Lenihan has played a big part of it, indeed he has made the most defensive appearances out of anyone. I look at for example Bristol City, and none of their defenders are warriors as you described. Middlesbrough were missing Flint against us but looked incredibly well drilled regardless. Good defenders dont need to be thugs or even overly aggressive. Unfortunately, Rodwell isnt a defender full stop, Bell and Williams are simply not competent defenders and Mulgrew is past his best. With our goalkeeper regularly directly responsible for goals too its little wonder we concede so much.

One central midfielder?!

This agenda driven article lost any remaining credibility with the line "I heavily suspect though that there are some agents provocateurs who would relish further turmoil." Seems that suggesting doubts and worries as to the managers ability in terms of a thus far inability to rectify a terrible defensive record stemming from under the inept Coyle and also questioning an at best mixed record in the transfer record is paramount to wishing the team to fail.

Graham is now on 12 goals and 4 assists. Even if he hadn't contributed anything else, which everyone but yourself agrees that he has contributed plenty as a focal point in attack. Surely he deserves to still be around just for that level of goal contribution? Evans has had a good season too, no way should he be let go. Mulgrew and Bennett should be no more than squad players, and Conway and Williams can certainly go along with Bell and a few others.

Surely left back is as urgent a priority as anything? Even the best 2 centre backs would struggle if the full back is constantly allowing the ball to come into the area. I also don't think that defensive midfield is anywhere near a priority for the summer. Travis is blossoming in there, and compliments Evans nicely, Smallwood should be very much a squad player, but also for me Rodwell could be the answer. Him and Travis would be worth a shot together, one thing is for sure, he is not a centre back but could add the ability to keep the ball. Doubt there would be any chance of signing them 2 for £15m, nor do I see why they would come here, but we need to keep Dack for as long as possible. I would now agree that he is our best centre back, but he is often rash and makes poor decisions. Mulgrew was at one stage IMO our best centre back but unfortunately it seems that age has really caught up with him, although having a similar player next to him doesnt help. Lenihan does have the most raw materials to become a good centre back, but I wouldnt hang my hat on him yet.

I'm surprised you mention Lenihan as someone who you see as consistently good enough to take us forward. For the most part this season, he has been poor, obviously I would like him around but I'm unconvinced he can be considered someone trustworthy enough to take us forward. With Rodwell, the question has to be whether he can contribute going forward as a midfielder, and whether Mowbray can see past his defensive experiment which for me has failed. I know we differ on our opinion on Bennett in the main but I would agree that he cant be anything more than a squad player, but unfortunately he is the first name on the teamsheet. Only the last 10 minute removal against Millwall at home and coming on 10 minutes into the second half away at Derby has he not played the full 90 minutes when fit. Even when we are chasing a goal, he is never sacrificed for a more attacking player. Yesterday he didnt have a single shot and put in a solitary cross according to Rich Sharpe. We definitely need a new right back to provide an alternative to Nyambe, and for me 2 centre backs rather than 1.

He was certainly a captain last season when he led us to promotion. I have heard him at games organising and he has been a better defender overall than people give him credit for. Granted his form recently has been really poor and I am unconvinced he is any longer a competent Championship centre back. Captains dont have to be thugs. Tottenhams captain is Hugo Lloris. David Silva is regularly City captain when Kompany is injured. Tom Heaton is Burnley captain and Harry Kane England captain. In the Championship, Sheffield Uniteds captain is Billy Sharp, Brentfords is Romaine Sawyers and West Brom Chris Brunt. Captains come in different shapes and sizes.

Bell was the main problem for the first but the pair havent covered themselves in glory. Stand by my comment that both should be dropped, Bell let go in the summer, and neither will get us near promotion. Sadly weve no one to put in.

May i ask for clarity on this as I have not seen the initial post? @arbitro

Would also remove our best player and a huge chunk of our goal threat. We should look to improve with Dack.

Laughable. Not everyone has your exact life. Show some empathy.

But people arent saying they arent attending because the club has done x, y and z. It is people who are season ticket holders who are saying that the club should be doing everything it can to attract the fairweather fans. The club adopting a "if they want to go and a true fans they will go" attitude would only harm itself. If you want to think of it as people making excuses as if its an obligation then fine. Surely the club should remove as many of these excuses as possible. For some, the kick off time will make it impossible to attend. For many more, they will attend but at major inconvenience. And for what reason? Its been proven not be at police request.

