bluebruce

Silly foul from (Lenihan again was it?) and a great free kick smashed into the space we left absolutely uncontested.

Glad we're bringing Elliott on now so we can develop Liverpool's player some more.

Definitely makes it better, but the shots on those were pretty woeful (angle probably blocked off on the second tbf, but if that's the case you keep the ball). Third one he was unlucky. But mostly he just hasn't had much impact on the game. I'm a fan too.

Probably to not miss three decent chances.

All season he does 3 subs on the 60 minute mark. Winning a dead rubber and an admitted need to look for the future? Wait til the 72nd minute and an injury to make any change.

Yep, unlucky just then though.

Agree. Probably not cheap either. But from the fact he started today, I imagine he is one of the ones who have been told they'll get a new offer. Bloody hope not.

Johnson strolling around after giving the ball away in a dangerous position. Get him off the pitch ffs, bring Davenport on.

Not been selfish today tbf. Seems to be playing wide this half with BB in the middle?

Armstrong has 25 now.

It's bullshit. If it was just about the integrity then some of these kids would at least be on the bench in case we went 2 or 3 up. Integrity couldn't be questioned if they came on in a game like that. The truth is, Tony just doesn't have the balls to do it.

Just to tread water if he stays and Arma goes, we are very likely to need Stuart Harvey to have left a very good list behind, and not tell Sunderland too much about it (or be able to out muscle them if they stay down).

Preston to finish above us next season. And quite probably this season too.

Already ahead of us by orders of magnitude for season ticket sales. Even in League Two their fans are more invested than we are under the Coventrio.

Come on Rothwell, get your shooting boots on lad

I hadn't, good spot. Hopefully it's just something like someone got injured in the warm up, though I thought clubs took an extra body for away games for such a reason. Either way he won't be playing any of the lads we want him to give a chance to in this or the next game. Reckons he already knows if they're up to it, football sage that he is.

We just pissed about with it at the back again, despite having just seen the opposition concede from doing that, and despite the fact we just scored from lumping it up there instead. No lessons learnt then.

I don't know if you're trying to be clever, but yes that is the point I'm making. Going off the stats (which people are when they talk about 12 goals in League One...11 in the league itself actually) he is showing less of those capabilities than the players you mentioned. Those two are good examples of how League One players can be good. This lad hasn't shown what they've shown yet. An example of how even top-rated League One players can be crap in the Championship also exists in our squad though - League One Team of the Year selectee Amari'i Bell. To be clear, I'm in no way writing him off. But an attacker with a career-best 12 goals a level below isn't going to inspire tons of confidence when we likely need to replace an attacker with 26 goals at our own level. As ever, any real judgement will come when I see him kick a ball for us. Another poster said he has played on the right, which as well as fitting in with Mowbray's wet dreams, may explain the goal tally a bit. For me though we need a lad for the middle. Then again, Arma played wide until he didn't, and that turned out well. Before this season, the most Dale had scored was 5, in the Northern Premier League. Of course, he could only just be coming into his own now, 22 still means room to grow. I just hope he isn't intended as our sole Arma replacement, and that he costs a sensible fee. If we are indeed even interested.

Whilst I understand the decision to stick with most of the same squad from the good result against Huddersfield (though would personally have liked to see us actually build for the future as promised), the one change seems daft. Johnson for Evans. Firstly, Evans actually had a fairly good game last time out. Secondly, Johnson isn't that great at the same role, assuming that's the intention rather than dropping Travis in there. But thirdly and mostly, it should blatantly be Davenport who gets the nod there, especially with Johnson out of contract and the age difference.

I'm not sure how many times this needs repeating, but whilst Nyambe hasn't been good enough on the assists front previously, this season he has 4 assists this season, which is the joint-third highest at the club, and has played in 3-4 less games than those equal and above him for that stat. Personally think he has been unlucky not to have more. Once you put the ball on a plate for someone it's not your fault if they squander it.

Armstrong scored 20 goals aged about 18/19. This lad has 12 goals aged 22. Dack had been League One Player of the Year. These are not appropriate comparisons. These players were performing in the same league as him, but on another level.

I think his point was more that 'how would we know?' about Nyambe's crossing ability? There is hardly ever anyone to aim for, making good runs, or good enough in the air to get on the end of them when he does cross. Obviously a Beckham or someone could make that work anyway, but that's too high a standard. Even our best passer, Elliott, has hardly been whipping them in and finding someone too frequently. You say he has a tendency to turn back...well yes, so would I, there's no bugger there worth trying to get it to. You're right he has found a way around the problem though, and right about the disgraceful contract situation. I said when he signed his last contract it was 'insultingly short' and here we are not all that long later.

Thing is, even with that being the case and being dropped several times he has 4 assists this season. Our joint-third highest. Until very recently he was joint-second highest. He has played 3 to 4 less games than all of those level or above him in the list and is the only defender amongst them.

Nobody but nobody is suggesting a full team of youngsters though. It's his reticence to try any of them that is galling. The u23s are 2nd in the top u23 league in this country, and none of them are going to be given a chance in a couple of dead rubbers when half our squad is due to leave in the summer? Sorry but that's bullshit. 1 or 2 should be given a start, with another 1 or 2 on the bench. For this game. With similar or more for the last game. No damage to integrity. Not only does it develop the players and let us get a REAL look at them at the level we need them for, not just in training or against other kids, but it builds their profile. I suspect Carter wouldn't have been straight into Burton's first team without those couple of appearances he made for our first team.

Ffs I despair of this manager, I really do. https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/19269973.mowbray-explains-decision-not-field-rovers-u23-prospects/ Just. Fucking. Play some of them. Regardless of what you, Mowbray, tactical monolith, think you know about them, the experience of a first team game will be invaluable in their development. Meanwhile half the players you are going to field will be OFF. Like you should be.