The same way as last year, when he scored plenty of goals and worked perfectly in tandem with Graham and Dack as we kept winning games?

Unrealistic on so many levels. Firstly, Hibs could never afford his wages. Secondly, theres a massive assumption that Evans would be willing to move up to Scotland to play for Hibs. Thirdly, I personally cant see us spending so much on a midfielder, but I'd love to be proven wrong on that. (Thats not mindless negativity, that would be a big fee especially on the back of Armstrong) I do agree that Bauer wouldnt be coming solely as back up, that said, if we can get him for a decent fee, makes sense to get a player thats more than just a stop gap. That said, I dont ever remember Mowbray playing Mulgrew as a centre back, I think he saw early on that hes at home in the heart of the defence, so I'd suggest its more likely to be in a back 3, which I would not want.

Bennett is an important and versatile member of the squad. But not one of the first names on the team sheet for me. Not for every game, anyway. Wide, depends on the game. Millwall at home, organised, resolute but ultimately a game we can try and target a win in. Would hope to unleash Palmer and Armstrong with Dack and Graham. Other winnable games, especially at home, for me Bennett's industry will not always be needed, UNLESS he can add goals/assists to his game, as he wasnt good enough in this area in League 1, for a player with good technique. Central midfield, can't see him getting much game time there, not convinced he has the ball retention in a higher league. Right back, can do a solid job as a stop gap but no more. I'm not underestimating his importance, I just think that to get a guaranteed place in the attacking positions in the easier games (relatively speaking) this season, he needs to do far more than he did last season, specifically goals and assists.

To hazard a guess, his main role as moderator is to promote healthy debate. Shooting people down by calling them negative is at no point going to do this. People seem intent on spreading myths, I've had a flick through this thread, bar jim almost everyone else is in unanimous agreement that Armstrong is a good signing, yet you say "There is a lot of unreasonable moaning and negativity on here." and there are quotes like the one below that I highlighted earlier: .Posts like stop moaning, stop being negative, are not healthy debate, in fact they are boring and factually incorrect. Some fans were saying all summer we wouldn't sign anyone for more than we spent on Dack. They said we couldn't afford Armstrong and would be "scurrying around" "begging" for loans from Premier league clubs. - This was an assumption based on more than one Mowbray article suggesting that business was slow due to waiting for Prem teams to come back from pre-season tours so we could loan players from them. Couple that in with Mowbray playing it cool on Armstrong, and key to it all, an undercurrent of distrust from the supporters to the owners and it was a fair assumption to make. Now we have spent on Armstrong, people are almost 100% happy with the deal. As I said to @JeffRover please feel free to show me all of this negativity im missing and I'll hold up my hands and say im wrong.

Please can we have some proof of this allegation, aside from jims comments. Vast majority of reaction has been positive so I would like some proof of people saying he isnt good enough. Too easy to spread myths like that. Why the signing of a player we had to great success last year has evoked mass debate about new formations to fit him in. A 4-2-3-1 with Graham holding it up and Dack and Armstrong exploiting the space in behind was lethal. Add Palmer instead of Antonsson/Payne/Conway (or Bennett against better teams) and youve got a proven front 4. And @chaddyrovers i though you was very pro 3 at the back? Would you stick to 4-2-3-1 for now?

Very pleased with the Armstrong deal. One of the key priorities this summer. Hope he gets his first start on Saturday with Palmer, Dack and Graham. Do wonder where Bennett will play most games this season. Unless he ups his attacking output he will struggle to dislodge any of them 4 in games especially at home. Obviously a role for him away, cant see him as first choice at right back and in the middle either, obviously has a big role but shouldnt be guaranteed a start every week. Now for 3 days to determine our window. Armstrong and Palmer are exciting additions, the other 2 are projects really, neither first teamers. 3 keys now are a target man, a direct winger and a centre back. Dreadful signing. Can tell they are under embargo. Can see them going down.

Would personally strongly disagree and think its a bit of a myth. I think the fact hes such a threat going forward, plus that hes so elegant in bringing the ball out, seems to make people take for granted and underappreciated his obvious defensive qualities. Hes the leader, something I particularly appreciate at Ewood when I can see him organising. He heads away far more than he gets credit for, and his positioning is better than Lenihan hence not needing to throw himself in last ditch as much. Mulgrew doesnt have the legs to play in midfield at his age, plus many of his aforementioned qualitys are wasted there. Its almost as if people have a preset image of what a centre back looks like, and how he should play, blood and thunder, old school and Mulgrews pretty unique for a Rovers centre back in recent years, centre backs shouldnt be scoring free kicks, really good on the ball and taking risks that rarely dont come off, have long hair tied up. Hes a very good defender. And certainly not at all to blame for their first goal.

The transfer thread is a case in point. People have defended Mowbray when the point being made wasnt even about him!

People seem to get really uptight about any hint of anything that will paint Mowbray in an unfavourable light, to the extent that they become slightly paranoid and tell others to trust Mowbray etc even when nothing has been said to the contrary. Really frustrating.

Thats true, and why I think he should try and replicate such success in the loan market at Ipswich if hes skint.

No I agree, but you'd never play Tugay as the most attacking of a midfield 3. Allen is obviously their best midfielder, but my point was you dont need Etebo and Ndiaye alongside him, its too defensive. My point was more in regards to playing Ndiaye AND Etebo.

