roversfan99

I wouldnt think that there is much chance of our loanees being recalled. Douglas and Trybull were out of the picture at their respective clubs, I wouldnt think that Norwich would fear us for a top 2 place and he wasnt even training with their first team anyway. Elliott has played regularly so I dont see why Liverpool would recall him either. The contract situation is getting ridiculous now, no doubt being held up by the negligent and illogical way in which the owners work.

I think the key question about that team would certainly be its balance rather than its quality. Im not sure there is enough defensive protection and discipline in that midfield as promising as it looks. Having Travis as the sitter does allow us to play an extra forward thinking midfielder but I think it could nullify Travis and restrict him, I do wonder if Johnson, Travis and Holtby or Rothwell is more likely. I would also suggest that Elliott should be above Brereton in the pecking order and indeed I suspect that we have promised Liverpool that he will start most games when fit and available for us. Fitting in and getting the best from our main 2 attackers will be the key question I think. Dack central and Armstrong left makes sense in theory but could also nullify both and it may take a change in shape to get them both central together. Suppose there are some big questions but then again I suspect a best 11 may not be realistic for anyone this season with so many games and it may be about the squad which again may suit us.

The injuries are widespread, take our 2 opponents this week, Bristol City are missing Kalas, Mawson and Sessegnon in defence as well as Walsh, Williams and Weimann. Norwich have got the most injuries in the league. Par for the course this season.

Once Lenihan went off, my assumption was that Bell was going to come on and slot in, although with Douglas going off soon after it would have needed a further change anyway. Probably someone with more defensive nous and experience, maybe Trybull. Buckley seemed a particularly weak option and obviously was really poor for the second goal. I certainly would prefer not to see Buckley at RB again, to be honest I suspect that Mowbray thinks likewise ie that we always have a senior option available.

Expected goals is something that I am heavily skeptical of. If a player was given a tap in and missed the ball, would that not register on the expected goals statistic out of interest?

To be fair, I am not sure that anyone has been "really hard" on Buckley, indeed there has been a common and consistent understanding that he was played in an alien position that didnt suit him and in which he struggled in. The question was more as to whether he amidst undoubtedly minimal choices was the most natural player to be put at right back.

I cant get on board with the idea of denying all fans entry back into football grounds just to even things up and because we are unfortunate to not be in an area to allow it. The return of supporters should be accomodated as soon as possible in any areas in which the government allows it and hopefully we will be in a position to go back soon enough.

To be fair, since the Boro game he has been really good and back to his best, but today I dont have a clue what was going through his mind and he let his team mates down.

Cant remember being as happy after a game as tonight for a while, just the circumstances of the equaliser that was so unexpected, even when Armstrong and Rothwell were subbed I felt that Mowbray was preparing for Wednesday so it was brilliant to see the goal go in and from an unlikely source. I was not comfortable with how many people were accepting a draw or even making provisions for a defeat not being too bad before the game, I stand by that, but that is a draw whereby the circumstances made it a very impressive achievement. The referee was shite more in regards to handing out yellows like confetti but there cant be too many complaints about the major decisions from our perspective, Lenihan who let his team mates down after playing really well in recent games should have been sent off, albeit for a second yellow although thats immaterial, and they should have had another penalty for a handball on Gallagher. Throw that in with what happened midweek and we cant feel hard done by. In the end, who cares anyway?! Performance wise, I thought Ayala was outstanding, the game suited him because it was mainly about defending and he really can defend. Nyambe beside him was really good too. Johnson I felt gave us some further leadership in the middle, Gallagher was tireless and Rothwell's goal was absolutely outstanding, for a player with his obvious ability he doesnt produce nearly enough but today showed exactly what he is capable of, he was key to our bright start too. Still found a couple of Mowbrays tactical decisions questionable, Elliott as a false 9 with Armstrong wide was bizarre, the former was poor today really and Armstrong post red card would have been a threat on the counter v 2 fairly immobile centre backs, and Buckley at RB was a strange choice (from limited makeshift options) and was instrumental in their second goal.

Is that possible?

I would disagree that he played excellently, I thought he look a bit lost.

Buckley tends to look well off it whenever he plays aside from when he has come on v 10 men in games we have already been in comfortable leads. Even if Downing could play an hour and then we could make a decision from there, if we are losing or drawing we could bring on Holtby or if we were winning we could add a second defensive player. Ayala did look very rusty and the Wharton recall seems fair to me, although I suppose Ayala could argue that the only way the rust will go is if he plays regularly.

The balance of that midfield is not right again. It should be Trybull OR Johnson. I just hope that Johnson is further forward but I suspect that Trybull will be out of position again, surely Downing was a better choice? Also hope that Gallagher is left and Elliott is right. Glad to see Douglas back and interesting change at CB. With Ayala, part of me does think that his calibre suggests that he is one of our best 2 centre backs, then again Wharton's recent performances were good so I can understand him coming back in.

To be fair, the reason that both were lauded is because both have track records with repeated success at this level. Warnock is doing a good job, he took over as a firefighting job last season to keep them up and having spent very little and in a short term span, he has got them on the same points as us. Hughton has started surprisingly slowly at Forest but his track record means that it would be a surprise if it continued long term.

Still cant get my head around anyone essentially preparing themselves for a defeat, if we are genuinely a top 6 contender there is no needn We should be going today with an attitude whereby we can make up some real ground and beat a direct rival. If we have an inferiority complex towards a good side at this level but one that has the same aspirations as we do then there is something wrong.

