I think you answered your own question a few posts ago with the lung-busting run back and sliding tackle. Armstrong offers no protection out wide.

One subject that mysteriously has vanished from the discussion is the collapse in team morale, mysterious injuries etc. due to Charlie being sent to the colonies. That was a motivated team yesterday, perhaps helped by the thought “Thank God we only need one to win”. Also, the penalty showed we have an equally competent taker in Graham, so there’s half of Charlie’s goals accounted for already.

Very impressed with Gallagher today, a real handful out wide AND much better at getting back and defending than the usual suspects in that role. Cunningham a proper left back. And I’m liking Johnson being a bit of an angry, dirty bugger.

Very enjoyable half. Probably the quietest player has been Dack. We’ve threatened down both wings with most of our play coming that way. Downing and Cunningham were the threat in the first 20 mins, then the rest of the half was Gallagher - who has looked far better than in the first two games - and Bennett combining well and getting a few good crosses in plus corners. Definitely not playing the lump it up to Danny tactic. There’s no doubt that Travis, Johnson and Cunningham are massive upgrades on Evans, Smallwood and Bell.

Surprised no mention of Gallagher and Bennett combining out on the right to put in a good cross for the penalty...

He’s 22 in December and Mowbray must’ve picked him at least 50 times while he’s been in charge, which to me means he’s not a kid and he’s certainly had his chance. Clearly Mowbray doesn’t like what he is seeing, and I don’t much either. If he was crap against oldham because Mowbray has hurt his feelings, I don’t hold out much hope for a successful career got him. I’d wager there’s barely a professional player sitting on the subs bench who doesn’t think he should be in the team ahead of someone. Bennett being even worse doesn’t make Ryan good enough. It’s not how often you get knocked down, it’s how quickly you get up. Back to the game, I think who plays RB will make sod all difference compared to our non-functioning £14 million kids up front

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but it’s the people who can deal with such setbacks - which have happened since time immemorial - who get on in life. Bennett isn’t much cop at RB, but I suspect the recent sanctification of Nyambe is as much to do with the Evans-Smallwood Mowbray-beating stick being rendered null and void as it is Ryan’s previously well-hidden likeness to Carlos Alberto. Almost 100 first-team games without a sniff of an assist or goal but with more than a few positional goal-giving cock-ups isn’t the strongest grounds to demand a manager’s dismissal IMHO. At least Mowbray didn’t spend £11 million on him...

Only two? Jeez. How about almost every cup tie against Div 1 teams and Boxing Day home games in the 70/80s, the replayed Chesterfield game, Sheffield Weds home semi-final, Sheffield Utd home quarter final, Man Yoo 94/95....

Been thinking about this. Technically the summer budget was nowhere near that as Brereton was signed on loan and only bought in the following window. So maybe the two summer windows had quite similar budgets.

Because he is on loan this season and has a contract with us till the end of next season. While none of us think he will be back, technically he has no more left the club than has Magloire, and it’s not up to Bennett or even Mowbray to say that he has.

£48 million you assured us 32 months ago that they didn’t have. Mowbray’s tipping point will undoubtedly come, as it does for all managers, but probably not because Madame thinks Brereton should be starting up front. Personally I think he’s in a lot more danger from the bloated wage bill at the end of the window.

I agree, the changes in Mowbray’s demeanour and behaviour are striking. Seen it many times in the workplace and the cause is always increased pressure from above. I think one of the pressures is the squad size and the wage bill, for which there will have been tight targets following having the consultants in. I get the impression he is increasingly desperate to get players out on loan: giving Smallwood an early hook and calling out the young centre half’s were perhaps that desperation surfacing.

I agree, he should play on Saturday. He’s adapted his game really well to his age IMO. Knows how to create little islands of space with his physicality and has perfected the cushioned, directed header.

Made me laugh out loud!

Far from saving Mowbray, tonight condemns him IMO. I’m a facts guy, I have no time for the endless Nyambe/Bennett opinions of the assorted butchers, bakers and candlestick makers that we are. The killer fact for me is £14 million spent on new strikers and the ONLY thing that works against ANYONE, is Graham’s knockdowns to Dack. Mowbray is 100% accountable for this. Sorry Tony, but your only chance to stay employed right now is long balls to Graham.

Probably why he came inside

Or they are so rich, and getting richer, it matters a lot less to them than the not wanting to admit failure.

Offsetting losses in one area against profits in another only saves you the tax you would’ve paid on a sum equal to the losses. At best it’d save them 1/3rd of the losses. Better than nothing but not a money-making strategy.

Successfully erased him from my brain ?

On the other hand, he inherited Kendall’s team that missed out on promotion on goal diff. Not sure how well he’d have done taking over from Iley, previously our most-hated manager before Coyle. But I do agree, the money Mowbray has spent on forwards will define the length of his reign, one way or the other.

Here’s the thing that I think gets missed in these discussion, the constant references to “we”: what “we” need, who “we” should get etc. There is no we. There is us, the fans, and them, the owners. Owners who never once have shown any regard to the fans, never once made the right decision at the right time, never once recruited a manager either worthy of the role or capable/empowered to take us anywhere. I see Mowbray as a reincarnation of Bobby Saxton: well meaning, committed, passionate, but too loyal to certain players, not a great finder of talent, and tactically limited. We all wanted Saxton out sooner or later, but history has shown he did a better job than was thought at the time by his dealing well with some existential off-field issues. I suspect history may say the same about Mowbray when the Venky regime is over, should we ever again be in the hands of owners who care about the club AND the fans.

Ahhh, now you have doubled the size of your database, your proof is compelling...

Sheet. He conceded at home last week. Which means your above argument is based on precisely one game.

The difference being the interest of the seller in selling to a suitable buyer, and not just handing off the process to an agent.

Did he then give it away to the bloke facing him?