How many players in the entire squad do people think are good enough for championship level?

6 hours ago, chaddyrovers said:

Baker and Penney play has the wing backs. Reach and Mathis play more as inside wide players. 

We tried it and teams marked Dack out of the game. 

Any suggestions? 

Sheff Wed will sit deep and probably man mark Dack. 

So how would you try to get Dack more involve? 

You could go with the following

Raya

Lenihan Mulgrew Williams

Nyambe Reed Rodwell Bell

Dack Palmer

Graham

A 3421 formation so that teams have to mark 2 players in the Dack position which could create some space for either of Dack of Palmer.

If you wouldn't go with the back 3 then play a 4321. This is all if Dack has to play.

Go with a midfield of Reed, Palmer and Rothwell and you'll get done all day long.

Why does Dack have to start? Is it to keep his price up because it certainly isn't on performances.

Go with

Raya 

Nyambe Lenihan Mulgrew Travis/Bell

Bennet Reed Rodwell Rothwell

Brereton Graham

Subs: Leutwiler, Williams, Evans, Smallwood/Travis, Palmer, Armstrong, Dack

51 minutes ago, Eddie said:

Two poor performances and I don't want to see it continue, but the nature of the Championship is that you're going to have a bad run of 4-5 games at some point. 

We would have all taken this league position at the start of the season so there is no reason to panic. 

I think the only reasons for some of the reaction is the manner of how we are approaching games. At Preston we played 4-6-0 don't care what anyone says. That's what we did. Then at Wigan we start slow and at 1-0 down at half time. We bring on a defender for our only forward.

It comes across as sabotage and frankly takes the piss out of any supporters who travelled to both games.

If you were to "experiment" with something in your day to day working job and it back fired massively. Not only would an inquest be taken into why you've done it. You'd likely be sacked for misconduct.

This situation is very similar. After 2 years the manager doesn't know his best formation or team. This is shown in the recruitment in the summer also. He goes on about playing a passing game yet 85%-90% of all our passes are long ball.

He's a shit version of Sam Alardyce. At least you knew with him you'd hardly concede.

This guy looked good in league 1 but any Saturday/Sunday league manager with their level 1 badges would have gone up in that league. We probably had a wage bill that equalled the entire bottom 10-12 clubs combined

On thin ice for me. Not mainly for the results but for the fact this team can do more and his set up is delusional at best and ignorant to criticism. It's almost like the more you say it doesn't work, the more he will push these silly tactics.

Be humble and set the team up simple. If he can't do that in the next 5 games then let him go. Anyone who goes "but who will we get" you forget this is a big club in the second division that will pay a good wage. We aren't a conference club....... yet.

Just now, neophox said:

A 4 for Rodwell... come on.. 2 at least and what did Graham to get a 4? Evans was abysmal today a 1.

If I was 100% honest I'd need to go into the negative numbers. The only player who didn't deserve to loose was the goalkeeper.

Just now, Angry_Pirate said:

Who's gonna be the first to brave the individual player ratings after that...

Mowbray needs to man up and take the blame for once... the players come out and apologise often enough when the blame is continuously more often than not fully at the managers door step.

Now, he is on thin ice for me. Fans are turning.

Raya - 7 

Nyambe - 4

Rodwell - 4

Mulgrew - 4

Bell - 2

Smallwood - 3

Evans - 4

Reed - 4

Armstrong- 3

Dack - 3

Graham - 4

Williams - 2

Brereton - 4

Conway - 5 (only on for 15 minutes)

Raya

Nyambe Rodwell Mulgrew Travis

Bennet Reed Evans Rothwell

Graham Brereton

Simple 442 with each player putting 100% in. Keep it simple. 

Dack has already left we are only paying his contract now 

Is Mowbray trying to stick one to the owners for potentially spending 7m on a player when he had his own targets? I can't understand this setup or subs. It's like self sabotage.

Wigan players just thrown an elbow and then seconds later tackled from behind. Come on ref.

Can't agree with the 2 and 1/2 artists and the rest being soldiers. Armstrong isn't good enough to be starting he's dangerous when given space but you can tell he's never been a winger.

Can't justify Smallwood starting. I admire being loyal but loyalty will often lead to a downturn in results. What message is being sent when you know you'll be starting the next game regardless.

