We'd been doing well playing 4-4-2 all season with Sutton and Gallagher a real threat up front. For the Utd game game we changed to a 4-5-1 system and got hammered 4-0. I heard words were exchanged after the game and he never really recovered his standing with certain influential players.

Me neither. I remember watching the team he managed in Italy - Inter ? The had 4 of the best midfielders in the world at the time, Zanetti , Ince, Djorkaeff and Aaron Winter, and they were awful to watch. Apart from Stephane Henchoz, who'd played for him when he was Switzerland's manager, his signings were all flops. He probably squandered more money than any other Rovers manager.

Didn't he blow up at Liverpool ?

The " weaselly " looking guy will be Hodgson.

I remember the Saturday QPR home game when the crowd turned on KIddo, As we were walking off I said to my son " He'll be gone on Monday ". And he was. That was when we had owners who listened to the fan base. I remember my local rugby league team was having a really bad spell and the natives were getting really restless. As the coach was walking off up the tunnel a fan shouted down to him - " Agar, the pistol's on the table ! " He didn't last long after that.

Err, don't go to Brentford. The game's at home.

Once you've come to that conclusion logic would suggest that you need to employ somebody you can trust with the budget.

According to my paper West Ham are thinking about appointing Hughton. Watford won't be far off firing their manager either.

I think he's had an easy ride so far and he's got nothing to complain about. The football has been dire for lots of the time and shows no signs of improvement. He's been basking in the glory of getting us promoted for too long. I was in the very small minority that wasn't overly impressed by the the way we managed to get out of that division. We very rarely played well for more than 30 to 40 minutes in a game no matter how lowly the opposition and that's a bad habit to acquire. The number of game were we've won by sheer effort and determination under his managership has been few and far between. Normally it's been because of a flash of inspiration from one of our better players. My message to him - Stop complaining and give us some football to shout about.

There's a difference between being quick and being fast. In my book quick is being rapid over 10 yards and fast is being rapid over 30 or 40 or more yards. Lots of tall lanky players aren't particularly rapid over short distances but once they get into their stride it's another story. I'd say Gallagher isn't particularly quick but he's got reasonable pace over distance. I used to watch my rugby league team doing sprint training over 20 yards then 40 yards, 60 yards, finishing off with 80 yards. It was very revealing. the guys that were winning the 20 yards sprints ie the half backs or hookers who were in the main the smaller guys, sometimes came last over 60 yards. Of course the saying that " The first yard is in the head " is very true.

Another one for the " Mavericks " team - our own Duncan McKenzie. The Bradley Dack on steroids. Figuratively speaking of course.

Or Watford when they come down.

Mowbray would have them playing on their " wrong " wings were they'd be coming inside all the time.

As far as I can see he's just collected players ( mainly midfielders ) without much of an idea as to a coherent shape and way of playing.

I agree but you need more than Dack. What about the " wingers " getting into the box when the ball is on the other flank like Holtby did against Hudds.

Armstrong will never be a winger if he lives to be a thousand.

I agree, but who ? It needs to be somebody who can hug the touchline when we have the ball and give the full back something to think about. Downing's got the brains but his days of running full backs are over I'm afraid unless he has a start. Chapman looked like he had the tools but since we've signed him permanently he's not been in the frame. Holtby's not a winger, neither is Bennett. First requirement of a winger is to be able to cross a ball, Bennett can't. Beckham wasn't quick and you never saw him beat a man on the outside but he knew how to cross a ball and where to cross a ball.

Re the rest of the team not scoring. At the some point in the game you've got to get yourself in or around the penalty area to score goals. That's barring a fluke shot or cross from distance. Not enough of our players do that often enough.

When you're trying to establish yourself in the first team after getting moved up from the reserves there's a great tendency to just try to get the basics done and not try anything too clever in case it doesn't come off and you look a fool. Maybe that's what's happening with several of our players. They're playing it safe and suffering as a result. I keep banging on about the Dingles but they have a settled team and a way of playing. I reckon most of their players know that they'll be playing next week unless they have a real drop off in form so they can play in a more relaxed manner.

That's what I thought. If you're going to get a red card at the death for kicking somebody at least do it properly, a la Andy Todd. Edit - or Tommy Gemmell against Racing Club, that's a classic kick in the nuts.

McGinn would have been a massive signing but would he have got the Reed treatment and been played out wide? Whatever happened to that Scots centre half we were chasing that eventually went to Sheff Utd ? Another player we were allegedly interested in, Dylan McGeoch , is currently warming the bench at Sunderland. Having said that when I saw him play in the flesh he was the best player on the pitch. Edit, the Scots centre half we were after was Ben Heneghan, currently on loan from Sheff Utd at Blackpool. He played for them yesterday.

Well Mowbray was bigging Barnsley up massively yesterday on the radio. I shudder to think what sort of fanfare Brentford will get !

I see Wharton and Joe Nuttall both scored yesterday. Wharton's making a habit of it at the moment, 3 in 2 games. When does his loan period end ?

I'd say no to Armstrong, I think he's playing at a level beyond his ability. Reed was good, albeit criminally misused, Rothwell, yes given he didn't cost much, Cunningham looked the part but we'll never really know now, Tosin could come good but he's not our player, Downing Mm, I'm not sure I would have signed him given his age, 2 years ago I would have said yes. Davenport ? Why. Was he any better than the lads we already had ?

I haven't ever had a good word to say about the chicken chokers but I wouldn't blame them if they said no to Mowbray if he goes back cap in hand.