God we're shit. So is this league.

Just now, bluebruce said:

Would anybody like to tell me again that we are fine at the back and don't need better players there?

We needed fullback cover.

If Nyambe is injured then we're in trouble as Bennett isn't a RB in any shape or form. He's been absolutely embarrassed today. 

Just now, Tugay-is-God said:

Another goal stemming from Travis losing the ball. He's not been at his best today

He didn't lose the ball, he wasn't strong enough in the tackle.

That was also about a minute before the ball went in. What is everyone else doing?

Shocking goalkeeping, but shows the standard of this league.

A deflected ball that just looped up in the box and nobody dealt with it. 

So did Nuttall come on for Graham? Is he playing upfront with Dack in behind?

Well this is embarrassing.

4 minutes ago, Stuart said:

Not tonight Rev.

Delighted with three points.

The big question this evening is: is Dack now holding us back? Followed closely by: can he step up again?

Dack holds us back when we play so defensively, yes. He's too slow to play the counter attack football that formation / team selection favours.

Armstrong is also a far, far better player centrally. Another one that is wasted out wide. He should be our impact sub from here on out. 

If Brereton can't get a game ahead of Nuttall then it's £7m down the drain.

Bennett's energy and ability to run with the ball makes such a difference in midfield. 

Just now, Pedro said:

Not sure why you rate him. He is one of our weakest links. Players like him are ten-a-penny and a like-for-like replacement could be brought in for a free.

Could you please find us a couple then so we don't have to see Williams and Bennett at fullback ever again? Ta.

Just now, Stuart said:

Can’t believe you can’t give Nuttall credit for today’s performance. He’s looked more like an attacker today that Brereton has in all his minutes combined.

Nobody has been great but Bell is poor and Mowbray’s tactics and choices are doing him no favours.

Dack looks a little half-hearted today and that is mirrored in the team. But with Mulgrew and Graham not playing he won’t feel like he’s playing with his mates.

Bell is playing down the left hand side by himself.

Reed continues to drift inside. It works with Nyambe because he's a better player, but that's asking too much of Bell.

Nuttall has just been shit, I'm sorry to say. Winning the odd flick on to nowhere doesn't push my buttons I'm afraid. 

Just now, Pedro said:

Scuff, panic. Scuff, panic. Panic, scuff.

Ok, go and find us better for £300k. He's twice the player Williams is. 

1 minute ago, Gavlar Somerset Rover! said:

The lad is having a stinker (albeit out of position). He’s either giving it away or passing backwards.

We can’t even string two passes together.

He can't cross so he's wasted out there. He's always holding it up looking for an overlap, or just popping it back inside to a stationary Dack / Evans / Travis.

Just pointless. 

3 minutes ago, Stuart said:

So Bell, good; Nuttall, bad. Are you even watching the game or going off memory?

I'm watching the game. I'm not quite sure what people want out of Bell. As for Nuttall - he's just a donkey, unfortunately. Shocking first touch.

1 minute ago, Pedro said:

Bell just isn't good enough.

Never understand the criticism of Bell.

We're a Championship club and he's solid at this level. 

It's terrifying that Travis is our best player and he's only got a game because Smallwood is suspended. 

Just now, Tom said:

He tripped him? No way he can stay on his feet there

He’s looking a nuisance so far 

Every time the ball has been near him he's thrown himself to the floor.

Nuttall is an embarrassment. Stay on your feet. 

Bloody hell, Nuttall is a League 2 player. How bad is Brereton?!

Never a penalty, but that's modern day football for you. 

9 minutes ago, S8 & Blue said:

https://www.skysports.com/football/blackburn-vs-w-brom/392844

 

Do think the sending off was well bought, but would it have even mattered anyway?

Nah it's not Judo. Straight red every time. 

Just now, den said:

That line up looks defensively challenged to me.

Which is to say we have two guys playing FB that can't actually play FB.

Sheffield Utd are going to have a field day unless Reed and Rothwell boss the midfield. 

1 hour ago, all you need is duff said:

I think our main problem is that a lot of our players aren’t anything above bottom six of the Championship in terms of quality. I was very surprised at how we competed against the likes of WBA, Stoke, Villa, etc earlier on in the season with much worse players. Despite obvious failings, Mowbray has done well to make us run our hearts out and be competitive in most games. The Preston and Wigan games - especially Wigan - are the only really concerning ones in terms of effort and competitiveness. 

Who in our team would a top half Championship club want? Dack, Reed, maybe Mulgrew or Graham if they were as good but younger? As others have mentioned, we may lose both Dack and Reed in January and/or August and Mulgrew and Graham will deteriorate with age. 

Despite all getting relegated two years ago, I believe that the likes of Evans, Bennett, Smallwood, Nyambe and Raya are good enough to play regularly for a team that stays up in the Championship but not a lot more. I would have put Williams in this bracket until recent performances which don’t look Championship standard. Bell has also never looked Championship standard. Lenihan and Armstrong occasionally look Championship standard but not regularly enough. 

I think I have named our most regular starters above. The others probably haven’t played enough in the Championship this season to properly judge. 

Some of the players above may improve with experience but we probably need seven or eight of them to improve or be replaced if we are ever going to finish top 6.  The current squad is good enough to stay up if not woefully managed by someone like Coyle. 

In January I would buy a left back because I think neither of our two will ever be at top half Championship level. I would also get a Craig Short type (don’t really know who that is) on loan as well as some competition for Graham. 

Evans is a nothing player - what does he bring to the team exactly? He gets a nosebleed when he crosses the half-way line and he's hardly a terrier in defence!

Smallwood is just terrible. He's the new Keith Andrews, the game just passes him by. 

The less said about Armstrong the better. He's a slow-witted striker that can't finish. His pace creates him chances in League One, but at this level he brings nothing to the table. 

In Raya, Nyambe, Mulgrew, Bell, Reed, Rodwell, Rothwell, Dack and Graham you have the basis of of a very good Championship team. It's simply not a good division - it never has been, really. 

We're absolutely crying out for a no-nonsense CB to partner with Mulgrew. Lenigan isn't that player. We're also desperate for some pace upfront. At the moment Dack and Graham are isolated and are, therefore, entirely ineffective. 

The problem with Mowbray is that he refuses to play Reed, Rodwell and Rothwell (either entirely or in their correct positions) and has stuck with his favourites. Our defence is shaky, as they can't defend a ball into the box, and our attack is laboured. It feels like he's trying to win every game 1-0, often from a Mulgrew set piece. 

If we stick with the current formation then we need to pair Reed and Rodwell in CM, find a good pacy left winger in January and stick Rothwell on the other side to balance out the attack.

I'm not convinced that goal went over the line.

Nor was it a foul by Smallwood in the lead-up to the third.

Still, criminal defending. We deserve to lose - although once again, that's Norwich and Leeds now. They're both bang average and they're romping this league. A bit of investment and we'd go up. 

3 minutes ago, CambridgeRover said:

What the hell was he playing at???

I'm as disgruntled with Mowbray as the rest of you, but what can you do as a manager when your LB wallops it into the back of his own net under no pressure?