My point was that one of your initial arguments about playing Bennett at right wing back was that he played there for Bristol City. Not only did that not provide any evidence as to whether that was an experiment that was successful, it was even longer ago! I dont see why we are changing formation totally (with little time to train on it) solely to try and fail to cancel out the mighty Barnsley. But right back, right wing back, take your pick, Nyambe is a lot better than Bennett. You are right that Branthwaite and Harwood Bellis may well be inconsistent. Hence the criticism that we have 2 untested kids on loan deals in the first place! Yes he did because he is a talented player, but not before we conceded again with Barnsley breaking through our non existent midfield to score and put the game to bed. Hopefully Gallagher wont be anywhere near the team on Saturday but I suspect he is due a spell either in goal or at left wing back. Im not sure that pressure has anything to do with it. He has always had a tendency to over think and over compensate. I recall back in League 1, bigging up Burys left back, and playing Bell in front of Williams at home to Oldham to nullify their right back. At that time however, we was winning games most weeks and the style was consistent, so those temptations remained at bay. What has happened is that this season, seemingly he has tried to take us onto the next level with a style of football which has not got the results he felt it would. That has just led to confusion, inconsistency and further frustration, false 9s, box midfielders, players out of position etc. With Dack, I dont necessarily subscribe to the idea that he needs a target man to play off in order to thrive. There has to be a way of playing Armstrong and Dack in the same side centrally and effectively. That wont happen though with Mowbrays inconsistent selections, putting him in and out, constantly changing formations, players out of position out wide etc. Im not even convinced that it will get toxic any time soon, all of the criticism due to the way the world is comes on here and social media, a world Mowbray is totally shielded from. With no sign of fans attending soon, which even then would at most lead to moans and groans, he is well protected.

I am sure that at the end of the season when Mowbray failed to save us from relegation, that we got a few wins near the end of the season with Lenihan, Elliot Ward and Mulgrew as a back 3 and Nyambe and Williams at wing back, including against Brentford and Villa. Bennett was a weakness as he always is, although to be fair not giving away a penalty is an improvement for him. The problem as ever is that Mowbray's formation was reactive, done out of fear to attempt to stifle a fellow mid table team, and again carried on the inconsistency to which Mowbray's tactics constantly show, hence the lack of clarity and familiarity on the pitch. If I had to guess, it will change again on Saturday. Also regarding the central midfield, that was for about 10 minutes, and I heard Mowbray say to Corry Evans that he "is on his own." Elliott is not a central midfielder and him ending there always leads to a total lack of structure. Nothing constructive will come from one sole central midfielder who has been out for months.

Few questions on that then: 1) Did we have to play that formation? It didnt work, so id suggest not, but we did to please Pep and Ancelotti. 2) Even if we did, can Bennett play as a wing back? Clearly not, he is not capable at this level full stop. Before you reference his time playing there briefly at Bristol City, we have no idea if that was successful. Indeed as another manager, would you sign Dack/Elliott as false 9's, Gallagher as a winger, Bennett and Rankin Costello as left backs, Smallwood as a keeper, I could go on, on accounts that they "have played there before?" Nonsense argument without citing success or otherwise. Nyambe played as a wing back when Mowbray took over and was fine there. 3) Even if we assume that 3 at the back was correct with Bennett on the right. We had no sub centre backs or wing backs, meaning that we was an injury to any of 4 players away from having to totally change shape. Nyambe can play in any of those roles. Its not maybe or guesswork to suggest that if he didnt start, he would warrant a place on a 9 man bench, over Bell, over Buckley etc, its obvious.

Why are you looking forward to it? We may well lose and all be a little more frustrated and angry yet Mowbray will remain in charge. What is exciting about that? Gallagher was appalling as always. First touch of a donkey and repeatedly lost the ball. Very much a teachers pet with the manager. Views on dropping Nyambe from the squad? Why would he come here?

To be fair, whilst it is frustrating, it is irrelevant, Mowbray is in a safe bubble with mates around him and disinterred owners above him. No chance. A fraud of a manager as his record since suggested. Talked the talk but cant walk the walk.

Would you not prefer the club to be a little more imaginative, you look where teams like Reading, Brentford, Barnsley, Norwich all getting talented managers from Europe and even Swansea. I appreciate that we have limited knowledge of managers across the world but surely there is more than this to choose from? If we could get in someone like Nigel Pearson, then by all means do, someone with a genuine track record like Warnock, McCarthy and Hughton. There are a select few managers who do a very good job in almost every job they do and those types are like gold dust. Damien Johnson is 100% a no from me, no experience and an internal appointment, see Woodgate, Holden and Tindall as examples. We need fresh ideas. Rowett would surely not be interested and Hughes seems a nostalgic pick.

