Seems to be a part of the game we just don't regard as important, but it's weird, because every part of the game is important. It's not entirely surprising in the first team, because Mowbray has been quoted in the press before as basically saying he doesn't work on set pieces. But it's surprising to hear that nonchalance is endemic to the whole club, even just on the throw-in portion of them. We seem to have improved at taking (a bit) and especially in defending set pieces since then, maybe throw-ins will be on the agenda at some point...

Good point, he should be able to add something to our network. I wouldn't expect it to be as much just from him as our entire network we took so long to make, but hopefully he has added a good 20% or so to our contacts, as he certainly used to delve into the European market a bit with Celtic. We shouldn't assume everyone we sign or target is solely due to him though. Then again we shouldn't assume every win or defeat is down to the manager, but we tend to. In both cases, they're the heads of larger teams. Although of course, they're the most key members of those teams by virtue of making the decisions.

Yeh we are crap at throw ins in general and have been for years. But it's mostly down to poor movement. When the opposition have them, we give them too much space (less so recently) and when we have them nobody gets into space. It's why it takes Nyambe 5 days to take a throw in.

Something to be said for this. Finally fielding a settled team has been instrumental in our run of form. But eventually it can make things go stale. Might be time to shake the apple cart a little. Not sure where though..obviously Zeefuik should play the game Nyambe misses. I'd probably say...Khadra? I get the feeling being benched would make him really hungry. Although in truth the main problem was probably in the middle three. And Davenport has been steady enough when called upon, so maybe him for Travis, who played a terrible pass straight to the opposition in the second half, with no need to play it near them.

I'd imagine he's mostly using our European scouting network that took us about 2 years to establish. His expertise will come in after, in deciding which of them we should go for.

Nice fixture pileup coming for Burnley. Played less games than anyone else in the league, 5 less than some. Should result in a lot of their opponents being fresher during that run. Good times. Like CLB said though, it's ridiculous they've only won one all season, and played so few games, yet just one win could take them out of the zone. Most seasons I'm sure you'd be considered already relegated with 11 points in mid-Jan.

Yeh I did consider after posting that they can't keep winning either. Didn't realise how many were late ones though. Problem is I look at their next run of games and their current form and it all looks perfectly winnable. Maybe they're looking at ours thinking the same. I want to see us start putting more daylight between teams just below us though, and particularly between us and 7th. Could really do to build that gap whilst we're in form, because almost nobody stays in form all season.

Fair enough, if he is quick then he would seem more suited to his we play now. That article does conclude that he is a limited player though, and seems to imply the team needs to be tailored to creating chances for him, which was the downside to Rhodes. If he can replicate the goals tallies at a higher level though, it might be worth some adjustment. I still have more interest in Maja at the moment. Ideally on a loan to buy so we can see what we are getting.

QPR fast becoming a problem. If they win their spare game they're only 2 behind us. Need them to have a wobble because we can't keep winning every week.

I think some people have a downer on him already tbh. Think he will have to play out of his skin to win some of them over. A lot of confirmation bias from Rovers fans I've noticed (I'm sure I'm guilty of it on occasion too, though I try not to be). If they think a player is class they forgive the mistakes, if they think he's shite they ignore the moments of quality.

Lord above, why does any expression of scepticism, no matter how much you clearly caveat it, have to be construed as 'writing him off'? People need to cut that shit out, it's a messageboard for expressing opinions. It's already boring having to clarify every time that this is 'I've not seen him and am just going off what I've heard', without still getting collared even when you do!! If I'd said he is dogshit, not good enough etc then fine, but come on. Compared to Vardy, why? I haven't heard anything about him having electric pace. The opposite if I remember rightly.

Mitrovic hat-trick in just the first half against Bristol takes him to 27 for the season. In most seasons (most recently the 19/20 season, where the top scorer was...er, Mitrovic) that would be enough to finish as top scorer without any more goals. It's only mid-January!! That's just ludicrous. The top scorer in 17/18 only got 21. 20/21 - 33 goals 19/20 - 26 goals 18/19 - 29 goals 17/18 - 21 goals 16/17 - 27 goals 15/16 - 25 goals 14/15 - 27 goals It's outrageous that he has levelled or beaten most of those seasonal records by 15th January. If he doesn't finish with at least 40 I'll be stunned (or he'll have been injured).

I'd rather get a few seasons out of her...

Unreal to see Bristol beating Fulham at the cottage, after they just mauled Reading away. Probably won't last, but great for now! If they do somehow lose I will have to conclude that winning 7-0 away is the worst thing you can do.

Zeefuik speaks excellent English, I'm sure he will communicate fine without changing our winning formula around.

Won't have long to wait after Nyambe's red today.

I'm sure they were putting all their efforts into fixing the streaming problems in good time. Oh, wait...

Oh certainly not. I'm just saying the goals record is far less impressive given the calibre of league it was in. Of course, we paid big money for the same thing in Rhodes, a goal getter with little else to his game who had scored most of them in a poorer league. Panned out alright. But I don't feel a Rhodes type would suit this team, so I'm more concerned about what people have said in regards to his similarities to Rhodes with his general game.

You know what, with how bad these refs have been on top of everything else, it's a fucking miracle we are where we are.

Agree. It will help him develop, but we have bigger concerns right now. And I doubt we are bringing someone in to try claim one of three spots from Lenihan, Wharton, Van Hecke and Ayala. I think Tony is relying on them staying available, and using Johnson there in a pinch, maybe Nyambe too. I think it's a gamble we didn't need to take.

Whilst the goals record itself is compelling, the level it's at is shite. He doesn't sound like he has much else to his game and he's not going to be cheap. At 27 unlikely to improve much or get a maximised re-sale. I'd swerve it personally, caveated with the fact I've not seen him and am just going off what I've heard.

You can't recall from a loan outside the window. If we get a couple of CB injuries we are just fucked.

Our defence are stunning. Since 24th November when we trounced Peterborough 4-0, we have conceded ONE goal in the league! That was Barnsley's total fluke goal. That's 7 clean sheets in 8 games. Outrageous!

Forum player ratings should be interesting, what with how most of us missed a huge chunk of the first half!

What's happened in the last month? 3 wins and a draw. No defeats, except in the distraction cup due to our backup goalie imploding spectacularly. As long as the results keep coming I don't care. But I do agree we probably need to start playing a bit better than we have against Cardiff and Hudds (Barnsley the only problem was our finishing was a bit wayward).