make an impact. He has ability because he wouldn't have made it as far as he has without any. Like someone said. Dack had a poor season for Gillingham in league 1 before we signed him. My only issue is with the minutes he plays and the positions he's put into I'd be more than happy with 25m-30m cameos from the bench each week in his forward position.

Tried to base it off players who have moved this summer and were available. Maupay from Brentford signed last season so would cost around 10m. But yes signings of the level definitely.

To quote the manager "but believes a lack of a starting spot for the attacker has been down to the form of other players in the team". That is a straight faced lie to the fans. Who are these players pulling up trees? Graham and Dack are automatic picks fair enough. Reed is doing well at the moment. Why does Armstrong not feel any pressure to be benched? Has he really done that much more than Brereton? If the manager believed in this lad he would get him in no two ways about it.

Everyone knew Dack was class before we signed him. Let's be honest if the guy had more left on his contract it would have taken a 2m-3m bid at least. I look at that list of players and it doesn't really intregue me or get me excited. It's very plain if that makes sense.

How much do people think we've spent/committed to this summer just gone? Around the 12m in transfer fees rising to 15-16m for wages and add ons? If thats the case the recruitment has been piss poor. Pukki (Sign on fee + wages) Celina (4m + wages) McKay (700k + wages) Barnes (Loan + wages) Marriott (4m + high wages I think) Norwood (2m + wages) Edwards (800k + wages) Douglas (3.5m + wages) Leitner (1.5m + wages) Elphick (Loan + wages) Batth (Loan + Wages) That's to name a few. Now I'm not saying we would get them but have teams like Norwich, Swansea, Derby and the likes been mega successful recently? Have they won cups recently? No. I understand they get larger crowds and have been in the league longer but bloody Norwich were closer to going down last year than up. Swansea got relegated and derby blow every chance they get in the play-offs. You could easily pick 5-6 from that list who would ALL play week in week out land cost around the same as what we've committed to in the short term and maybe 2m-3m more long term. Pukki, Barnes, McKay, Batth, Edwards and Norwood would have had us near top 6 or in it without a doubt. Line up of Raya Nyambe Batth Mulgrew Bell Norwood Evans Barnes Dack McKay Graham/Pukki Subs Leutwiler, Lenihan, Williams, Travis, Bennet, Edwards, Pukki/Graham There's probably a few decent centre backs around two for relatively cheap. Then padded rest of the 24 man squad with youth players. It's been quantity over quality type signings this summer with not a lot getting into the team. Also don't think one signing under Mowbray has NOT been British.

If I was management I'd be saying to the manager. You have three seasons to get this team into the two 6 use what you have and develop a style now to be used in future seasons. That would mean players such as Brereton Rothwell Davenport (when fit) Armstrong and the rest would be targeted to build a system that plays to their strengths. I think a quality centre defender who can lead is the first signing that should be made and then Lenihan can fight Mulgrew for the other sport. I've got a feeling that any interest for teams above us in the summer for Dack will make him push a move to leave. I wouldn't blame the guy for being ambitious which is why we need to put a plan in place now to come away from being a one man dimensional team.

Could it be a case of the youth players who have gone out on loan to other teams have gone to teams that have or are struggling to compete? You look at Leeds and I think there's an element of because they are doing so well and on a roll of momentum and good performances, that any young lad who comes in has that bit extra drive and security that's given off from the experienced Pros. If these players have done better than others in their age group yet they can't compete at mens level when possibly lesser players can then the management needs to be looked at and the transition from youth football to adult football needs to be assessed. It also won't help if both teams play completely different styles. If the youths are on the front foot and play but the experienced team grind out results it can be difficult to adapt. Norwich are another team who have a good fraction of the squad from their youth team. Think I saw somewhere that the average age of their defence was 20-21. To me we should have 19-20 experienced Pros to make up the core of the squad with 4-5 places for young academy players. Travis as an example can't get near because we have something like 9-10 central midfielders plus another 2-3 who can convert to there. If you look around at other positions in the team it will probably be something similar. Only three positions for me where a youth player could have a chance is left back, winger or forward. Everywhere else it packed. There must be a young quick winger in then youth team if anyone knows? Surely being in the squad would do no harm and could surprise a few. Everything it to predictable with the team at the moment. Most could probably name the next team selection right now.

No idea. If he's not available I'd rather give Travis a go over Smallwood because he can cover the ground much quicker. Need runners for this game with speed.