Stuart

I’m on the fence right now about Downing. I think he’s a consummate professional who will have looked after himself and, if used correctly, will be an asset. His experience is invaluable. He is the kind of player who will go on to be a manager IMHO. On the flip side, Mowbray has a habit of keeping players a season too long after which point they lose their value or their legs. The next question is where does he play? Presumably the left side of a midfield 3 with the full back overlapping. Knowing Mowbray though he will be the full back and will be found out.

Ok then.

No need to be obtuse.

iFollow not available to buy for Tuesday (audio only) because it’s on Sky. Out of interest, is iFollow still available to those who have bought the season pass?

I expect the argument will be that the FA Cup is an ‘elite’ competition. The alternative would be to scrap and non-elite only fixtures and introduce byes for all other fixtures where an elite team would face them. That of scrap the competition. I say they’ll go ahead but BCD, forcing clubs who can’t afford it to forfeit.

The question keeps coming back to: “how long do we have before enough is enough financially?” If we have an indefinite amount of time because Venkys are infinitely rich and infinitely stupid (or we bury our heads in the sand and pretend it isn’t an issue - like many Bolton fans did when it was “only debt owed to Eddie Davies”) then yes Mowbray is a nice guy who wants to do things the right way - although I still balk at the way he has favourites - but his CV is no better than the most recent two Rovers managers. He’s a steady pair of hands but we are taking our chances in terms of going into a death spiral at the wrong time of the season. If there is a limit at some point in the not too distant future then we cannot afford to plod along with promotion not even a prospect. It’s very easy to blame the situation this year but nothing has really changed in his approach and COVID didn’t affect his recruitment, with most happy with those that came in. As soon as he had the chance he began chopping and changing the team - Dolan still grates as there was no reason to drop him when he did except for his decision to bring in Elliott. Plus a similar situation with Nyambe (of course he’ll sign a new contract, why wouldn’t he - shades of Hoilett). Meanwhile he has persevered with certain players Armstrong for a long barren spell, Brereton for an ongoing barren spell (yes, he’s scored a goal whoopee) and now Pears, despite being the third goalkeeper recruited seems to be a new favourite and will be backed. These are the kinds of decisions that are holding us back and will continue to. You’re either a Mowbray’s man or you are on the rotation list. If you don’t like it, you’ll get a knock in training or symptoms. For me, I cannot see us levitating like this forever and we need promotion. How many more season’s will it take Tony? Two, three? We have a decent squad who need a manager that can turn them into a successful team. We’ve thrown £12m at two failed strikers (on Mowbray’s watch) imagine if even a portion of that had gone on an experience manager - even as a promotion bonus! Thank Tony for his service and have a decent recruit lined up. I’d take Sparky in a heartbeat but there is no excuse for not knowing the up and coming managers from the continent. Well, aside from the fact that all decisions appear to go through the manager who isn’t going to replace himself.

Exactly

Good summary but a symptom of years of buying players to ‘push the lads’ rather than looking to improve the first XI. Effectively buying inferior players to the ones that he had in League One and loyalty trumping logic. The extensions to Hart and Smallwood despite having no intention of playing them summing up our approach. We need players to be hungry for new contacts not expecting them because they did their laps and sat on the bench without any complaints.

Can’t argue with that.

I think it’s as simple as having to play him because of the price tag but there being better players in the middle. If he was ‘one of our own’ he wouldn’t get a look in.

Couldn’t you have received a telegram, Grandpa?

Sadly, all these excuses are rubbing off on the players before and during games. Would Warnock put up with abject displays like today’s - from any XI he put out?

Preferably including as an away manager.

Commentators describe what’s happening on the pitch. If he isn’t being mentioned it means he isn’t involved. Just because he is rated at Liverpool doesn’t mean he can’t have football coached out of him by the current coaching set up.

Lose the next two and I think that may be when the switch off happens until he is gone. It’s not even good to watch!

Please tell me what he did. I don’t even recall hearing his name!

Well that was awful.

Dolan was dropped for this world beater who has been invisible throughout this entire game.

If Pears is the answer then the question must have been ‘what shape is it said to have gone when things are really shit?”

What’s he done today? Dolan has stood out far more in the brief cameo.

Why the hell did Mowbray drop Dolan? Has Elliott touched the ball today?

Dolan did more in one touch than Gallagher has in 20 mins. And now our only goalscorer is injured. FFS!

Menacing...

Absolutely... ...no f*cking chance! Wash your mouth out.