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.

Not sure about that at all. One thing that seems clear to me is that Buckley cannot play from a wide position, hes had one effective game in a Rovers shirt and it was when he was played in a more central position. If he is to play tomorrow night, it should be as a 10. Rothwells main issues are regarding his final ball but he is a different player, one who has pace and beats players, and has had all of his good games in a Rovers shirt from wide left.

Both of them 2 can naturally play wide and have been effective starting from wide in the past. Thats the difference.

I dont want us to be rigid, I just dont want players playing in positions where they have shown no signs of being able to play effectively. Buckley isnt a wide man.

Like I said, he is never a winger and has looked out of place in all but one game, when he was played centrally v Charlton and moving between the lines, was very effective. I never said that they are doing a bad job, well Nyambe is particularly effective and Bell less so but it doesnt make my point any less accurate.

Being a wide man. Buckley has only ever had one effective first team game and it was in his natural position as a number 10. We cant be solely reliant on the full backs for width when Walton has more assists than the 2 put together.

Samuel and Armstrong up top, Downing and Rothwell wide could work. Chapman and Downing if not. Buckley is not a wide man in a million years.

Neither were effective really. Buckley was 10x better the week before as a 10 and Samuel 10x better as a striker. Mowbray said Rothwell could be back in the squad.

Unless Rothwell is fit, in which case we could go with him and Chapman or Rankin Costello wide, theres a lack of alternatives on those positions. I suspect that we will need them 2 wide.

It would also affect me again being now in the Blackburn End but my point was about your inconsistent attitude and mindset dependant on whether the matter at hand would affect you directly individually and it seems to have been misunderstood by yourself so I will leave this conversation here.

I would personally love a safe standing Blackburn End lower but can accept that not everyone will agree. My point was that when other people had been forced to move and had been inconvenienced without consultation, because you wasnt affected, you supported the decision, showing no empathy at all. I and others had been in the Darwen End for a few years and didnt want to move. When the potential change would affect you, suddenly its a different story.

I actually agree regarding consulting fans first. But when I and others complained when we was moved from the Darwen End without consultation, you was very dismissive and defended the club on making such a decision. You can't be inconsistent on your opinion dependant on whether the decision affects you directly.

Today was the last chance for us to make direct ground on one of the teams in the play offs, although that may be a positive thing as our record against these teams is poor, winning only 1, drawing 3 and losing 4. Also throw in 2 losses v the top 2 and our record v the top 6 is not something to be proud of. There is little margin for error now, we need to put a run of results together in the last 12 games that earns us at least 5 or 6 points more than a team in the top 6, at least 2 points more than the team in between and enough points to ensure no teams come from our blind side and overtake us. A long shot and one I suspect will be beyond us especially with our injury problems but theres no reason to fear it considering our form in the last few months.

Cant remember which teams were beneath us, Wigan were the only team ahead of us on a massive 31 points, we were second when it showed the stat on 21 points prior to us losing a 2 nil lead.

Lambert as we know doing a terrible job, a bizarrely huge contract will possibly unjustly keep him there. Would expect Bolton to sack Hill sooner rather than later too. I appreciate that it is a difficult job but he certainly isnt getting anything based on results from a squad that definitely isnt the worst in the league, and has a very aggressive and disruptive personality, often criticising his players in public.

To be fair, he has only been putting this level of consistent performance for 2 or 3 months. For the first 18 months of his time here as a permanent and Championship player, he was poor far often than he was good and his goal and assist contributions were very underwhelming. He does need to keep doing what hes doing, add more "bread and butter" goals and then as you suggest, Prem clubs may take a serious interest. Interestingly, out of all the Premier League teams, the one that he could possibly break into are the one that sold him. If they ever did come back for him, I doubt we would be able to keep him.

Absolutely. As you say, he has stepped up into the void left by Dack and co. He has contributed with some assists and some particularly eye catching goals but in terms of improving his numbers further and adding sustainability in terms of consistency of goals he needs to start showing composure when one on one and also anticipating tap ins amd scruffy goals.

You havent proven anything, youve stated your opinion. It certainly wasnt as clear cut as the decision against us which was a dive but I think we were lucky to get ours. I dont think I have ever seen you agree with a decision against us or disagree against one that has gone our way so if you want to view it from a position lacking neutrality then fair enough. The throwing away of 23 points from winning positions will be a huge regret if we do miss out on the top 6.

Amazed if Woodgate keeps his job until the end of the weekend, doing a dismal job. Looks like the top 2 are starting to peel away again, the 4 behind are very much in pole position for the play offs but it would be interesting to see what happens to Fulham and Parker if they fail to go up with that squad.