Mowbray bang on regarding the very poor alternative football without fans is. As he says, feels like a training exercise.

Because it is not a minor thing that can be brushed under the carpet! I never said that they should all be in the team, but how does these players existence justify Mowbrays position is what im saying! A new manager would still have them at his disposal, just like the supposed scouting network. There is no evidence that Mowbray would use the extended scouting network well or poorly, and there is no evidence that these youngsters will all become key under Mowbray. The only 2 that have had game time have struggled mainly out of position. So neither strengthens his position at this point. There is further irony that after the first game v Barnsley that we WON you were insistent on Mowbray being sacked. Following the humiliating defeat away leaving any slim play off hope extinguished with 6 games to go, and with many of Mowbrays flaws in plain sight, notably a lack of defensive reinforcement and a few of Mowbrays poor signings in sharp focus (Breretons petulance, Johnson barely able to move, Samuels inability to score goals etc) and you are now defending him often with illogical arguments.

And by the summer they will be gone again and we will be on the look out for more defensive sticky plasters despite blowing another 5m and big wages on a waste of space! Still none the wiser as to how the fact that he "rates" our young players listed but has yet to successfully fully integrate any (the 2 he has given game time to mainly out of position) is further evidence to keep Mowbray. Nor that our scouting network has supposedly improved.

He said at the one before that defenders are coming and yet a year on we are in exactly the same position that we were then. Judge on actions not on words. If Thompson cant even make a 20 man squad at this point with Bennett playing left back then he cant be that close.

Fair enough. Your illogical argument is summed up by listing 6 academy graduates to try and strengthen the point that Mowbray should stay, of whom only 2 have appeared in the first team, fleetingly and predominantly out of position and have struggled to hold their own, and the other 4 (2 of whom are in positions whereby we have had numerous absences) are as of yet unused. When shown how illogical an argument that is, you then suggest they arent ready. Which im not saying they are or that they should play, but how on earth is that a logical point?! IMO expecting a constructive transfer window is totally illogical considering that apart from Armstrong who we had in League 1 anyway, the transfer recruitment since promotion has not progressed us long term, with only short term signings (Reed, Adarabioyo, Downing) excelling, especially when we are in a pandemic and will likely have minimal budget to work with, compared to the very healthy budget blown to date. The squad is still horribly imbalanced and has numerous additional expensive liabilities (Gallagher, Brereton, Johnson) and non contributing wage drains (Rothwell, Chapman, Davenport) that we are lumbered with. The conversation is all moot because he wont be going anywhere, he has a cosy job with his mate Waggott and even if there was a desire to freshen up I am almost certain that we couldnt afford it.

1. So would your declaration of progress and/or your view on Mowbray continuing if we was not to beat the 60 point total from last season? 2. Why would a new manager rip up the supposed work done on widening the scope for potential new signings? To br honest this summer the idea of plucking signings from all 4 corners of the globe seems fanciful considering the current situation anyway. But theres no justification that Mowbray should stay in case a new manager doesnt for whatever reason want an enhanced scouting network. 3. Again I think you are being optimistic expecting an influx of signings but my point is long term you could argue we have actually gone backwards this season in terms of recruitment. We have added 2 big earners who we would find it impossible to shift but neither of whom are any real use. We have also lost the aforementioned keeper we had. The 2 most successful signings are a soon to be 36 year old midfielder who might contribute for another season, and a centre back who will almost certainly go back in 6 games. Recruitment in the last 12 months has a big cross on it. 4. I dont get why you are naming youngsters in your argument of Mowbray should stay. If you said Travis he certainly deserves credit for him. Buckley has played bits and bobs almost exclusively out of position and not established himself. Rankin Costello has made only 2 starts (and struggled im both) so again at this point judging Mowbray is not evidence of anything positive. Thompson cant make the 9 man bench even when all of our left backs are injured, Vale made the bench for the first time yesterday with little appetite to bring him on, and Carter has again been on the bench to make up the numbers. When a gap came available he would rather bring back Mulgrew who he has written off prior. None of these are points which enhance Mowbrays position at this time. 5. The issue about waiting for budgets is a long standing problem and you know that and constantly brush it off. "Its the way they work." Why is the start date so critical, early September, late September, early October, late October, the need for players is exactly the same regardless! And FFP or no FFP, we are going to have a very limited budget, which is why we need to steal a march on the best cheap freebies to fill the gaps, and ideally let all but Downing go from the out of contracters.

