arbitro

Players need games for a variety of reasons and Brereton has has very little game time this season. His sharpness, match fitness and probably confidence will inevitably suffer as a result. I don't see any harm at all in giving him a few midweek outings along with several others who just aren't getting enough minutes on the pitch.

I really can't make my mind up - is he an artist or a soldier? ?

I've just seen the Birmingham penalty on Sky and it looks worse than when I saw it in real time. Raya's kicking was poor today also and he was embarrassingly nearly deceived by a bouncing ball in the first half. His performance should give Mowbray a decision to make for next Saturday.

In the cold light of day Jack a point was decent because I was convinced we would lose after their equaliser. I think the majority of level headed fans realise what we need in respect of new players but maybe it's time Mowbray looked at bringing in players with the right mentality along with ability. How many of his signings would you want in the trenches with you?

I honestly haven't felt as comfortable for a while whilst winning as I did today. Birmingham offered nothing, they looked flat and seemed to lack any belief they could have got anything out of the game. I'm convinced that if Raya hadn't had a brainstorm we would have seen the game out.

Normally I would agree with what you are saying about sitting deep Jack but today I didn't think we did when we were two up. If anything I thought we were going to get a third and even a fourth but for me the ridiculous penalty was on one of Birminghams rare forays into our penalty area. I saw Birmingham being visibly lifted by the gift that Raya gave them and I thought was only then did they believe they could get something from the game.

Graham was holding his back before he went off. To suggest that though was the reason for dropped points is nonsense as we were comfortable and Birmingham hardly threatened. The game turned on Raya's stupidity which gave Birmingham a foothold but as importantly a huge lift. Without Raya's idiocy I'm convinced we would have seen the game out comfortably irrespective of who came on or went off.

I don't remember feeling as comfortable about a game as I did today at 2-0 up. A thoroughly disinterested Birmingham were beaten and didn't look like they had anything in them and had settled for a two goal defeat. And then Raya gives away the most stupid penalty I have seen in a long time. What on earth he was doing out there I don't know but to make the challenge with his feet shows how random his decision making is sometimes. And when they scored I really felt they whoever another and perhaps go on and win it. Quite frankly we just concede too many goals without the opposition having to work hard or through their own creativity. We are suspect defensively and today both full backs looked full of mistakes. I am still strongly of the opinion that we need to get to fifty points sooner rate than later or we could be in for a turbulent couple of months at the end of the season.

I think the answer may be in this article. https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/17297380.rovers-v-birmingham-mowbray-calls-for-patience-from-fans/?ref=mac

I can only remember it over the past few seasons but I stand to be corrected.

In that case I hope they have had stair lifts installed for all of us old gits ?.

I was in the Rovers store today and was told that whilst the initial allocation is 3000 there will be another 3000 available should there be the demand. Does that stand in the clouds hold 6000?

https://www.rovers.co.uk/news/2018/december/a-day-to-remember-2018/ As I recall from previous years this is always a poignant event as I recognised several Rovers fans on the big screen who sadly passed away in the previous year. Well done Rovers for showing respect and also giving the fans an opportunity to show our respect to them and their families.

Basil Rathbone, Scott Dann and Paul Caddis.

An impasse ?. I genuinely believe he has a one in three ratio on good/excellent signings to poor ones but two good windows could change that markedly. And hopefully that's one thing we can all agree on ?.

I don't disagree with the opinion that some of his signings haven't played a part what but what I think is indisputable is that more duds have been signed than good 'uns. If we are to push on we have to improve the starting eleven with players ready to hit the ground running and that is an area where Mowbray hasn't been great in my opinion.

You only see it as narrow minded because it differs to your opinion. What I have said is correct. Of course some of Mowbrays signings have played a part but predominantly the nucleus of what seems his preferred starting eleven weren't signed by him. And whilst you mention the contribution of Whittingham and Caddis I can't recall anything positive from them. And their 'contribution' probably cost us at least £1.5m. I wasn't talking about the future by the way and possible potential, I was talking about now and none of the players you mention (Reed and Dack aside) can be remotely considered as regulars. Your 'obvs not our' quote is way off the mark. Mowbray has been hit and (mainly) miss in the transfer market so far. It happens to lots of managers. That said I am happy where we are and with results overall but that isn't clouding my judgement when it comes to our dealings over Mowbrays tenure.

On Saturday eight of the starting team were here when Mowbray arrived and that has pretty much been the theme since he came. If you said he has improved them I could accept that but to give credit for our success to Mowbrays signings simply isn't true.

It's George Saville who came on for Boro at halftime.

Ten of the starting team were the nucleus of last season's promotion winning side and eight were here when Mowbray arrived. Six of the seven substitutes were Mowbray signings. If we are going to kick on the new signings have to genuinely make us stronger.

Just because it's a different opinion it shouldn't make it boring, it's a message board and opinions are expressed. Many fans disagree with Mowbray about his opinion and particularly use of Brereton but you clearly don't. If I was you I just wouldn't read let alone comment on the subject if I found it boring.

Unless my memory is on the wane I distinctly remember Mowbray playing Gallagher in his 'wide striker' role. His tactic was banging long diagonals from left to right for Gallagher to win headers and knock the ball across invariably against a full back who he dominated aerially. If he were to come I envisage Mowbray using him like he uses Brereton not as a Graham replacement.

It's strange how we see things as I thought Graham was decent today. He held the ball up well and some decent lay offs. From their set pieces he was our best defender too. I didn't feel that we sat back too much neither. For most of the second half we were on the front foot. Middlesbrough's only real threat was balls over the top and set pieces in my opinion.

If you factor in that Dack was running at speed and the shirt pull denied him a couple of yards intra clear sending off. Thankfully the assistant read it correctly but the delay in the incident and the referee actually blowing gave me the impression nothing was going to be given.

A good point in isolation but the way the game panned out I felt slightly disappointed not to win. For long periods I thought we kept the ball as well as we have done for a while albeit against ten men and a manager content to let us have plenty of the ball. I thought there were some good individual performances and tactically Mowbray did well. I was disappointed with Armstrong though and I thought his body language was poor. He needs leaving out of the squad altogether for a while to change what looks to me like a questionable attitude. I just heard the Middlesbrough managers opinion on the Besic sending off where he felt that Randolph would have got to the ball first therefore it couldn't have been an obvious goalscoring opportunity. It's as clear a sending off as you are likely to see. The only debate amongst us was if it would be given as the myopic referee didn't appear to see it (God knows how) and he was bailed out by his assistant.