It's like I was saying about Marlon Broomes the other day. I'd heard big things about the lad so when I first saw him play I was expecting to see a spark of something. Maybe a little bit of David Dunn's ability on the ball or a touch of David Batty's ability to win back possession. Well, there was nothing, and I mean nothing. His positional play was a joke, he seemed to be drawn to the ball all the time yet never seemed to get it, his passing game was very limited, he wasn't a big player so his heading ability wasn't very good. I was scratching my head, what did he bring to the party ? After all those games I still don't know now !

Players like Armstrong need to be playing up front on the shoulder of another bigger striker ( Gestede ? ) who can win the flick ons etc. Unfortunately that tactical ship sailed a few years ago and we don't play with two up front any more. Not a lot of teams do. You would be light in midfield and the teams that pack the midfield will over run you.. I had reservations about signing Armstrong because of this fact. He's a bit of a one trick pony, kick and run will only get you so far out on the wing unless you're amazingly rapid.

I remember reading an article about Marlon Broomes when he was coming through. Alan Shearer said he was going to be the next Bobby Moore. I couldn't believe my eyes when I first saw him play. You don't expect the finished article in a young player but usually something catches your eye. They're quick and strong in the tackle. They have a good passing game. Or they read the game well and are calm in possession, good in the air etc. Broomes had none of those attributes. He made Christian Bloody Dailly look like a proper centre back !

Any Rovers fan can be excused cynicism after the goings on at Ewood over the last ten years. Even the dogs in the street know players were being left out for purely financial reasons in the past.

I agree it takes time and it's foolish to make too many changes. In normal circumstances 2 changes is enough preseason. After getting promoted maybe three new players is more appropriate. I'm talking about players who are specifically signed to play in the first team and who are significantly better than the lads that are already here. We seemed to have signed one player who fits that bill in Reed. l think the juries out for the rest of our signings.

True, that was a fantastic achievement.

I like your style, will you be my agent as well ?

Given the circumstances the likes of Downing, Samuel, Smallwood, Bell, Caddis etc were brought to the club with one thing in mind. Get us out of the Division asap. Great, we did that. It's the nature of the beast that having achieved success they have to be replaced by better players. It's dog eat dog in pro football and most top managers have no room for sentiment. For some reason we haven't done that.

I'm sorry but Armstrong will never be a " lead the line " type of player as long as he's got a hole in his bum. He lacks the physical presence. He needs a blood transplant from the likes of Dickov or Speedie.

Ipswich under Alf Ramsey got promoted to the old First Division one season and then won the First Division title the next. As soon as Alf left they were relegated !

There are guys who been in the pro game all their lives getting fired on a daily basis because they got things wrong once too often

Yeah, the Chicken Chokers wouldn't do that would they ?

The woman on the right isn't Brereton's girlfriend is she ?

Most people who saw Armstrong's contribution at ' Boro would say he wasn't trying hard enough.

I agree, I'd play him up front from the start against Newcastle.

Thanks Tony.

The thing is Biz I think giving Mowbray 5/10 for his signings so far isn't unreasonable. People point at Dack and say what a great signing. Yeah, dead right, he's been brilliant for us and he's probably worth 20 times what we paid for him. What about the rest of them though ? Reed - good signing, Smallwood- good signing, Downing - good signing, Chapman - good signing. Bell- in and out of the team, can't replace Williams who's really a centre back. Antonnson - not good enough. Samuel - another one who was in and out of the team before he got injured. Armstrong - blows hot and cold, another one in and out of the team. He needs to play up front with someone like Graham to get the best out of him but we don't play that formation. Palmer, Rothwell, both ,are in and out of the team, Mowbray seems not to trust them. Brereton, a mystery to me. Then you have Davenport, Gladwin, Hart. What's happening with those three ? Llast seasons marquee signing Whittingham - paid off to get him out of the door. Caddis- signed as a squad player but did he really need a two year contract ? Another one we had to pay off. When you look at it in it's entirety it's not great is it ?

I agree, Bowyer or whoever was advising Bowyer did very well in the transfer market.

I'd sign the lad on loan if he's available. He's go so much potential he's worth a gamble. I wouldn't be prepared to take him on permanently though.

I saw something in the paper today that Lukaku is blaming his poor form on him building his upper body up.

If I'd have been told in July we would be playing this season with more or less last seasons team I would have delighted with the position we are in at the moment.

Wether you like it or not managers live or die by the success or otherwise of their signings. Mowbray is no exception to that rule. Having said that no manager in the history of the game has got by without cock ups, that's why eventually they all get shown the door. I would suggest successful managers get about 75% of their signings right, average managers around 50%. Below that and you could be skating on thin ice. Of course in the parallel universe that is Chicken Choker Land the normal rules don't always apply.

I think results wise we're doing better than I expected. The football we're playing is roughly about what I was expecting given we're playing almost the same team as last season.

I think you'll find that Rovers paid Barnsley 750,000 pounds for Steve Agnew in June 1991. Sherwood signed the following year. Agnew played 4 games for us.

Err, if I were you I'd leave Jordan Slew out of this argument. Just saying.