I've noticed with JDT that he doesn't respond that quickly. Took a while to switch to three at the back, then didn't change things at all yesterday when we were getting mullered in the middle. I think he's come in with this 4231 "dynamic front four" philosophy, and planned for that, bur it's got trashed in any game against a back three and he is now struggling to figure out what he wants. As Mike Tyson famously said "everyone's got a plan till they get punched in the face". Reckon he will get there though over the next few games. We're not far off. Just need to play an extra man in midfield in the right situations.

Comprehensively and utterly defeated in that one... Looked like we could have played for years and not scored. The one thing I would have done differently is have got an extra man in midfield. We had three forwards on all game who played such a little part because we couldn't get the ball to them. We should have taken one off and gone 352 imo at half time and tried to be able to build in midfield rather than just passing it across the back three and then hoofing it. Also fair play to Luton, they looked very good. They look like they'll do alright this year.

Think Szmodics is viewed (rightly) as more of Dolan than a Dack. Dack's competition is more Buckley and Adam Wharton. And that's if we play a number 10 which tbh I don't think we will often. Based on what Ive seen I'll be surprised if Dack or Szmodics are racking up that many minutes. Both will be bench players imo.

As far as I can tell the role he is earmarked for - central pressing forward in a 343 or 4231 - is one which Dolan and Vale also play in. He's not a bad player, but I am just struggling to see what he offers that Dolan doesn't and Vale is an able deputy for. On top of those two Gallagher and Hirst can also do the pressing the ball centrally and running all day thing. Other roles in the team needed the investment much more - particularly left back/left wing back. Strange signing tbh. Can see him fading out of contention.

Also conversely if we are well on top but struggling to score bringing Buckley on RWB might make sense to improve delivery from the right.

Same team. I very rarely feel that confident but do for this one. They play 352 rather than 343 so the only change Id consider is matching up 352 so we compete in the centre of the park, but the performance was so good against Watford I don't think reasonably we can change the team. If we struggle centrally I'd look to bring off one of the forwards and put Adam Wharton or Buckley in alongside Travis and Morton second half.

For me I can't really see when we would get much advantage from a 4231 tbh whoever we play. I think 343 and 352 would be the two we will use going forward. Use 343 when we want to play wider more and 352 when we want to focus more centrally. Big casualty will be Dack for me. Hard to see how he gets back in. Maybe we could use him in the 352 as a number 10 behind the two strikers if we want to play through the middle.

After last night I am pretty confident we will have a really strong run from now until the World Cup. Will be disappointed if we are not in top six. Reason for optimism is the new system looks absolutely rock solid, we generated a lot of chances across the whole team, and it looks like a pretty soft run of games until Qatar. Can always be derailed by injuries, and I am sure other teams will figure out new ways to come at us, but a lot of reasons to feel we we can maintain ourselves near the top.

You need a bit of both, especially if the opposition bunch up deep and there's little space for passing. Rothwell was so good at that, committing players centrally.

The bit in bold I don't really agree with. We will probably settle into the 343 now so will have two centre midfield spots in the team. After the two who played last night we have Buckley, Adam Wharton, Edun, Garrett. All of them young players who need opportunities - if we signed a couple more experienced players it just forces them down the order. If they were poor young players I would have no issue signing older quality. But that is an exceptional set of young talent - I expect Edun to improve before anyone says anything. We have to back them, not freeze them out. I'd be happy happy enough with those options. Even if Travis gets injured/suspended I think others can step in. I dont look at those options and think "if we had an Evans, Johnson, Smallwood in the peak of their careers with Rovers we would be a better team". On the ball carrying point for me Buckley and Adam Wharton both are players who can carry the ball forward regularly. One of the reasons I would probably go for one of them over Morton who is a bit too static for me.

He worked well against the way Watford played as we didn't really need him to cross the ball in or get to the by line. He could let the forwards do all that. I can see his lack of forward play being an issue when we play a defensive team sitting back.

Yes, he's got everything in my opinion. Physical, got decent pace, excellent in the air, distributes well, positionally superb. Destined for the Premier League with or without us. Only defenders I can think of who have been at his level since weve been in the Championship are Dann, Hanley and Duffy - who all went on to decent Premiership careers - but if I had to pick one of them I think I would take Scott. As an aside Ayalas a funny one. Almost international level in terms of dominating the box but I think his lack of pace and poor distribution, along with prodigious injuries, has meant he's never really looked better than top end Championship. Also with saying despite early days Hyam looks like he could be nearly as good as Scott!

Yes exactly, will see if this is flash in the pan. Assuming the same XI is fit we should go there very confident.

In terms of quality wide players Watford are up there with anyone in this league and he did alright. I think the key is Scott Wharton (or when he's out hopefully Mola) providing cover in a 343 or 352 to back him up. As long as we compensate for his average pace I think in other areas Pickering's a good left back/wing back. Decent in the air, quite strong, decent left foot. Hes alright.

I agree that Morton played well but not sure if Buckley or Wharton would not have offered a bit more creatively and in the tackle. My gut feel is Morton will be displaced over time but we will see.

Its a very different feeling to Blackpool where we won because Blackpool were naive and let us play the way we liked so it felt a bit of a hollow victory. Today we could have beaten any team in the division imo.

Nah... Its all the system imo. If wed played 343 against Bristol and Stoke we would have got results. The difference now is we can settle into this and dominate games. Back three superb - Hyam, Wharton and Ayala are as good as you get this level - and our front three very good also. Travis excellent at his role Morton not so sure about but we have Buckley and Adam Wharton to compete. Maybe I'm wrong, we can see over the next 10 games, but I think today was a major corner turned.

Blown away by that. Thought we were nailed on for a mauling if we went in 4231 but JT made the necessary changes and the team put in a superb performance. Obviously Watford looked out of sorts, but generally it was hard to see a weakness in our setup. Watford changes at half time but still struggled. We really look like we've found a groove. Looking down the next 10 fixtures (11 I'd Wigan rearranged intervenes) till Burnley you have to be confident we can pickup a lot of points.

Best performance since 2021 think. Not just the performance on the day, but you can see how we would go game after game like this and get results. Reckon we can settle into the system and be solid top six.

It's such a tactical game now... Watford change up, go 4 at the back and into a diamond so they can get a number 10 in to exploit the space in front of defence... Probably our main weakness now But fancy us to score on the break. We're probably the best in the league at that.

And what's the difference??? Three at the back (and admittedly Scott and Daniel back probably trippeling the quality of our defence)

Reminds me a lot of Brereton early days. Probably a bit better really. Think he could be a major goal scorer for us in future.

What's pleasing is how well we've controlled the game. We've looked very comfortable which I don't think we ever have this season. This could be our settled system now I think. Only thing I'd change second half is Morton for Buckley imo. He's wasted too many good positions for me.

Well deserved goal

Yeah it's kind of frustrating. If wed switched to three at the back I would have fancied is to get points against Bristol City, Reading, Stoke. Just seemed very obvious change we needed.