Tyrone Shoelaces

Confidence is a variable. Some days you have it, somedays you don't. I suspect Rhodes was low on confidence and has been since he left Rovers.

Good result for Villa given they were away, a goal down and a man down.

I don't agree. It's why some players can take penalties and some can't. Every pro player will be able to put 9 out of 10 in the top corner out on the training pitch. Put them in front of 80,000 at Wembley in a play off final and it's another story. The ability is still there but what's going on in their head has changed.

When one goes the other should hold their position and vice versa. They don't both have to stay at home.

Practice definitely helps with technique - shooting power, two footedness, good heading ability, these can be worked on but that coolheadedness when you're bearing down on the 'keeper comes naturally to the likes of Rhodes, Garner, Yakubu amongst many others. Jason Roberts could have practiced 8 hours a day but he would have always fluffed those chances he got when he had time to think about them.

Whatever Samuel's good points are finishing isn't one them. I also think good finishers are born and not made.

Even if they don't go up I don't think it's a foregone conclusion that Grealish will be on his way.

I'd like to see him coaching the first team instead of the wasters we have at the moment,

Unfortunately that sums his attitude up for me. He's more concerned with trying to stop the opposition than actually getting at them ! Anybody else notice those two stopping counter attacks ? It wouldn't be so bad if it was true and we were grinding out a succession of 1-0 or 2-1wins but we're conceding goals left, right and centre. The bloke has lost the plot.

True but as long as Lenihan is in the team we have one guy who likes a headed challenge.

Williams best position is centre half. His lack of real pace isn't as exposed there as it is out wide. I wouldn't have given Conway another year either. The fact that he did well last night only shows what we'd be like with a really good winger playing there.

It's an obvious statement to make but your two centre midfield players are the engine room of any football team. They should see more of the ball and cover the most ground of all the players in the team. They can set the tempo of the play and dictate whereabouts on the pitch most of the game is to be played. The can both support the front two and offer protection to the heart of the defence. Last night we had two lads playing there who had the desire, drive, athleticism and skill to do the job properly. They don't get nosebleeds when they cross the halfway line and they don't play like the goals are at the sides of the pitch instead of at either end. Why it's taken whilst now and last seasons euphoria to have been almost entirely wasted to select the two midfield players on best current form is a mystery to me.

Any win is a good win for me. To win playing well against a good side is a bonus. We can stop looking over our shoulders now I think.

Well I didn't see that coming . It's good to see us playing at a high tempo instead of the usual dull and un-inspiring stuff. Saturday will be more interesting now. I'll bet there'll be changes though.

I can't see beyond another defeat here.

John Robertson " lived out of the chip pan " but when it came to 3.00 on a Saturday afternoon he could do the business. Rovers 0 - Derby as many as they feel like scoring.

But I'll bet you they still put more effort into the game than we do, win lose or draw.

Imagine Caddis and Williams as wing backs, Jesus Christ ! That doesn't bear thinking about. Evans and Smallwood in midfield , Bennett and Whittingham attacking midfield with Dack on the bench. I wasn't at that game, did we actually have a shot on goal ? Like you say, reason to sack the guy on the spot !

What ever other criticisms of the team you can make rightly or wrongly do not let him try to tell me they are working hard. I know when a team is hard working and we aren't that team. A hard working team covers more yards, wins more tackles, wins more second balls, win more contested headers etc than their opponent . You don't need too much skill to do those things well . You just need fitness, desire and a will to win. When was the last time we had a real " hard working team " ?

No wonder we lost, what a shambles !

How the powers that be can think that some input from Johnno regarding coaching wouldn't improve us is beyond me. Somebody will take a punt on him soon, the lad's working miracles with the young players.

In all Mowbray's time at Rovers I've never had the feeling that we were a well coached team.

I'm not knocking our Norwegian fans at all but I wonder wether the further away you live the less impact it all has. They don't get it in the neck from rival fans like we locals do.

That's a good example. They had the same team, same pattern of play, the only change they'd make would be to to 4-4-2 at home and 4-4-1-1 away. Each player knew what to do in any given situation and they knew what any team mate would do also. A team of well drilled and organised average players will beat a team of thrown together stars 9 times out of 10.

Your last sentence could apply to one or two posters on here also. Only a couple of guys are still backing Mowbray and are prepared to come on here and say so. I might not agree with them but I admire their willingness to voice their opinions.