Absolutely - there is a chance that he never fulfils his potential. There’s little doubt that they got doughy eyed at the prospect of an 18yr old who had amazing pedigree and had played 50 games in the championship. They’d watched him destroy Arsenal in the cup and had been impressed with him in the last match we’d played vs Forest.

He’s 20yrs old ffs!? Remove his price tag and he’s basically John Buckley, Magloire, Butterworth or JRC but living miles from home! I’m not saying he’s been a success so far but writing off a player who isn’t even 21 and has represented his country at U18 and U19 level as well as making 78 appearances in the Championship with an ‘acknowledgement’ that he’s not good enough is lunacy.

They have been hugely disappointing. But to accept that we have wasted the money is by definition accepting that they have already failed. There have been people on here for two years complaining about Armstrong not being good enough. Suggesting he wasn’t a great signing at £1.75m. He was 19 when he went on loan in league 1. He had three loans before coming to us on loan (in league 1) and finally signing perm in 2018. Since this time he’s struggled with stops and starts but we persisted and now we have a top player. So no, the money has not been wasted on Brereton or Gally, YET.

You make a good point and no one can say we’ve wasted £12m on anyone. BB is 20yrs old and will continue to progress whilst Sam Gallagher hasn’t even played a full season for us.

I didn’t say that. You said TM walked into a ‘much more stable’ club than GB had and I don’t think he did. My point was that both managers walked into very bad situations and if anything GB had it slightly better because he had a bigger budget and better players. The two of them share many traits in terms of the types of people they are but I don’t think there’s much doubt that Mowbray is doing a better job than Bowyer did.

Nah, I remember that season. It was piss poor and very sad to see. We had some dross but we also had Robbo, Hanley, Dann, Olsen, Givet, MGP, Dunn, Rhodes, King...Types of quality Mowbray could’ve only dreamt about. Are you forgetting how shit Owen Coyle really is / was? Forgetting about Akpan, Greer, Wes Brown, Luke Steele? Like I said, I’m not saying that either manager had it easy but I don’t think there was much difference between the two scenarios. Both walked into a sinking, rotten ship. If anything Gaz had a better quality squad and a bigger budget to start with.

Really? Yes I accept your points about the five managers but Mowbray took over from Coyle with a smaller budget and worse squad. Whichever way you cut it, we are splitting hairs on how bad they had it. Certainly not as cut and dry as you suggest.

He’s completely on the wind up. If those two last posts aren’t purely inflammatory then none are.

Anyone who knows anything about football knows that there was nothing, mentally weak about today’s performance. I’d say that the last 6 weeks have proven how strong that group is.

Excellent away performance.

I think there’s more to the debate than than that. Though promotion or the managers ability to deliver promotion is the number one factor. Also if we’re judging vs GB then TM is pretty far ahead. His results and league positions are increasing every year. Gaz couldn’t sustain improvements.

Brilliant article.

Mowbray has done a very good job overall. I said his transfer business would make or break him in the summer. In Walton, Tosin, Cunningham, Johnson, Downing, Holtby and Gallagher he has undoubtedly improved the first XI. The likes of Mulgrew and Smallwood are gone. Bennett down the pecking order and our ability to deal with the last 6 weeks are proof of that added depth. Gallagher is not done and still has the chance to make his mark. I think next season will be the acid test for him to come to the fore. Likewise BB. He has developed the likes of Lenihan, Nyambe and Travis beyond our expectations whilst they fully expect Buckley, JRC and Butterworth to be first team squad members every week next season. There’s more players behind those too. There are now eight or nine, 7/8 figure assets in our team / squad that we did not have when Mowbray turned up. He has successfully transitioned the playing style as proven Tosins role and by AA’s ability to play upfront. If he takes us up this season it will be nothing short of a miracle considering where we’ve come from, budget and the injuries to key players. Sir Tony Mowbray? Next challenge (assuming we don’t go up) 1) Keep our key players in the summer. A playoff charge will create interest and I don’t want to see the likes of RN, DL, LT or AA leave. Though a sale somewhere would help. 2) Get SG and BB firing. 3) Fully integrate the likes of Buckley, JRC and Butterworth. 4) Find a way to navigate the foreign and domestic markets to replace Walton, Tosin and Bell whilst looking for diamonds in the creative positions. We have to improve again. Well done Tony. You’re doing a Very good job on a mid table budget. My only reservation is can you do an amazing job in the same conditions? Because that’s what it’s going to take! I’m not sure, but I’d give him another season to prove it!

