The fact that he had improved on last season appears to mean we are not allowed to comment that, despite his endeavour, he often looks like it is his 1st game, and we can NEVER be sure that he will be able to create or take any of the pitifully few chances he has to score. It is his job to create and score goals, consistently. Compare him with Elliott and Armstrong, as this is the minimum level he needs to be at for us to challenge for the play-offs. The fact that the rest of the team were equally bad is immaterial.

Bloody rubbish, by any definition. 2 shots on target. Those of us who have been optimistic about our chances of sneaking into the play-offs, are having to accept that, collectively, we just are not good enough. Depressing. Thanks, Tony.....

I ageee BB has had a better season but as often as not when the ball comes to him, he does not control it. It feels like, since his return, he has had to start to learn to play again. That shot and total lack of composure epitomises his current form and my confidence in his ability to show consistency from minute to minute, never mind game to game.

Fair point but what is the answer?

Sure this has been said but this keeper has never before played in English football at any level. We have had zero shots on target. Their manager has been able to nullify us as an attacking threat. Happy days...

Genuine question. When did Buckley last have a really good game?

There have been times this season when I've worried about Dack's return and whether it would take a month or 2 before we could find a way of accommodating him, to allow him to score regularly but also start to beat all teams, not just the relegation fodder. I now believe that he's our only hope of any play-off push, as it has been the genuine quality to do it when it matters, that we have lacked all season. It's make or break, and if he's fit, he has the quality to make the difference against many of the teams we play in the next 6 weeks. How fit is he???? We'll see over Christmas...or as someone said earlier, against Doncaster.

Yep, it seems obvious. Good point about Downing, I really think Douglas has an injury/fitness issue, he's not just a bad player, so putting Downing in for 3 games may allow him to recover.

We will only get into the play-offs if we play Holtby with with either Johnson or Trybull. It is the best way to get the best out Elliott, Rothwell, Arma, and Brereton/Gally. I also think we will have to play Lenihan & Ayala, with Nyambe, and (don't shoot me) Douglas, before Wharton returns. A settled back 4 in front of Kaminski, is the only way to improve at the back. That team must be played, despite the odd off-day. But it won't be, as TM continues to play Buckley at every opportunity, with Davenport as his back-up. Hopefully Downing will now be ahead of those two. I really think we can challenge for 6th, but only if we play our best players, and only rotate to give them a rest after 10 or 15 games. We really need to build the team around Holtby, and the spice boys will do the rest. We can dream....

Yep, replace him with the goal-fest that is Gallacher/Brereton. I repeat for the 20th time, there are 15 more players to get into before AA. He is not our problem. He produces quality when it matters. Very few others do at the moment.

I know we may well go on to win this game comfortably, but in 2 out of every 3 games, we just do not have the quality and decision making up front or in defence to get over the line. Yes, we can play indifferently and win at times but that just ensures we are 11th - 13th. It hurts. COYB

This seems to be controversial, but I repeat for the umpteenth time in 4 seasons, we will not progress if we have to play Williams. I would play Ayala and Lenihan until Wharton is back, because although Ayala is not perfect, he may improve and we won't lose anymore games than when we play Williams. This isn't necessarily a reflection of today's game, but a considered view over a number of seasons. There is more chance we will improve with Ayala, but in my opinion, we won't improve with DW. Sorry. No win against a top half side before xmas. This means building for next season, but next season we won't have AA, Elliott, Kaminski, and possibly Dack/Holtby. I'll be more optimistic when we wallop Rotherham, but we are the epitome of a mid-table side. Some will be ok with that, but I still maintain TM periodically stumbles over the winning formula, rather than knowing what will work week on week. Result > mid-table....

Looking good for sniff of 6th if we can get 3 points from the draw specialists Millwall. Drawn at least their last 5 matches. Long way to go, though, esp as Bristol just drawn level at QPR....

Yep. Sums up neatly. Encouraging signs but one summer and all that. We all pray this transformation continues against meaner defences, but really happy with everyone's contribution at present.

Much, much too early to judge this surely. He provided perfect balance on Tuesday to allow the atracking 5 to do their thing. I might have to agree though, that Johnson improved us when he came on, but I think Trybull will be a good addition to the squad, and will become more confident and forward looking, with patience and time (George Harrison song...??)

I really envy teams that have a system and a ball-playing discipline that means they will, more or less, play the same way every week, and always be so comfortable and slick on the ball. This was Barnsley today. What you can't produce with good tactics and management is a natural goalscorer. Or 3. Barnsley were just as good at Ewood last season, with a different manager, but I think they will be even better this season, especially if they can buy some goals. Today, for some reason, I was relatively comfortable that we would weather the storm, and I knew we only needed a couple of decent attacks to nick a goal against the run of play. I would still prefer Barnsley's slick play with our clinical finishing, but teams with both are promoted with 100 points. It was a really interesting watch, with 2 decent sides battling for the points.

This season we are more clinical, mainly down to AA, and that was the difference today. Baaaaahhhnsley had 43 min of pressure in the 1st 45, we had 2, but Armstrong could have had 2 in a min, with the best 2 chances of the half. More even in the 2nd 45, but again we were more clinical, backed up with this season's Aderabaiyo, the imperious, super-calming Kaminsky. He won't be at Ewood next year, unless we go up. Sigh. So, we are brilliant, and close to achieving consistency, but still to beat a top half side. What a bizarre, exciting season. Now, the hard work begins...really looking forward to the next few games.

If Nyambe goes, I'll be sooo disappointed. I really haven't seen the flaws TM & others have claimed. He will only get better and stronger. An genuinely ambitious club needs Nyambe.

Really good results for us tonight! In terms of Barnsley thoughts, Charlie Chaplin always plays well against us, so someone may have the job of watching him, plus they will sit back more than QPR and expect us to unpick them, something we've found difficult at home, except for Wycombe. Will therefore be a more difficult game, and we may need to be as patient as Tony, who likes us to be cautious in the 1st 45 (60?!) at home. Elliott and Dolan as subs is mouthwatering, tho I do think Dolan is now relatively easy to contain for a decent defender & manager. He's still having an impressive 1st season... 2 or 3 - 1

I agree. I think if he plays the same team on saturday, but replaces Trybull with Johnson, we'll be less effective. I'm pretty sure Johnson will be straight back in but, although earlier in the season I was pushing for him to have a run of games, I think he has had a few (relatively!) ineffective performances. Good to have strength in that position, tho....

So, let's start the debate. I think if he plays the same team on saturday, but replaces Trybull with Johnson, we'll be less effective. I'll continue this in the Baaaaahhhnsley thread....

That made me laugh. A lot.

I think this is the one thing we need to crack to be successful. I think beating the top sides will then follow if we have a settled side, an 11 from 14 that we play for 10 games in a row....

Yep. Tony has shown that he is unsure how to guarantee as many of these types of performances as we need to attain and maintain a top six berth. As Rev says, we have seen this repeatedly over many seasons. My only hope is that the real quality in the squad will force his hand and lead him (and his team) to pick the right 11, despite his natural desperation to, for example, pick 2 sitting midfielders, and other Mowbray quirks. I really pray that Damien Johnston has the maturity and talent to help TM make more of the right decisions... For me, Kaminski is the missing link, his influence on the whole team cannot be underestimated. Still need to beat a top half side before we can think about the top 10, never mind the top six. Roller-coaster to continue... Beautiful, joyous evening though!!!

I really hope TM realises this. Before April...