I'd have Nuttall over Samuels long term. He surely can't have a place in the squad when he returns?

That was a fantastic performance and win. Well done TM and team. The level of harrying today was outstanding. Now get a couple of signings in and Keep the momentum going. If we can get 9 points in Feb we will be bang in the mix with home fixtures in March.

Absolutely different classes this half.

Interesting reading TM comments in the LET about buying from rivals in the champ and having to overpay to get players which we may not see a financial return on - due to the high purchase price. The alternative being free transfers, premier loans or buying players on Loan with a view from lower leagues. I wonder if he feels he'd had his fingers burnt with the Brereton deal. Last summer we were trying to sign several players from championship clubs. Now it appears he isn't keen on that route...and yes I realise that Chapman is from the same league.

Could be worth considering, given how Dack and Chapman are mates, that it might persuade Dack to stay another year...

*Except King Kenny - he wore a magic hat. **But took it off for European games ?

I understand your original point however, managers operate inside a bubble. How many times over the years have you watched a team (any team at any level) and thought 'this is clearly not working'? Generally, fans will realise something needs to change a long time before the manager. Yet the manager will persist with the same game plan/line up - regardless of their experience within the game. Souness at Rovers was a classic example. Superb for us over a number of years and an incredibly experienced and respected figure in the game. Yet I bet 80 % of fans thought he was losing the plot before he went to Newcastle. You also have to throw in reporting/social media these days, where a manager's comments are stored for posterity. Usually leading to a shed load of contradictions throughout their tenure. TM has come out with several to date. He's doing a good job and I love his integrity and enthusiasm for the game but he isn't above reproach. Sometimes fairly, sometimes unfairly but that comes down to your personal opinion. I scratch my head regularly at games at some of the things that go on. Yet sometimes the manager has played a blinder that I wouldn't of seen coming and makes my musings look like those of an idiot. Other times, they completely miss the bleeding obvious and it costs us points. Football will always be a game that divides opinions.

That's the spirit ?. Lower league and short appearances etc but Chapman is the nearest I've seen to Duff in a long time. A player that genuinely gets you off your seat when he gets the ball. If he can be half as successful....

Dack, Rothwell and Chapman in a 3 behind Graham would be exciting to watch in the last 20 mins of games!

Not sure I buy the loss of pace issue in young players. How many times did Josh King do his hamstring at Rovers? must have been a similar amount and it didn't slow him down. Also didn't think Chapman was blistering. More 'nippy' and skillful.

Can't imagine it would be a large fee. You would expect around £500k plus a couple of add ons. Doubt they would get any more at a compensation tribunal. Injury issues yes, but the lad seemed an intelligent footballer and technically decent with both feet. Could easily adapt to the '10' role if he loses a yard. Seems a nice lad as well. Well worth the risk I reckon. Type of player that would only need one good season to massively increase in value. Good option to have on the bench at least. I also think that he may have had is heart set on a move (matey with Dack etc) and may not have wanted to sign a deal at Boro to gain the move (pure conjecture that bit!)

Or the fact he's laughing it off means he's confident of getting him to sign, if he wants him. Lad undoubtedly has sone talent but how many games a season would you get from him? Already been injured a couple of times. All depends on what he'd want I expect.

I also get what you're saying. We are weak aerially and its an issue late on in games, when we sit back. Surely the intelligent thing would be to scour the lower leagues for a giant and plant him on the bench - purely to come on for the last ten mins if required and head a few balls away or go up the other end if we are behind. Wouldn't cost much and he'd surely be happy with a place on the bench/squad and no pressure to start him. Seems an obvious addition to me. But then that would mean buying specialist players for a certain position. Maybe we could tell Mowbray the lad is a midfielder...

Don't think anyone has a problem with Downing leaving per se. More the observation that Mowbray has no intention of addressing the cb weakness we've had for years. Rodwell is not the answer in a back 2 (though could be excellent in a 3) - no where near physically imposing enough.

The problem is next week we could conceivably have Williams at CB. a youth player on the bench and Rodwell and Mulgrew on the injury table.

We are crying out for an impact winger from the bench. No rush to put him in the first team - Just use him as an option. Ease him through the season, get a pre-season in him fitness wise, then see how he's doing.

