We have scored 41 in 37 this season compared to 60 in 46 as a side struggling against relegation. So down from 1.3 goals per game to 1.1 per game. We have failed to fill the void of goals that Szmodics leaving has caused, even between numerous players.

We made Norwich look good by sitting off and avoiding pressing their clumsy centre backs. Bristol City showing how its done.

You clearly dont understand what the word naivety means so best not to try and copy it. The quotes are meaningless and tell us nothing. Whatever his views on Ismael, and im not saying he thinks he is shit, he would come out with the sort of claptrap he did. Standard club media waffle, not worth anyones time taking any notice of. Against Norwich we had become much more passive, standing off, but obviously it was the following 2 games where he got things wrong. Especially midweek where all but you could see when the team was announced that it was going to be a long night. Not sure why you are going down a weird transfer rabbit hole. The head coach should have final say. Doesnt mean he will get it right. But the main issue is budget. Whoever picks will struggle working with the budget we have. No other supposed play off hopefuls would have considered Sanderson and Forshaw.

I already know the main reason why I think he kept playing them. Because a continued lack of investment left him with little alternative. The odd wide man we do bring in tends to be not up to standard. ACD isnt, JRC isnt a wide man, Dennis has been a waste of time and Kargbo looked promising but in his first or second start his hamstring packed in. I appreciate that they work hard, but you cant (especially Hedges) be wide men offering nothing going forward, no matter how hard you run back. Although I think their defensive work is overstated.

Hes not going to say this new manager is shit is he? You have incredible naivety towards the standard interview claptrap everyone comes out with. Dont expect anything to change in the summer, its been happening for ages. Lots of cheap dross brought in during the January window. Sanderson and Forshaw are not players you sign if you have ambitions at the top end of the Championship.

Exactly We came into the window needing players to help us maintain a promotion push. We decided to sign players unwanted by Plymouth and Birmingham. I dont hate them, they just arent good enough. They wouldnt get in many if any other Championship teams and they shouldnt have been signed for ours. I certainly never thought that ACD was great. At a time when he was barely playing if at all, and having grown long since sick of seeing Hedges and Dolan trudge up and down doing nothing, I wanted him to be given a chance. He didnt get a sustained one but I think hes just as ineffective. Lets hope Ismael similarly to Eustace improves massively as time goes on. Even if he does, it wont be sustainable because of the owners but I was not impressed by his appointment nor have I been by the tactics and the setup from his first 3 games which have already knocked us away from having any lingering top 6 hopes. Hes still contracted as Rovers manager so you will defend every thing he does until that changes.

Who else has said it apart from you that we were right to go to 5 at the back? We lost to 2 crap teams with it. I am not saying that we have a good squad with options everywhere. There is no tactical masterplan with the squad we have and having lost a good manager and seemingly habe brought in a dodgy one. I am not saying that we have loads of good options to cover Brittain. I am just saying that Carter is crap there, wide men have terrorised him when he plays there and he looks like a fish up a tree. I probably go with something like: Pears JRC Carter Hyam Ribeiro Travis Tronstad Dolan Ohashi Dennis Gueye But I dont like that team. I hate having to watch Pears in net. A total repeated inability to strengthen wide areas leaves us with those 2 who I dont think are the answer, especially Dolan) But the alternatives (Forshaw, Sanderson, ACD, Cantwell etc) are even worse. Recruitment has seen us stockpile poor players signed for a budget of a pack of buttons.

We had to change formation anyway, we should never have played 5 at the back in the first place. Ribeiro is not a wing back either.

But equally, how can anyone say he offers a goal threat. You could say Aynslea Pears offers a gosl threat but just has never been played in attack to prove it. Carter at right back is a big no. Proven in the past he cant play there.

Unsure whats worse. Michalski, Dunn and Tyjon all thrown in or starting with 10 men.

They seemingly arent doing that well in qualifying but im sure they will qualify and as the World Cup is over a year away form means nothing. Palmer, Foden and Bellingham have all been out of form but no worries there. But it doesnt require this narrative of England being unfairly perceived in comparison. I just think on paper they look strong all over. Alisson is a brilliant keeper, Gabriel is one of the best defenders around at the moment and Marquinhos is still a top defender. Bruno is one of the best midfielders doing what he does and its not just Vinicius in attack, him, Rodrygo and Raphinha are all top players and then youve got the likes of Cunha, Joao Pedro, Savinho etc around that.

