Great point about beating defensive teams. Yes, historically we have struggled to break them down because you need real technical quality to capitalise on poor teams or against 10 men...which I think is part of the reason we’ve been evolving and for the intro of more technical players. Hopefully the 5-0 at Wednesday is a signal of our intent.

You just don’t get it mate. We’re second in that form table in spite of Mowbray. It’s only when we’re playing badly that all of the players are listening to him!!...???

I think the fact that he concentrated on his defensive work will help keep him in the team.

Walton has made one or two mistakes this season. The rest of the time he’s been solid to good. Stats are decent too...clean sheets etc.

I think Tosin is a top player and will play at the very highest level once he’s fully matured. It was obvious from the first time we saw him play. But I don’t think it’s so hard to find ball playing cb’s now. They’re very much in fashion. Interesting what our newly appointed Portugese head of European recruitment can find too. Can’t imagine Portugal not being awash with technical players in all positions.

I’d just go for another option Chaddy. Maybe more of a facilitator / assist player like Firminio. Someone who brings others into the game

They spoke a lot about being more progressive and less reliant on the Long diagonals upto Graham and knock downs to Dack. I was just pointing out that something must’ve changed in our way of playing for Arma to be excelling up top because there’s no way he could’ve played that role previously. Having said that, signing technical players like Tosin, Downing and Holtby have helped towards that.

That’s a great point and I agree that it’s his passing through the lines from the back which instigates a lot of our play. But make no bones about it, the choice of Tosin was because they want to play like that. It was deliberate.

I can’t see them going for another target man Chaddy. It’s not the direction they are talking about. Interesting that Armstrong is doing well up top for us now. It’s the biggest indicator yet that the transition from that direct ball into Graham to a more progressive style. Not a chance Armstrong could’ve played up top for us 12 months ago.

Awww

I wouldn’t have picked that bench either. Especially with Chapman, Buckley and Davenport fit.

Trying what? As I’ve said mate none of us are even remotely important enough for our opinions to matter either way. But yes, I do try very hard not to be a miserable bastard. Providing context helps.

Surprised he’s not on the bench today.

I’ll bet there’s a few Hull fans this afternoon who wish they’d had as ‘shit’ a day as we apparently did yesterday....crikey. 5-1 down at home!

I get your point about Chapman. Not sure why you’d take SG out of a team that’s won two on the bounce. To me it’s ‘as you were’ other than JRC for the injured Rothwell. What you can’t level at Tony today on a cold day on Teeside is that he’s gone negative. JRC and three forwards on the bench says he’s going for it!

Ffs when are you and @Stuart going to realise that none of us are really that important. Neither are our opinions. Last summer was huge. I think he got it right with Downing, Tosin and Cunningham. Wrong with Johnson and I’m holding my judgement on SG. So I think the summer business was pretty good overall. Holtby was bloody excellent business. This summer has taken on more importance with the out of contract players and the ffp position. But I don’t understand what you expect us to do if we have a terrible summer in the transfer market. Do you want me to scream and shout from the rooftops? Cry myself to sleep? Post the same boring drivel about “£12m flops” “Mowbray out” and “Venkys scum”?. It’s just not how I’m built. Once the position is set then all I can do is try to understand it and carry on supporting my team. If I’m unhappy with this or that then I’ll say so. But I won’t dwell on this game that I can’t change.

Bore off mate. The numbers provided and the squad dynamic makes this summer huge. Just because I refuse to sit wallowing in my own shit, feeling sorry for myself doesn’t mean I’m naive or behind the door. I say it as I see it. I don’t try to solve problems that I have no control of but I do try to understand. In fact, I stated clearly earlier in the season that I thought we’d benefit from a change of direction / manager. I still feel this way. I just don’t feel the need to regurgitate it every three hours on BRFCs like some pre pubertal child.

Mate, I’m about as die hard as it gets. But honestly, I’d just get them in. How much worse can Thompson be than Bell, worst case scenario? JRC straight into the first team and Bucko, Chapman and Davenport on the bench.

Anyone saying that doesn’t really understand football. Buckley is a real technician. Once he can deal with the physical side he will be right up there.

I disagree. I don’t think we can have many complaints about youth integration into our first team. Raya, Nuttall, Lenihan, Nyambe and Travis have all broken in and played. The first two were sold. That’s a pretty decent rate over a three year period where we needed to get back up and then consolidate in the Championship. I agree with your point re increasing that rate now though. I would be looking to start JRC based on form and to be playing Buckley and Thompson as well as Davenport and Chapman off the bench. Get Butterworth some minutes once fit too. Let Hilton cover Walton and evening give him a run towards the end of the season if we’re out of the top 6 running. We need to know how many of these players are good enough as an absolute minimum. Unearth a star and we could get a big sale in the summer. Bellingham quoted at £30m. No reason a fantastic final part of the season can’t bring a chunky fee in for JRC or Buckley.

Awesome. If that’s the case I’d love a ticket please @J*B ??

Get them played!! All of em imo!!

Thanks mate. Is that after the Fulham match?

I don’t think the gaffer has any choice mate. If the numbers are right then it’s that or we’re knackered! ?

Based on what you have said, Had I known I would’ve been praying we didn’t sign anyone! We need to get the young lads playing and playing well before the summer. Thats the only way we will reduce operating costs and therefore losses and provides the best opportunity to sell one or two of them in the summer. Early in Jan I told you that there were big clubs sniffing around Bucko. I knew this because there is a strong feeling around the players and coaches that the new trend for big clubs is to buy very young players for seven or eight figures, develop and play them then sell them. The likes of Sancho started this trend and Milan’s £10m bid for Robinson Is even more proof. The more I think of it, I think Bucko was played in December to entice those clubs into a big bid. Unfortunately he didn’t take that chance in December and therefore a bid was never going to happen. But Rovers success at youth and u23 level is not going unnoticed by the big clubs.