Its a shame really as JDT has a lot going for him in terms of developing players and style when things are going well. But if you cant defend or compete when you go behind you are toast. Would love to see a number of points won from losing positions stat. JDT must have one of the worst ever.

I cant see JDT resigning. Compensation aside future potential employers will remember your last job the most and to leave now will close doors to him. Lambert resigned early enough to get away with it, JDT looks at the moment like a total incompetent. What decent club would touch him? On the other hand I can see us sacking him. That we dont seem to be responding in any way to the huge amount of goals conceded must be concerning people across the club. Theyve now seen the financial impact of league one, so I can see changes happening if we cant turn it around in the next three games.

Yeah agreed - the defence is not really a personnel issue for me. Obviously the players have weaknesses but on the whole a reasonable set of players the keeper aside. Were rock bottom on confidence, conceding a ludicrous amount of goals, yet every time we go forward we commit 8 players forward and ask two cbs to handle any counter. Its not sensible. That on top of a keeper who is absolutely hopeless. We have to switch focus and start thinking how we can concede less chances.

Has anyone ever seen a combination of defending terribly for game after game yet the management not doing anything to help the defence? Its so bizarre.

Well he hasn't got much care for his own career if he is playing this way against his will.

Eh? They've completely battered us!

Garretts funny, looked for all the world a Travis style defensive mid, but hes got a lot if attacking quality about him. Good technique, makes clever runs.

Only real positive for me is Garrett looks a good player. Feel like he will be a very solid Championship player.

Usually I would agree, but that we are not adapting how we play is a huge worry for me. Ive never seen a team in such a long bad run continuing to play with so little defensive focus. It could get us relegated.

Focus more on defending and defensive shape, be more about not conceding early than throwing players forward. Like any manager, including Mowbray in the depths of a death spiral, would do.

The total lack of emphasis on defending is the main issue. 3-0, getting absolutely battered by long straight balls and were still committing 7-8 players to an attack. Its a bit juvenile to be honest. Sort of like we're scrappy doo.

Feels to me that we could end up sacking JDT. If you get beat easily and the coach doesn't change anything what choice do you have?

It would seem almost perverse to play the only full back we have at right wing... but stranger things have happened. JDT does seem to prefer Brittain further forward.

Id be surprised - JDT likes his passers in the middle 2 and his pressers in the front 4

Ah or could still be the ultra attacking 4231 like this Leo Carter. Hyam. S Wharton. Brittain Tronstad. A Wharton Moran. Garrett. Sigurdsson Leonard Given we haven't really changed away from four at the back all season more likely to be this I think.

Looks 343 to me? Leo Carter. Hyam. S Wharton Brittain. Tronstad. A Wharton. Garrett Moran. Leonard. Sigurdsson Attacking wise it doesn't give confidence but maybe will be a bit more robust defensively.

Thats' fascinating... I think we have around 16th most away fans turnout on average.. so obviously there is an upturn in away fans at game generally?

Based on JDTs comments I cant see JRC making the bench. I am pretty sure that we will go 4231 (424 more accurately, as Szmodics plays as a striker really) like you have there but maybe with Leonard up front as he scored. If it was up to me Id get Garrett in there to give us some more bite in the tackle. Maybe just go 433 and drop Telalovic / Leonard for him. Leo Brittain. Carter. Hyam. Pickering Garrett. Tronstad Wharton Moran. Szmodics. Sigurdsson This is the sort of game we look like we will lose on paper but often get a result from.

Well he went on to have a good career in the Prem. But looking back at the amount of goals he scored with us (8...) probably I was a bit too effusive in saying he was one of our best strikers!

He annihilated Stoke with his pace in 2015 King is one of the best strikers we had in the Championship, just unfortunate to be behind Gestede and Rhodes.

He wasn't great, but I'd have him over a lot of centre mids (Akpom, Guthrie etc) who have turned out for us since 2012. Incidentally Tronstad and Wharton CM might be the best pair we've had since relegation from the Prem... hope we get the players up front to make the most of them. For a bit of a fun... what's the best Rovers since 2012 team? I would say Kaminski Marshall Dann Hyam Olsson Tronstad Cairney Wharton Szmodics Armstrong Gestede Just off the top of my head.... Probably forgotten loads of players. Left Rhodes out as I think Armstrong and Gestede offered more all round as well as goals. Would have had Dack in behind the strikers till Szmodics recent exploits - again he offers the goals, but also a lot more all round. Full backs have been a real problem position for us... can't really think of any standout ones, hence sticking Marshall in at right back. JDT would love a bit of Marshall inverting himself into the midfield.

Yes, a decent striker in either August or Jan last season would definitely seen us into the playoffs.

Ah weird - transfer market has it down that they were both at Malmo in 2020 to 2021. But wiki never mentions a spell at Malmo. https://www.transfermarkt.com/amir-ayari/profil/spieler/848919 https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yasin_Ayari Fair enough. Does sound like JDT wanted him very much though.

JDT has worked with him previously and spoke of him glowingly in the last few days, so I suspect we have been trying to get him for a while. Sounds like we were very keen to have him.

To be fair I think it's less that we have no strikers and more JDT's mega attacking philosophy.... I doubt we will start committing less players forward if we eventually get proven striker. I expect us to setup the same. As for now I do think we would be better with one extra mid, especially on this horrendous run we are on, but if JDT was going to make that change he would have done it by now.