RevidgeBlue

Armstrong isn't the world's best striker, if he was he wouldn't be here, but I find the criticism of him fairly bizarre. The problem isn't Armstrong, it's the manager. We have the players to unlock opposition defences, Nyambe, Holtby, Elliott, Rothwell, Dolan, Chapman, Brereton, Dack, Armstrong, the problem is Mowbray and his his preference for playing a redundant extra holding midfielder and his obsession with meaningless possession moving the ball about sideways and backwards at snail's pace whilst the opposition regroup behind the ball and taking four or five passes where one or two would do. We'll get nowhere with Mowbray in charge. I think we could sign Messi and Ronaldo and he'd manage to find a way to make them look ineffective. Suggestions we need a target man are incredibly wide of the mark. We simply need to ditch Gallagher, put players out wide who can actually play in the position and move the ball far far quicker. As LD Rover said about yesterday, we look like we're playing a testimonial match most of the time.

Rubbish. He's been consistently left out in his time here to accommodate Bennett and JRC and was even sacrificed for Buckley the other week. Mowbray obviously doesn't rate him highly enough and because he doesnt recognise his talent hasn't made renewing his contract a high enough priority.

Generally whenever we've played well we've only played with one defensive midfielder. When we've played two, or one plus Holtby in the same role, we've been rubbish. Various posters cottoned on to this a few weeks ago but Mowbray doesn't seem to have realised this.

Never a truer word spoken. Case in point Rhodes at his peak here. Apparently it was his fault the team weren't performing. Nothing whatsover to do with Jason Lowe and various other dollopers who were in the side.

You accuse us of being predictable but want us to funnel the ball forwards towards a target man to "bring others into play"? Was there a bit too much Christmas sherry left over from yesterday? 🙂

This. It isn't rocket science and football is quite a simple game when you get down to it. You have to play players in their right positions and work harder than the opposition at making yourselves space and denying them space. The only thing I slightly differ on is I don't think Gallagher would be particularly effective up front either. Shouldn't be starting anywhere on the pitch.

If anyone from India is reading this, please make a change of manager now to give us a chance of salvaging something from this season and of avoiding a third consecutive wasted season like the last two.

We definitely don't need a target man. Name a successful side that plays like that these days.

To be fair to the owners they've supported Mowbray admirably since we were relegated. I think the major urgency comes from the fact that due to the short-sightedness of the manager and Chief executive Nyambe will probably walk for nothing in summer, Elliott won't be here after this year, and there must be a major chance we'll lose the likes of Armstrong, Dack and Travis due to the absence of any progress under Mowbray. Meaning that this year could represent the best chance of success for a very long time indeed. Or at least it might under a half decent manager.

Was going to say the same. At least Murphy possessed some ability.

If Carlsberg did Boxing Days........

All correct apart from the fact on this occasion we didn't win. Bit better after the subs due to the individual talent of those coming on but pretty dreadful overall. Pretty disgraceful really that as against Rotherham we need to go a goal behind to get any sort of reaction. But I guess the cry from the apologists will be "only 5 points out of the play offs". And on we limp.

Kaminsky a lucky boy there. Woeful keeping.

Mowbray actually looked pissed off Rothwell had produced such a magical moment so out of keeping with the rest of the game.

The goal was somewhat out of the blue but in general we've been absolutely dire as well. One shot "on target" Armstrong's pea-roller from outside the box? If Kaminsky goes for that shot with his right arm instead of the wrong arm he makes a relatively routine save imo. Gallagher is so bad it's embarrassing. It's like the manager is deliberately trying to **** us off now. **** off Tony.

Agreed. Who everyone seemed to want to offload without giving him a chance.

Well, even if he is doing that, it doesn't seem to be doing us a great deal of good in terms of securing contract extensions for our better players. If he did retire at the end of next season it would probably be on the back of reducing our core fan base from 10k to 2.5k, letting Nyambe walk on a free and failing to secure the long term futures of Dack/Travis/Armstrong etc

You do jest surely! He took the probably unprecedented step of raising prices during a pandemic when it looked likely fans wouldn't be allowed in for a large part of the season! Taking the **** doesn't even begin to describe it. If he is based in London that is absolutely appalling as well. The very least he could do for his £300k p.a. is move up here. The only bit I agree with is that I can't see him retiring any time soon, he's got it far too good. Like Mowbray we're probably stuck with him for the foreseeable. People were ripping the owners off as soon as they came through the door ten years ago and it seems nothing much has changed.

Don't give him any ideas.

Would probably stick him on the LW.

You make some fair points but I would say that it was as inevitable as night follows day that Warnock would turn Boro roundand get them in the mix almost instantly. Like him or loathe him Warnock is a manager who knows what he's doing and what is required. Unlike ours who either doesn't know what is required or quite simply doesn't care as long as he can string things out for a while with tales of "slow builds". My main surprise is actually the lack of impact Hughton is having at Forest.

I normally respect your contributions even when we don't agree but we'll have to agree to disagree big style on this! 🙂 I don't think he has any aerial ability at all. He's 6 ft 5 and jumps about 5 ft 10 and for such a big physical specimen is extremely weak in the challenge. Nor do I think "occupying the wing area" is an attribute. I agree with you that I always said I could see a glimpse of a player trying to get out with BB. I've never had that sense with SG and still don't. I thought he was ordinary first time round, has now lost most of his mobility, and has regressed dramatically.

Agreed. Apparently though that thinking only applies to players, we can't possibly ask any other manager if they would like to manage us as no-one could possibly ever be interested!

Not really sure where you're coming from apart from taking a contrary point of view. If the owners really wanted to spend several million pounds a year hiring either of the above they could easily afford to do so and if you lost Mulgrew Bennett and Evans off the wage bill that would more or less cover the cost. The problem is they have seemingly never really understood the importance of the manager and probably think it's just a "coach" that stands on the side of the pitch setting the team up. A job anyone could do, hence replacing Allardyce with Kean and since then plumping for cheaper (potentially) up and coming or out of work managers - as was Mowbray.

Kaminsky - massive upgrade on Walton but then anyone would be. Not convinced he's as good as Raya but good signing 8/10. Pears - looks poor. 3/10. Greek keeper - what's the point? Impossible to rate. Douglas - extremely disappointing given all the hype before he arrived. Looks a busted flush and not as good as Bell on current evidence. 3/10 Ayala - good when he plays but is his heart in it? My mate's son says Boro fans reckon he always used to go AWOL around Christmas. 7/10. Trybull - completely pointless player and signing imo. No wonder Norwich wanted him off the wage bill. 3/10. Downing - another completely pointless signing and waste of a wage 4/10 Dolan - cracking player and signing, a real bonus. The manager seems to be doing his level best to marginalise and ruin him right now. 8/10 Elliott 9/10 obviously a great talent but like Tosin before him not our player so we have to take advantage of our talented loanees for the time we have them otherwise ultimately whilst the player might do very well individually, unless we get promoted the signing can't be viewed as a particular success from the Club's point of view, it's just dead money and you're back to square one the following season. So two or three real successes in there, pretty good by Mowbray's standards considering how poor he has been in the market prior to that. Despite the upgrade in personnel however, he is still unable to get any sort of consistent tune out of the team.