As a team who considers themselves to be strong top 6 contenders and on the back of 3 successive wins, currently outside the play offs, we should be going into this game without any inferiority complex, without happily taking a point or even an injury free defeat now, this is a good chance for us to put a marker down and to perhaps end the day actually in the top 6. Team wise, Douglas has to come in at left back, if he isnt deemed fit enough then Downing. Difficult call at CB next to Lenihan. Rothwell again if fit enough (Downing if not) can hopefully come in with Elliott on the right, Gallagher left and Armstrong down the middle.

The Luton game coverage was appalling but I would agree that otherwise it has been fine for me too and as good as it feasibly can be, aside from showing too many replays when the ball is in play.

Gallagher has been much improved and has contributed well since the international break. I have always been a critic of him in a wide role but I also think that Armstrong is naturally a couple of levels above him so I wouldnt advocate moving Armstrong to accomdate Gallagher. I do prefer Elliott in the front 3 and naturally he plays in the right but I do suspect that Gallagher may theoretically be better on the left cutting in rather than on the right.

100% agree. I feel that especially because we have always been in a position whereby we need to make up a points deficit to get into the top 6, and based on the confidence we all seem to have regarding the players at the moment, especially with the top scorer in the league, now more than ever there is no need (I do totally understand it because as Rovers fans especially we are used to being let down in recent years) to fear games against teams like Bristol City, like Brentford, against anyone. This is coming from someone regularly criticised for being negative but we need to try and win these games and there is no reason why we cant. I remember on here last season going into the Brentford game and we were 3 points away, it was a chance to get into the play offs and make up that ground (temporarily before 3pm fixtures) and people were bracing themselves and willing to happily accept a point before, and then once we let go a 2 nil lead, people still seemed totally content with a point and I was absolutely gutted that we had chucked away such a chance. I do totally understand it as I mentioned but we need to be going into these games thinking there is no reason why we cant win them, it wont be easy but if we dont feel like we have a good chance then maybe we arent serious top 6 contenders. I understand the injury woe as well but ultimately it is the same for all teams. You hear Mowbray mentioning the tightness/faitgue, Rothwell and Johnson to name 2 but again that is par for the course with 2 games every week at the moment. Every team is suffering from injuries, you will need more than 11 players to get a top 6 finish and we have added some depth and numbers.

I dont doubt that we have had injuries to deal with but im not sure we can mourn the first team loss of Vale and Butterworth considering that both have only ever played one dead rubber first team cameo each! Not sure that Bennett and Evans are significant losses either. Yesterdays squad was fairly strong with Dack, Travis, Douglas and Williams the obvious and main absentees. You look around the league and unfortunately it is par for the course. Thankfully we are on a good run of results at the moment though and that is what matters. With Brereton, Mowbray mentioned that it may be similar to Holtby and Travis so hopefully we will see him again well in advance of the season end, lets hope it is even less serious than those 2. I also do think it will be difficult to maintain a consistent and high level of performance amidst such an intense schedule so at least we know we can win games without playing well.

Not that I need to justify it but if I didnt enjoy wins no matter how they come about, ill stop following, and I certainly wouldnt have bought a season pass. It wasnt a good performance, I think most concede that including the manager post match, didnt make me any less elated when Armstrongs shot went in and when the full time whistle went after I had watched from behind my hands for 5 minutes with an elevated heart rate. Positives that I also touched on, Elliotts goal was superb and he was decent, Gallagher who I have criticised before I though was very useful, Lenihan who although deserved criticism at the start of the season I feel has not got the praise he deserved in recent weeks and was outstanding, Nyambe who we have to sign long term and Armstrong was a threat. So 5 positives and apparently 14 negatives all merely in the interest of discussion but all overshadowed by the result which seemingly doesnt mean as much as I think it does.

Every team is badly suffering with injuries at the moment, I think there are players maybe that can be trusted a bit more than others, not sure id be too confident with Dolan or Buckley starting whereas I think you could easily bring in a Downing and be comfortable, im glad he is back, he sprinted forward once like he is 10 years younger. Just have to hope that Armstrong is ok, he is the main one.

The performance was poor, very poor and we was very lucky but the key part of that was that "im very happy tonight because 3 points is all that matters." Would you disagree with any of my opinions?

Very poor performance, some very strange tactical decisions and a massive slice of luck with the deflection and the refereeing, they should have had a penalty but im very happy tonight because all that matters is three points. The experiment that Mowbray tried with his subs was totally bizarre and killed the momentum we were building. Gallagher was playing well. Buckley and Dolan made the wrong decision every single time and the change of system just didnt suit anyone. Hopefully one not to be repeated. The balance wasnt right with the starting 11 either. Bell was embarassing, if Douglas isnt fit on Saturday then play Downing there. Nyambe was very good and the centre backs were also chalk and cheese with Lenihan really hitting some good form whereas Ayala was shocking. In the midfield I just wish that Holtby would control games more than he does, gave the ball away a few times and rarely grabs a game by the scruff of the neck. Johnson also poor on the ball, Armstrong also a threat, Mowbray mentioned post match that he has a slight hip injury but we cant do without him.

Really poor performance so far, certainly not the first time this season that Mowbray has got the balance of the side wrong, often he has played a defensive midfielder too far forward, tonight there are too many attackers and not enough in midfield. They are targetting our left side and understandably as Bell is well short of the quality required. Ayala looks very rusty and has been all over the place as has Kaminskis kicking. Brereton and Johnson have been poor too. One bit of sublime quality from Elliott though. Maybe a night for Downing and Rothwell to give us some more balance. The crowd noise is awful and should be stopped. And the pitch is not taking the quantity of matches too well either. Commentary wasnt working so listened to the Millwall commentary team who are much better to be fair.