Absolutely no evidence of that being the case, never in the top 6 and I think youd struggle to have this squad down as top 6 quality individually, especially with Dack and Holtby out. Ultimately we do have weak positions which are down to Mowbrays transfer recruitment, but I dont think we are underachieving with the players we have.

Our home form this season is the 8th best where we have won 10 more points than our away form which is the 11th best.

A very fair article about a poor striker being asked to do a job now with regularity that he simply cannot do.

We never ever looked like we was going to win the game though. With Gallagher spending much of his time on the wing again any hopes of balance were instantly lost. We are dying for some natural width to stretch teams as with Rothwell wanting to come inside we are reliant on 2 full backs to provide the width who between them have less assists than our goalkeeper.

I am not sure that it is a perfect midfield especially if the aim is to control the games through midfield as neither can dictate the game.

Middlesbrough now level on points with the last relegation spot.

Ability is the missing ingredient.

Would just go Mulgrew if Williams is out. Not ideal but an actual centre back.

Hes dismal isnt he. People have been suggesting that hes a different player lately, I must be watching different games! His excellent is average to anyone else. I just hope we dont give him a new deal.

They must have all missed this part of the team meeting. Just got the bit about sticking a poor striker out wide when his place is unmerited.

So frustrated after a dismal display against a team understandably fighting at the bottom, with us predictably messing up another chance to really push ourselves up as genuine play off contenders and also against a poor team at home. Tonight, Huddersfield, Wigan, Charlton and Luton at home, 3 points from 5 games. Unsurprisingly the worst player was Gallagher whose form and performances are irrelevant with Mowbray desperate to play him regardless. Do feel sorry for him somewhat because this winger bollocks does not work and he shouldnt be there but he lacks basic footballing competence. Awful signing, hopefully get shut in the summer. We are totally devoid of any width, Rothwell often with urgency but achieving nothing buzzes inside so we are reliant on the full backs providing width and neither have any assists. Nyambe is a threat with his powerful running but he cant cross and Bell is absolutely awful, embarassing how many crossing opportunities he wasted. Lenihan with a moment of absolute idiocy leaving us in a defensive nightmare ahead of the next 2 games. The logical step is to swallow your pride and although hes not that good now, stick Mulgrew in with the added set piece threat. That being said, he will no doubt stick Nyambe there and bring in Bennett and go with 2 players out of position. I though both centre backs and central midfielders were sloppy on the ball. Armstrong was totally ineffective, Downing did little of note and the subs were too late.

Obviously Gallagher has to play. I just hope its a 4-4-2 and hes up front.

4000/1!

Just very much a wind up merchant. When he comes to Ewood like most grounds there is always a pantomime villain aspect and I think he is a bit nasty at times too. Seems very arrogant too. Agree that hes not very good but I remember him scoring in the 4-3 win at the end of the season when we were going for the play offs under Bowyer, I remember him also scoring at the DW in a 1-1 draw, both for Wigan, so I am glad that he isnt playing.

Thankfully one of the biggest bell ends in football is injured and thus cant score again v us. Played Powell left at the weekend.

There doesnt have to be blame directed at our players necessarily to be frustrated to go from 2 nil up away at a direct rival to only getting a draw. Indeed, much of the frustration would be externally apportioned to the referee for falling for a dive. The first goal I personally have not blamed anyone for, I am not sure you can. You could blame Armstrong for missing a one on one, but he scored 2 before that. Maybe thrown away is a harsh way of putting it but I am just a little surprised that there wasnt a little more frustration, indeed even if it doesnt have to manifest to blame, that we were 2 nil up against a rival and didnt win. You can be frustrated at a loss of a 2 nil lead without being angry at the players or the manager for making specific mistakes. Regarding the 23 points, of course within a stat like that, there will be occasions or individual games whereby perhaps we arent to blame but obviously it is the overall theme that is a concern.

At 2 nil up in the second half, standing mid game in the top 6, you wouldnt have taken a 2 all draw. I felt frustrated that we had thrown away our 22nd and 23rd points of the season, a big concern of mine and passed up a huge chance to break into the top 6. I also felt very frustrated about their penalty. There is nothing wrong with being frustrated in such situations.

He was complaining whilst they were in the top 6 to be fair. Dont like Lee Johnson at all. They do have the firepower though, Nakhi Wells has 14 goals overall this season, albeit 13 for QPR, and Diedhiou has 10 goals. Their deficiencies are in other areas.

