Strong line-up. Surely Giles and Buckley will be wing-backs. Obviously concerned about JB defensively, but glad it looks like a progressive line-up. We need to dominate from the 1st whistle, and bring Dack on, if we have to, on 70 min. Could be Giles at right wing for all we know, but hope TM has accepted that he's better from the left. Think it will be a good game, Reading will come at us.

I understand that Gally's confidence has been impacted by being played out of position, but I think most of us that have been critical of him have been referring to the last 5 years, when he HAS been played as a number 9, and he HAS had good service. His TOTAL inability to trap a ball, is not just about confidence. I've said for 5 years that he's not a footballer, he's an athlete. I've said for 5 years that he always scores when he's about to be dropped, then does little for 8 games, then scores again, to avoid being dropped. It really isn't as simple as just play him as a 9, tho we haven't much choice at the mo, with our totally shot-shy(or certainly goal-shy 🙄) midfield/forward line. Prayers started for Elm Park. Come on, boys!!!!

Playing Johnson as false 9, and thinking we have more chance of scoring with Pickering instead of Giles, were 2 of the reasons for our worst 45 of the season. He signed Giles, partly based on him having the Championship's most assists, surely to use his sweet left foot. Now we may go to 4 at the back, there's no way he will pick Giles over Pickering, which is a crying shame. I've said before that he should play a back 5, put Giles at wing-back, and play either Khadra or Dolan, not both. That ship has probably sailed, but not playing Giles on the left is as unforgivable as playing Johnson up front.

I think Giles for Pickering only works in a five, tho. That hopefully gives us the best of both worlds, but who would we leave out, and I don't trust Lenihan at right back? To play a back 5, we would have to play Khadra or Dolan, not both. Big decisions, very tough to call. I think interchanging Khadra and Dolan would work, replace one with the other in every game.... If we win at Reading, I predict we'll finish 6th, tho I know that's a big if....

I think it's pointless diving straight into the Mowbray in/out debate at every opportunity. He's not going anywhere. I do feel that he will only change things when he has absolutely no choice, so after a 7 nil, and now after the most abject 45 min of the season(when the crowd were about to revolt). I really worry about going to a back 4, but I agree something had to change. I assume he'll play Buckley instead of Dack for 45 at Reading, and then switch to the team that started the 2nd half tonight. Or vice versa. I really think he has missed a trick not replacing Pickering with Giles, which would retain the defensive solidity whilst still providing the assists Giles is known for. The passion and unswerving commitment is what really won it for us, tho, and you can't teach that from a touchline ring-binder....

The difference when BBD was banging them in, was that there was zero pressure on the others. They felt as much pressure as in training, so consequently, they were relaxed and confident in front of goal. They've ALL shown their true footballing colours since Xmas. C O Y stuttering B !!!!!

It will be a good game, and we will have chances. Shame there'll be so few there to see it. I'm worried if Lawrence plays, but it will be a good test of our solid defence. I'm so desperate for Giles at wing-back. Pickering was missing for the Bristol goal, and he created nothing. It seems so obvious, but not to our leader. I'm more and more worried that DJ is a yes man, on and off the bench. I can't be optimistic, for one of the 1st times in 30 years, due to having the optimism kicked and dragged out of me. My head now screams nil nil or one one. How very sad.....

Sutton was better, but Newell had a better relationship with Shearer, which was important betw 92 & 94....

His us surely a different thread, but that's simple, it was Bellamy, but he wasn't here long enough to impact the team in terms of long term success. He was as fast as King, with the finishing ability of Shearer n Garner. I was as sad when we sold him as I was happy when I heard we'd signed the missing link, Batty.

Ok, so as promised, only facts. We can scrape a win tonight, against a beleaguered Derby. We can take advantage of the inevitable Ince death spiral on Saturday. These 2 outcomes are by no means certain. Obviously. Someone needs to step up tonight, I assume there's been a penalty comp at Brockhall today.... I haven't been able to bring myself to follow this board since 5pm Saturday, but I wish you all the best, however and wherever you are following this make or break game. Will be a quiet atmosphere at Ewood, until the Derby fans get us going. Literally anything could happen, result-wise....

After the disappointment of yesterday, I want to only deal in facts, but one of the many things that have been gnawing away at me is the decision to remove Giles from the eleven. Although he struggled to create much on the right, he was pivotal in the way we controlled the Millwall game, linking really well with Rothwell, Buckley, and, dare I say it, Gally (when he wasn't trapping if further than I can kick it...). No-one else seemed to notice this, especially TM, as I thought he would replace Pickering at wing-back yesterday, as Pickering, since his return, is no goal threat at all. I think Giles would have overlapped Khadra well, and put in more intelligent, pin-point crosses and passes. TM is determined to stubbornly stick to his totally unsuccessful principles, which are not based on his experience of how his players perform in Championship games. Pickering and Gally are among the 1st names on the sheet, and scoring is only an objective or priority from the 60 minute mark. Sounds familiar, doesn't it. I'm so disappointed that we dropped a level from Tuesday, and worried that players are starting to show signs of mental fatigue. Tuesday in a vital game for both teams, which will lead to fireworks on the touchline, but probably stalemate on the pitch.....

If that is the case, you are more interested in the players than the results, so you are probably the only happy one on here.

