Just now, West Yorks Rover said:

Wasn't it Mowbray who said the target is top 6. ?

Yes, a target. Not minimum expectation.

24 minutes ago, DE. said:

After a brilliant end to last season he's been dropped for a 35 year old and/or a striker who doesn't even play very well out wide. So I imagine much like Nyambe his confidence isn't exactly sky high at the moment. 

He’s been dropped for a better player. Not sure what Downing’s age has to do with it. Would you start Rothwell over Downing at present?

Rothwell started against Fulham and did nothing.

Just now, OldEwoodBlue said:

Top 6 is the minimum requirement, as you well know.

Doing better than last season is the minimum requirement.

If you expect promotion with the current squad, you’re being unrealistic.

Don’t want to see Williams anywhere near contention for left back. He’s a centre back. Let’s not try to solve one problem by creating another.

It will have to be Bell or Tosin. I’m hoping that for one game Bell can hold it together but I fear my hope is misplaced.

Just now, RV Blue said:

It’s Smallwood or Evans if Trav or Johnson get injured. Tosin is a 21 year old kid from City, who (by most accounts) had a pretty poor season last year. Even if he’s decent, 2 injuries in the centre of defence and we’re up shit creek.

We can all play that game. What if Dack gets injured and then Rothwell? I don’t think Evans is a bad back up to have in midfield. I’m not sure who you expect we should have as our third/fourth choice centre mids. 

Likewise the defence. Not sure we can expect to have 4 first choice centre backs. It’d be a nice problem to have obviously but Tosin looks like a decent alternative from what I saw at Fulham.

On 08/08/2019 at 22:25, Ewood Ace said:

When Derrick Williams ends up being one of your first choice centre backs then you know its been an awful window.

I’m not convinced Mowbray is going to take us up but Downing, Cunningham and Johnson have vastly improved this team. 

This isn’t about point scoring but considering some of the hysteria on here back in July, it’s time to have some perspective. Is anyone missing Mulgrew??

Downing is a revelation. Johnson is giving us that bite and composure in midfield that we haven’t had in...... a decade??!

Lots to improve on but plenty to be positive about. Cunningham looks great. Bennett was a liability in the first half but got marginally better in the second.

I haven’t seen a Rovers side look so comfortable in possession for years. Thought the same at Fulham. Very impressive. 

We might do alright this year.

Just now, JHRover said:

Amazing how David Raya can start for Brentford at Middlesbrough and come away with a clean sheet and 3 points. Mowbray reckons he was too inexperienced for us, then signs someone on loan with less experience.

I think the coming weeks will prove that Mowbray is incapable of assembling or organising a competent defence. Last season he got away with it as people believed the problem was Mulgrew and Raya. 

I’m not convinced by the Raya sale or Walton. But did you see Raya play yesterday? I understand that it helps your argument but I think judging on one weekend isn’t going to determine anything. Fulham are a better side than Boro and we have a worse defence than Brentford. Give it a couple of months. Walton did nothing wrong yesterday imo.

5 hours ago, rossyrover said:

Mowbray says at the end of last season we must tighten up the defence his answer to this problem sign Brightons forth rated goalkeeper and a 20 year old centre half from Man City youth set up thus two games no points one own goal for four goals against clutching at straws.

If you saw Tosin yesterday you wouldn’t be so worried. He looked class. Jury is still out on Walton. 

It’s two games and the problem wasn’t how we played yesterday, it was Charlton. That’s where we dropped points. 

3 hours ago, RovingRover said:

4 goals conceded in 2 games = Goalkeeper/defence isn't the problem

Had the minority of possession and failed to create clear-cut chances = Midfield isn't a problem

0 shots on target, whilst four forwards were on the pitch = Everything's fine!

We did alright today against, on paper, the strongest side in the league. First half we played some really good stuff and based on that alone, I wouldn’t be concerned.

The problem isn’t today, it’s the loss against Charlton. That’s why today feels worse. 

Personally, I quite like the look of our squad. Tosin showed some real promise and could be the answer at CB. Cunningham ticks all the boxes at lb too, 

In terms of TM. The credit has been spent and he will be judged on results. He’s given us stability and I’m not as negative on his transfer dealings as others but if things don’t improve then we’ll need new ideas. Im tired of seeing players out of position each week and his stubbornness is his undoing. Feels similar to Bowyer’s last few months..

Just now, WIR Second Coming said:

aaaaaaffffffttttttteeeeerrrrr  the deadline. Well after. Leaving everyone in limbo to fester till weeeellllll aaaaafffffttttttteeeeerrrr the deadline... was poor. IMO

Why do you think that was out of choice? In his interview on ifollow he says that he only got to the training centre at 16:30. 

Again, there are many reasons to criticise the club about the transfer window but I don’t think that’s one of them.

