I stand corrected. 3 without conceding too.

We have looked a different prospect since Travis came in.

Perfect game today. Despite my concerns about depth, Mowbray got the game plan spot on. Hull didn’t really turn up in truth and Evans and Travis stood firm while Reed and Armstrong gave them a torrid time higher up the pitch. Seems churlish to say it after such a win but Dack is going through a lean spell and when he isn’t chipping in with goals he isn’t really justifying his selection. Head turned? It was good to get the third goal and nerves were visibly calmed, even more so when they went down to 10 men late on. Well done Mowbray, after three league defeats we have a welcome three league wins and our GD is back down to -1. Maybe if we can get to 50 points before the end of February he will let the lads off the leash a bit and we can have a go at those play-off places. The cautionary note though is that we can’t afford any more injuries at the back. It will be very interesting to see now if Mulgrew has to wait his turn or if Rodwell will be back on the bench. Whilst I’m not a Rodwell fan, he has certainly earned his place. Three games, three clean sheets, a MoM and a goal speaks for itself. A good day at the office, 3 goals without reply, and even the walk along Bolton Road in the rain couldn’t dampen the mood.

Good man. Rovers fans salute you!

Good half and pretty comfortable 45 minutes. But... it’s a symptom of Mowbray’s lack of focus on the defensive side of the game that at 2-0 up we still can’t feel confident of seeing out a win without getting at least one more. The first 15 minutes of the second half are massive. Then the next 15. Then the last 15.

2-0!! Rodders!!!

We need one. Williams isn’t it. Anyway. 1-0 up. Great start.

So if anything happens to Lenihan or Rodwell we are relying on Smallwood or Williams. Not a great position to be in. Downing should have been allowed to go on loan on deadline day while Mulgrew is out.

Not sure he will be as good as he once was but maybe he could do a job in the Championship...

Welcome back Chris. Looks like more ‘the team that Mowbray will pick’ but still. It’s a decent side - assuming Mulgrew is still out. The next question is, if we win today (3 in a row) without Mulgrew, does he walk back into the team ahead of Rodwell...?

You’re switching the argument again though. 1) Newcastle was a cup game - I also said we should have played Brereton in the first match. 2) I wasn’t championing the U23 centre backs - although it would have been low risk in a cup game - we don’t have the depth there. 3) We’ve loaned out Grayson and Wharton (again) and Platt will probably go out on loan again. Our best three U23 cbs. In the last U23 game, we played our fourth best and... Downing! 4) How often do people talk about playing Mulgrew, Lenihan or Rodwell I’m midfield? Whether you like to admit it or not, despite two of them being very accomplished there, and one being a class above despite being... let’s say... a bit detached, they are midfielders. 5) But allowing for their conversion, the bit you (and others) are ignoring is the fragility of Mulgrew and even Lenihan. We had the same problem two years ago. We had no first team cb depth and it relegated us. Downing should not have been allowed to go until we had an adequate replacement. I think Mowbray is a good bloke but is a little too revered. He has done the realistic minimum so far given our budget. Relegation (when survival was possible), second in L1 (when first was possible) and midtable Championship (when 6th place is in reach). Yes, he has stopped the rot, on the face of it, but he has a lot to do. Right now it smacks of “job done”. Survival appears to be the only aim this season despite the opportunity we have because of how tight the league is. Do I want him out? Of course not. Do I want him to start showing a little more ambition? Yes. He also needs to improve significantly in his recruitment because so far he has been poor in that regard. Good to have you back pal.

Just goes to show that you continue to play the man and not the ball. Hey ho.

Not even sure where you are going with that. Naming failed managers to justify Mowbray being a good one. He was on his arse and falling until Rovers gave him a lifeline. Let’s not forget that. There are plenty of managers who keep getting gigs despite being crap. McLaren, Moyes, etc.

I’m not equating Mowbray with Coyle. I’m saying length of time in football does not automatically mean “good manager”. That just needs taking out of the debate as it isn’t true.

Why has everything got to be ‘an agenda’? That’s so 2014. I can’t agree that we have sufficient cover at cb. You are making an assumption about Mowbray’s assessment. He is gambling on the fitness of two very fragile players. One of whom has missed 7 games this season - including the last two and is being covered by full backs. That’s not to be lauded as some kind of managerial genius, it’s borderline negligence. I have to take exception to your first paragraph though. Coyle isn’t the only “manager” who has got work on the back of a one-time success, rather any kind of long-term mustard cutting.

Oh good

I can just picture him and Brezza in the education suite watching PowerPoint and YouTube together. At least Chappers will be able to help Brezza with the practicals. For the first couple of weeks anyway.

I’d settle for him walking onto the pitch without assistance. This is not a good move imo. Rovers have a very poor record when it comes to players with hamstring problems. This signing (if he has) is at least 6 months past its best before date. And even then had a whoopsie sticker on it. Like a four-pack of Strongbow with a can missing.

The point is length of time in football doesn’t automatically make someone a good (or bad) manager. Due to the old boys network it’s largely irrelevant. It’s as though you are just looking for ways to shut down any negative opinion about him. Guess what Mowbray has more experience in professional football than most Rovers fans. That doesn’t give him a free pass or mean he can’t be questioned. Him sending out three defenders on loan with no apparent plans (or even reason) to bring one in - is one example. It’s not about slating the manager, it’s about being unhappy with some of his decision making. His team selection away to Charlton being another.

Has he? I thought that was Bowyer, Lambert and Coyle. Mowbray has brought in Dack and Reed, and promoted Travis, eventually. The rest of his compilation he doesn’t believe are good enough. This “back the manager no matter what he does” what has been popular on here ever since Venkys shut down the official board and the radio station. P.S. Mowbray has spend 36 years in professional football, just 3 years more that Coyle.

But not Brezza though...?

It sounds to me like any deal we might offer would be a short one. A good plan might be a rolling style contract which only has a one year pay off and that either party can give six months notice on. I don’t see him ever being a big signing ever again and we got him on a free so it’s not like we are protecting an investment. Rodwell probably wants four or five years given his age and he isn’t getting it here. Sometimes these comments are as much for agents and players benefit as much as answering fans clamourings. We do hold the cards to an extent because he is damaged goods. Whether he could get a better deal elsewhere. Probably. Maybe a pay day in China would be an option for him. In this case, I think Mowbray is right to be wary.

When you say “good all round”, you are presumably not including Sunderland in that...?

For all the people who don’t take every word Mowbray says as gospel or do think that his recruitment is poor and team selections regularly odd, there are also those who believe he is completely infallible - Jesus Christ himself - and hang on his every word. Lots of sound bites in this link: https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/16404344.money-available-to-strengthen-further-admits-rovers-boss/ He got Rovers promoted from L1 (in second place) with the highest budget in the league then went and spent £7m on a badly scouted player and hasn’t yet spotted that we have a problem with a lack of defenders. If he gets us promoted out of this division then he will have earned bragging rights but until then he is definitely up there to be asked questions of.

I assumed that was some very subtle sarcasm from CPBS! If not... Chapman’s strength was his blistering pace. If he has hamstring issues then he may not be worth the risk. I’d be doing a loan deal with deal in place with the player if he maintains his fitness during that spell. He is out of contract in the Summer IIRC. Such a shame the way things have worked out for him - especially being dicked around by Pulis on deadline day and missing the window, then being well down the playing order at Boro.