Soooo many of us made the point when the ball was given to Dack, THAT IT WAS HIS 1ST TOUCH!!!! If you take a penalty with your 1st touch, you are less likely to score. No-one around us thought he'd score. It's the same lack of composure that we've had in the penalty area since 2nd Jan. Mowbray admitted a,while ago that he probably gets them too wound up before a game. This leads to a lack of 'composure'. We didn't look like scoring today. Whoever had the ball, and whoever, if anyone, was defending. I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw Giles wasn't in the team. In my humble opinion, Giles is a more attacking, creative wing-back than Pickering, but TM and probably many on here don't agree with me. We were disrupted by a team that came to attack us on the breakaway, something we haven't experienced since Forest. We were miles better on Tuesday, mainly because of Giles's link-up with Buckley and Rothwell. We will never score again. Thanks Tony, you excuse for a manager....

Wow. That's a brave statement. Please reveal what that claim is based on. We usually win when Gally isn't in the team. We usually fail to win when Gally is in the team. He 'has' played in the No 9 role, and surprisingly, he has looked like a donkey. He is more use to the opposition than he is to us. You and Mowbray are happy with a relegation scrap.....

The only change should be Khadra for Pickering, but there looks to be little chance of that. I thought Giles had plenty of the ball on Tuesday, but just struggled to produce the same quality crosses with his right foot. We need it laying on a plate at the moment, which he can only do with his left foot. The anticipation is building......

I enjoyed the vast majority of the Millwall game, the football was progressive, skillful, committed, and we created chances. A bunch of kids growing into their footballing skin, showing good camaraderie, passion, and a lot of genuine talent. Their passing, pressing, and tackling was a joy. I'm not saying I wasn't as totally frustrated as everyone else, because I was, but apart from the finishing and the last 12 minutes, it was a good watch, not the yawn-fest many have said. As I've said before, if we play that well today, we'll win. I'm genuinely excited at the prospect of the attractive play, the atmosphere and the sheer jeopardy of our precarious situation. C O Y B ! !

Not sure what you mean here, Tomphill was defending Kaminski against a critical post. As he said, he's the best we've had in a decade or more. His main virtue is how comfortable and confident he makes the 4 or 5 in front of him...

The result from the Hawthorns shows that we probably need to get 5 points from the next 3 games to stay in the top 6, as all our rivals are blunting each others' promotion push. Of course, we don't want to be clinging onto 6th, as in '92, so 7 or 9 points is preferable. If we play like we did in the 1st half on Tuesday, we will win. Khadra for Pickering, round pegs in round holes, and we will be ok. I'm looking for us to produce more simple, must-score chances for each other starting tomorrow, and I'm sure Giles will do this if he is played on the left. A lovely, warm afternoon and a decent crowd will be a bonus, and will lift the lads, even before the emergence of Dugout Dack. We are lucky to still have a chance of the play-offs, and 2 wins, although a big if, will make us favourites to stay in the top six. I was very impressed, and surprised, by the lack of booing, both at half and full time on Tuesday. The crowd is still behind the lads, so they need to repay this support. COYB!!!

TMs criticism of Giles not being vocal enough, sounds like he wants to continue to play him up front. Interesting that he plays a new signing out of position, then criticises him. All he needs to do is play him at left wing back, and pit Khadra in, and I genuinely think we'd have a better chance of scoring, without compromising our defensive strength. As usual, there's only one person that doesn't see this....

It's feeling more and more like 1992, when at this point, we were starting to question King Kenny's tactics, formation, motivational skills, etc. Could be a good omen. Just need to be in touch on the last day. Who'll be our Speedie at St Andrews? We would take 5000+ if it was all on that game. A frightening thought. I worry, tho, that if we get to Wembley, so many of us will(after such a difficult run)be reluctant to go and suffer play-off heartbreak, just like '89 when we had our hearts ripped out at Selhurst. I hope that will be tempered by a chance to visit the 'new' Wembley for the 1st time. What do you mean, we might not make it....?

This sums it up in a reasoned and calmly passionate way. It's now ticked over into Wednesday, tho, and by Saturday, you'll hear me blindly, but with conviction, telling you that Bristol City don't have anywhere near Millwall's defensive solidity and discipline, so the masochistic hope and belief will build again. I apologise in advance, but the Sweet Caroline will be even more jubilant than before.....🤣🙄

I bow to those who predicted we wouldn't score. One benefit is that the numerous ostriches claiming, for 5 bloody years, that Gally was actually a footballer, have now been silenced. Rothwell and Buckley will continually provide the quality ammunition for anyone brave enough to run into the box and shoot. Rothwell needs Buckley to shine, and as soon as he was removed the game was over. Buckley Rothwell and Dolan would've continued to create good chances, but I finally, reluctantly have to agree and accept, we just don't have a single player with the composure to score. I genuinely believe that TM didn't have the heart to replace Pickering with Giles, either before or during the game. Some kind of pathetic loyalty. And sheer stubbornness. 'I won't let anyone tell me what to do, never mind a bunch of brainless supporters and journalists'. I'm running out of hope, but I'll be there again, and again, and again. I agree with an earlier poster that I haven't heard TM asked a single intelligent, challenging question by any journalist. Self-serving, lazy journalism (though that's partly just me hurting and lashing out...). Saturday's another day, I suppose....

There will be a lot of wing swapping, if we have any sense. If the 11 that start play well, we will win.

So, a similar team to the one that played Sheff U at home, after a defeat by Fuham. Another 11 game unbeaten run, with Dack and BBD back for the Play-offs, anyone??? C O Y B !!!!!!!!

The consensus appears to be that we'll lose tonight, or at best scrape a point. In their last away game, against the mighty Ince's Reading, Millwall had 2 attempts on target, and scored once, a header from a set piece. I think we can win.