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.

I understand what you are saying but ultimately 6/7 wins and a 2/3 draws out of the last 13 games will do it. 73 points is the average needed to get in the playoffs. We need 1.8pts a game so technically 5pts every three games is enough. So the margin for error is bigger than you think. It would be ideal to pick up 3 of those wins this week but statistically we could lose three on the bounce, draw the next three (so no win in 6) and then win five on the bounce and still be in with a shot of the playoffs going into the last two games.

I think Bennett’s legs have gone you know. For what it’s worth I often advocated his inclusion last season. He worked the hardest and gave the most. BUT this season I think there’s been a notable drop in his physical attributes. He looks tired more and has lost a yard of pace when he didn’t have a yard in the first place. Nyambe has finished him and I expect him to be used sparingly for the rest of the season. Him starting vs Hull and then being dragged with Graham at 60 mins in a game where the subs came on and changed the course, for me signalled the end for both. Cant see DG being here next season. SG is his natural successor. I’d be tempted to see how Samuel does and offer him a year to fight for a spot. I think Bennett will stay but be used VERY sparingly next season.

I would say 4pts from those three games as a minimum. 6pts would be very good. 7pts amazing and 9pts = Me booking my accommodation and train for May! ??

There’s people coming on here hours after a 0-2 away win in the current circs demanding they manager be removed. TBH it wasn’t the term I wanted to use for them. But ultimately if I choose not to interact with them because I believe they care about their own agenda more than the club then that’s my prerogative.

Nope, they were posts from someone who doesn’t personally know the attendees at the meeting. (Mowbray, Waggot and Cheston). As I’ve stated openly on many occasions. So if my being appreciative to @J*B for the opportunity and being respectful of the attendees / cautious of what I said afterwards = ‘star struck’ then I’m happy to be so. In fairness, I privately told most of those who I wanted to and left out the ones who I think have negative agendas.

Top one. 100%. Del is decent at cb. Any word on likely length of injury?

I’m guessing ‘we’ do bearing in mind that ‘we’ have been working hard to galvanise, motivate and coach our second string plus a few U23’s to try to win a game every three days and stay within 3pts of the playoffs since December. ??‍♂️

I said in the summer (May) that the decision had been made to move Mulgrew, Smallwood and Graham out of the team. They had been told and the likes of Evans and Benno were also told that they needed to pick up their game to stay in the team which was going to evolve into a more technical based outfit. The manager later came out publicly and stated the same. He’s stuck to his guns and the team are now playing how he wanted them to. If only we had Dack, Holtby and Evans fit now. I’d really fancy us going into those last 13 games. Did I read somewhere that 7 wins will probably do it? If so then the season doesn’t hang on Saturday though a positive result would keep up the momentum.

Tosin....what a name!!

I’m not sure mate, Rothwell is very talented but at times can be an enigma. I think us getting the 6/7 more wins to get us into that top 6 will depend on whether we can keep the back 5 plus Trav, Arma and Downing fit. The defensive improvement from the signings of Tosin, Walton and briefly Cunningham as well as the progress of Nyambe who has improved dramatically since last season is giving us the platform. Meanwhile our pattern of play appears to be working in forward areas. Regardless of who is picked.

He obviously has spent some of those resources quite well or we wouldn’t be winning games like yesterday with the likes of Walton, Armstrong, Samuel, Johnson and Downing starring! Fyi - all this with our best three creative players (all signed by Mowbray) currently injured.

Ahhh the irony. So it makes you “sick” when you read references to haters? The post above yours following a 0-2 away win, 3pts off the playoffs, best points tally at this stage, most clean sheets etc is the EPITOME of hate. I think the recent form in spite of the injuries has done a bloody wonderful job of separating supporters vs haters with agendas. Many Doubters (including myself) are happy to put our hands up and say ‘fair enough’ the manager is doing some job to keep us in this position with the injuries. Whilst others are working tirelessly to prove their point. The “I think we’re winning in spite of Mowbray” one is particularly amusing to me! ??

They see him as a Silva type of player too. Plays on the half turn and very technical intelligent and mentally strong apparently. He’s seen as ‘the one’...he won’t be loaned out to league one for the same reasons City wouldn’t loan Foden out. Neither need to ‘man up’ they just need nurturing and to grow. Not get their legs broken in a league where they are mentally three steps ahead of everyone else. Interestingly - City will need another ‘Silva’ type player to replace Foden when he replaces Silva in the summer....

If he’s good enough then he won’t need to be as physical. Though there’s not many lads at 20 who’ve finished growing into their bodies so fingers crossed he puts a bit of weight on between now and August. Could be a massive player for us in the future.

Unfortunately I wasn’t there yesterday mate but I’ve seen the last few and yes I’d agree. I do think that perhaps it’s because the lads who’ve come in have had longer to understand though. We played a couple of matches with Dack and Holtby in those tucked in forward roles and couldn’t get it right. Rothwell has also played there. So we could prob argue that those three are better placed than most. But whatever ambiguity there is, I’m clear that Sam Gallagher cannot and must not play that role. EVER again! ??

Tbf I think the shape and tactics are exactly the same. A ball playing CB, Two sitting CM’s, inverted wide players and full backs pushing on and creating the width. It’s just now that it seems to be finally working and the biggest indicator for me is that AA can play as a lone striker for us now. There’s not a chance he could’ve done that for us last May because we were so direct.

Got to be honest, whenever I watch him I can’t help thinking there’s a player in there but he does drift in and out of games. Thanks for the info, much appreciated.