Very disapointing but unsurprising.

Travis is going to be a big loss. Im surprised (well not actually) that journalists never questioned why he wasnt taken off earlier.

Lenihan was really average in central midfield when he played there for us, and wasnt really able to get a regular place there amidst some terrible players, Akpan etc. His attributes are far better suited to being a centre back, he is brave, he is good in the air but is really limited on the ball. We have seen in the last 2 seasons that when he starts at CB, we gain far more points and concede far less goals than when he is missing. He is far from perfect, he can be rash and he can make mistakes but we do far better with him in our defence than without and he could never pass the ball well enough even to be a more disruptive midfield player. I think that changes dependant on position though. A goalkeeper or a centre back having a quiet game doing very little is often a good sign. A more attacking player doing nothing is different and Rankin Costello didnt do anything productive. Agree that Bell was poor, not as mistake prone as on Saturday when his errors led to Bournemouth attacks, but his crossing was typically dismal.

Definitely a player of real promise, flair, skills, pace, very exciting from the very little that we have seen. Still think talk of 5 year deals, quadrupling his wages, its all a bit premature though.

No.

Conversely, having seen him play with the kids regularly and seemingly being impressive there, you might be being overly keen to see him impress for the first team. He didnt do anything to impress, he wasnt on his own, our attacking players across the board were ineffective for all the tidy play behind it. Football is about results, not nice comments from the opposition. I have said that there are elements of the performances, especially last night, and individual performances that impressed me. As I said, until this style of play starts yielding results, then I wont be the only one who has doubts. Your comments about Travis are absolutely crazy. I dont care if he wants to come off or not, if there was a risk in keeping him on, which there was, then force him to come off. You are implying that Mowbray might have tried and been overruled by a player! And stop talking bollocks about Chapman. I suggested him at times last season because we had Sam Gallagher playing as a winger, something you initially denied. I had a bizarre idea that a natural wide man would be more effective than a clumsy striker who was achieving nothing there. I have repeatedly insisted that I feel that we need to sign wide men, and even at the moment, aside from Armstrong and Dack, who both want to play central, I am unsure that any of the other attacking players are capable of contributing goals and assists or even of playing in the wide roles.

I disagree, as long as its not with over the top conclusions, he will never make it, he is shit etc, which I havent seen. He was anonymous really in both games and I am yet to see what he really offers. He is quite slow, which is fine, not all attacking players are fast, but he hasnt stood out with his technical ability, his know how of where the ball will drop, his skill, his passing, he hasnt really got involved.

@chaddyrovers the point in which I will be on board with this new tactical overhaul will be when it starts to get results. We have played 433 under Mowbrays new possession based style in 10 league games and collected 10 points which is a really poor return. I didnt feel like we would score if we were playing until next week last night. My point about being caught on the counter was more prevalent on Saturday when they did score but we were countered on a few times last night and I worry that it will continue if Mowbray insists on having both full backs so high up. Its no use signing a good centre back and expecting that it will solve our defensive woes. I also think that if that goal last night goes past Walton, your reaction would have been far more critical. I know that Travis is a warrior and wants to play on. But after he picked up the injury, the decision should have been taken out of his hands and no risk should have been taken. For you to approve playing on with what has turned out to be a very serious injury and a problem he has had before because he "isnt a soft arse" is laughable. And the sooner Dack is back, the better as we only have Armstrong who offers a goal threat at the moment. @JoeH you really think Rankin Costello was at all effective? Did any of those crosses go to a Rovers player?

He was a number 9 for an hour tonight and he just repeatedly failed to even get into the box, every single time he would come short, he would hover outside the box, there is a reason why he isnt coming close to scoring. He is capable of going on clumsy but effective runs where he beats people but they are always in harmless areas of the pitch for the opposition. He also a few times ducked out of headers, that isnt acceptable for a striker desperate to impress. He wont start scoring goals until he gets into the box and until he starts being braver.

He wont start scoring goals and being effective as long as hes standing miles outside the box and ducking out of headers.

What is Garner like, barely played any senior football, any good? Dont think that we will spend sell on fees on 2m transfers.

Rich Sharpe I believe was told that any central midfielder coming in would be a loan.

