One of the strangest deals of the transfer window. Derby are an interesting one. They have a clutch of really talented youngsters and have made a couple of shrewd defensive additions in Marshall in net and also Clarke on loan. But they have absolutely no substance in attack and seem directionless under Cocu. Rooney has undoubted class but just seems incapable physically despite occasional brilliance. (v us, he was run ragged but set up their main chance for Jozwiak with a brilliant flick no one else on the pitch would have done, and obviously the free kick at Norwich.

To "build a club" you dont necessarily have to stick to a manager indefinitely. If Mowbray was to go at the end of the season, it would be following 4 and a half years as manager, he is already I think the longest serving manager in the division, so it wouldnt be a rash, impatient decision should this be his final season. Ultimately, the target has to be top 6. Of course, that leaves scope for still not getting promoted but it would be tangible progress even if we made the play offs and didnt win them. If he can get us in the top 6 this season, that would be the sign of progression. Another mid table finish (or worse) would for me be the time to signal a change, accepting that Mowbray very much has left us in a capable position, has maybe hit a wall, and we might have to sell one or two dependant on their willingness to commit long term, and then that would potentially be the time for some fresh ideas. I think that is a fair and realistic target for a manager entrusted with time and resources to date.

I dont think theres any chance of Wilson, seems a rumour that has snowballed from little, but Wilson has got history of goals and assists and a major impact across a season at this level. Dolan has only a handful of senior appearances, there would be nothing wrong with signing a more readymade player and having Dolan bubbling along capable of either impacting from the bench or equally playing off the opposite side.

Covid tests.

https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/18796488.tony-mowbray-provides-blackburn-rovers-transfer-update/ “We’re not cash rich at this moment, we’re not flush with cash, we’re not going out to buy a £1m footballer, they’ll probably be loans." Corresponds with suggestions that the injection of £6m is nothing to do with funding a late transfer splurge. The main problem with Downing is match fitness, he definitely is a regular in the squad assuming he maintains last seasons standards, I think this notion that he slows play down is a little harsh, he was incredibly productive on the ball and created miles more than anyone else. But if we are to sign him, surely sign him before the weekend when we are struggling to name a bench.

Mowbray said that Kaminski and Evans both need to do Covid tests before they are eligible to play on Saturday.

Seems like he is well down the list, but the timing makes no sense. Why sign him after 5+ games when he will need longer to get match fit when we need the bodies now? If we wanted him back, we should have done it far earlier.

Talk about considerable cash injections from the owners for transfers and talk of Harry Wilson seems sadly over the top. The trio you mention seems more realistic. Douglas would be an upgrade at left back, Pears would be a bit of a strange one suggesting that the Greek isnt yet ready to be deputy, and Downing would be illogical more for the timing of the deal. He had a very impressive season but we will be nowhere near match fitness and thus will have and will miss a decent chunk of the time we are already light in midfield following Travis' injury. Personal suggestion or media speculation?

I dont think and am not implying that we will or can sign him. But his 2 choices are to be outside the squad at Liverpool or to come to the Championship as transfers between Prem clubs are not allowed in this window. Wilson also had a very poor spell at Bournemouth last season so not too sure his stock is too high.

Has Whiteman ever been linked to us by anyone other than Sparks Rover? Where are the media links. Would be amazed if we bought anyone for a 7 figure fee, the main 2 links seem to be Douglas on loan, an area we have tried for all window so suspect that the cash injection is purely coincidental and this is just the earliest we could get it done, and Pears for a fairly nominal fee.

Is the only way that anyone has a valid right to question a current managers ability to get the most from what is at their disposal is if they offer a new appointment too?

Yeah, it was a bit petty, but Mowbray has been consistent on his professionalism in training and as with Smallwood, the 3 of them have never been (from what we know) excluded from training from the first team and indeed Mulgrew has been praised as a person by Mowbray. As with Bennett, my opinion on Mulgrew is a fond one historically, he seems a good guy to have about but is no longer capable of contributing on the pitch and if there is any alternative to funding a senior wage solely as an off the field role model, I woule be happy for the club to accept it. For some reason, acknowledgement of Bennett being a very good professional and role model but an inadequate Championship footballer is to some indicative of a personal grudge or vendetta.

I think the small cash injections are fairly routine but more as a means of general funding, nothing to suggest it id for a sudden transfer splurge.

But thats the point, he doesnt offer competent cover. He is a liability at full back, diving in and giving penalties away and we now have Nyambe and Rankin Costello ahead of him on the right and soon to be Douglas, Bell and Williams on the left. He couldnt maintain a midfield position in League 1 whereas Smallwood could, and we now have Johnson, Evans, Travis, Holtby, Rothwell, maybe Dack, Davenport and Buckley in central midfield. The "two superstars in every position" like a PL club is a strawman argument, but I personally would suggest that IMO he would warrant a place in the second team. No shame in that, like a few before he played a key role in making effort a minimum and has been left behind in quality. You make it sound like Smallwood was tactically kept around to take part in 11 v 11 training. Ultimately a club in the Championship surely struggles to afford such a luxury, a senior wage for a player to make up the numbers in training. His personality again has never nor ever will be questioned. His passion is not a unique trait, I dont think that the current squad lacks that at all nor does it warrant a senior wage alone. Ultimately seemingly no one has shown interest in him and he seems happy playing a father figure and I am sure he will continue to be an exemplary professional who hopefully wont be needed on the pitch.

