Wouldn't surprise me at all if we are still prioritising the wrong positions. Defence. Goalie. I'm really not interested in us signing players in any other area (other than maybe a proven quality striker if the budget skyrocketed, which I doubt).

Since you're asking about what the point of something Venkys did was, I assume this question is rhetorical.

Cheers. OK so I take it from that that Evans was warming up until the goal, then was told to sit back down for Buckley? Suggests he rates Buckley as being able to carve out goals for us, whereas Evan's he rates for limiting the opposition. I agree it's unambitious to go for the draw at home, but he obviously rates him in some capacity. Tbh when they announced the Buckley sub, my dad and I both looked at each other as if to say 'how is that going to change the game?' Thankfully it did.

I've also thought for a while he could have more input in the game at large from there. He could potentially be our best CM. Problem is it diminishes his goal threat a bit if he's too deep to be making those late runs and linking up off the frontman. He can definitely get isolated in games as it is though. Easier to keep tabs on via man marking without another player by his side, and if we don't break past the midfield we can't get to him anyway.

Why do you say that? And if so, why did he?

To be fair, whilst that is his general style, I think you're wrong about those two. He clearly rates Buckley, who has come off the bench quite a bit this season (and truthfully hasn't done enough to merit being a regular starter yet). We supposedly paid City about a million as a loan fee for Tosin. He is gonna play when fit, except for when returning from injury with two centre halves in form, like earlier this season. We are also without Lenihan for a while so he is definitely getting a run.

Even a stopped clock...

Also unlike the cinemas, there's a chance you'll come out of it with your whole weekend ruined. When 45 quid is a fair chunk of money for you, the thought of it getting you sheer dismay or rage after sitting in the cold for 90 minutes is pretty galling. Football clubs are lucky this is a passion, and we are essentially addicts, or they wouldn't be able to charge anything like what they do. Value for money relative to other entertainment it ain't.

I wouldn't be too glad, the guy who is picking the team has put out similar teams before. I doubt he drops Walton today, but the lad has earned a kick up the ass and it wouldn't surprise me even remotely if the rest of the team is exactly how we line up.

Ironic, because we have almost literally no defence.

My god man, everybody already told you - we couldn't give a flying fuck up Balaji's asshole how early we were told about being ripped off!! Sorry but if you're going to reply to a post like that, which asks you a specific question, please don't just swerve the question and the point and repeat something you said earlier which has already been countered! If you don't have an answer, it's best to just not reply (or better yet, consider whether the other person might have a point, and reconsider your position). I'm not trying to have a go, and I'm aware I can't make you do anything, but please understand that's an infuriating way to have a discussion.

Raya also made exceptional saves a hell of a lot, balancing that somewhat. Walton has been far weaker in that category. Ironically, the best save I can recall him making was in the Preston game.

Christ how many players do you want to blame Chapman for holding back?? He is one player, he can only really be holding back one player per game. I thought both Mols and Vale were strikers anyway?

He doesn't care. He has clearly stated he has no alternative plan for them.

https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/18001072.rovers-take-man-city-youngster-trial-given-defensive-injuries/ This article also mentions that they are being careful with Butterworth, rather than 'first team' players holding him back as you suggested earlier.

Butterworth has had a first team chance. By the logic you've shown in this discussion, he shouldn't get any more because he hasn't broken into the first team. I suppose if Buckley stops getting picked for the bench, he shouldn't be allowed to go back to u23 football either? It'll be time to write him off too. You still haven't answered the question you were asked - what is your plan for all these players that you don't think should play first team or u23 football? Tom White has played plenty of games btw, just at a lower level. He's also kinda old to be saying he has more potential than the other, younger lads.

No. He can act pre-event by ensuring we have a competent keeper on the pitch. I'm not sure what's eluding you here. Let's play the analogy game. I go to my doctor and tell him I have a problem. He gives me some half-assed diagnosis and inferior medication with a small but unsatisfactory chance of fixing my problem. My condition worsens. It is still the doctor's fault. I wouldn't say ah well, he can only act after the fact and subscribe me the correct medication when the next shipment of that is available in January. I'd say Jesus you're a shit doctor, I want a new one ASAP. Edit - and yes, fine, at 4pm yesterday he can't do anything but that in no way diminishes his responsibility.

Poor support? You are looking at one game, not the whole scope of the clusterfuck that Mowbray's tenure is becoming. On another day the exact same pissing thing would have happened, because it keeps happening over and over and over.

He's responsible for getting a better keeper in the first place than the gonad-dropper he recruited.

Our team have surrendered leads so many times now that I think, when we concede, they feel the same air of inevitability about it that we do. Only a new manager with fresh ideas and approach can change that now. Otherwise we are doomed to permanently tremble as soon as we ship one.

“Wherever they are in the league, and wherever we are, it just shows that on the day anyone can beat anyone.” Eh?! No Tony, us winning would have shown that. What it showed is the form table got this one spot on, and that we can't defend a fucking lead to save our lives!

He took a rather long time to come out for interview...normally a lot sooner isn't it?

Nice rhetorical question there.

I could swear I saw Mercer boasting when we were 2-0 up that his bet for us to win was looking good. Don't seem to be able to find the post now. Either he deleted it from shame or a mod deleted it on the grounds of 'cut that shit out Mercer'. But one could identify that as the moment things went wrong!

Who signed the useless prick?