The fact that our form or results would have extrapolated to this that or the other is irrelevant and flawed. He came in with a difficult but not impossible task of keeping us up which he failed at. He came close but he failed. Another flaw regarding extrapolating results is you look at some of the teams we beat near the end of the season, Villa, Brentford etc, they had nothing to play for.

I think there has definitely been a progression, our team is definitely in a healthier state as you would expect with the resources and time he has had. The question would be have we progressed enough, I would say I am content with that too but felt the screenshot was making out that it was remarkable progress which is very hyperbolic. Mowbray has done a good job here. I would say that people overlook his part in the relegation, although Coyle (and obviously the owners overall) has to take tbe vast majority. Mowbray came in to try and carry out a very difficult but not unachievable task of keeping us up. Theres no real validity in exteapolating results, he failed and that was a setback. I also think that to try and justify a narrative of Rovers fans being over critical, many overlook the amount of praise, very justified as it was, that he received when he got us promoted. There have also been 3 points when his job was rightly discussed as if it should have been in the balance and the fact that he overcame each of the 3 situations does not mean that the criticism at all 3 times was unwarranted. 11 games into League 1 and we had already lost 4, when his neglect of the defence sent us spiralling last season and when we were 17th or 18th after a third of this season.

Saw this retweeted on twitter, not sure if the tweeter is on here but anyway I think it can make an interesting conversation. I would say of course that I think Mowbray has done a good job here. The squad is better now and we are in a better place now compared to when he joined, not sure there is much argument in that. Playing devils advocate, is it THAT much of an progression to in 3 years time go from being in the bottom 3 in a league to then be outside the top 6 within that same league having never broke into that top 6? A very healthy budget that neednt be downplayed, and a few youngsters in particular that the manager deserves plenty of credit for the way he has nurtured but ultimately it is a massive strength to inherit such young players like Lenihan, Nyambe and Travis. Mixed transfers including expensive duds, free/cheap revelations, some cheap players along the way who were useful within the progression and fairly decent overall use of the loan market. Failed to save us from relegation, kudos for promotion to put us back to where we started, gradual progression since.

Itd be a surprise surely if that was the 33 year old dropped earlier in the season by League 1 Sunderland due to poor form and with only one season at Championship level.

Corry Evans really is a conundrum analysing his Rovers career and making any sense of it. I think you would look at his midfield partners and see some correlation between his own form and the quality of his partner. His partnership with Travis has been by far the most successful, and their points per game record is very impressive. Throw Downing in next to them and you have a little bit of everything in there. He's had some really terrible partners in his time, players like Lowe, Akpan and Williamson who could barely pass a ball 5 yards, and then Danny Guthrie who didnt have close to the physical capability of playing in a Championship midfield 2, so whilst that doesnt remove all responsibility from Evans, and he did have occasional good games or good spells in spite of that, he was fighting against the tide. He has complimented the energy of Reed and moreso Travis much better than any partner he has had in the past. Looking at his commitment and I dont think it can be coincidence considering how many times it happened that he often recovered from injury just to play for his country. Maybe he was unwilling to play through the pain barrier? But then again, he seems totally unfazed that he had his skull caved in so it really is a mystery. I wouldnt say that he is a particularly assertive midfielder, I have always felt that he was fairly neat and tidy but rarely does he take a game by the scruff of the neck. He finished the League 1 season as arguably our best player for the last month or so, after missing much of that season, he started last season really well, got a new contract and then seemed to somewhat predictably fade away somewhat. However when he came in next to Travis his form massively improved over a decent period of time and I hope it continues.

To be fair he is a knobhead who plays on the edge and loves winding up the opposition fans so I suspect his style will be affected more by going through the motions in front of an empty stadium than a lot of players. Throw in a lack of match fitness and a very physically demanding role that he does and it is little wonder. Nketiah is a goal threat to be fair but you cant grumble too much when you consider how well Leeds have done and the impact Bamford has had on that.

What sort of bizarre reply is that? Is that the only alternative to blowing smoke up their arses and being thankful? Also bare in mind the only time they have attended games in years and years is in cardboard form id have a bloody tough job.

The "badly advised" line is the biggest cop out and avoidance of responsibility you could wish to see. It doesnt wash, the buck falls with them. I too find the blowing of smoke up their arse simply because they havent upped sticks (as if its that simple) very difficult to stomach and certainly not recent to be thankful.

To be fair I cannot comment on yesterdays performance as I didnt see it but prior to that Bielsa has kept faith him in him even when he had Neketiah because he was the perfect front man for his high pressing team and I certainly wouldnt describe him as lazy. His main issue has been missing quite a few chances but his goal record is very respectable overall and he knows where the chances will fall in the first place hence his goal record. He is a bell end though.

To be fair his goal record is not too shabby.

Werent the rumours of Joe Hart stirred up by Alan Nixon with a fair degree of certainty on his part and soon after directly rubbished by Mowbray?

Im not too sure that composure and Dominic Samuel really go in the same sentence. Hes not a promising and raw young lad, hes coming into his prime at the age of 26 and he has 20 (ish) career goals. You seem to be burying the majority of his time here under the carpet. He scored 3 or 4 goals at the start of his Rovers career and then reverted back to type, not scoring after November, and often appearing disinterested and petulant. His injury kept him out for a year and was unfortunate but I dont recall anyone being gutted that we would be without him as it seemed widely accepted that he quite simply wasnt a Championship player. I just think that a half decent cameo yesterday, thats all it was, his involvement peaking at playing the correct pass within a counter attack, a good finish against an already beaten Hull (the fact that his last goal prior was v Bristol Rovers in November 2017 may be partially for reasons out of his control but equally it is not reason to signal the dawn of a new competent Championship striker) and a decent enough display at Charlton isnt enough to merit a new deal.

