Miller11

you didn’t think Mowbray was stubborn in mid March did you? Only one of us seemed to be advocating a change then.

This is pretty unbelievable revisionism. Mowbray could do no wrong in your eyes until he’d completely sabotaged our shot at the playoffs. I said he was stubborn numerous times, which you argued with me about, until you did a complete about turn.

Agreed. More widely we’ve been out of the top flight for 10 years now without even troubling the playoffs. That’s unforgivable considering the footing Jack put us on. Enough finding excuses. Enough embracing mediocrity. There’s absolutely no reason we shouldn’t be making the playoffs.

Actually I said Wharton or Ayala, but same applies to Phillips too, and I completely stand by it. You tried to mock my suggestion asking if I’d been hacked by Mowbray, the man who could do no wrong in your eyes this time last year. Hirst’s “performance” today has done nothing to prove me wrong. He was utterly useless. Managed more booking points than touches of the ball. Your claims he’d have had a tap in are very presumptuous. From Kaminski - crap distribution, so play it back to him all the time - to Gallagher - come short and get on the ball, never set foot in the box - and every player in between, NOTHING about the way we play currently suits our players.

Obviously you think that’s a decision worth mocking now, but was Luton away before or after your complete 180 on Mowbray? Because if it was prior to your change of heart you’ll have been praising the decision at the time. Ayala was far more useful to us in Sunderland’s box today than Hirst was.

Followed it up with another clumsy challenge. Would have been fitting if he’d got a red card without actually touching the ball.

Shearer in his prime would struggle to hit double figures playing in this side. We create absolutely nothing. This so called brand of football, philosophy, style, whatever you want to call it is crap. It’s boring. It’s completely and utterly stupid. Again, our goal today was not a result of Tomassons playing style, which results in far more goals against than for.

Why do Rovers fans peddle this false narrative?He plays when he’s fit. Starting for Wigan today.

You’d need a bloody vivid imagination.

I think that assessment is based on hope rather than anything. He’s produced very little in his admittedly limited opportunities. I think he will get eaten alive here. The system is far more of a problem at the moment than the personnel. We aren’t even giving Brereton anything to run on to. Gallagher hasn’t had a header to contest. Dack hasn’t seen the ball in the final third.

Sunderland look to move up the pitch every time they get the ball. They move forward and pass forward. Our first instinct is to put a foot on the ball and go backwards, occasionally sideways.

I can’t recall Mowbray ever throwing a centre back up top, unfortunately. Better managers have done it frequently though. Dalglish utilised Hendry up front to good effect many times. Allardyce recognised it was more useful putting Samba up top than Maceo Rigters. And Hirst makes Rigters look like Haaland.

If Gallagher has to come off at any point we’d be better chucking Ayala or Wharton up top than Hirst.

Agree. We could do with a bit more power too. Quick, strong players often do well in this league. We only really have Brereton who fits the bill.

Loaning players to fill squad places needs to stop. It’s a complete waste of time and benefits nobody. If a loanee isn’t improving our starting 11 they shouldn’t be looked at. We have made far more pointless/bad loan signings in recent years than ones who were of any benefit.

Baffling that Hirst is still on the pitch.

Dolan’s subsequent touches make things happen on a regular basis though. His overall game is far superior to Markanday’s.

I’d say that sums it up perfectly. He’s had a couple of really iffy moments - a silly blind pass, a horrendous touch, been run ragged a time or two, but he’s been 1 v 2 loads of times. No help at all. Difficult at times to tell if he was supposed to be playing left sided centre back or fullback.

Fortunate to be level, but we can capitalise on this in the second half. Hedges needs to help out a lot more and stop drifting. Diaz on for Hirst will rattle them!

Stupid blind pass inside from Mola, no excusing that, but he’s completely on his own down the left. Nobody shining so far. Braindead challenge by Wharton, Hirst looks totally incompetent. Oh, and we’ve doubled down on the pissing about at the back!

Good job we hardly sold any tickets. Might not have been kicking off until Christmas Eve.

A cheap away game just in time for Christmas after a months break must sound good to Forest fans. Certainly a lot better than a home cup tie off the back of being embarrassed by our two biggest rivals, the Norwich performance came too late, and that snow last time out at Ewood was off putting!

Jason Wilcox too. A Farnworth Rovers 11 would have a decent midfield!

Good question, perhaps not. He certainly looks a talented player, but less potential than Wharton for me. He’s done pretty well by and large with a few really strong performances and a few horror shows. I don’t think he’s one of the individuals that has been vitally important to us so far this season, so I don’t think we’d be far off.

Very sad news. Gutted. One from King George’s a few years back. Played for hours - a phenomenal set, absolutely no filler. One of the most important bands there has ever been. RIP Terry