I agree with most of your points. But the point here was that Mowbray didn’t believe he performed that CM role well enough. In fairness he had his best games at RM for us, played RB for Norwich and tbf didn’t play every week for Fulham even when he was fit. Onomah, Cairney and Johanson have been preferred. As I said, he’s a very good footballer. But I don’t think he’s a specialist anywhere.

No, I think it tells the story that he doesn’t know how to play CM. Played RB, RM and CB for Southampton, RB for Norwich, RM and CM for us and CM and RB for Fulham. He can play...he just hasn’t settled in a position. He hasn’t nailed CM.

Harrison Reed is a very good player. He can pass, tackle and run. But he cannot hold a place down in ANY team as a Centre Midfielder. That includes Southampton, Norwich, Rovers or Fulham. This in spite of his obvious talent tells its own story.

I apologise mate. ??

Yeah sorry I meant 20 out of a possible 30. But yes you’re right. Gonna take automatic promotion form. My head says we won’t get them. ?

It’s difficult having to say the same thing over and over again.

Ffs. Read my post/s. It’s not difficult. I’ve made my position clear on Mowbrays involvement across at least four posts this morning. I don’t know if it would have been wrong to play all the young lads earlier, I don’t watch them everyday in training. But what I do know is that Travis and in particular Nyambe were 100% not ready. I saw with Nyambe last season that this were the case. But I’ve been told that Trav has had to basically ‘re-learn’ the game since taking Smallwoods spot. So in relation to those two, I do not believe they would’ve benefited from going in earlier, No.

Sound ??

Haha - True story!

Please god!! ? For the record I’m not saying that Mowbray alone has progressed those players. The point here is that to say he has no involvement is ridiculous. His involvement as the manager of the club is naturally high. Also, if you are going to hold the manager ultimately at fault for all team failings then it seems only right to make him responsible for the successes. As a side note, the point you make about Jonty is bang on. He was brought into the first team by Mowbray to be the bridge between the 23’s and the first team and to introduce the analysis. But make no bones about it Mowbray made that decision and he is responsible for the success or failure of that decision. Ergo, if Jonty is developing the likes of Nyambe etc then it is partly / largely to do with the manager who had the foresight to create that role and employ him. Furthermore, once Mowbrays coaching team have developed the player then the manager has to play them. Which he is.

Absolutely. Nyambe was hit and miss really until this season when he took his chance and removed Bennett. But the management and coaching of him has been first class.

Yes, Iv no doubt they were moaning like f**k because things weren’t going our way and he had an average game. But when I say Universally liked by the fans I mean I can almost guarantee that they were all more than happy with his inclusion in the team before kick off. This as oppose to the grumbling you would’ve found with the inclusion of Bennett, Bell and Gallagher who are NOT universally liked by the fans and divide opinion. *I literally list as many players as possible who I think could do a better job than Bell before every game.

I get your point about the loan. There’s no doubt that Trav changed his mind with performances but that doesn’t mean Mowbray didn’t rate him. Far from it. Trav was a RB by trade. Has spent the last 15 months (since ending Smallwoods Rovers career) working tirelessly with the coaching staff to understand that position (CM) and learning to deal with threats and decision all around him and not just what’s on the left of him (as a rb does). His development has been incredible. I reckon if you watched a video of him when he broke through to now you’d be blown away. He always had great athletic prowess and mental drive but his awareness, range of passing, ability to sniff out danger and manoeuvre out of tight spaces with the ball have improved immeasurably. Add to that game management and the fact that he wins man of the match most games and I think there will be some big interest in him in the summer.

Nyambe hasn’t been at this level until now. In the matches he played last season he was often targeted. I can think of a couple of games where he was absolutely roasted. Preston away was the worst... But I really don’t want to go off on a tangent here. My point is that Mowbray HAS played a positive part in all of the successes of those players. Some more so, some less so. But ultimately as the manager he is responsible for the positives AND negatives during his tenure.

I thought by starting my post with this statement was clear. “What is funny is this emerging rhetoric that TM hasn’t had anything to do with the influx of successful young players into the first team. “ I can see how it might have been interpreted differently afterwards with my reference to debutants etc but that was just corroborative and relevant information to my initial point. For what it’s worth, I think Lenihan was on a successful path with or without Mowbray so his impact is less but oppositely, Nyambe has been managed fantastically well by him. Could’ve gone either way and Mowbray has made him a real player.

Anyone who genuinely believes that Mowbray has played no part in those players emergence and success has lost the plot. Agenda driven delusion.

Missed my point. I said the emerging rhetoric that Mowbray has had NOTHING to do with the emergence of those players. It’s a ridiculous notion. Theres a genuine school of thought on here amongst some that Travis broke through in spite of Mowbray. A couple even suggesting that the fans were the reason for Travs emergence. Let that sink in. ????

We need another 20pts to get in imo. This at 1.5pts per game. My heart says we can do it but my head says we’ll just miss out by a point or two. maybe finish on 70. A lot will come down to who stays fit and available for the rest of the season. I also think we need one more surprise player to step up with 5 goals or something magical over the remaining period. The ‘Jon Stead’ effect. A Gallagher, Brereton or Dom Sam. Someone completely left field...I hope we do it and I hope it’s Brereton!

What is funny is this emerging rhetoric that TM hasn’t had anything to do with the influx of successful young players into the first team. It’s like saying Sir Alex Ferguson had nothing to do with the success of Scholes, Giggs and Beckham etc! They must’ve got there because of Brian Kidd hey? Or maybe a chance chat chat with Denis Irwin? The manager is ultimately responsible. If you’re going to blame him for everything that goes wrong then you have to be prepared to give him credit for the successes. Tony Mowbray has statistically given more academy players their debuts in 3yrs than any other Rovers manager in the last 30yrs. Nyambe, Travis, Lenihan, Raya, Buckley, JRC, Butterworth, Magloire etc are on him ultimately. No one else!

Rothwell is universally liked by the fans from what I can see. I’ve been screaming from the rooftops to have him in the side for a while. But this season he has shown why TM had been holding him back. He had a run of games with zero assists or goals and that’s his problem. He doesn’t effect the game statistically enough. Yes, he’s pretty to watch and undoubtedly talented but he needs to add those final qualities to meet his potential. He had at least two chances which dropped to him on the edge of the box vs Swansea and never looked like scoring. The most effective half I’ve seen him play was his last before injury when he got an assist and ‘assisted the assist’ vs qpr. He continues to be a footballing enigma like many before him and no doubt lots after. Oh and Travs development technically from a RB to a CM is basically down to Jonty who was tasked with coaching the 23’s and getting them into the first team by Mowbray. Dunny would’ve had some involvement. Mowbray then transitioned Jonty into the first team to bridge the gap from 23’s to first team and bring in data analysis. But the main asset there is Trav. Absolute beast of a character. A winner.

I’m not even sure if this isn’t a wind up!! ??

What are you on about? Being in the mix basically means ‘In and around’ or ‘In with a chance’ which is literally where we are right now. We are not ‘close to being in the mix’. We are in the mix for the playoffs and by definition close to the top six

Eh? we’re 3pts off 6th with a better goal difference. That’s the literally the epitome of ‘in the mix’ isn’t it? ??‍♂️??

Tough game. Lacking in quality at times but my word you cannot fault the work rate and desire in that team. Should’ve won on chances. Still in the mix. Let’s go again!! Oh and Brereton showed me today that there definitely IS a player in there. I would give him a bit of a run now.

At the start of the three game run this week we needed 1.8pts per game. A win on Saturday brings us back into line with that.