Dack has scored 43 goals for us, Brereton has 5. One is a proven player feeling his way back after a year out, the other is someone who has been ok at times this season, but laughable prior.

I know, I was just responding to someone who said that is what they would do.

Learn from Bristol City, Bournemouth and Boro. We need fresh ideas, not a coach from within with no experience.

No problem with Dunn defending Mowbray. We all have our own opinions and it doesnt tarnish his reputation. The guy he is quoting is well of the mark. Acknowledge where we are ie accept medicority. Changing managers every few years as if managers lasting over 4 years is the norm. Using an example whereby a team that was stagnant suddenly got a play off place then won the league after an ambitious and imaginative new managerial appointment. And quoting a new philosophy which is a mystery to us all.

There was no nice football from either side. Theirs was more effective which is all that matters though.

Today summed up by Mowbray shouting to Evans "youre on your own Corry." He repeatedly chases games with 1 central midfielder, at no point will that work.

Dont understand why people are torturing themselves thinking that he will walk or be sacked. Venkys dont care and I wouldnt leave if I was Mowbray. Talk about wanting to lose is crazy, it wont lead to anything. Formation again different and didnt work, team selection wrong, subs both wrong and too late, again ended up with no midfield. Individually, Gallagher I would compare to a donkey but that is unfair on donkeys. Travis was hopeless, the 2 kids weve plugged our defence with shaky, Lenihan fighting a losing battle but played well. Attack solely dependant on Armstrong scoring, he did but only 1.

I must say that although he does talk a lot of shite, what he says is to defend himself as you say, for me, what he says and how he behaves on a match day is irrelevant. There is enough to criticise on the pitch.

Crap team, any excuse to get Bennett back in. If the team is wing backs, I dont agree with constantly changing formations but it would have some semblance of sense, Gallagher and Armstrong with Dack behind, Douglas as a wing back, but im sure it wont be, something will be weird, Gallagher and Armstrong wide of Dack as a false 9, Bennett in CM, Harwood Bellis RB, or something strange. We know Mowbray, its what he does.

Well if you want to be pedantic. He is a very capable Championship full back with plenty of time to improve further. He has been our only capable right back through Mowbrays tenure here and he should play every single minute that he possibly can.

Esteves was good v us but has been a sub for Reading lately and Christie is crap. Dijksteel at Boro and Femenia at Watford above many of them there. If there is a plan to play 3 at the back and wing backs, considering it has never really been used (aside from the odd game 2 years ago) so far in the journey, then the journey would be even more stupid than it already is, he shouldnt have a completely new ideal formation ready and primed for next season, he should have already moulded his squad to play whatever his final formation is to be. Your comments about him not being a prospect are bizarre, you are just nit picking. He is 23 years old so whilst hes not a raw kid, what defines a prospect? He is already a very competent Championship right back with huge scope for further development. Do I feel that people perhaps overrate and overly defend him at times, considering him the best right back in the league? Perhaps, yes. Do I think we have a realistic chance of replacing him, considering his quality and potential? No chance. He is one of only a handful of players that I am confident that they are good players. Kaminski, happy with him, Dack, happy with him, although not convinced Mowbray knows what to do with him any more. Armstrong, obviously happy with him, although expect him to leave in the summer. Travis, Nyambe and Lenihan are the other 3 I am happy with, and obviously Elliott on loan. For all the rhetoric about the squad being so much better, I dont think I could give a shit if any of the other players left tomorrow.

I suspect you have slightly misunderstood my point. Nyambe is a player who has been performing poorly lately, my point was that criticism of him in isolation is perhaps warranted and I do feel like as a player, he is somewhat of a blue eyed boy with the Rovers fans and as a result perhaps slightly overrated in that when he does make a mistake, blame tends to be apportioned elsewhere and never to him. That being said, that doesnt mean that I dont rate him. At the moment, he is a very capable Championship right back, admittedly not perfect, and far from 23 years old being ready for the scrapheap, he has a lot of development left in him. I would consider it nigh on impossible for us to replace him should he inevitably leave, especially for a pittance, if I had to guess we will go with Rankin Costello there from next season and he is clearly not a full back. I also dont think that the situation has necessarily been handled well at all. Bennett was never a better full back, Buckley and Gallagher had laughable cameos there and the Harwood Bellis farce seems to be buttering up to Pep. There has never been another player capable of playing right back with any competence in Mowbrays tenure to ever consider dropping Nyambe even when his form dips. I also do question his man management of him. He will be a big loss once he does move on. He is at risk of tarnishing his reputation potentially but like your previous comments comparing him to Kean, to describe him as poison is needlessly disrespectful and hyperbolic. I disagree, his crossing from deeper is poor/non existent, and he tends to choose against that option 9 times out of 10 as he knows as much. Prior to this season, I felt like he had very little going forward. One area he has developed on is intelligently though using his physicality to isolate full backs more, which has meant that although his crossing is not great, he is now capable of getting in behind much more often and has started to chalk up assists often in the forms of pull backs from higher positions, as we saw v Barnsley earlier in the season. His crossing may remain poor and rarely be utilised but if he can get into the positions he has started to do so then the final ball may just be a cut back rather than whipping in inch perfect crosses.