Would make zero sense really unless the Greek isnt a first team keeper. If we have any money after Douglas we could spend it elsewhere.

Do you agree with the current formation he is trying to impose, 3 centre backs and 2 holding midfielders included? Do you agree with his weird desire to stick as many right backs on as possible recently? Isnt it a worry that the player turnover is so high, no scope for a setttled side, constant debutants? Are the recent numerous disciplinary problems, the 3 party goers, Foden and Greenwood in Iceland and James losing his head today a concern to you? Didnt his inability to come up with anything to cope with having a player less worry you tonight should we go down to 10 men in the future? The World Cup was somewhat of a success, the fixtures were very fabourable but he recognised certain limiations before the break through of some talent we now have and relied on set pieces. The football was attritional but edged us past limited opponents and ultimately when we played good teams ie Belgium and Croatia, we failed. I am very unconvinced by the direction since or his inability to allow our attacking players to flourish.

There is no indication that Mulgrew or Smallwood have been anything other than professional whilst they themselves have spent the end of their contracts (ongoing in Mulgrews case) out of the team to be fair either. Indeed Mowbray has publically praised both for their attitude and hasnt stuck them with the kids.

Bannan would not be the Benrahma replacement, they signed a winger called Ghoddos who had been playing in Ligue 1. Paul Mani's implication that Bannan was part of the replacement for those 2 was inaccurate.

He doesnt half get through players too, no one is any the wiser as to what his favourite team is. No need for the constant changing.

Absolutely no one hates him on a personal level, his character is not one that can be questioned. It is possible to like him as a person/role model but not think he is capable from a footballing perspective.

A really poor night for Southgate in terms of a total lack of nous and bravery shown by him. Why did he leave 2 defensive midfielders on all game? Why did Grealish stay sat on the bench? Why is Mount his golden child? What was his plan, more of the same, Calvert Lewin wide and just hope we get a knock down. A load of shite. Also, obviously its not really applicable today but he plays 3 at the back for the wrong reasons. Most teams play it to their strength and with a real tactical plan. Southgate plays it to try and compensate for a lack of quality but all it does is add a third error prone centre back likely to make a mistake.

Harry Maguire is an absolute liability. Get him as far away from the England squad as possible. £80m my arse!

Brilliant post. There is absolutely no reason to be thankful. What has happened to Bury is undoubtedly sad but if anyone is content purely because the club is still in business, they have crazily low standards.

That is more than a little unfair. We dont have a clue what was offered, and there is no indication that he has come back to us with his tail between his legs. Maybe he was unwilling to take a pay cut after a successful season, maybe he wanted a longer deal for extra security, maybe he wants to go into coaching whilst finishing his career or maybe he has no desire to continue playing at all, we have no idea so its very harsh to paint the situation as you have done. I know you are often keen to imply that posters on here are unjustly miserable, but I presume that Brentford fans are sad to see Watkins and potentially Benrahma and I am guessing that you have consulted Brentford forums to justify your stance that our response would be unreasonably "nuclear." That being said, I don't think the comparison to us losing Dack and Armstrong is necessarily totally accurate. Firstly, something you've touched on is the history of replacing players that they have there. If they are a little calmer than we might be, they have reason to have more trust in the process, ultimately at Rovers, we would know that it would add further pressure and an increased demand to improve for Brereton and Gallagher, which we would rightly be sceptical of, whereas Brentford have a long line of attackers that have flourished and been successfully replaced. You seem desperate to dismiss and mock Bannan but he would be a very shrewd addition for any Championship club, and ultimately he is not a direct replacement for any outgoing, just an improvement to an already impressive midfield. Ivan Toney is the replacement for Watkins, who himself stepped up to replace Maupay, etc, etc. Toney has started very well with 3 goals in 4 games. Brentford had been preparing for the sale of Benrahma hence the signing of Ghoddos who they had been tracking in France apparently for over a year. I would also say that they were proportionately less dependant on Watkins and Benrahma, there is still a third of their attack left in Mbuemo who is a very good player. With us, Armstrong and Dack are prolific, the other main 2 for us are Gallagher and Brereton which are anything but. The structure of the Brentford team is also far better, they had the second best defensive record in the league, conceding 25 less than us and have that same defence and keeper that served them so well. Brentford were considerably better than us last season, they finished 18 points ahead of us. They start the season expected to finish higher than us again, thats not being negative or miserable, thats being logical based on the vast gap between the 2 teams last season. We can only hope that their leaving stars are impossible to replace and coupled with signings we bridge that gap because Brentford may well be up at the top of the league again and thats where we want and need to be.