roversfan99

Armstrong is not the most clinical of strikers but to imply that we set up solely for his benefit when we play possession based football which allows teams to sit off and deny him the space in behind he thrives off is not true, especially to solely get him as many shots as possible. You even recently implied that Mowbrays primary objective is to benefit Armstrong and his value rather than the overall team, which was just beyond bizarre. I dont subscribe to the opinion either that we have a team full of players who can "create chances and score." I don think Mowbrays tactics help but I dont think our attacking options with Dack injured and Armstrong soon to depart are anything other than desperate. Where is the evidence that Gallagher, Brereton, Rothwell, Dolan etc can score the goals we need? Defensively we have actually been much better in recent weeks but our goal threat has totally evaporated, not helped by Armstrongs injury problem. There seems to be a growing narrative that we are better off without him and that he is a "bad egg." (totally baseless theory) Without his goals, we would be very much in a relegation scrap, yesterday we looked totally toothless for all the approach play, with the starting front 3 unlikely to have scored had they played all day and night.

Not sure that "exciting" is the word to use. I suspect that Mowbray will start next season in charge. Even if he doesnt, its a hell of a job when the squad really needs gutting.

It seems beyond naive and ignorant to think that with owners as stubborn, negligent and disinterested as ours, who managed to toally ignore years of mass protests when Kean was in situ, that merely "starting" with Suhails phone number or even tweeting him interviews with out of work managers is going to make a blind bit of difference!

No! A false 9 shouldnt be used. He never did and he still scored 28 goals without a strike partner.

Its not critical to say that a player is injury prone.

I dont think that we should sign Rhodes. I just said that even now he would be a massive improvement on todays team with Buckley and then Elliott up front.

Maybe Rankin Costello would have to cover less distance wide right than he is being expected to playing as such an attacking full back.

Why is it harsh? He is injury prone. Doesnt say anything about him as a player but he picks up a lot of injuries and the manager has even said that his schedule may need monitoring because he is succeptible to injuries. Probably yeah, not sure who could play on the left though. Dolan and Brereton will do well to regain their places, neither offered anything. Agree he needs to go but dont hold your breath.

No, I wouldnt offer Evans a new deal. Like Davenport, Ayala, Rankin Costello, Holtby etc, he is far too unreliable. Team full of sicknotes. I would like to perhaps see him further forward, all of the starting front 3 looked out of their depth today, maybe it is worth trying Armstrong and Gallagher together centrally v Wycombe, with Rankin Costello in front of Nyambe. Do you still want and/or expect Mowbray to be gone by the Wycombe game?

"We should be far more inventive in the summer but there is no way that he doesnt walk into our team today." now equals we should definitely sign him and on exactly the same amount of money that he is on now. Also, see his first season here as proof that he doesnt need a strike partner.

They needn't worry about the Prem, once they go up, I am sure that their manager will announce that they arent expected to compete and they will happily get relegated, defeating the point of the promotion, just like last time.

He would walk into todays team with a manager with any sense. I never said that he is a regular starter in a top 6 side anymore, thats irrelevant.

The front 3 that started today were as toothless as you could have wished to see. I hope we get more supposed bad apples.

No he wouldnt, because Mowbrays tactics are bollocks.

A very strange game to analyse, and a difficult one to becone enthused about. It is a good result in reality but there is certainly as much wrong as there is right. Firstly the positives, Kaminski was excellent and saved us, the centre backs again were very good although no clean sheet, and Corry Evans was as good as anyone on the pitch finally playing in a role that suits him. Rankin Costello was impressive too although his lack of durability is a major concern. This false 9 bollocks needs to stop, Buckley in a totally uncomfortable role so not a criticism of him was fairly pitiful, the highlights being 2 shots that barely reached. I maintain my opinion that even as a striker, Sam Gallagher is at best a bottom of the Champonship standard striker, but that is much better than a frail midfielder playing in a totally uncomfortable position, replaced by more of the same. His goal came from a set piece whereby obviously his position was an irrelevance. Mowbray will have no doubt had smoke blown up his backside by the incompetent journalists as to how "heroic" our performance was against the mighty Norwich and not questioned as to why this bollocks continues and seemingly will do so indefinitely. Of the front 3 in general, I repeat my question at half time, have we ever had an attack as blunt and toothless as that? Brereton was hopeless again, seen only occasionally when bumbling around without purpose, whilst I felt a bit sorry for Dolan, he couldnt have looked any more out of place on that pitch and I dont think he did anything successfully. Holtby and Rothwell meandered around fairly tidily but as usual not to any real effect.

Rhodes with another goal, seems to be finding his goalscoring touch again. We should be far more inventive in the summer but there is no way that he doesnt walk into our team today.

Its been ok but we havent had anything like a clear cut chance. Brereton has reverted back to bumbling fool.

Many aspects of our game have been decent even if the game has been incredibly dull but we havent had any serious chances. Evans definitely our best player. Has anyone ever seen such a toothless strikeforce as what we have on show today?

Either Dolan or Buckley up front would be equally stupid I suspect he wont be quizzed on his bizarre tactics and the poor set of players he has assembled later by the inadequate journalists although I suppose he will be staying in his job regardless so why does it matter.

To be fair, Rothwell has played most of this season centrally and done nothing. Yeah, Davenport is again injured.

Him, Johnson and Gallagher are all players that couldnt be any more alien to the supposed style that Mowbray wants to play. Bizarre recruitment.

What a shocking team. Where are the goals in that considering that we "are going to win?" Brereton should be central, Dolan right, Rothwell left. Alas that wont be the case.

I think most of his belters came in the second half of last season when he was put in the middle. For the first 18 months of his permanent spell, he played wide and most wanted him dropped. The burden of goalscoring is placed on his shoulders because the supporting cast are so poor. His selfishness should of course be managed but a striker should have a selfish streak.

I dont necessarily think that he would need to score less to become more productive, in fact to an extent, his selfishness as a goalscorer should be embraced, since he has become less selfish he has become less effective. The problem is that even though his goal tally is competitive with the best strikers, the supporting cast are poor and dont contribute both due to tactical issues and simply a lack of quality. I dont think that aiming to dominate possession and the general way in which we play suits Armstrong, never mind anyone else. The Armstrong that struggled from a wide position was a different player.

What happened to Gallagher getting a run centrally?