To be fair to Mowbray, I dont think its fair to give him anything but praise regarding Travis. He has consistently and quite rightly played him since he broke through and often with Evans to allow Travis to break forward. Nyambe is an interesting one. He has come on leaps and bounds this season but hes still far from the complete player and there was a long while when Bennett was shoehorned in over him which cant have helped.

1. The concept of progress and improvement now does somewhat hang in the balance. We are 4 points behind last seasons points tally, with 6 difficult games to go including the top 2, Cardiff and Milwall. If we was to finish on the same or even less points than last season, would that cause any doubts as to whether youd want him to stay? 2. You regularly mention this European scouting network. Firstly I feel that you are under delusions of grandeur in terms of it all clicking into place and our summer will just be first of all a normal one considering the pandemic (example A being Wigan) and also that we are going to go and sign numerous players from the continent to improve us. But presuming that it is all systems go, why does that have to stop with Mowbray? The scouting network surely doesnt stop in his head. 3. You mention his signings which are a mixed bag but in terms of progress, it doesnt look good. Firstly, obviously we have lost Raya, with his faults sure, signed a goalkeeper no better who this summer has gone. So this summer to last summer, we are down an asset. We spent that money and a bit more on possibly our biggest owner who is absolute shite and a total liability on our wage bill. We cant get rid and hes of no use. Throw in Johnson, another high earning non contributor and weve got 2 big earning failures and of course a hole instead of an asset in goal. Holtby is a good addition for another season who has mainly been used wrongly, Adarabioyo has been good but will go back and leave a hole, and Downing again has been a good signing might get another year but even post lockdown his influence is waning. Are we even in a better position compared to last summer in terms of this seasons recruitment? Not sure we are at all. 4. The 4 you mentioned are all key, but is Rankin Costello a symbol of success on Mowbrays behalf? An assist for a fifth goal at Sheffield Wednesday his sole contribution to date. Buckley has only really had one good game. Chapman has been totally wasted. Davenport has also rotted away and the less said about Brereton the better. Not sure that area really is a qualified success either. 5. You are constantly defending the club for its policy (inconsistently applied in Bell's case) of dithering and waiting regarding budgets. Do you agree that with any lingering play off hopes now gone, the budget should be agreed NOW between our incompetent owners and the manager to ensure that we can be proactive?

The difficulty for a new manager to compared to the job Mowbray had is that under Coyle he had pieced together a squad filled with cheap shite on short term contracts and substandard loans. At the end of the season much of that crap (Brown, Greer, Byrne, Hendrie etc) plus a few longer term shit players like Lowe and Akpan all were due to be out if contract. Even if a new manager came in Mowbray has signed loads of sub par players on long term contracts that it is so hard to rebuild. Mulgrew, Bell, Williams and Bennett were given extensions, so theyll be sticking around, Johnson, Gallagher, Brereton, Rothwell etc are all sat on decent contracts im sure and I bet Mowbray is already pushing deals over the line for our out of contract rag tag bunch. Big money players meant as promising assets are now sat taking a considerable wage as costly liabilities. A further problem is the fact that a normal club would now be planning for next season. With our disinterested owners no budgets will be discussed until the end of the season, if in any possible with Mowbray in India. Any competent free agents perfect for us in these economic circumstances will go elsewhere and we will again lag behind. Theres also a good chance now that we might actually finish on less points than last season. The season is again over with plenty of games to spare. Considering that weve signed 3 expensive loans this season, 3 big earners on frees and of course a 5m signing who is now probably our biggest earner, and we are no nearer to getting a successful way to get this totally imbalanced squad to work efficiently. I am struggling to see any reasons why we should continue with the current manager. He has wasted our money and our squad is still all over the place. His recent use of an experimental system to terrible effect shows that he is no closer to piecing things together. @chaddyrovers what is your methodology behind thinking that we are going in the right direction considering how his squad is so imbalanced and so strewn with financial liabilities. He may even be unable to claim progress this season. As it is, its so frustrating that we know our owners dont give a shit, no thought will be given regarding budgets etc for at least a month, we will try and fail to play catch up with a limited budget and our squad will still be full of shite next year.

