To be fair, on a relative basis, PNE are far superior to the kiwis. So sad that Mowbray is losing the one thing that still made him endearing to fans.

Real shame Tommy had to quit so young.

You look quite at home there, Ian. Perhaps a future career beckons...

Time now update: Lenihan 28% Travis 24% Dack 16% Bennett 0% (the only one without a single vote)

That kind of attitude is just what we need. Part of me thinks he has too much baggage but then we had Diouf and Savage and they both became fan favourites. Not accepting failure and demanding the best is exactly what our rabble need. This idea of trying hard, turning up and competing is loser-code for defeat is acceptable... sometimes. In professional sport, it’s never acceptable.

Technical: Armstrong in centre forward Athletic: Armstrong on the left Tactical: Armstrong on the right

As Lord Acton put it: power tends to corrupt, absolute power corrupts absolutely.

https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/17994290.rovers-need-result-mowbray-contemplates-team-selection/ “I’ll pick the team, as I always do, that I think can do justice. Sometimes that’s a technical team, sometimes it’s an athletic team, or other times a team I feel can do what’s tactically required.” Why can’t we just play to our own strengths? Football is a simple game, and footballers are simple creatures: put the bladder in their onion bag and keep it out of yours. I wouldn’t mind if this opposition-specific approach worked but it isn’t!

Not under their original name...

We had better put on a performance tomorrow.

Outrageous thread. There’s no shame in losing to former Champion’s League winners, Real Prestelona. They are a better side than us and we will have to be at our most competitive to ensure we keep the Goals Against down to 3. Look what happened to Wigan and Barnsley. Venkys will completely understand as they can see what Tony and Steve are trying to do and a 4-0 drubbing by big city opposition won’t derail that. The biggest decision of the weekend will be if we can thieve a 0-0 and a point then they’ll have to choose between giving Mowbray a 10-year contract extension or a rolling 5-year deal.

I did wonder about Dack. Would he thrive on the responsibility or would he crumble under the pressure and go into hiding? He does usually demand the ball and would likely lead by example.

Mowbray seems to have fallen into the trap that Coyle did: making the decision to give the captaincy to the longest serving player, despite him not being first choice in his natural position. Ironically both Lowe and Bennett were centre midfielders who were turned into full backs just to keep the in the starting eleven. This meant having to drop other players or move others around, made us weaker and, in my opinion, meant having a poor player as an ever present. For me, the arm band should be given to the player who is the best for the job but also a mainstay through merit, not by default. Personally I think they should be a vocal leader but I’m not sure we have many of those. Who would your captain be?

Tony Mowbray do a dance...

We need an ex player with a footballing brain who has that passion to be successful, and a bit of charisma to go with it. Thats really the antithesis of TM I’m afraid.

I guess we will find out first hand on Saturday whether we missed out or not.

It’s either that or he has seen the writing on the wall and doesn’t want to be part of the demise. The treatment room usual fills up when a team is doing badly and then empties pretty quickly when a new manager comes in. Or he is genuinely injured...

Our midfield is definitely better than the one Mowbray inherited but the defence is definitely worse. Our situation overall is very similar. Mowbray’s first game was: Nyambe Lenihan Mulgrew Williams (with no defenders on the bench). His last game was: Nyambe Adarabioyo Williams Bennett (with Bell and an U23 kid on the bench) - the game before didn’t even include Bell. Failure to address that in 2-and-a-half years is what has cost us. Cunningham being the only real attempt and he’s now long term injured.

Pretty much.

Someone has a sense of humour. Sign up a PNE stalwart to the Academy staff the day before a season-defining fixture against them. https://www.rovers.co.uk/news/2019/october/new-kidd-on-the-brock/

I expect a back to basics approach from Mowbray with Evans as the lynchpin in 0-0 chaser from the 1st minute. Wouldn’t be surprised to see Smallwood back on the bench to help shore things up. Our outlet being the long diagonal ball from Downing to Gallagher (our into touch for an opposition throw). Let’s hope he proves us all wrong and Rothwell, Dack and a late fitness test pass for Holtby spearheads an all out attack and a 3-0 win!

Last season Mowbray went on a run of LLLLDLLWLLL Fortunately it was bookended at each side by WWWW which game him breathing space with W8D1L9. However it was prefixed by LLL and suffixed with LWD. Making it W9D2L14 in that ‘half season‘ spell. He is going to have to do worse than that to be removed. Gulp! Under Mowbray we can have really long bad spells but then have a couple of decent runs and the fanbase lurch from “enough’s enough” to “ he’s earned more time”. The only problem is that more time looks like simply more of the same due to his inability to recruit well or to get the best out of his team due to his self-inflicted midfield rotation policy. Then you throw in that he can’t get us motivated for local derbies and it starts to grate. He has to show a stepped-change in performances. Consistency of selection and a style of play and understanding between players developing rather than this schizophrenic approach brought on by too many changes. There have been times this season where we look like strangers on the pitch. Our squad is significantly weaker than last season and must be addressed. Personally I have no confidence that Mowbray will address this in January. Or even that he recognises the need. This lack of confidence in there being any change is the most important factor to me. Do we have time to tread water?

Great post. Particularly agree with the way youth players are handled. I’d go so far as to say that any player with attacking instincts seems to have it benched out of them. With the curious exception of Armstrong.

Harry Chapman does not need a season in the reserves. If he isn’t there to get fit for the first team then something is seriously amiss and he should be sold in January. But we don’t sell players, they are either paid off or run their contracts down. Another Mowbray failure.

Some truth in that. Their last three managers have at least had championship pedigree. We do need fresh ideas though. Having watched his teams play I would be happy with Damien Johnson getting the gig til the end of the season.