Agreed. This has been the subtle change we've seen as the season progressed. In possession Buckley, Rothwell and Trav were a 3. Brereton and Khadra more narrow. Out of possession Buckley pushed higher to press the opposition centre backs. It wasn't a false 9 which is what we're now seeing with very wide strikers. Today was groundhog day. The moment when you thought Tony had finally been pressured into going back to basics, but it wasn't to be. He still persists with his overly complex tactics which push players out of their natural positions. I see today as curtains, mainly because after whatever went on at half time against Derby, he had the opportunity to almost step back and let his leaders lead. Instead he's made it all about his ideas and honesty; from a people management perspective, that'll be a moral crusher. A sure fire way to break any togetherness. For all we'd achieved this season I'd become Pro-Mowbray for a long time but today he's really hammered that final nail in the coffin of me being certain, we'll never progress with him in charge. Thanks for the hard work Tony, but I think it's time you stepped aside.

I'd feel better if we were just shit. But we continue to be the better side in games. We continue to have a number of guilt edged chances in games. And we continue to somehow keep on missing them. We should have brought in a striker in January. If we did, I'm certain we'd be at least 8 points better off. Sam Gallagher has been the biggest disappointment in this run for me. He just doesn't get into danger areas. His like of footballing intelligence and strikers instincts have made him completely ineffectual. This was his chance to lead the line. Diaz being out has really highlighted just how bad Gallagher really is. It almost feels like we're cursed right now. We haven't been blowing teams away. But on the balance of play, the chances we've missed, I find it unbelievable that we've not picked up more points of late. I think Mowbray is correct for sticking to this system. It's worked this season and to an extent is still working. However it was his decision to not bring in a striker. That judgement call is on him and right now it looks as though its costing us promotion.

At least we're seeing some lessons learnt. Kaminski, Trav and Gallagher all being signed up shows much better future planning to avoid a repeat of this seasons situation. I think the situation with the current lot was a result of us not being able offer enough money until it was too late. Through both covid and financial mismanagement of fat contracts for other, 'over the hill' players. By the time we'd sold the training ground and Arma we were in a situation where those players were happy to wait and see. Our form sky rocketed, their stock and thus demands rose. We were priced out. I'm very pleased to see better future planning. The excellent youth system is the life blood of the club, but also shouldn't be taken for granted that we'll continuously see it produce first team players season in, season out. We need to keep our assets tied down.

I don't feel sorry for any fan of Chelsea. If Rovers were owned by a Russian oligarch then I wouldn't see it any differently. Some things are more important than football.

Likewise. I've had some good news this week. In actual life. But I'm in a horrible mood after that. I'm completely fed up of watching us now

Just put your foot through the fucking ball. We were actually superb for the majority of the game. But Jesus shit. Just shoot. Actually just shoot. Rant made. Hedges is shite. Not even championship standard. Buckley even for the fact he's the biggest culprit of not finishing things was actually having an excellent game We've paid the price for no striker in January The biggest criticism of Sam Gallagher is that the bloke doesn't exist. When the ball is in the box he reminds me of me when I was 12. Avoidant. I grew out of it. It's the number 1 reason gally won't ever make it. He'd go to Vegas and spend all his money on a travelodge. He's never gambled in his life. I'm so pissed off. It feels like season over. We ain't gonna score. I remember old olivia atwood wishing happy birthday to her 'big willied' Dacky. None of the others have any balls. (Defence excluxed) This lot have nothing at the business end. And it's cost us. Diaz and Dack are the only ones who truly stand up. Without them we're nothing. They've made Rothwells flash runs and premier league dreams. He's just a support act. If footballers don't graft, anticipate, put their head in where it hurts then you're not going to score goals. Sure it looks great when finesse the ball into the net. But it's not making sure the job gets done. We're not going up. Because we can't score. I'm fed up now. It's the hope that kills you. BTW Ryan Giles is the worst of the lot. He's technical but he's a little softy with a fuzzy haircut. (Not worse than Gallagher) Who's touch is the worst I've ever seen. Soft and shite. Anyway. Goodnight

Bring the energy of our last two games and we may stand a chance. Fulham are the best team in the league hands down. So we need to turn it into a battle. Do that and i wonder how up for a fight they will be. My only fear with that is then losing key players for our winnable run of games with them picking up yellows. It's a little like Bournemouth earlier in the season. Nothing to lose so we might as well just give it a go. It would certainly help to beat any psychological barriers moving forwards.

That's just not fair. Will wait and let the dust settle before analysing. But my gut feeling is that was just bollox. No way did we deserve to lose that. Absolute salt rubbed in with the qpr and Huddersfield turn arounds. But that result was bollox

I think the game was playable yesterday. However I'm sure the pitch would have been ruined by the end. It might be a good thing for the club as we saw what a state it got into last season once it began to get ripped up. It does make our game against Sheffield United huge. If we can win there with the extra days rest then this could be a minor blessing. Anything else and one of the few winnable games of late being cancelled, really hurts the club. At the end of the day we need a new pitch. Simple as. Its an issue which can't continue to be ignored and fixed up on the cheap.

