There are hardly any goals in Samuel and we need people from the bench who can change games. ,How often do we get back into games late and rescue a point. Or turn a game around and win it late ? There's a reason for that it's the manager using the same old players who just aren't good enough at this level. As long as Samuel, Brereton and Gallagher are here he'll keep trying the same things. Rotating them, subbing them and keeping a system to try and accommodate them. It's done to absolute death now. Changes and something fresh needed. Get rid of two and bring in a target man or poacher and a proper winger we are crying out for that not 3 wide right forwards who need 50 chances to get 1 goal between them. In league 1 it would work in the cut and thrust of the championship it won't !

Guarding yes, angels no. Question is just what and why are they guarding ? If they'll loved the club that much to lose 10 million a year through it's books they wouldn't keep throwing it to the wolves. The audit they did a couple of years ago needs doing again right about now. One of the firms doing it needs to be a proper independent football advisory firm to analyse what's going of on the training ground, dressing room and dugout. Then deduce if it really is the best way to push the club forwards. But then again do they really want to or have they now just reached comfortable status with it like their club employees ?

Yep good cop bad cop he's probably nowhere near as bad as he's made out in terms of how he might be with players. You do keep thinking there's a Souness in there somewhere if he lands on the right club at the right time.

Main problem with Keane is after the mollycoddling some of them get he'd frighten half this lot to death. Wouldn't do any harm in the grand scheme of things but they'd be crying to the PFA before the first month was out.

Basically he helped his old mates out a few times and no doubt had a nice glass of wine out of it. Or even a vineyard....?

Just a salute in the direction of the Rovers fans tucked in the corner after scoring at that end at the Cottage. No idea what it was all about but no need for it. Think it was when we were suffering as well around king rats era or thereabouts.

Amoruso - I'd call him a flop but i don't think a great deal was expected of him and Souness was a know critic previously. Some odd deals between us and Rangers. He was good at getting his head to it in the oppo penalty box and was committed for sure but a very poor reader of the game it was a level too high for him.

That's how it seems he operates though like he's frightened of some of them or their influence at least so he lets it go.

He did come back to his spiritual home though.

How do you just 'become' a fan of another club ? Sounds like a bit of a tosser to me.

Over loyalty is part of the problem here certainly in squad terms and that looks set to continue. It's a pointless phrase in football anyway, how loyal would he have been if Boro came calling again or another interesting job ? His main loyalty will be to the 500k - 1 million he earns every year.

Crossing and heading it was in the 80's then 3 and in. We did the same every night wherever we could find suitable gateposts so we were usually in the middle of the ( b) road. I was terrible at footy as a kid which was annoying because a couple of my mates were quite good, used to piss me right off. Became quite good at crossing it and heading it because i just tried and tried and tried. By the time i was 18 i was a good header of the ball and could play right wing because i was quite quick but a bit lanky. That came about through just playing all the time doing what i could do over and over again because like i said when i was at school i'd fall over just trying to kick a ball. Amazing how it just comes together eventually if you put in the graft. I was nowhere near pro standard so those who are have a decent head start.

I expect they'll root out a token signing from foreign lands at the very least. Something will have to justify the outlay and the bluster.

Like i said last night the dour tepid scared of the opposition football he's trying to coach into them makes us look worse than we are. We've looked good when we are lively and get in faces and we've looked good on the counter against some sides who come at us. It just doesn't suit the players or the purpose even Sharpe pointed out we are playing safety first right at the time we should be going for it. A risk averse manager that would rather lose 1-0 than 4-3, at this stage of the season why the hell does it matter. I'm sorry to be blunt but it's the work of a wuss, a guy thinking about the plod next season and resting and rotating players now because it'll be a short break instead of chasing what was on offer.

Agree and i hope the FUP gets brought into line otherwise it pushes more clubs towards the edge. My main point though was it all still has to be covered so we are relying on them for extra money or it comes out of next seasons and maybe beyond to square off extra debt taken. Personally i'd expect a Tom Cairney, David Raya type late unexpected 3 mill pound sale in the event of no big out going transfer that would cover the lot. And i suspect Nyambe will be the sacrifice if so.