As mentioned elsewhere, absolutely crazy to imply that numerous years dont count towards his journey. He mentions dependence on Dack and in particular Graham, last season the former got injured and the latter started 14 times, a few right at the end. Also and crucially, there is no signs that there is any consistency, clarity or progress on this "possession based journey," if anything we seem to be getting worse and worse. If that is prime reasoning, then you are accepting that Mowbray doesnt deserve to carry on. But it isnt a valid defence for me, and I hate Venkys and distrust them as much as anyone. Such a mentality of living in fear and thus accepting mediocrity is at best just kicking the problem a year or two down the line.

Mowbray and the players constantly mention the top 6, weekly. In fact, that was last seasons target too, although it seems to be a target they have more belief in this season. After the Millwall game last season, our captain tweeted to apologise for failure to meet the target. Im not sure when Waggott mentioned the top 10 although thats a pointless target anyway. Its not just about budget, as ive touched on. Time, money, wage bill, pressure to sell, net spend, all factors. Its not as black and white as you or others make out but even if it was, then we would need to overachieve, and if Mowbray cant, then the hope would be that we got someone who could.

I dont think Mowbray inherited any bad personalities, I was referring to back in the Kean days, but my point was in yout attempts to downplay us, you arent factoring that although other teams may have higher wage bills, that is not always to the managers detriment. Managers having been at clubs for less time than Mowbray will have to compromise on players they dont want but cant shift. Mowbray has a full squad of his choosing. You are being flippant but the judgement is not towards 2 successive results of any kind, it is the repeated failure to compete for the set target. Not sure what the nonsense about Burnley is about, their budget is not competitive to most in the league and their goal is survival which they repeatedly achieve. Ours is top 6, and we never even get in for a week. I dont see any strong signs of a manager with a clear plan and/or ability to achieve that.

You do realise that it is not just as simple as budget/wage bill. Mowbray has had more time than anyone else. No pressure to sell key assets and a very competitive budget and net spend. Much of it spent on crap. And no high earners and/or poisonous personalities who take up much of a supposed high wage budget. If youve such an inferiority complex and the play offs are seemingly unrealistic, then why did Mowbray say this and last season that he was aiming to? Surely we cant compete with these high budgeted teams? Putting it down to a reactionary reaction to "2 defeats" suggests that perhaps provocation is one of your motivations.

Hes one of the first names on the team sheet regardless simply because we dont have another competent right back at the club and never have in Mowbrays side. Some of the players he has stuck there recently beggars belief. Hes also a huge prospect seemingly wherever he goes and the contract situation is piss poor. But he has been poor lately.

Listened to a podcast called Open Goal the other day with Clint Hill as guest and got an interesting insight into Mark Hughes' man management or lack of at QPR. It seems that the dressing room was split into 2, the team that got them promoted and big money signings but Hughes had nothing about him to the extent that in the first season, they stayed up motivated by a mutual bond in their dislike of him!

He was asked directly why he subbed Nyambe and I dont have a problem with his answer to an extent, he was poor in both games mentioned. I do feel like to many, Nyambe is the blue eyed boy, talk about him being the best right back in the league etc which is off the mark. Not enough focus was put towards Mowbray regarding the players he has chosen to bring on however. Whilst Nyambe has his flaws, he has so much positive in his game and it will be a massive shame should he leave for peanuts. He has never managed to have adequate alteratives to Nyambe, first there was Caddis who was miles off, then Bennett who was a penalty conceding liability and Rankin Costello who is not a full back in a million years. The last 3 alternatives (Harwood Bellis, Buckley, Gallagher) have been totally bizarre choices and any voluntary choices at right back inevitably removed any semblence of balance in our team, with the first of those 3 being played to please Pep and the other 2 being laughable. For me, whilst I totally agree that the choices were incorrect, regarding the interview my gripe would be more at the focus from the interviewers who should have focused more on the illogical replacements he used.