roversfan99

It was a rhetorical question about a point that me and you agree on (heaven forbid!) that Brereton is best as a number 9, with an example of his finest hour (and a half) in that position.

They were, hence him pulling out manager of the month level form and still going down by 5 points. You seem to be blaming everyone but the manager, even his assistant even though regardless of his ideas, he isnt the one picking the team, if Mowbray picked a wrong team people wouldnt start blaming Venus! The manager has to take the blame for aspects of their slight underachievement, an overbidding loyalty to past it, experienced players, and an inflexibility and stubbornness to play a formation that leaves 3 centre backs that are not particularly good on the ball exposed. Hoolahan was exactly what they didnt need, an experienced, 36 year old, immobile central player. Him and Sako have gone above Field and Burke in the pecking order. He didnt need to rip the team up and spend 40m. Loans such as Krychowiak and Sturridge and big egos such as McLean, Chadli and Rondon all leaving still left them with a squad consisting of some top players at this level (Rodriguez, Dawson, Hegazi, Phillips etc) as well as an undercurrent of youth that has the potential to give the team much needed legs. Why is Brunt a good player and also a player that nobody wants? Hes certainly not a player that youd want playing alongside a fellow immobile midfielder in a 2 man central midfield. I'm not necessarily saying that Moore needs to be instantly sacked, just that I can understand the West Brom fans concern and would be surprised if a change wasnt asked for sooner rather than later if it continued. He needs to take the brunt (ironically) of the blame, or the praise, dependant on how well they do. Target has to be top 2.

I think the league table defined that the last sentence is incorrect and perhaps slightly biased! To be fair to Wigan, they are missing Powell, Grigg, Jacobs and Massey amongst others. Take away Graham, Dack, Armstrong and Palmer for example and wed struggle too! Recent history shows that both teams are pretty close though, not much to seperate them at all when they have clean bills of health. Both with experienced managers too, neither should be anywhere near the bottom of this league. We've both improved on squads far too good for League 1, theyve spent much less but Windass in particular looks a good signing, building around 2 very solid spines. If I recall correctly too, they didnt "fluke" their way back into the game at Ewood, we dominated the first half and likewise them with the second. Hope Powell is still missing at the end of the month. Big blow for him to be out.

If theres a better technical player in the Championship than Pablo Hernandez, I've yet to see him. So lucky he was just coming back to fitness against us.

I felt like he forced them into a choice with a very impressive late run last season, but they were already down at that point and therefore it was never going to be a fair representation as to how they would do over the course of a season. He has Gayle, the best goalscorer in the league I would suggest, as well as players like Rodriguez and Harvey Barnes, so they will always score goals. Its the other end thats the problem, he spent decent money on Bartley who is a no-nonsense centre back at this level, but his tactics involved playing Hegazi, Bartley and Dawson, all 3 similar defenders who arent very good on the ball, playing in a way that leaves them exposed, especially with Matty Phillips as a wing back. Moore has been surprisingly reluctant to blood any youngsters, being overly loyal to many players who are past their best. Chris Brunt is never a Championship central midfielder anymore in a million years, yet he is often paired with the also immobile Livermore and at times Morrison. They have some talented young players, Oli Burke and Sam Field that have barely been used, and signings like Hoolahan seem pointless and desperate. I'd personally be surprised if he lasts the season. And @Waggy76 I believe Nick Powell is injured.

Obviously, thats a standard professional footballers answer. Any player would rather play out of position than not at all. He can still run the channels on occasion playing as a 9. The Arsenal performance you mention, where did he play then? When he retired Mertesacker and embarrassed Rob Holding? Its a difficult one, Graham like Dack has more than enough credit in the bank to excuse their poor performance (when starved of service) yesterday and I would be loathe to drop him too hastily against a team who will most likely come to Ewood and park the bus, where his hold up play may be more useful than Breretons ability to run into space. That said, he would certainly be prominent in my thinking when selecting a central striker, and nowhere near when selecting the wide men.

Not sure how I felt about it personally. I did agree with the idea in principle beforehand but it made it feel like a cup game with the whole bottom tier closed. Also highlights further the needlessness of Waggott moving us from the Darwen End.