Would you adopt the same mindset if they announced that a game was going to be played at 4am one day?

You questioned my comment about Bauer not solving our defensive woes. I just wanted to highlight why one solitary addition isnt going to solve such a bad record.

Possibly yeah, but his hands were tied with Adams running at him with pace, should have done more to block it but was unlucky to see it go through his legs. Like I said, I would like both to be dropped, neither are performing well enough. Our lack of options due to recruitment negligence means they both will continue.

Wonder if he will rot away on the bench like Rothwell too? Like I said, and as the stats prove that you didnt refer to at all. Our defensive record is embarrassing, and will potentially surpass the pathetic one under Coyle. We need a total re-think and revamp.

I just hope both left backs are let go in the summer and 2 new ones brought in, both are so poor its untrue. Sadly, I won't expect it. In fact I'd be surprised if he signed one. Rodwells not the answer at centre back either. Need a revamp.

Thats the key. Not a shred of empathy for anyone. I've seen reasons why it shouldn't be moved to 12, but none as to why it should be.

Theres no way Mulgrew deserves the brunt of the blame for the first. Bell gave away in a stupid position Ultimately, in an ideal world they would both be dropped. Sadly, Mowbrays refusal to sign any bloody defenders means that weve no other options.

Also the solution is not just to add a League 1 free agent centre back and the problem will disappear. If that is what we do. Its a far more deep rooted problem than that. For a start, even if he turned into a superb signing, Bell would still be giving away goals on the left. Raya would still be giving away gifts. We would presumably still keep buckling holding onto leads. The defence needs revamping and it needs far better guidance from the manager.

One thing you would say in comparison to Coyle. Goes without saying that he couldnt organise a defence. But with far less resources and time he tried to bring in more defensive players, at least acknowledging that the previous defence had been picked to pieces by vultures even if he was incapable of fixing it. In comparison, Coyle brought in Mulgrew who is at least a natural centre back (who has played elsewhere) whereas Mowbray brought in Rodwell. Coyle spent his only money on Williams, Mowbray spent a similar fee on Bell. Both not up to it. Coyle brought in Hendrie, Mowbray brought in Hart, low risk gambles but nowhere near good enough. Hoban and Downing both slight temporary upgrades, neither Championship standard. Coyle also added Greer and Brown, both experienced but ultimately well past it. We had no defensive alternatives today, and thats including playing a midfielder and an incapable full back as part of the back 4. And we only had 2 unavailable.

He wouldn't.

The thing is, a draw away at Birmingham isnt that bad, much of the performance wasnt that bad. But yet again I am pissed off following watching Rovers. Mowbrays been here for 2 years and youd think by now wed be built on solid foundations, that hed by now be able to organise a team to see out results, even for a minute. Sad truth is, hes treated defensive matters with total neglect. The only 2 "defensive" players hes signed that are still at the club played today, ones a bloody midfielder who for all his finesse is ultimately going to keep coming up short out of position, and Bell, who we signed for a couple of hundred grand who is by far the most repeated offender in terms of mistakes. Yet another today, he is dog shit. His comments recently dont suggest its going to change. 10m worth of attackers on the bench and nothing spent on the defence. Individually, thought Graham was excellent and deserved the luck for the goal. Dack was better and made one sublime pass in the first half, but still not quite happening for him. Bennett did nothing going forward, neither did Reed. Armstrong was quiet bar one incredible individual run at the end. Travis was sloppy at times but his drive is important centrally. Smallwood average. Raya made a howler that he was very unlucky to get away with. Mulgrew again with a good goal, him and Rodwell can have decent games but the lack of resolve back there means the goals will keep going in. Nyambe was fine but shit scared of attacking and Bell has escaped compared to Mulgrew in terms of criticism.

Dont talk bollocks. Some people wont be able to attend all for a change that for all the guff coming out of the club is at the clubs request, for what reason exactly? And no, they wont be there regardless of the kick off time, you seemingly cannot fathom that some people arent as desperate to attend as you or I.

No pace in that team, why Armstrong is a sub is beyond me. Evans over Smallwood any day too.