Just to add to this, I do actually believe we have improved the quality within the team (mainly by the addition of Elliott and the improvements in Brereton and Rothwell). It’s been so long since we’ve seen Dack but he was by some distance our best player. Drop him in this team with Elliott and Brereton and with Travis providing the energy snapping in midfield and we improve even more. It does again boil down to the poor defence though, and there’s only so many seasons you can hold onto attacking talent (with Elliott also returning next year), and we have to start all over again. With a very winnable Xmas period I hope to post this view again before the Doncaster game to show we have progressed in the table, even if it’s very slight.

12 points off Top and 12 points off Relegation. Could it sum Mowbray up any more?

Douglas is a weird one. 2 well crossed free kicks are the only positives I can remember from him. The ball seems to jump up to his chest on his first touch every time, as if his foot is a perfect 45degrees. He also offers little quality moving forward with the ball, appears to be a fan of the dink up the line to the opposition full back. Lenihan needs time out of the team, has a mistake in him every time the ball is nearby. Ayala and Wharton would actually be my choice if all were fit. Ayala and Williams maybe for a while now. We desperately need CB and LB addressing in January, but what’s new I’m not sure if it was the 2nd goal or the 3 midfield changes (or both?) but we looked rank from 70 mins or so onwards. Not sure Downing was the shout for CM. Perhaps he could start LB as others have mentioned.

? They’ve had 5 shots on target and hit the bar on top of that.

Lenihan pathetic in the build up.

Did Hanley get megged too? Lovely.

Get in!!! Holtby playing much better 2nd half. He is so important to us playing well. When he’s quiet we’re bad. Elliott is our best player, crazy to think he’s 17!

Look a different team here so far in the 2nd half. Much better. Come on.

Worth noting after 18 games: 2018 - 26 points and 5 off playoffs 2019 - 24 points and 6 off playoffs Lose this and it’s 25 points and 6 off playoffs. We can complain about injuries but we’re just not progressing and it couldn’t be highlighted any more than by looking at our back 4 during that 45 mins.

Comical defending in this 1st half. Playing a team with clever movement and it’s making this back 4 look so bad. Imagine the stick Bell would be getting for this LB performance.

We look pretty poor so far today, wayward passing, couple of sloppy errors in defence too.

2 in the league this season. Not sure about total.

He has had 82 shots (40 more than Toney, DOUBLE the amount Joao) 2nd in the Championship has had 53 shots. Arma is averaging 5.4 shots per game. If we exclude penalties (scored 3 missed 1?) then it’s 11 goals from 78 shots I.e more than 7 shots per goal. 14% conversion rate feels pretty low albeit I’ve not really compared that to anything.

Yep just a 1 match ban

On a more positive note...I thought Elliott and Rothwell were both superb. If Dack comes back anywhere near the quality we saw pre injury, then I can’t wait to see him play alongside Elliott.

I think infogol said he’s had 20 more shots than anyone else in the league. In a way it’s a compliment to the chances we create and the positions he gets himself in, but god he is selfish. Take out his penalties (scored 3 missed 1 I think) then it’s 11 goals from 69 shots (16% conversion rate) over 6 shots per goal. He’s a good player, he’s top scorer in the league, has decent pace and most of the time puts in a good shift too. Tonight was an off night in front of the cameras. But the £40m or so on the other threads is laughable. edit: that’s before tonight so will be 11 from 78 shots now ie over 7 shots per goal.

Where have those previous 7 games got us? 9 points off the top and 5 off the playoffs. We can go on unbeaten runs but we’re not making a dent in the top half of the league because we can’t beat anyone above us

I’m sickened by this. Stinking night for Arma and Mowbray. Arma - nothing more needs to be said but he was awful tonight, doesn’t have a brain, not fit to lace Rhodes’ boots Mowbray - Playing Johnson for a full 90? Pulling Rothwell off? Can’t have Douglas either, he’s not good enough. I don’t rate Bell but I’m not sure he’s even an upgrade. I think we still have the quality to finish in the top 6 but we can kiss goodbye to automatics by not winning these games.

Johnson should have been off 30 mins ago for Davenport. It was a poor 1st change from Tony unfortunately.

Typical, this is the Rovers I know.

A win here would be massive looking at other results. It’s been such a frustrating night though from Armstrong. Low % attempts.

That pressure from Rothwell was superb. I just love seeing our players like that. Full of energy and passion.

Drop £30m from that laughable £40m people were joking about Arma on the other thread when the PL clubs watch him here.

He has to take Johnson off here. He can barely move.

Keepers kit has a bit of a Tim Flowers vibe to it.