Wheelton Blue

Tight game. Mowbray has a habit of letting us down in big games and local derbies, but I'm feeling confident about this and I think he's due one. 2-0 Rovers.

'It's live on Amazon' will be the excuse

Aye. Including a 7-0 drubbing at home to boot.

Personally, I don't care what Mowbray did or didn't achieve at previous clubs. It's what he does for Blackburn Rovers which matters for me. His last 3 finishes of 15th, 11th, 15th suggest to me that he's mediocre at best. The fact that we're currently in 4th place though is fantastic, something for which he should be applauded and long may it continue. However, let's not overstate what he's achieved here; we've been in a playoff position for 3 days. It's where we finish at season end that should determine how he is judged.

We're already at the point where we'll lose them for nothing or as near as, either in January or at season end. The best course of action is to keep hold for the remainder of the season, whilst continuing to try and get them to sign. That way, we continue to have use of them in the team, and it buys us more time to find replacements should they do leave in summer. Letting them go in January makes no sense whatsoever.

Lenihan is key right now though, especially if Mowbray keeps with 3 at the back. To replace Lenihan in January, with someone who could slot in, is a tall ask IMO

Yet some posters think we can pull a replacement for Lenihan straight off the shelf in January!!!

If I came across anybody comparing him to Cloughie, I'd simply refer them to the 'I believe in miracles' documentary on Netflix.

And 2 or 3 years after Mowbray does leave, we'll talk about him with the same regularity as we do now with Bowyer. ie hardly ever at all.

I wouldn't, Chaddy. What we'd get for them money wise in January is negligible. Keeping hold of them could be the difference between a top 6 place or not. It's not as if they've downed tools or anything, in fact quite the opposite. Plus, they may well still re-sign anyway come summer.

Lots of discussion about possible offers being made, reasons why new contracts haven't been signed, who's to blame etc etc. At the end of the day, the ball is in the players' court. They'd be stupid to sign the contracts now IMO, as they might still get better offers, either from the Rovers or from elsewhere As an analogy, if I put my house up for sale and someone meets the asking price on day 1, do I accept said offer there and then? No, I wouldn't. I'd hang fire in the hope that I get an even better offer. I think the players are in a similar position. They have offers on the table from the Rovers, but are happy to wait until the summer before making a decision.

It's not a myth, it's fact. 15th, 10th, 15th finishes shows no progression. Therefore, a waste. Everything else - FFP and Covid for example - is just excuses. As I've said elsewhere, however, it would be churlish not to praise him for this season thus far. He's far surpassed my expectations.

That's my fear about him. If he is afforded funds in January, it needs to be for players who can make an immediate impact to support a play off challenge.

Agreed. If the owners are going to back Mowbray, now is the time to do it.

Absolutely, long may it continue, Let's be honest though, Mowbray is lucky to still be employed after wasting at least 2 seasons, and there's always the likelihood that he'll revert to type at some point. However, it would be churlish not to praise him at the current time. 4th place is way beyond what most of us thought he was capable of. The best thing to do is enjoy the ride while it lasts.

Brereton is quite rightly getting all the plaudits for his goal scoring. Dolan though is one player who puts a smile on my face. He might be lacking a bit occasionally, but his work rate, energy and attitude are infectious. You can excuse players for a lot of things when they work like he does.

Unless the miracle of promotion happens at the end of the season, Mowbray will likely - and should - be gone. He'd then be viewed as being in the same group as those which you mention. A faded has-been.

If - and it's a big if - the penny has dropped with him, it's taken far too long. At least 2 wasted seasons IMO. It's hard to knock him at the moment though. Up to 4th....who would have thought?! If he continues to keep it simple, we stay lucky with injuries, Brereton keeps scoring etc, then we've got a chance.

Even I'm not gonna knock him for getting up to 4th 🙂

Get in

They seriously couldn't cope, they can barely cope now. The service in the refreshment areas just isn't efficient enough.

It's a hole that needs plugging, is all I'm saying. Hopefully it will be.

I think I saw something recently - transfermarket.com or somewhere - which has him valued at 10m. I imagine that the reality will be somewhere in the Armstrong bracket. Whatever he goes for, it will leave a big hole in the goals-for column.

Maybe we'll get a burst of sales next week on the back of a positive result at Stoke. As far as our attendances go though, the bottom line is that people don't see value for money in watching Mowbray's team for the prices Waggot charges. Perhaps that will change if we stay within touching distance as the season unfolds.

Amounts to the same thing though, and it was hardly a secret that Ayala wasnt the most robust. On his day though, Ayalya is a cut above, that's for sure.