Have to have a number 10 because Dack and Holtby play there. Absolutely scandulous that there are NO players (for either system) that can play those wide roles. None at all. Shambolic. An area that needs fixing in the summer as much as any. With no money its gonna be hard. Good chance we wont even beat last years points tally of 60. Progress? What progress.

Do you agree that the false 9, wide striker experiment needs to be put in the bin and kept there?

Suspect theres more chance of Sam Hart being number 1 on the opening day of next season.

The main purpose for these last 6 games has to be to work on next season. It wont be because Mowbray wont be as proactive as that. Then you have our absent owners who still sont have an inkling to get a budget sorted for another season in this division anytime soon and any frees will go elsewhere. We know that Lenihan, Nyambe, Evans, Travis, Downing, Dack, Holtby and Armstrong are good enough. I suspect that they are the only ones but a key objective needs to be to see if any of the younger players are good enough not even necessarily to play major roles next season but as part of the squad. Problem being Rankin Costello and Butterworth are injured and Wharton is presumably ineligible. Buckley, Davenport and Chapman all need plenty of game time between now and the end of the season just to see. If one shows hes good enough then its worth it. The likes of Bennett, Mulgrew, Williams, Bell, Johnson, Gallagher and Brereton are all drains of our now small resources, if I am being honest even for free most of them wouldnt attract suitors. Rothwell is the same, a load of shite. I think id take a free for any if someone was willing to take on their wages. None of them can be close to that opening day side next year. Sadly i suspect 3 will be starting and itll be the same old story. In terms of out of contract players, Mowbray wont be but he needs to be ruthless. Samuel, Leutwiler, Hart, Smallwood, sadly now Graham and if theres any chance at all that his contract hasnt been extended then Bell all need to go. The only extension should be Downing. Totally fed up tonight and the manager has so much responsibility for that woeful performance summing up so many of the self inflicted problems due to his management.

But he signed 7 of them. Gallagher and Brereton the less said about the better. Rothwell has been fur coat and no knickers since he joined. Samuel as bad as any of them and always has been. Holtby for some reason playing as a focal point in attack. Armstrong our only threat subbed off. And Chapman the most pointless signing ever. Ultimately its his own bad recruitment.

Absolutely embarassing capitulation. No doubt Mowbray will blame a perhaps harsh red card rather than look at why we was already 1 down and absolutely pitiful. Season over. In a team full of shit performances Samuel stood out. Absolutely pathetic. And some think hes worth a new deal?! Rothwell, totally ineffective, as he always is. Holtby and Armstrong our only sort of threats. What was that quadruple sub about, taking them 2 off? Gallagher pointless. Graham past it. Davenport full of petulance even though he did seem at least arsed. Brereton not a red but absolutely idiotic to do what he did. Johnson a lumbering oaf, no doubt on a big wage. Downing seems to have aged a couple of years during lockdown. Our bizarre makeshift defence eventually crumbled and ill be glad when that clown in net is sent back. How we sort out a horribly imbalanced squad full of immovable shite on good contracts, beats me.