I wasnt criticising the mentality of the players. Perhaps its a result of years and years where we have spent most of the time ambling along in the Championship, often with outside chances of success without ever actually even breaking into the top 6, maybe people think it is unrealistic and unfathomable to suddenly start being ruthless, to start going to top 6 rivals and potentially winning games. I also think some people as @PeteJD13 says dumb down expectations purposely to ensure that if they are not met, there is that defence mechanism in place. There is nothing wrong with for example being frustrated not to be able to see out a 2 nil lead (not for the first time this season) against a top 6 side, especially when a portion of the blame is at the referees door. Its very difficult having been in that position to just coldly revert to, well I would have taken a point beforehand. Equally, when you play 5th bottom at home, and you want the top 6, you should expect a win, it goes without saying that it wont be easy, but a top 6 team would eat up an opportunity like that 9 times out of 10, if not more. Also, every match day, any dropped points will likely be capitalised on by our rivals, if we want top 6/promotion, we should view every game as winnable. I felt that there was an inferiority complex on here going to Brentford on Saturday. It is understandable but if we are to move from mid table fodder to promotion challengers as we seem to be doing, that mindset must change, we can beat anyone.

100% Pete. Nothing wrong with feeling disappointed when, as a top 6 challenger, you go to a fellow challenger, go 2 up and dont win the game. As you say, the expectations are dumbed down so that whatever does play out, it is seen as acceptable. We are going for the top 6, are seen as genuine challengers and have the right to feel disappointed when we hit bumps along the way or if we dont make it. We should have a mentality of expecting to win games we are 2 up in, or v 5th bottom at home.

Theres no easy games but thats not the same as games a team going for a top 6 finish would expect to win. V 20th at home is a prime example, wont be easy but should be winning if our aspirations are genuine.

Just because one neutral opinion agrees with you doesnt make it a fact chaddy. My opinion was that ours was harsh and theres was not even a doubt about it being a dive but ultimately both were debatable to varying degrees. The second penalty being dodgy surely only adds to the feeling of disapointment and feeling aggrieved. Whether we would have taken the point prior to kick off was irrelevant when we went 2 nil up in the second half, we certainly wouldnt have taken a point then. I didnt understand the amount of pessimism on here in terms of the fear of playing a top 6 rival. If we want top 6, we should be relishing these games, we shouldnt have an inferiority complex and we shouldnt be content drawing games we go 2 up in, partly because we commonly throw away points and partly because we can feel hard done by regarding the penalty. Our record v the top 6 rivals so far is very dissapointing to be honest, 6 points from 10 games. It could have been so different considering we were 1 nil up at home to Preston, 2 nil up away at Preston, 1 nil up at West Brom and 2 nil up away at Brentford and collected 2 points from 4 winning positions. Could be make or break at the end of the season.

They arent going to roll over and it wont be really easy, but if you are 8th, genuinely wanting a top 6 finish, when you play 20th at home, you expect to win, end of. Interestingly, Mowbray has been notoriously cautious pre match, but after the games against Hull at home and Charlton away, he said we should be winning them games which I found reassuring. If you genuinely want a top 6 finish, thats the correct attitude.

I found the reaction to the Brentford result a little surprising to be honest, it was a chance to finally albeit temporarily break into that top 6, v a rival (who I felt many conceded a little too much respect too considering that we are going for the same goal) and were 2 nil up. Especially considering that the points we let slip were the 22nd and 23rd of the season. Was a major disapointment no matter how you paint it. We need to be as ruthless as possible from now on and not adopt a mentality of "a point here will be fine" it needs to be any points dropped are a potential opportunity for rivals to spring ahead. If you are genuine top 6 contenders which we are you dont fear anyone. Hoping for a win tomorrow at home to a bottom 6 side to get us back to winning ways and in to 7th.

Think I would personally go: Walton Nyambe Lenihan Adarabioyo Bell Downing Travis Johnson Rothwell Brereton Armstrong Subs: Hilton, Samuel, Chapman, Buckley, Davenport, Bennett, Graham. Samuel and Brereton was a judgement call, just thought Brereton could do with a go, Samuel was impressive v Hull, impressive v Charlton and more ineffective often found in a wide role at the weekend. If Rothwell cant start, in the absence of much in the way of width, I would go with Brereton and Samuel up top and Armstrong wide.