Rankin Costello has 6 career league goals. Possibly deserves a start but not sure of much goal threat.

I think France, Spain and Brazil are the obvious 3 but obviously a long way away. The tournament is a farce with the increase in teams.

Archie Gray is a midfielder really but either way, we have always had promising players. But at the moment we feel like we are inbetween teams/generations. We have in recent years been built on a base of experienced defenders like Stones, Walker and to a lesser extent Shaw and Trippier but all of them seem to be past their best and/or unable to cope with the rigours of top level football anymore. They leave big voids and those wanting to take over are nowhere near that level yet. We still have some quality attackers but they all seem to want to play in the same position.

I suspect we will never fully agree, Hall is promising but its premature to say hes the complete full back, Guehi is a good Premier League centre back but nothing special and Konsa, meh. James has barely played for years and Stones was key but is unfortunately yesterdays man. Our defence has never been brilliant but its an area in decline and where we are in between generations with Stones no longer capable of regular top level football, Walker slowing down which for a player reliant on pace is trouble, Shaw a total write off and Trippier well below previous levels and no longer an option anyway. We lack options in central midfield hence Henderson being even a consideration and our attack is where all of our quality is but weve seen before that there is no balance to it so you are left reliant on individual moments. International tournaments though arent like a league where the best teams win as you touch on with Argentina. A fortunate draw as we repeatedly have had can see you go much further and alternatively a bad one can see you heading home early. One bad day and you are done. Sometimes you can grind yourself through without having the best overall team so that has to be the hope. When we have come up against good teams in the past we have fallen short and I think our available options now with certain players on the decline we dont look as strong as we have in the past.

You would say that as you have the chaddy style blinkers regarding England. A defence of say Trent Konsa Guehi and Hall is nowhere near a top level one. We have some very good attacking options but they mainly all want to play in that same area just off the striker. And Kane is included in that.

Right across the defence. Left back and centre back are particlarly weak especially with Stones so much on the decline physically and obviously Luke Shaw is a busted flush. Trent is the stand out right back but in a solid Liverpool side, theres less exposure defensively which is where he struggles. Central midfield we are again lacking in options especially ones to sit in. Most of our top attacking players want to all play in the same area. There is obviously some real quality in there but you are stuck either trying to force too many in or dropping some to bring in good players rather than top players but to add more balance.

Its a terrible squad but I suppose it doesnt really matter. We would beat these upcoming teams if we only selected from the Championship. And in terms of the World Cup, England look well short in a few areas so wont or shouldnt be one of the main favourites.

He couldnt buy a win. Most people praise managers when they get good results and criticise when they get bad ones. You defend regardless of results when in employment and criticise when they go.

Last season the results were shit. This season, very good.

I dont think its just an inability to deal with pressure, although that is part of it. A lack of quality and depth is as big a factor as any. We put a few wins together in the first half of the season when the squad is almost all fully fit, it was a 6 game spell this season, a 6 game spell under Mowbray and 4 under Tomasson. But in each season, the squad has been thin in quality and symptomatic of a tiny budget. That initial run of form does some heavy lifting for a while but eventually a prolonged second half of the season of bad results knocks us back away. I know you cant bring yourself to praise Eustace anymore but he was doing an excellent job to get this squad where it was.

Not a game that matters much to us, our play off "push" is in the bin, but very important to Cardiff. Hard to even see us winning this game.

Makes no difference who we appoint in recruitment. Theyll spend a window or two of cobbling together half a team on frees and loans and then move on.

So do you think Ismael got his team selection right or wrong? And do you think we WILL make the top 6? 4 wins in 16 suggests definitely not IMO. Limited squad but one that looked confused as to what it was supposed to do. One that lacked any sort of energy in the side and one that had little interest in attacking. Certainly wouldnt have started Sanderson or Forshaw. Cantwell too. Forget the back 5. Its hard to come up with 11 players at the moment.