It says with add ons which would potentially bring the deal up to £5million. Which is a ridiculous offer by spurs as it is lose, lose for us. We'd get little money up front now to invest in our current team and if he met some of the triggers in the deal he'd be worth significantly more than £5m. On a side note, the way Phillips is being talked about I'd be disappointed if we accepted £5m up front cash.

We've had a wobble and the worrisome thing is Mowbrays inability to stop a blip becoming a death spiral in previous seasons. But he deserves backing right now. We've done phenomenally well this year. I'm hoping to see us bounce back. Couple of wins and all will be fine again. And it's perfectly possible. The goals have dried up, yes. But promotions are built on solid defences. It's not time to throw out the script. We'll start scoring again at some point, so long as we keep the structure to the team.

Massive boost seeing Kaminski sign a new deal. He's such a key player for us. I'm hoping we'll see Travis next. He seems to really care and be stepping up in a leadership sense of late. It does seem as though the club is trying to pre-empt things a little more to prevent the contract situation of this season from happening again.

Rich Sharpe stating the pre-contract Ash Phillips signed at 16 was 5 years so will have 4 years left once it kicks in at 17 which is reassuring. I still won't be relaxed until its all official after his 17th birthday though.

Certainly hoping this pre contract isn't a deal for just a couple of years like the majority of our young players get. If he's as good as everybody says he is from a financial point of view we need to protect our asset. Look at what Dortmund paid for Bellingham. And now he's being touted around for double to triple what they paid. We really need to get him signed asap and then he/we can allow him to develop at a pace which is right for him when moving into our first team. I truly think it's completely unfair that the 'super clubs' can swoop in for players before they turn 17. What happened with Fulham and Harvey Elliott would have my blood boiling. What did they get in tribunal... about £7million? For a player that is worth at least £30m a couple of years later and that figure is only increasing. Probably not possible as its restricting players rights to movement but I do think it should be outlawed in some way. Hopefully the rumblings of this 'pre-contract' are true.

Even though he often gets pelters on here I'm certain we'd have had much more threat with Gallagher on the pitch today. Giles was delivering exactly what Gallagher has always needed. Quality delivery. Not always whipping it in but gently floating it into areas that can be attacked. I'm still pissed off about Lockyer from Luton. We were always going to be light with Diaz on international duty. And he took out our only other option.

Straight off the bat. I've not seen the game today. I don't think we're going to hit top two. But I do think we've the potential to push. And get close. We have had a real bad run with injuries etc recently. I'm hoping with a full squad we can go back to under the radar rovers. And that suits us. Plod along and pick up results as we do.

And it continues still. The academy continues to be the life blood of Rovers. I live on the South Coast near Portsmouth. Albeit a decade later they saw an FA cup won through some significant spending. They saw no investment in the club infrastructure and now, even though they've wealthy American owners, simply cannot seem to get out of League 1. That's the difference and that is what Jack did for us. He gave us our training facilities, our academy, our identity. And we live through it to this day.

I'm hoping Hedges will be a decent signing. Based on little more than YouTube I'll admit but he does look to have the skill set to suit the formation. Tall, quick, direct, shoots. It's what Diaz is doing from the left. And personally though Khadra has been an asset, he makes many poor decisions in the final 3rd and blows extremely hot and cold. I still see him as very valuable but it will be good to have some good competition for him.

It was absolutely disgusting. What I find amazing is that he received a booking. I could understand it if nothing was given as it was off the ball and every chance the officials could have missed it. But once it was seen it was a straight red and an automatic 3 game ban. I don't want the manager to be coming out every game and using officials as an excuse. But when one of our players has been assaulted I'd expect a little more to be made of it.

I do think that Mowbray not only deserves a new deal, but that its certainly in the best interests of the club right now. I'm hoping the rumour of some West Brom interest shimmys the powers that be along a little and they offer him a new contract. 2 years would be appropriate in my book.

Unlike some I'm not too concerned with us not adding an attacker. I'm quite pleased with our recruitment this window. There is one glaring hole in my opinion though and that is centre midfield. We desperately needed another body in there. The drop off down to Bradley Johnson is enormous. Anybody know if Giles can play in there once Pickering is back?

It's been very, very quiet. Was hoping for the lwb, a centre mid at minimum. There hasn't been much about deals falling through so just hoping that we have things bubbling away behind closed doors

I'd like to change the way I voted 😄

Everything I'd like to say about Rothwell and his morales has already been said. The one thing that hasn't is that it's certainly no coincidence that his form and consistency has improved dramatically now that we have transitioned to a counter attacking team. We suit him and he us. Bournemouth are not this. I don't think he'll be a poor signing for them, but he won't be nearly as effective as he is for us.

I've no idea how Lockyear didn't get sent off. I could understand it if it had been completely missed. But the fact the ref booked him. He took him out, fully on purpose. Typified how disgusting they were as a whole