Lucky to be 1 down. Team is playing far to deep and predictable. We've two centre halfs who have played midfield so why aren't we playing a passing game. Their big centre half has Graham and Dack in his pocket in the air. 

Swap Reed with Smallwood

Take Smallwood off for Rothwell

Give Armstrong 10 more minutes then if nothing happens. Get him off for Brereton.

Need to play more. Less of the long ball into their 6'7 centre back. Okay it around him and you'll get some luck.

4 hours ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

I get the feeling that might happen. If he doesn't start a few heads will be scratched. Anybody else heard the rumour that the deal was he isn't allowed to start a game until we sign him permanently ?

If that was the case why only give him 20m-25m a game? Also why sub him on to play out wide. I think it's down to the managers decision and being to loyal to certain players.

Should play something like this

Raya

Nyambe Lenihan Mulgrew Bell

Reed Rodwell Smallwood Rothwell

Graham Armstrong/Brereton

Just to catch a team off. At the moment you can name 8/9 players from Monday morning for the weekend's game and it become predictable. 

People may say how can you drop Dack but he's not been performing recently. Even for the potential kick up the backside it may have on him for future games could be worth it alone.

Also Rovers had some good performances against good teams in this league without Dack playing. Have a bit of faith in other players.

Couldn't give any less of a toss about what the manager or the club say. Actions speak louder than words. Play to best team possible, get 100% from each player and if we aren't good enough then we aren't good enough.

A lot of my frustration with recent games is that we are playing poor sides with a handicapped start where we should be winning these games or competing at the least.

Like someone else said earlier. You won't get 1000s of fans back at a time from just gaining promotion from league 1. Get back to the top league or even make this season exciting towards the business end and fans will come back.

Less bullshit, more action.

2 hours ago, Biz said:

This kind of opinion I find hilarious. Imagine if football was this simple.

Why do you think Preston constantly played cut backs against us on saturday? Is it because Alex Neil said “go for it” and only did attacking drills for a week!? They looked at our past games and found ways to test us, we crumbled. Equally they sat Dack out the game for large spells and isolated the FBs. It’s not an accident.

I expect and want a pragmatic thoughtful approach personally. Taking that into account, Wigan have a big solid team that are going to trouble us at set pieces. Equally, DG ain’t troubling those two huge centre backs the same way Armstrong running in behind will.

I expect a mixture of the 4231 with changes, perhaps AA up top, Dack, Palmer, Bennett in behind. See Hull away early season for a blueprint.

If I was looking at changing style in future, a subtle move to a 4312 might work with Brererton and AA in front of Dack, Reed and Bennett as wider CMs, Smallwood or Evans as the sitting CM.

Or perhaps it’s time to go to a fresh 532, Dack and Graham upfront - stick Rodwell as a link to midfield, and an organiser, between Mulgrew and Lenihan, for a back three with great passing to push right up and press teams. 

As for result - defending is key, regardless of the “fan denial esq” reactions to the choice of forwards. I’d take a 0-0 right now!

To be fair. After a hammering against a poor Preston side, the last thing I'd want Mowbray to do is think about this game. He'll come up with some brilliant idea that is beyond the players ability.

Keep it a simple 4231. Give Dack and Graham a go together. Play players in their position and see where it takes us.

It's the players performances not the formation that is letting the club down. If Dack doesn't have a good game it's up to the other 9 outfield players to step up.

5 minutes ago, north_ender said:

We were quoted over £2m for Kieffer Moore in summer, and with Barnsley set to seriously challenge for promotion, they'll probably be asking for even more come January if he was to leave.

That shouldn't be an issue when the club seems to be able to spend £7m on a teenage gamble. I think the club has missed a trick in not picking up some of the better players from the division below. 

Another example is the lad at Ipswich in Edwards. He would have added pace and balance to this team also. Buying buar should happen as well. 

All three could have been bought for around £3.5m-£4m. Let's be honest £5m-£10m in today's market is pocket change and that's being kind.

Still think it should be either kieffer Moore or John Marquis from league 1. Both wouldn't cost the earth and to me the squad needs filling out for get some lads who give you 6 out of 10 a week with a Dack or two giving you that star quality.

