I honestly think we'll never know until we see him in a better defence than that. He joined at 23 and he's been pulled down by the underperforming supposedly experienced players alongside him, the square pegs in round holes. Is it any wonder Nyambe has been stop start as well? When has a goalkeeper last looked comfortable at Rovers with that hot mess in front of them? He has a good touch, isn't slow and some positional sense, as he's at least usually there when he somehow lets the attacker pass him, but he looks more than anything like a player with no confidence and no support at all around him. Get some leaders in at the back and we'll see if those players with potential ever develop. Besides, it's unlikely we'll get another two defenders I'd expect with so little time left. We'll most likely have to make do with what we have until Jan at least.

Tony says, "It’s a bit simplistic to say ‘same back four, same results." Why complicate matters, Tony? Simple is as simple does. Today - Same back four = same result! Two goals conceded per game as usual.

The thing is, these issues are not only after one game, are they? They're the same problems we had last season. Some go back to the League One campaign. Is TM going to change now or is he going to be stubborn and keep playing Bennett & Mulgrew while benching Nyambe, Rothwell, Ben and so on? I'm just surprised there was no Richie today. Back in for the Fulham game?

Other than the commentary, it was pretty good. The video quality was excellent and the replays are a nice touch. Shame about the game, mind...

Not sure if they were going to get another defensive addition or two before today. Now, surely they have to.

The comparison was between two opening day 2-1 home defeats. We had "stability" that season when we stuck with Kean. Not calling for TM to go after just one game...but today was an absolute shocker.

Bell didn't play well, but he was a damn sight better than some of those more experienced players around him. He came to Rovers at 23 and was then stuck in a defence like that. Is it any surprise he's regressed since then? Surely TM saw today the need for Tosin and Nyambe to be in for the next match.

...and that's the most depressing thing. If that performance wasn't a wakeup call then nothing ever will be. I think TM's next selection will tell us all we need to know. Like you, I don't have too much hope, though...

I have to disagree with you a little bit on those views on our new signings. Johnson was our MOTM, and especially in the first half. Won an excellent header which (fortuitously) got us level. Showed presence and bite. Worked well with Travis. They weren't outstanding, but they were the best part of our woeful performance. Downing showed some touches and skill. Shouldn't have started instead of Rothwell, but he'll be a good squad option. Gallagher was at least a handful up front, but should have been taken off rather than moved to the right wing where he huffed and puffed to contribute nothing. We should have spent the money on the defence though, that is blindingly obvious. Still, nothing wrong with different opinions.

Today reminded me of another 2-1 home loss on the first day of the season. The optimism, the new signings, the hope for better. Ninety minutes later...deflation. Remember Rovers 1 Wolves 2 under Steve Kean, 2011? Mowbray has more goodwill in the bank than Kean had and we have a stronger squad in this league compared to the mess we had in the Prem that final season. Same feeling our all those hopes drained, however. Same sense of dread for our season to come. We now need a big performance next week after that pile of crap.

Perhaps, however it just feels like TM is making everything far more difficult for BB than it need be. He scores the winner, then is dropped next game. He starts showing some preseason potential and then he's dumped on the bench, before then being passed over for a teenage midfielder when we need a goal. Yet...Gallagher comes in and instantly given the full ninety minutes. Try and think what BB, Rothwell and Nyambe must be thinking. Do you think they'd feel inspired by such an inspiring managerial manner?

Maybe he thought of himself as a tricky left winger or something and being played out of position by the manager was the making of him. Or something weird like that. There has to be a reason why he thinks Bennett is a right back, Gallagher is a right winger and Rothwell/BB/Nyambe are all benchwarmers. Mowbray turned this club around and deserves enormous credit. He really was the right man for the job. Football moves on, though. He had an absolute stinker today.

Ten points from today - 1. Nyambe has a great experience at the African Cup of Nations yet he's on the bench for Bennett? Even his biggest fan wouldn't say he's a right back. 2. Rothwell must be thinking about ringing his agent right now. Not that he did anything when he came on, but doubt he was in a great frame of mind. Great performances to the tail end of last season...and Mowbray sticks him on the bench. 3. Bell was weak. Looked scared to get stuck in at times. Then again, alongside Mulgrew and Bennett perhaps we'd all be skittish. 4. New keeper looked nervous. Hardly covered himself in glory with the goals, but neither especially his fault either so perhaps that's a bit harsh. 5. Gallagher put himself about a bit but was knackered at the end. Useless on the wing, lacking Armstrong's pace to have a go at the full back. 6. Johnson was our man of the match and formed a steady partnership with Travis. That was our best area of our team by a country mile. So...Tony takes Travis off. 7. While Armstrong didn't have the best of games, he still looked dangerous. His pace could have been particularly useful right at the end. 8. We're losing at home, chasing the game. We have a £7million striker on the bench who has been showing promise in preseason. However, we also have an inexperienced teenage midfielder on the bench. Who should we send on? 9. Mowbray's selection was wrong (who other than TM doesn't think Nymabe, and Rothwell should have started?) and his subs were worse. Why was the clearly pooped Gallagher kept on but Armstrong taken off? 10. This should have been the most winnable game of the entire season. At home against a team tipped by many to finish dead last in the Championship this season, having lost a number of their best players from last year. Yet...we created nothing. We weren't unlucky to lose, we were lucky to be level. I'm not sure we can even focus on the defence so much, other than the own goal we didn't really have a clearcut chance. Gallagher's swing at air and Downing misreading of the pullback in the first half was about the lot. If this team plays like this at home to Charlton, what hope is there at Craven Cottage? All it took was one game to rip away all that preseason optimism. We could say; well, it's only one game. Or, we could say that these were the same issues that were there for all to see time and time again all last season. Dark horses for the play-offs?!?