I like Szmodics in midfield, great work rate, gets his foot in, and can break with real pace. Garrett also looking good. Don't know why we've totally surrendered our width though with wing backs on the wrong side?

Looks like szmodics is in midfield, so good... But why on earth are we playing inverted wing backs?

Yeah I'm thinking that maybe Szmodics will play in midfield rather than up top. He's got the engine and technical ability for it. We shall see.

Back to 343 wtf? Maybe Szmodics will play deeper than he has in the past?

Yeah I quite like what JDT is doing with the under 21s. Means everyone gets more game time and is quite chastening when you get instantly dropped down instead of sitting on the bench game after game. I think if Buckley gets a shot playing in a three he will come back. I'd say our only mid who can really physically play in a two - ie. is able to cover a lot of ground game after game - is Travis but he has really lost form.

Don't really agree with the bit of bold. 352 trades having two wide forwards and either a striker or false 9 for a number 10 and a front two. Means we can play Gallagher and Brereton through the middle with Wharton or Dack in at 10. That just feels much more effective than having Gallagher or Szmodics running the wing and having no one to link up. I agree Pickering doesn't have the engine on the left but Brittain is great getting up and down. Just seems much more comfortable for our players.

We have to stick with a system for a while and settle into it. The first half 352 looked the best we have put together for a some time. Have to stick with it. We can always change later in the game if needed. Also I don't really subscribe with 352 being more defensive than 4231 or 343. It can be very offensive as you can get a lot of players into dangerous areas. The wing backs and the number 10 will provide a lot of support to the front two. We created very few chances with either the 343 or 4231 despite having a lot of players pushed very far forward, because while they were positionally advanced they ended up seeing very little of the ball so had no impact. The 352 let us win the midfield battle which then meant we could create the opportunities. Two strikers who have something to work with is much better than three strikers running around chasing the opposition all game.

He was very good first few games of the season.

I'm reserving judgement till he gets to play when we've got three centre mids on. He's been hung out to dry when we've played two centre mids like all the other strikers.

For me in a central three I think Dack will be fine. It's not the ultra pressing false nine role, it more about linking up with the other two and getting a foot in. Dack can do that. I'd swap Travis for Garrett for the physical element, but if say Adam Wharton became unavailable for some reason I think Dack would be fine to slot in there.

Yeah Id defo say Garrett for Travis. And maybe put Carter in for Phillips. Do think putting Mola on the bench and giving him 30 mins at LWB will be interesting.

Yeah I tend to agree, though we had Garrett and Dack on the bench who could have been slotted into the middle three. Up front Szmodics did pretty well but thought Dolan had very little opportunity, and the couple he did get he made some wrong decisions. During the second half Kaminski was kicking it long to Dolan which is absolutely mad. For my money we should have brought Garrett on for Travis around 60 mins as after the yellow he was out of the game, and Dack on for A Wharton similar sort of time. When we reverted to three forwards we were absolutely hopeless. Hedges and Szmodics could have come on to play in a two up front, Hedges would have kept some physicality there once Gally and Brereton were off. We need to stick with and develop the 352, and that means good opportunities coming for Garrett, a chance for Buckley to get in, and hopefully Dack to get a look in too. Up front we are over staffed so we need to start thinking who we will move on.

Brilliant first half, bizarre changes second half... JDT and team need to have a long look at the video and ask some questions. When we're competitive in midfield we are competitive in the game. How Garrett didnt get on is very confusing to me.

Yeah does feel he's going to leave

We've been absolutely mullered second half. So lucky to still be ahead.

I'd be fine with one of Szmodics or Dolan and let them play up with Brereton, but he's brought both on and guess what they've hardly touched the ball. Indeed Rovers hardly have collectively.

Reverted back to 343... Don't really get why. Would have thought bringing on Garrett for the energy and sticking with the 352... So now massively outgunned in midfield again.

I agree Gallagher with a proper forward partner playing narrow, fed by a number 10 in behind and wing backs sending it in is perfect for him. He's someone who is always going to struggle tightly marked or expected to carry the ball, but give him the support and let him play through the middle onto through balls and crosses and he will do well.

VAR would probably still have been yellow. Didn't look forceful enough on the replay for a red imo. And if he went off probably Travis would have too for raising his hands.

Great half where we did everything really well except the last minute of the half. Combination of several individual errors... not closing, Phillips and Brittain not picking up their man. Annoying as we have really restricted Boro till that point. Need to just stick with it, we should be able to maintain our dominance. We'll get a lot of chances on the counter.

He's having a fabulous game.

Yeah I agree. 352 has been an obvious change we needed to do for at least six weeks... It's better for Gallagher, Brereton, Morton, Travis, Brittain, Pickering

That's the best pass Gallagher has played in his career.

Our best run last season that got us to second was 343 Lenihan, Van Hecke and Wharton across the back and Travis, Rothwell in the middle and Buckley as false 9. So he didp get three CB to work very well for a while but then it fell apart in Jan/Feb for unclear reasons.

As an aside is this the first time ever Brereton and Gallagher have played as a two? Think we'd have to go back to Rhodes and Gestede for the last time we played a two. Though just had a horrible feeling Wharton is going to end up playing false nine with Gally and Brereton wide. Say it ain't so!