Just seems very strange to feel the need to make cut out of themselves considering that they havent bothered to find the time to actually attend in all of these years. And the Jack Walker cut out is very shabbily done as an afterthought. Very good owners is shall we say a slight stretch too!

They dont help themselves.

I think to be fair if you was to look back after each game, when those players play well they will receive the praise they deserve. The issue with Brereton and Gallagher is that because they warrant more criticism, it sparks more conversation because there are people who defend the signings so it naturally provokes debate whereas with players like Travis etc there are very few alternative opinions aside from positive ones. Also Gallagher and Brereton represent the majority of our recent budget and of course then provide a further conversation and how much further on we could have been had we spent that money elsewhere. Since that last team was broken up which was 8th/9th this is undoubtedly the best weve seen since, as shown by the league table. To be fair, that as a title does the side a little bit of disservice I would say due to the teams we have had in that period. Comparing this current team/squad to the team Bowyer had I think would show that the likes of Rhodes, Gestede, Cairney and Conway were as good as youd find in the division so were a step up from our squad now, but equally we had some players featuring regularly like Lowe, Henley, Williamson, Chris Taylor etc who were well below the standard required.

I think with Breretons slip, he did touch it round the keeper quite clumsily which then left the ball slightly behind him as he rounded the keeper which didnt help with his balance, although it may have been the only way to round him. You are right though about the pitch being over watered. McLaughlin has been offered a new contract at Sunderland, Mowbray basically said that any new signings are on hold last week. The standard of goalkeeping at this level is shocking, I would say that Walton has had an ok loan spell here but equally he has made I would suggest close to double figures in terms of mistakes leading to goals.

I dont really understand that as a reply to my point which was about Samuel and also mentioned Brereton and Gallagher who Samuel is competing against but have differing lengths of comtracts. The point about Armstrong was that he offers a goal threat that the others dont. I would say that Lenihan, Travis, Holtby, Nyambe, Downing, Armstrong etc are all universally rated by our fans so not sure how we are down on our players but again it has no relevance to my post about Samuel.

I don't understand the mentality of comparing him against other players that you dont think are up to it though. It seems illogical to use the benchmark of a player you dont rate. He was ok yesterday and did well when he played the correct ball on the counter attack, but essentially that is all he did, hardly the protagonist for discussions over a new deal. He is a 26 year old striker with around 20 career goals, 1 of which has come since November 2017. He got a few goals early on in the season in League 1 and played his part before being phased out for a much more effective striker in Graham. You mentioned his work rate and he did seem up for it yesterday and in games prior to lockdown but I have seen him quite a few times look disinterested and even petulant. The thing with him, Gallagher and Brereton is that they all have attributes, they are all athletic players but they differ from Armstrong in that even though Armstrongs final decision lacks composure, he regularly ends up in shooting positions and offers a goal threat.

Hes scored about 20 goals in his career at the age of 26. The goal v Hull was his first in something like 2 years. He was decent at Charlton but a goal and a decent performance isnt enough to give him a new contract at a supposedly Premier League chasing side. Gallagher isnt good enough either so isnt a good benchmark but is contracted unfortunately for a few more years. Samuel was ok when he came on today but hardly remarkable enough to merit a new deal.

Very good win and performance. Definitely didnt feel the same but think that goes without saying. Travis and especially Evans were the stand out 2 players. Both centre backs very good too, Adarabioyo with a great goal. Walton with a shocking mistake. Thought JRC looked like a young lad playing out of position which of course he was. Perhaps a little unlucky with the goal though. Bennett has had worse games at RB although I of course hope Nyambe is back next week. Holtby quiet, Downing tidy enough. Still not convinced 100% about this false 9 experiment. That is the best it has worked and you can understand the thinking as it would mean that we dont need Out of the strikers. Armstrong stands out because out of the 4 he seems to be the only one who ends up in goalscoring positions, even if he often makes poor decisions and lacks subtlety at times. The first one he rushed and blazed over, the second was superbly composed into the corner, the third he should have feinted because the defender was throwing himself at the ball. Brereton had a very promising game, some enterprising runs. When it mattered though he slipped and it summed him up sadly. Samuel was decent, dont think we should keep him around though and Gallagher I just dont know what hes about. So clumsy and ineffective.

I suspect that comment was not just based on his inclusion today.

Very strange team. And a total mystery how they will line up.

Mowbray has admitted that “there’s an extra cost" in signing up the out of contract players until the end of the season. https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/18527266.mowbray-reveals-rovers-contract-boost-ahead-re-start/ It may be nice to give Smallwood and Samuel an extra month seemingly more as a reward for the League 1 season (which was 2 years ago!) but is it a luxury we can flippantly give when we cant even afford to reimburse fans? We dont need either of them.

Youd think the first thing the owners "always happy to sign a cheque" will do is reimburse those not satisfied by a link to the BCD football for whatever reason. FFP I think was only ever an excuse and of course the pandemic will have affected our absent owners too so to expect a transfer budget of any significance still seems naive to me.

I definitely dont think that anyone could claim IMO that Raya is the best keeper in the league, far too many calamtious mistakes. Comparisons with Walton are natural, overall I felt at the point of lockdown I felt much more confident with Walton rather than the eccentric Raya, comparing the overall season of Walton back to Raya might come down to personal preference as I was Waltons biggest credit considering the quantity of mistakes he made, but lets not forget the numerous mistakes that Raya made, the nightmare he was coming for crosses. To be fair, the standard of keeping across the Championship is really poor, even at the top end.