Yup. Something doesn't smell right..

Would like him to have played out wide.

I think we are a little short at present and always likely to throw in some poor results. I also don't think there is enough creativity/goals in the side. We haven't beaten any team comfortably (3 or more goals). Where we are now will have been a good season back. High enough to convince better players that we may have a good chance next season.

Looking at current form, I have to say Rodwell and Lenihan deserve to be the CB partnership at present and Mulgrew shouldn't walk back in - it's increasingly looking like he is the weak link following 2 clean sheets. That said, we miss his dead ball delivery! Bennett and Reed either have to be played centrally or start on the bench. I like both their attitudes but there is little end product from either (assists or goals) when they play on the wings. Neither fill you with confidence at RB either. Reed is only worth trying to sign if he is played centrally along side Travis. I Don't rate Evans at all but as he's signed a new deal, there's every chance he will remain in the side which is a travesty! Would also add that Nuttall sniffed out another goal. He is the best 'poacher' at the club. The fact that he can also put himself about a bit is a bonus. We could probably sign better but at present he is the player I'd be bringing off the bench. Who'd be a manager eh?

Nyambe at RB and I agree.

Mulgrew a bit of a conundrum now - we really miss his set pieces. TM will be rubbing his hands at three at the back. Good result, could have easily been one of those games.

Armstrong has had no support at all left side. Bennett is a great lad but no way should he be at RB ahead if Nyambe. Too much hoof as usual with the smallest team in the Championship. Hopefully we get going second half but this has got one of those classic 'Rovers losing 1-0 to the bottom of the league games' written all over it.

Got to be honest. I'd love it if we played like Sheffield United. Thought they were the best team by a mile at Ewood this season. Aggressive and could ping the ball around confidently with a threat in the final third.

The problem we have is 2 fold: The current crop of players are competitive. They are not on ridiculous contracts and most look willing to fight for 90 minutes. Compared to the '7' years or so of footballers prior. I don't dislike any of them personally or feel they are 'bad eggs' or taking the piss out of the club -like some we've witnessed. I'm sure they are a good group to 'manage'. However, they are (one or two aside) technically and physically (in terms of pace/height/strength etc), limited players. This is why we invariably are on the losing side of close games - or in some instances, get completely dominated. Mulgrew, Dack, Graham, Reed and -at a push - Evans, are all proficient enough to mount a promotion challenge around but 2 of those are in the twighlight of their careers and one (or more) will be gone in summer). The rest are either young and inconsistent or simply not at the required level Raya, Lenihan, Nyambe, Travis, Armstrong could (IMO) form part of a promotion squad but not necessarily first 11. Bennett is limited but a dependable squad player and a good egg to have around a squad. After that, I'm struggling to think of anyone else that would be of the required level to get us out of this league. The second problem is this much vaunted 'way of playing' that TM is so keen to introduce. The current squad clearly arent capable of whatever it is he is trying to implement. He has said as much, yet wants to see how far they can take us. We don't seem to have a preferred system, so our transfer approach seems scattergun at best (although they must be young and make us money in the future - as they seem the only transfers sanctioned - despite the talk of experienced players last sumner). The apparent lack of system means we don't sign specialist players for positions. As much as I like Mowbray as a person, no way do I think he is astute enough to get a limited team out of this league (like a manager such as Warnock may do). He may get us promoted, if like last year, he has a superior first 11 than the rest of the league (or realistically - most of). If he is being remotely honest about trying to get the team at a level to get promoted, he needs 5 first teamers at the level of (Dack, Graham, Reed and Mulgrew). If he doesn't use this window, that gives him summer and next winter to make those purchases (on the timescale of windows he set). This window needs to see at least one good player added (preferably permanently but minimum loan with a view). If we fail to add any, citing summer as the time to recruit, I cannot see us getting anywhere near promotion in the timescale he set. Especially given the very limited success of last summer's window, where we could not get the players we wanted. We all know that Venkys often change the rules, renauge on promises etc which may have an impact on TMs plans. This is a massive year for Mowbray. The football has been pretty turgid as a whole. Grinding out results and getting a few spankings. But if the mission was to stay in the champ, then we definitely will achieve that. To get to the next level though, his transfer dealings are going to have to be absolutely spot on.