We should have changed the goalkeeping coach and number two. Instead we just slotted in a different bloke with no competition and no experienced hand to guide him. But Mowbray doesn’t see that as a problem. 69 goals conceded last season and this season’s current rate sees us on track to concede 70...!

0-0

I can’t believe that anyone can defend this guy any more. Talk shite, get beat.

The fans aren’t turning on the players though. This was actually very shrewd from Mowbray. If he deflects into the players (that he selects and plays out of position) then it plays into the ‘get behind the lads mentality’. He is seemingly defending his players yet regularly hangs them out to dry. I didn’t see anything in BB’s post saying he actively wants us to lose, only that fans should express their displeasure if they want change. You really need to get down and support the team at Ewood if you really want to pontificate to others. “Genuine supporters” indeed.

The goalkeeper situation could be very interesting tomorrow. If Raya has a blinder and Walton has another stinker, it might polarise opinion further.

Possible. But I seen him in a few games recently and he just looks like he is only in it for himself. Tries to do too much with the ball and doesn’t have enough about him to impress against youngsters.

I agree that Mols was our standout player tonight. I disagree that we deserved to lose. A draw would have been a fair result. We could and maybe should have nicked it near the end too.

No way would Chapman get into the first team at the moment. Even despite how bad we’ve been.

Lost 2-1 with the last kick. Very harsh. Tonight was a much better performance.

1-1

Can’t see him being called up for Wednesday. The U23s look so much better without him in the side. (Or Brereton).

Rovers 1-0 Benfica (Davenport)

Yeah. They only gave me £14m - what did they expect? Well, Champions League football for £5m a window for one. So should have known what he was getting into before he joined. It’s really sad that it seems to be coming down to this but he only has himself to blame. Same mistakes week in week out, same glaring issues not addressed window after window. ”Tony, Tony, Sort it out” is very very tame. Yet someone called you a snowflake! (Got 4 likes on that there Twitter though so fair’s fair).

Mowbray must be looking forward to this one immensely. Raya was the reason we conceded so many goals last season so we should get a hatful!

Dack has not played anywhere near as well as he did in L1 but he is finding himself in the right place at the right time and getting goals so he is keeping his place. But as probably the only player who has a free remit and no defensive duties, and being played where he plays best it’s no wonder. IMO Rothwell would do as well, if not better, with the same remit. Talking about a photo during an “injury spell” ages ago is barking up the wrong tree. Off the field he clearly had some issues - hopefully they are behind him. On the pitch, he is a fairly good player at this level, not great, good. He is certainly nowhere near the level of Grealish who he used to be compared with. I agree there are far worse issues at the moment but this is the Bradley Dack thread.

If we are dropping Walton I’d sooner play Joe Hilton that Leutwiler. Tony doesn’t like Joes though.

I know you are joking but if Rothwell didn’t automatically replace Dack then there’s something amiss. I’m struggling to see what Buckley’s best position is. Butterworth is better at attacking but Buckley is the better footballer. He needs to be guarding the centre circle and picking balls out for the quicker lads to latch on to. I’d love to see Johnson in charge of the first team...

We need 1.7 points per game from the remaining 29 games to get to 70 points. (Currently averaging 1.2 points). So we need an extra point every two games than we have so far. A 42% improvement after the first 17 games. Stop losing and get draws, while still getting the same number of wins. Or win more games. Funny that our lack of strikers and defenders and low goals while not keeping clean sheets translates into points! It’s almost as though continuing to buy nothing but midfielders is the wrong thing to do!! So let’s assume that a new manager comes in and with the same group of players gets that 1.7 points per game. (That’s consistent consecutive runs of WWDDL of WWWLL between now and the end of the season). Aye, I guess it’s possible. But it will get less and less so the longer he stays. We can’t afford to play like we did yesterday.

Keeping Brereton is where we disagree then. I’ve seen nothing in him that makes me think - “now there’s a footballer”, let alone “now there’s a £7m footballer”, or “there’s a good forward”, now even “there’s a £7m goalscorer”. When you pay £7m on a striker at this level, he should be scoring goals. You certainly don’t convert him to a wide player. But although it’s an interesting debate this is all moot because Mowbray won’t play either of them as strikers and hasn’t signed a defender worthy of the title in 4 windows. So I guess what we are both saying is forget about player recruitment and focus on manager recruitment.

Strikers - see my other post. Nobody is getting us top 6 this season. Now it’s about staying up. After yesterday I really fear for Championship status. However, again I disagree, feelgood factor absolutely can bring success. Look at Blackpool under Hollowhead. Look at Leicester under Ranieri. Look at Liverpool under Klopp. Rovers under Kenny, Souness, Hughes. Get the right, credible manager and it can take you places.

Respectfully disagree. You've said yourself either Gallagher plays there or should be dropped - so that’s £5m wasted. Brereton “is still a kid” - or just peaked early and we’ve been seen coming by Forest - £7m thrown away. Samuel - can never stay fit and isn’t really Championship standard if we’re honest. Armstrong - is a number 10 and we already have 10 of them. Graham - is only really fit for half an hour and the Brereton money really should have been spent on a replacement in that window. That leaves Dack - thank flip he still knows where the net is because he does very little else at the moment. I say we need to move Brereton on and like you I think Gallagher should be central, not wide. So I’ll do you a deal. Bring in one established striker on loan (Rhodes would be a good fit) and promote Butterworth from the U23s.

The feelgood factor alone though of Hughes and Toogs... bring back Jordan Rhodes too! It certainly would pique fans’ interest compared to the current malaise.

Are we now supposed to keep him on because he needs the money?

Just the very idea of Mowbray being in charge for another transfer window... “We just need a couple of new faces to help the group”. No Tony, we need a Championship standard/experienced centre back and two strikers. But he seems unable to address the defence and internal politics (face saving) will dictate that no new strikers can come in.