Mostly fair. I am not a fan of judging players on youtube videos though, they are not a fair barometer. Forest fans were pretty clear in how his form dipping coincided with moving him to a wide position. The Arsenal game was amidst a spell for him it seems where he thrived centrally and I'm not on my own in really wanting to see him there for us,

The majority of conversation has been about 2 issues though, the price and the role he has to play. Very few people have done a Mercer and called him a dud. Comparisons to Duff (and Mbappe) are unneeded. Most are frustrated that hes shunted wide, I think even yesterday when he drifted into wide areas he looked a bit clumsy at times, and put in one or two poor crosses. I do think he showed that theres definitely something there if we play him where he flourished at Forest centrally though as he can run in behind centre backs and cause them problems, and he looked sharper in general yesterday. The thing is, you havent really stated any reasoning behind your view, your sole argument is to trust Mowbray, thats not an opinion.

Just seen the Bell penalty claim on the highlights which at the ground looked clear from the opposite stand but the referee got that one right. Perhaps the only thing all day that he did get right!

Names? Or more cryptic attempts at winding folk up?

What are you proving/stating? He has said there that he went down when he felt contact so he was looking for it, luckily the ref bought it and the rest is history.

Think they have criticised him for being too loyal to past it players like Brunt, and also they have let in a lot of goals, I don't think 3 at the back suits them. Out of the 3 relegated teams, West Brom and Stoke should be doing better, Swansea I think are really reliant on their youth players, with James, Roberts, Rodon, Fulton, McBurnie etc playing integral roles.

No one would complain if they got a penalty they wouldnt deserve. We wouldnt have complained if we got the one Forest did the other week. Agree to disagree, both at the ground and on thw replays I feel like at best he looked for and earnt the penalty, but im very happy that the ref fell for it and we got 3 points.

Seen quite a bit of unrest in the last week or so on twitter towards Darren Moore at West Brom, whose seemingly struggling to get the best out of a very richly assembled group of players, maybe the next manager sacked?

What are you on about chaddy? How am I moaning about it? It looked in front of me to be a blatant dive, and nothing on the replays I have seen suggest otherwise really. I was amazed when he gave a penalty. That doesnt mean I wasnt delighted when he gave it, and to see it put away too. Just as I celebrated when Martin Olsson dived against Burnley. If I see a decision then we get that we shouldnt have in my opinion, I will say so, that doesnt mean I am not grateful or happy. As you said, Forest got a penalty for a dive against us a few weeks ago, and we got one for a dive today. Swings and roundabouts.

“I think it was a penalty. I felt that bit of contact and went down." https://www.rovers.co.uk/news/2018/november/ben-happy-to-do-his-bit/ He basically admitted he played for it.

McClaren was negative but it doesnt excuse refereeing decisions that youd be fuming about if they went the other way. The referee was hopeless all day, wanted to be the centre of attention it seems. But the big decision went our way, and I thought at best he went looking for it (basically said as much post match) and at worst it was a blatant dive. Luckily went our way.

He is definitely right to be aggrieved at a shocking decision for the penalty to be fair. That said, totally agree about their performance. You could never have guessed the form they were on prior to coming here today. Very strange.

It was never a penalty in a million years, blue and white glasses taken off. Was in front of me and he bought it and then some. Couldnt believe that he gave it, not that I was complaining, as you say Lolley got a dodgy one the other week.

Obviously, we have a manager doing well ourselves. All this talk about his personality but surely its about results. Did you celebrate today when we got a penalty from a dive?

Cant argue with Cooks record though.

As you say, is home is never in the centre of midfield, but he doesnt necessarily need to always be a bit part player for us. He needs to work on his positional discipline, but his home is in one of the 3 roles behind the striker, as his strength is running at and committing players.

https://www.rovers.co.uk/news/2018/november/a-horrible-game-but-a-vital-three-points/ Even the manager has described it as "a horrible game" and said that we need to "move on and produce a better performance next week." So he is being "negative" too. The performance was poor, theres no dressing that up. Of course the result is the important thing and people have acknowledged that.

Quite surprised you think Evans was excellent, personally thought he was as bad as hes been all season. He's usually the one who is more likely to play passes through to Dack and find him in space in between the lines, but I thought he was really poor on the ball today and constantly gave the ball away. Think you are a little harsh to call Palmer a showboater and he also did do running going back but he certainly was off the pace when on the ball, both him and Rothwell did nothing really. Agreed with your other comments on Bell, Brereton, Dack and the centre backs.