There was the main one in the centre when he was down with the physio for a couple of minutes stretching his leg, with 10 minutes to go and all 3 subs left. At that stage he should have been forced to come off. Now we will pay the price and need to find a replacement.

Kaminski should have done better in my opinion, the defence in the build up were all over the place and it did come on the counter attack which is a worry that I have flagged because we keep playing with our full backs both high up and it will cause us issues on the counter attack. I dont doubt any of that, but the finish wasnt in the corner and somewhat went through the keeper. Travis wouldnt come off? Do soft arses refuse to play with damaged knee ligaments? Ultimately if he had an injury, he should have been told that he has to come off, not left on to make it worse and now miss many weeks. I would prefer to get battered and win to be fair. There are some positives tonight for sure but ultimately I am worried as to the vulnerability of our centre backs playing with our full backs so high, and I am unconvinced that we have enough of a cutting edge. I dont think we would have scored had we played until next week. Rankin Costello, Brereton, Dolan, Chapman, Rothwell, plenty of pace and energy there, but how many goals? I also dont know how Dack will come back in without a change of shape, but we do need him back because he is one of only 2 players who can get us goals. 40 million of that was spent on Joelinton, a total waste of space! I think this comes down to how much faith you have in what Mowbray is doing. Trying to play more expansively, 4-3-3, full backs high up, sometimes false 9s, wide strikers, this whole new world, it ultimately got a very poor points return in the last 9 games, and we have lost the first 2 this season, difficult games, games that we have been praised plenty in, but games we have been on the wrong side of. I have doubts about various aspects of it, and ultimately football is about points, not pretty passing, so until we start picking up points regularly playing this way, I will be skeptical. I think there will have to be a compromise.

Dominant display tonight but worrying signs at both ends. Absolutely no cutting edge and really susceptible to counter attacks with both full backs so high up. Brereton with another game with more questions than answers. Missed a big chance at the end and so reluctant to get into the box or compete for headers. Some things you can understand but those 2 are not good enough from a striker. To be honest, I think he actually looked worse centrally because he for some reason (and as @Miller11 highlights above) as I said is rarely in the box. He does have one attribute that he often, seemingly quite clumsily and at times fortunately but ultimately effectively can run past players but it is never in dangerous areas. None of our attackers were effective. Still unsure what Rankin Costello brings to the team, anonymous. Dolan I do get the hype but again theres not much at the end of it, albeit you can see what he brings with his pace, tricks (at times overdoing it but he is raw) and running ability, Rankin Costello, less so. Armstrong and Chapman were both quiet too. Gutted to hear about Travis, why did they make him carry on? I get that we would have had 10 men but his fitness is more important. He was excellent tonight. As was Holtby, should have scored but very good on the ball. Rothwell was too but no end product and not the same quality as Holtby. Bell so wasteful everytime he got the ball, so many overhit crosses and so slow of mind. Kaminski should have done better for the goal too.

I just dont see what he has to make opponents be worried about him. Mind you, we have had no attacking threat at all.

Its all good passing the ball around the back but we have absolutely no attacking threat. Weve had one chance for all the passing. Brereton and Rothwell have been anonymous again and I dont see why everyone seems to really rate Rankin Costello, not seeing it at the moment. We need to stop pushing both full backs right up otherwise we are going to keep conceding on the counter attack with or without Ayala. Not very good keeping for the goal and looked really uncomfortable coming for a cross too.

To be fair, people have been correct to be critical and skeptical based on what has gone on defensively to date. Everything regarding the signing of Ayala has been positive and it has been full of praise.

Very happy with this signing. Get him straight into the team on Saturday. Now a left back please.

But presumably Williams and Bell are only keeping places warm for new signings themselves.

You take Armstrong out of that side with Dack also out and theres a massive lack of goal threat there. Buckley and Wharton should have been given a game for me, possibly Davenport too.

Cheers. I did read that Stojanovic (their other goalkeeper who was 1st choice before Bettinelli signed) was ill hence why Pears was sub v Watford, but maybe Warnock has been making his unwanted keepers ill!

Where is this from that he could be announced so soon? Suppose with the medical done theres little left to do.

Pears isnt amongst the squad for Boros cup game tonight.

Of course, he is a very good defender fitness permitting at this level which is exactly what we need, I just hope that he is not exposed in a way that basically all defenders would struggle.