Just now, WIR Second Coming said:

aaaaaaffffffttttttteeeeerrrrr  the deadline. Well after. Leaving everyone in limbo to fester till weeeellllll aaaaafffffttttttteeeeerrrr the deadline... was poor. IMO

Why do you think that was out of choice? In his interview on ifollow he says that he only got to the training centre at 16:30. 

Again, there are many reasons to criticise the club about the transfer window but I don’t think that’s one of them.

LB was certainly a priority and he fits the bill. No complaints. Get him in the team.

It’s ironic that other clubs think that we’ve had a decent window. Puts it into perspective. 

It’s been disappointing but not a write off. Describing it as humiliating or a complete disaster is OTT in my opinion. Hopes have not been met but the squad is certainly no weaker than it was last season and is arguably stronger. 

What is going on with Mulgrew? 

Not sure our defence is any weaker than it was in League 1. 

All I know is that last week I was pretty gutted to see Mulgrew’s name on the team sheet after how poor he was last season. In isolation, him leaving is not a problem. Williams looked more solid when he played CB. That says it all.

Reed is an odd one. We have no need for him. Good player but not required. Seems like a waste of energy to try and get him back.

TM has played his cards. No excuses. He’s had the time and money to make this work. 

Just now, Paul Mellelieu said:

Mulgrew's exit, although cheered on by some here could have a real impact on squad morale, as Glenn suggests above.  Mulgrew has been a key fixture in the squad for three years and his leaving under these circumstances is worrying.  

But then we’re back to keeping players on for reasons other than their footballing ability. 

I wish TM was this ruthless with more of them. Elliot wouldn’t be sleeping so well if so.

I’m disappointed with the window but to be honest I didn’t think TM had the stones to push out one of his favourites.

TM gets rightly criticised for his loyalty so i’ll give him some credit for being ruthless for once. Mulgrew isn’t a loss. Our defence improved when he wasn’t in it last season.

Not replacing Mulgrew is a different issue.

Underwhelmed and a missed opportunity but not a disaster. Marginally stronger than last season but not by much. Cunningham and Johnson are definite upgrades. Walton and Tosin are unknowns. Downing and Gallagher could do well but surely the money could have gone elsewhere.

My optimism rests in Dack, Travis, Johnson, Rothwell, Buckley and Cunningham. Get the right players on the pitch and we could go ok. 

If we persevere with Bell, Bennett, Evans and Smallwood then we’re in trouble.

Just now, TBTF said:

The last part is exactly where I’m at . They have about 18 hours to sort themselves out or I’m not going this season .

 I made a pact with my self at the end of last season to see what we did transfer wise ( I was still stumped by what they did with the Brereton deal). I heard all that went on , heard all the statements they made and like you Miller , I thought let’s see if actions speak louder than words .

Technically there’s  still time tomorrow but whatever happens I simply refuse to pay for the privilege again of being perpetually lied to . This Club stinks to high heaven and even the one guy with a shred of decency is now proving to be like the rest of them .

so Mr Waggott , if you want to know how to achieve your stretch target on tickets , you wish to know what you can do to get fans back in the ground , well I”ll tell you . 

You can stop lying through your teeth , taking us all for mugs time and again and do your bloody job and that’s on the crass assumption that you’re capable of doing it to any extent .

one Summer of bullshit too many for me I’m afraid . I simply can’t stand to keep getting myself worked up over these complete cretins. 

Very sad because I’ve been going for over 50 years but they’ve finally drummed it out of me . Well played Waggott and Mowbray , feed that back to your benefactor model goons in Pune . 

A bad window and you’re refusing to go? After all these years, this is where you’ve drawn the line?

Chief Exec and Manager try to spin their way through a fans forum. That’s life. Take it with a pinch of salt. They’ll all say what we want to hear. Every manager plays that game, let’s not pretend TM is the first.

I said I’d wait to judge until tomorrow and the writing is clearly on the wall. But save the drama. Far greater crimes have been committed at this club over the last 10 years. 

TM has now made his bed. He’s had time and money to get the squad to where it should be. If the results don’t come in then it’ll be time to move on. The credit from 17/18 has run out.

Can’t see Dack going now. We’re not desperate to sell and £12m is around £8m shy of the going rate for decent Championship players. 

I can’t remember being so deflated after a result. That was pitiful. I’m angry with myself that I’ve got tickets for next week. Waste of time. Such an awful start to the season. I’m not looking for heads to roll but there needs to be an immediate response otherwise this could get ugly fast. Completely ruined the weekend.

Will say that Johnson looked a massive step up in midfield. The only consolation.

I gave him a pass last year. He had credit in the bank and ultimately we ended up on a par score. This year there needs to be improvement and today suggests that we’re miles away. I’ll give him until mid-Sept but patience is rapidly running out.