And the jesture at Fulham.

We'll win the last couple in comfortable fashion it was only really the dead rubbers at the end of last season that glossed over the cracks and gave a skewed view to some in anticipation for this season. Once it started it was obvious nothing much had changed and that was with a fit Bradley Dack. Rovers 4 Reading 1

Didn't he leave them, allegedly around the time he found himself dropped ? If he was with that lot he might well have a shiny new contract by now.

Mowbrays digging out Nyambe similar to he did with Raya there's a scapegoat ready made there and it'll only end the same way. Bennett will be a shoe in when it does. If he's so good to have around get him on the coaching staff instead, player coach not captain. Could probably still be the club captain if that was the case but the team captain should be in other hands.

Nothing against Bennett he fills in wherever he's given a berth but his natural starting position should always be the bench. There are enough bodies now to cover before him. The manager constantly finding him a place or any excuse to plonk him in is almost suspicious now if this was Kean or Coyle it would be. I'm cast iron certain Mowbray would sell Nyambe tomorrow for a few million then hand that spot to Bennett that's how odd it looks. I'd happy keep Bennett as squad utility number 1 man but the managers obsession means he's almost his star player so will continue to jump over others to be included. He has similar traits with Samuel, as long as he's around he'll get on regularly and continue to show he's a level below where he's at. It's sickening now some lower league managers would kill for a Bennett or a Samuel most Championship mangers above the bottom five wouldn't look at them. Plenty in our position and above would also kill to be able to spend 7 million on a long shot prospect or 5 million on a forward to play out of position. Also to be able to pay wages to the likes of Downing, Holtby and Tosin or waste on Mulgrew. I can't help but think this managers odd systems and selections are somewhat wasting what opportunities are available.

Another a bit like Evans who shines when the team around him is doing well and we are in a little purple patch but disappears when the going gets tough. We desperately need characters who can grab games by the scruff and help to literally dig out results when it isn't pretty or we don't really deserve it on performances but keep pinching something. Rarely happens here we are either quite good or poor and rely on a moment from someone.

Don't forget the huge corona hole in this seasons budget that'll have to be covered somehow. If they can't or won't stick in the extra millions from lost income then it's there in the way of external debt to somewhere probably so that'll need squaring off at some point.

These are the bare facts of it all nothing really needs adding aside from touching on the Dack thing and to a lesser extent Evans. The loss of those 2 is a blow but we've more than enough cover and the muddling nature of other things that persist if they are playing or not balance it out. If anyone really believes we'd have been guaranteed top 6 if they'd been fit i think they need to look a little closer at the weak points.

When you look on here it tends to be people from elsewhere around the country or even globe who are Mowbrays biggest defenders. I don't think it's a coincidence it's like that. Then on other platforms it tends to be the young elements who defend him to the hilt, again no coincidence. They've probably only known Rovers under Venkys and all the shower of shite they've served up until TM conjoured up 1 memorable season so it's all they know and cling on to. Understandable but they don't see the pattern developing and the little sub plots more seasoned seen it all before fans might see. A change might see a poor season net season and a lower finish whilst a new man beds in his methods. That would be met with derision in some parts, should have stayed as we were etc etc. However you might have 2 or 3 really good seasons after that, that is the gamble yet a lot just like to assume we'll go down again when it really needn't be the case. The path that lead to that last time was exceptional circumstances all started by the takeover and the instillation of crooks, it was inevitable.

Iv'e suspected ever since he dropped him mid season last year that he's one they'd cash in first decent offer. Add in the rumours of the agent stuff a while back as well. They should be cherishing this lad not looking for excuses to leave him out in favour of the managers pet who is a level below him in that position. Nyambe doesn't strike me as the type of unit who needs resting i was prepared to give them the benefit of doubt last night assuming he had something tightening up. If not it's another load of bollocks.