Me too. Though I’m hoping the height of DS means he doesn’t think we need SG as an out ball. Got a big decision to make on Bucko today. He played well enough last week but does he hang on to his place away at Brentford? Or do we set up more attritionally?

We need 1.8pts per game for 13 games. Focusing on the three we have this week then 5pts technically keeps us in the race and anything less means we’ve fallen behind. i want a minimum of 6pts out of the next three games. Get 7 or 9pts out of those three and we are really motoring. Come on Rovers!!!

Iv been pretty resolute throughout that Walton is an upgrade on Raya in terms of his all round game. But I don’t remember Raya being THAT bad with crosses. Sure he was prone to the odd rush of blood but he wasn’t terrible. Just play our game. Stifle Brentford and get Arma in between cb’s.

Yes exactly - Maybe it’s just me. But ‘must win’ is final. When that day comes it must literally be success or devastation so that we know we have to go out their and go far beyond. So yeah, I’m not accepting anything is ‘must win’ until it is. Imo - We set our stall out to win every game. Prepare meticulously. The ‘must win’ mindset is great when you win. But it completely kills you if you don’t and it’s the strength of character that you have to keep going which matters most.

This was my point. I agree completely about confidence being a factor too. Winning on Saturday would be brilliant. A real shot in the arm and more momentum. A loss would be disappointing, the team would need picking up and be ready to fire again.... BUT winning on Saturday won’t take us up and losing on Saturday won’t end our promotion dreams. Therefore, it’s NOT a must win. More importantly it will be our ability to bounce back after disappointing results over the next 13 games which will define our play off hopes NOT our ability to beat Brentford on Saturday. The term ‘must win’ by definition tells us that all is lost if we do not win. Which is not the case here.

There’s no contradiction. The result on Sat ISN'T a season changer. It’s a chance to gain 3pts. The fact of the matter is that we can lose three on the trot and still get into the playoffs with a run of wins. It’s the seven wins and three draws which matter most over a 13 game season for us now. BUT considering there are people on here hell bent on the idea that Sat is a ‘must win’ game, the point I was making is that I personally hope the manager and players feel more pragmatic about the situation and possibilities regardless of the score, rather than hanging their hat on Saturday and feeling the season is over if we don’t win.

No, it didn’t. It was significant but the performances of the lads and manager and their inability to effect the 11 games or whatever that we went without a win was what killed us. On Saturday we fight with everything we have for 3pts. If we are beaten then we have to hope that the players and Mowbray don’t feel like it’s the turning point. That they put the game to the back of their minds, whatever the score and get to winning the 6 or 7 more games they need to meet the collective goal.

I don’t think he’s been played and trusted down the middle. His opportunities have been limited to the odd game, a half or the last 10 mins. He’s been used in that position like Armstrong who also struggled but has notably kicked on once he’s accepted as the main man. I do agree with you regards SG technically. Looks average at best and very wooden though seems to have an absolute rocket of a shot.

Weird argument this. AA was also bought to play CF but had to settle for a long period out wide because of the form of DG and BD. Now he’s had a chance and taken it. I don’t think there’s any doubt that SG was bought as a CF not a wide forward. He’s having to bide his time too but it’s a fair assertion to suggest that he will be DG’s replacement and will challenge AA along with BB for that top spot going forward? In answer to your question, I’m not insane, I would of course pick AA but we need more than one option and with DG all but done the SG is the most likely challenger. Surely?

He hasn’t played regularly up top yet.

Never.

I don’t know how we’ll get the points between now and then. In all honesty I’d prefer to us to get them ASAP as I expect Lenihan to be suspended for two games. Which will effect us. 73 points is just the average but either way we Still need to win at least 6 games out of the 13 we’ve got left so we have to get wins against those teams you mentioned. For what it’s worth I wouldn’t be surprised if we beat Leeds, West Brom and Bristol and then struggle to beat Stoke and or Swansea at Ewood. The game on Saturday Vs Brentford won’t make or break the promotion push.