Maybe im being harsh like I said, but it just seems a bit close minded. Look at 2 of their best players last season, Waghorn was signed on the cheap from Scotland, Celina was signed on loan to provide a spark. Dont have to only look in the lower leagues.

Sorry to pick you out, I know your point is hypothetical, but we need to be careful not to take tittle tattle on here for fact, the suggestion that Maddison has a bad attitude thats put us off is totally baseless.

I do wonder if Hurst's transfer strategy will prove slightly one dimensional now hes at a bigger club. He aimed at just signing lower league players at Shrewsbury which he had to due to the size of the club and budget. Feel like you have to be a bit more open minded in the Championship. Maybe im being a bit harsh.

A fugure plucked from thin air. He has said he has money, he has said he is dependant on loans. No one knows. What one person considers a big budget is another persons small budget. We will see by Thursday.

20 goals in nearly 300 appearances does not scream playmaker. I meant more that hes too conservative to be the most attacking in a 3, he is tidy in possession but theres no need for him, Etebo and Ndiaye, theres very little attacking threat there, and you can sacrifice one of them in favour of someone like Bojan. As you say though, Rowett is very defensive.

He really would put the heat on Graham.

Leeds have been excellent, Bielsas tactics have been proactive, exciting and helping the likes of Saiz, Hernandez and Roofe to thrive. Rowett on the other hand has decided to go with 3 defensive midfielders and his side have offered absolutely nothing. Bojan is on the bench, so why he feels the need for such unnecessary caution is beyond me.

The amount of focus on Lampard by Sky was nauseating, could grow a bit tiresome to say the least if it continues. Lampard should have known that playing out from the back with the personnel at his disposal was never going to work, Keogh in particular gave the ball away in stupid areas a few times and only for a lack of quality in Readings attack, they would have been a few goals up. They have quality in attack that will win games on their own, a goalkeeping mistake and then a wonderful cross and header to win it got them a win im not convinced they deserved. Sheffield United one of a group of teams, Preston and Brentford other examples, of teams that are settled teams that havent cost the earth to put together that are ones we should look up to. I'd be surprised and impressed if we could finish above any of them. McKay was good but hes comes with an inconsistent and lazy reputation, hence him not getting in Forests side, for all his talent. McBurnie had a good loan spell but the attack doesnt scream promotion to me. Central midfield looks really poor too although rumours suggest they want Ryan Woods from Brentford who is an excellent midfielder at this level.

He also get sent off. Why would he come here as back up to Graham when he starts there?

A kid on loan from City is not what we need to help out Graham. Wouldn't sell Evans either, although if we can improve on him in the starting 11 I'd be happy to do so. As many questions on Smallwoods ability at this level as Evans, if not more so.

Watched 3 games so far, none of the 5 sides (aside from Rovers) have stood out and made me think they will be a force but I suppose its early days. Derby full of match winners, many of whom were really quiet, but I felt that Lampard was naive trying to get them to play out from the back, its all well and good having ideals on how you want to play but you have to adjust to suit your players, the likes of Davies and Keogh arent good enough to play out from the back. Reading will be near the bottom, Barrow was a big threat for them but not convinced they have enough goals in them. Poor manager too. Sheffield United are one of those teams who are settled and I think will be mid table but they werent very impressive. Swanseas team lacked quality, McKay was good but are him, Celina, Asoro and McBurnie really a promotion chasing attack? Not so sure. Montero is a good player though he should be starting games. Ipswich aside from Edwards who we should have signed were decidedly average. Will be bottom half. Seen the highlights of the other games, Brentford looked particularly impressive and Wigan looked right at home at this level. Looking forward to seeing Bielsa's Leeds with good signings such as Douglas and Bamford and their new system against favourites Stoke.

You are allowed to say that you are gutted, you said you werent before! I was pretty happy with the performance, I watched the game Not the amount that he needs, I never said we should get rid or drop him, but he needs to know that if he continues, patience can only go so far if he starts costing us points. Like anyone else.

Just hope we sign square pegs for square holes this week. Not players who "can play there." We need a striker in the Graham mould, someone who plays with his back to goal. Look at Grahams role in our second goal yesterday, proper strike play. Grahams only problem is age/fitness. Gallagher is NOT that type of striker, and I think links to him are lazy ones based on him being here in the past. He would not be fit for purpose. We also need a proper pacy winger. McGinn would be an interesting signing, but like others have said weve already signed a lot of midfielders. Evans gets a raw deal because our fans have a preset opinion of him, he was pretty good yesterday and excellent towards the end of last season, that said I wouldnt turn down an upgrade especially with Evans injury record. I'd loan Travis out. Another centre back, and a goalkeeper to push Raya who is still too error prone and erratic, also needed. Do need to reduce the size of the squad, Leutwiler, Caddis, Hart, Gladwin, Nuttall on loan, if we got Armstrong and a striker and winger then id sell Samuel too.

Chaddy its not a criticism of anyone to be gutted at a last minute equaliser against you. If you wasnt gutted then you clearly are absent of any emotion. Positives aside. I dont think the goal was necessarily his fault but he was error prone again. The kick in the first half and flapping in the second were big mistakes. Stockdale surplus to requirements at Birmingham but very good at this level and proven. Worth a signing?