Because Armstrong can play there with some competence, unlike Gallagher who has never had a good game there. Unfortunately the squad is particularly lacking there, I'd rather Armstrong played central ideally. Just because we are doing "fairly goodish" (3 draws on the bounce) doesnt mean that all areas of the side are working. Such a statement is totally removing the possibility of discussing any potential constructive improvement. Youve never actually confirmed that you are content with Gallagher, Samuel or Brereton playing as wide men, you always deflect rather than agreeing with it or criticising the manager for it.

Did you ever enlighten us on if and how you know Jonty?!

You could apply that logic to everything. We could put me in net and we dont know 100% for sure until wed tried it as to whether I would be the spectacular failure or not. All I can see is that this wide striker bollocks has hindered the team more than it has helped it.

Bar Armstrong there is not much quality up front at all but there are much more pressing concerns such as the wide areas. A couple of good wide men, Holtby (eventually Dack) and Armstrong could be a dangerous attack.

You did but you struggle to comprehend that the way Mowbray plays (like any manager) and the most effective way are not always the same thing.

Not for me. We as of yet havent broke into the top 6 with the same squad that you suggest, barring Cunningham and even he played 10 games. We need more than just to keep the status quo.

For a start, the target is a top 6 finish, ergo our current finish would be slightly below expectation. I know that it isnt as simple as that and think we are doing ok but your justification is bizarre, to imply that being close to expectations means that the team cannot be criticised in any way is ridicilious even for you. But just as you can have a functional element of a poor team, you can have a dysfunctional aspect of one performing well. We have Lenihan and Adarabioyo at CB, Travis and Downing in midfield and have had the goals of Dack and now Armstrong, all strengths through our team. We are far better in central areas than in wide areas, with only Nyambe a strength and even he needs to improve his final ball. The wide areas HAVE NOT been a strength and all parts of the team are not equally responsible. Samuel, superb at Charlton in his natural position was totally ineffective v Swansea. Rothwell has done bugger all all season. I wanted a winger and we were linked with a few, Atsu is dog shit but that is totally irrrlevant to the fact that we need 2 good wide men. He wouldnt have fixed that either way.

Holtby was usually ineffective from a wide position and his performances only started showing serious threat once he moved into the 10 position. Rothwell has done bugger all all season and Armstrong has only started putting them numbers up with consistency when played centrally. Buckley has had one good game in his fledging Rovers career which coincedentally was when he was played centrally and not wide. The De Bruyne and Silva comparisons in terms of position are not accurate because City play a 433 and them 2 play inside, there is always a player further player out wide. Foden played wide right on Sunday and spent much of the game right on the touchline stretching the play. I did acknowledge that those I named are some of the best in the division (teams we are striving to compete with!) and that I dont even expect the same level of quality but am just showing that the best clubs at this level may play inverted wingers but ones who have significant attacking output, whether the width is provided by the full back or not. We arent getting output from our wide men or our full backs. Mowbray plays wide forwards which is totally different from the idea of creative players fluidly interchanging that you are implying. He has yet to solve our wide areas under him.

Loved this quote... Speaking after the defeat to Fleetwood, Lambert said: "I never quit. I'm a fighter, everybody knows, and we continue to fight and try and get through"

Which players do we have who are effective in wide areas? I must be watching different games. We have been very reliant on our central players, notably Dack and now Armstrong. Also we often struggle against teams who sit in and we lack the width to be able to stretch them. Our full backs have provided precious little end product so wide areas are not a strong point of ours. Theres nothing wrong with having players on opposite sides necessarily as long as they are competent wide players. Joe Lolley, Anthony Knockaert, Ivan Cavaleiro, Helder Costa, Said Benrahama, they are proper wide men who do provide width and directness but also come inside and offer a goal threat. Im not saying our players should necessarily even be as good but our wide strikers bollocks are a world apart.

The thing you cant accept is that just because its "Mowbrays way of playing" doesnt mean that people cannot criticise it or suggest alternatives. I think basically everyone would be in agreement that having either Brereton, Gallagher or Samuel as "wide strikers" doesnt work. We were rumoured to have tried for a few actual wingers in January so fingers crossed that a change is on the cards. Since though, Gallagher out wide has been a regular and has drawn much criticism. We dont have enough players who can competently play wide.

If we keep playing people in wide areas who cannot perform there then indeed it will still repeatedly be mentioned.

Very annoying that the Leeds game has been moved to a Friday night.

I think you are assuming that we are a club run efficiently and coherently and are blissfully ignoring the delays that inevitably come within the owners and their stubborn way of working which as others have pointed out causes delays. I doubt we will have loads of money but we need 2 wingers as a matter of urgency as we are sorely lacking there. Why would you want a target man if we are now supposedly playing a passing style? I must have missed any improvement in Bell too, get shot of him.

Maybe potentially Giggs before Keane down to longevity. Would Kante, Mahrez or Vardy even get in over Le Tissier? Potentially.

Weve seen numerous times that the 3 strikers I mention cannot operate from wide positions but that would mean at least one of Brereton and Gallagher is out wide at all times. And Nyambe and Bell between them have contributed 1 assist, Nyambe from centre back on Saturday!

Someones quite clearly not thinking about philosophies and style of play! Just showed the stats on Sky and Boro have scored the least goals amidst a whole host of attacking ineptness.

To be fair, Pulis in his first season took Boro up from upper mid table to 5th in his first half season and then finished 7th the season after, not too shabby at all. He also transformed Adama Traore.

I am not sure about that. He not only contributed quite a few crucial goals but also was a linchpin for that team. That being said, as talented as he was, not sure theres much comparison with the captain of a team that used to reel off League titles routinely.

Surely Brereton deserves another go in the number 10 role following his cameo at the weekend? And surely we have learnt that Brereton, just like Gallagher and Samuel, are about as much wide men as Walton is!

Why they appointed him is pretty immaterial as it has gone horribly wrong. I didnt know who Siewert was and obviously he did a terrible job, my only qualm was you saying various managers deserved the job over him just because they were British. Nationality should be an irrelevance.

Im not Irish and I know that Roy Keane is a Premier League great. A leader and a key player in a dominant United team.

Hes been very quiet in this last couple of games but mainly because Brereton deserves a go in the 10, wouldnt be displeased to see Armstrong as the 9 and Rothwell wide left but personally went for Gallagher because he deserves another shot after scoring. Armstrong is very comfortable from wide, our other strikers very much arent. Another more pedantic answer I could have given you is that Armstrong isnt wide left, hes an inside forward ?

Has Johnson ever played at centre back? I found it a little strange that people were suggesting that he would on Saturday should either Nyambe or Adarabioyo get injured as I presumed Travis who did fill in at centre back away at West Brom last season.

I think Bennett will play just to give him the armband especially in the absence of Lenihan. Id give it to Downing or Travis.