23 minutes ago, magicalmortensleftpeg said:

Awful day. Deserved nothing. At least we turned up for half the game at Bristol.

Clearly TM can’t let go this false number 9 nonesense. It’s never looked like working. At best it should be a last resort. We may not have beaten Preston regardless but at least get the right players on the pitch.

Nyambe was our most dangerous player, think that says it all. 

Waste of time and money. Won’t be making the same mistake again until at least Tuesday.

The managers one and only job is to get the best out of the team for the benifit of the club and it's fans.

If he wants to play footie manager and fantasies about being pep guardiola then simply bin the guy off. Do the job properly or go.

Team I would like to see

Raya

Nyambe Lenihan Mulgrew Bell 

Evans Rodwell 

Brereton Dack Rothwell

Graham

Team the manager will pick

Smallwood

Lenihan Rodwell Mulgrew 

Bennet Evans Raya Reed Conway 

Palmer Armstrong

Dack

Fuck it that team will play football so clever Wigan will forfeit the game

Score prediction 5-0 Rovers

29 minutes ago, 47er said:

Back to basics. 11 best players start in their correct positions. Deficiencies in the squad need to be rectified in January. In particular we need a striker who regularly scores goals and can start every game. And we need width. Defence is way better than that so don't know why it went so wrong today, bur the facts speak for themselves. We concede too many and we don't score enough .

No more wide forwards crap, no more expensive experiments for the future.

Let's learn from this and kick on.

PS Where's Chaddy? 

Your presuming money will be available in January. To buy a championship striker will require another 7--8 million which isn't going to happen.

This Brereton that signed was because of potential resale value. Nothing else. It's make do time and the manager needs to earn his money. I think the league position is very misleading and can look very different within the next 4 weeks.

“In my opinion, he’s 33 and hadn’t done any training and the right thing to do in my opinion was to leave him on the bench and not expose him to try and get 90 minutes"

That right there pissed me off. The only thing that wasn't right today was how you didn't go out 100% for a result today for the fans who travelled. Fuck if he wasn't ready. Play your other striker and give it a go. 

He wants nailing for that comment completely.

6 minutes ago, HowieFive0 said:

and if his defence has played like complete lemons ..?

Come on pal. The manager has completely dodged the question and the reporter has let him. He's allegedly 7 million pounds worth of striker sitting on his bench as well as a converted winger/striker on the pitch. Not good enough.

Questions I'd like the manager to answer after this game.

1: why choose to play no striker from the start of the game. What benefits did he see from it.

2: why has Dacks form fallen of a cliff over the last 6 weeks. Does he get a free pass?

3: What was the reason for signing Brereton? Improve our profits or our team quality?

4: Do you think the fans deserve better? And what should our aim be this season?

5: Why can we beat a stoke away or compete with a WBA away but then fall to bits against lesser teams in Preston and Bristol city?

6: How are you going to improve resent performances? Results matter yes but you get found out eventually when performances are poor

7: Is Dack behaving in a professional manner that will benifit the team. Or has his head been turned?

Question 7 is to people on here. Personally there have been far far far better players than Dack who have played for Rovers who have left and the team and club have continued on.

If he doesn't 100% want to be here tell him to jog on with his Essex mates. He'll go down the David Bentley route and become a forgotten man soon enough.

Questions I'd like the manager to answer after this game.

1: why choose to play no striker from the start of the game. What benefits did he see from it.

2: why has Dacks form fallen of a cliff over the last 6 weeks. Does he get a free pass?

3: What was the reason for signing Brereton? Improve our profits or our team quality?

4: Do you think the fans deserve better? And what should our aim be this season?

5: Why can we beat a stoke away or compete with a WBA away but then fall to bits against lesser teams in Preston and Bristol city?

6: How are you going to improve resent performances? Results matter yes but you get found out eventually when performances are poor

7: Is Dack behaving in a professional manner that will benifit the team. Or has his head been turned?

Question 7 is to people on here. Personally there have been far far far better players than Dack who have played for Rovers who have left and the team and club have continued on.

If he doesn't 100% want to be here tell him to jog on with his Essex mates. He'll go down the David Bentley route and become a forgotten man soon enough.