Opinion on Mulgrew playing? I know youve always been staunchly against his return, and have even said youd prefer Carter before. With Mulgrew and Bennett in the defence, we could be in for a long evening. So hard to see the shape we are playing. Must win, thats for sure.

You are an advocate of the under 23s but for some reason if a player has had first team experience especially elsewhere they arent cut the same slack which I dont understand. For example, despite being a few years younger, you claimed that because Davenport had already spent time on loan (successfully) in the Championship and had come through at City, he shouldnt be treated in the same way as Tom White, a few years older and who had come from non league. You also didnt want Chapman playing for the under 23s even though he was around the same age as the players alongside him in the under 23s. Wharton is clearly in the best place of all of our centre backs regarding competing for a first team place having had 3 promotions from League 2 and 80 games. None of the others compare, Magloire has had 2 appearances for us and really struggled physically I felt, Grayson a cup game in which he really struggled v a League 2 team and Platt who has been in non league. I dont think anyone could realistically expect Wharton to come into our first team but surely hes worth at least considering and looking at to be 3rd or 4th choice if he has grown physically baring in mind the quality of our defenders aside from Lenihan and Nyambe and of course the current economic situation. If he did come back and didnt make a squad for example he could dip back into the reserves as and when necessary. Obviously the comparisons to Armstrong are nonsensical.

I very much doubt that League 1 clubs will be able to afford him permanently, or pay any fees.

He definitely does spend too much time chasing back but his lack of selfishness is partly a lack of a strikers instinct. Neither him or Brereton possess one at all and whilst Mowbray is right to say when one is running forward the other should get in the box, it is somewhat removing personal responsibility regarding this wide strikers experiment.

The very definition of must win tonight. No excuses about them fighting for their life, obviously wont be easy but they are bottom for a reason. Dont win and I suspect we can write off our play off hopes with 6 games to go, Cardiff likely to go 6 or 7 points clear and it becomes almost impossible. Win and we apply some pressure, Cardiff should win but we go temporarily 7th and at worst 8th by 7pm tomorrow if we get the job done.

Regarding Nyambe, wasnt it earlier this season that you was championing the inclusion of Bennett (who has never been a competent right back) over him based on flawed stats due to Bennett playing in various positions? That being said, it is undoubted that it is this season in which he has kicked on. His passing is fine but his final ball (aside from that great cross v Swansea) is not there as you say. Certainly dont see a Premier League team going for him at this point. Dont agree with your comparison of Wharton and Brereton however. Neither of us (I presume) have seen Wharton much this season but he presumably has done a little more than put in "competent performances) at League 2 level, hes played a key role in getting promoted from that League again. I've seen some silly suggestions saying that he could replace Adarabioyo but in the main the question is can he play a role as 3rd or 4th choice, and considering that we have only the critical Lenihan and the back up option of Williams who is not particularly good, its not that much of a far fetched question really. You also championed Tom White based solely on his performances for the under 23s after coming from league, so it seems strange to be dismissive of a player of the same age who has achieved 3 promotions and played 80 games in League 2. Regarding Brereton, its a huge stretch to say that hes putting in competent performances at Championship level just yet. He has looked incompetent up until the last few games, in which he had a bright cameo v Swansea and earnt/dived for a penalty. He was then absent v Derby, and post lockdown has been fairly bright in both games but not really achieved anything. His one chance that could have built on his 1 goal in 2 years tally, he slipped on his arse!

Suspect with the number of linked teams that it is agent talk.

Even if Downing as preferred was at LB, Bennett would be behind Travis, Johnson, Davenport, Holtby, Rothwell etc in CM.

Surely you would go with the 433 tomorrow then and work on it consistently rather than go back to the 4231 you endorsed that i had recommended.

You initially strongly criticised the club for not offering the option of a refund if they did not have value from ifollow, lets have it right. Within the hour granted you had gone 180 degrees and was staunchly defending the club.