Absolutely. Out of the 2, Lenihan for all of his faults is the important one back there. We have kept 8 clean sheets this season, all with Lenihan starting, 4 of which have been with Williams, 3 with Adarabioyo and 1 with both. Lenihan has played 21 games, in the 5 he missed we conceded 9 goals, 1.8 a game, albeit it is a small sample size. We have conceded an average of 1.19 per game with Lenihan in. (Still not very good) Adarabioyo is the better of the other 2 but neither are leading defenders, and when they are played together we are far more vulnerable.

I do think we are lacking in the wide areas, but lets not reinvent history, Conway was unable to justify a place in our team for his last couple of seasons here, his abilities had clearly waned with age and he was ineffective for at least his last 2 seasons. As others have said, theres a reason hes had to go to League 2 to get a contract.

I thought Chapman made a difference, he should play on the right but he was positive running at his man and won a fair few set pieces, one of which he took and put in the most dangerous delivery for us all game. I know you dont seem to like him but he was an improvement on our performance. Downings performance was a solitary positive but you are right that we are lucky to have 36 points, not that we dont deserve too as the table doesnt lie but without our sole attacking threat we are not going to worry teams.

Mowbrays quotes in the Lancashire Telegraph suggest that any deals are fairly unlikely and that we have no money. Suspect with his horrendous transfer record, a play off finish seeming so unlikely and of course our accounts looking so grim this is of little surprise. We have been linked to cheap players from Blackpool, Oxford and Gillingham amongst other clubs so nothing to be excited about.

To be fair, his problem is that he very rarely does have involment in goals. His goal and assist tally in his games played is really poor. Yesterday albeit he didnt directly score or assist he deserves credit for 2 very important passes in the build up. That of course doesnt remove any blame for the third goal when he lost the ball. He does need to start contributing far more when he does play and yesterday he was much better in that regard.

Even during that run though, it was Dack that was our difference maker when we was nicking games. He scored 2 of our 3 v Barnsley, the only goal v Brentford, the first v Stoke before making a key pass to set up the second, and he was key in creating Grahams goal at Swansea. There were a couple of isolated wonder goals in there too from Downing and Armstrong but usually to edge games built often on organisation, we rely on one man to sniff out a goal or create a bit of magic. Of course then followed the win v Bristol City which was very much the anomaly within that run of success. I am not defending Mowbray but I dont think a new manager could necessarily manage to get this set of players much higher in the League, not least a manager whose only experience is in a kids league whereby results are of secondary performance. Our squad is lacking in many areas, notably in attack whereby Mowbrays only proven, consistent success of a signing succumbing to injury has really brought to head how poor our recruitment has been under Mowbrays tenure, with considerable resources and time. For me, the managers job has to be questioned not because he is massively underachieving with a talented squad of players, because it isnt, but because the squad is not much better (without Dack) than the squad he inherited 3 years and 20m pounds ago.

Who in our squad could you say is a top 6 quality player at this time? I think the squad Mowbray has expensively assembled is lacking in many areas.

I dont think we were anywhere near as bad as we were v Huddersfield, but still another poor performance and very disappointing defeat. I would challenge how without Dack how even the most positive of supporters could suggest that this squad of players built by Mowbray could get anywhere near the play offs. I thought central midfield was the most functional area of the team, with Downing easily our best player. Superb goal, some brilliant passes although his set pieces are not particularly good and there were a couple of examples of either tired or quite simply lazy play, notably in the build up to the third. Evans is a neat and tidy player but hes not a leader or a player who grabs a game by the scruff of the neck, and he should have scored in the first half, poor finish. Travis was ok too until he went off. Its either side of this where we have a problem, mainly ahead for me. Our attacking players without Dack simply do not score nearly enough, yes in the last 4 games (in which Dack played just over half of one) we have scored a penalty, a scruffy own goal and a good goal by Downing but he wont score more than 4 or 5 a season. Brereton was totally anonymous, like Gallagher people will focus on the short period he stupidly was played wide but he was non existent in the first half, he doesnt get himself involved at all and often when we had the ball in attacking positions, he was out near the touchline or nowhere near the box. Armstrong was fairly non existent too, he does chip in with occasional goals and to be fair got another handy assist today but otherwise he goes into hiding. If he increases that goal and assist output then maybe he could get away with it more. Rothwell is an enigma, constantly giving the ball away, notably leading to the third goal and he laboured back for the first too. That said, something he doesnt usually do is contribute to goals and whilst he didnt directly today, he was integral to the build up to both goals so fair play for that. Gallagher is shite and didnt do anything, no surprise, and I dont know if Graham had a kick either. Chapman was much brighter but frustratingly on the wrong side, put in our best corner and was just much more positive, running and getting crosses in. Full backs are just diabolical, Bell constantly puts no pressure on wingers allowing them to get crosses in, as demonstrated perfectly for the first goal. He is also brainless going forward. Bennett is rash, often dives in and gives away fouls when we are on the attack ruining any momentum, and often out of position. I dont think the centre backs were necessarily directly responsible for the goals but neither can say they had a good game when the side conceded 3. And of course Walton was directly responsible for 2 goals, shocking. The Birmingham game represents a big conundrum, after that it isnt a busy schedule, and I definitely want to progress in the cup for 2 reasons, of course to end our run without a win and mainly because with no chance of the play offs realistically IMO and with little chance of being dragged into a scrap, we could do with some excitement in our season. But then again, on the back of the run of games we have had, 2 or 3, notably Lenihan and Downing may need a break, and Holtby and Travis IMO belong in our best 11 without Dack, but even if they could play it may be better to not risk them from the start. Equally, I dont see the point in starting the likes of Buckley and Brereton, who quite clearly arent capable of contributing at this stage, so I think I would go for something like this: Walton Rankin Costello Adarabioyo Williams Bell (no alternative, unless Hart could play?) Travis Evans Johnson Chapman Graham Rothwell We need to strive for consistency, I think this is the best side we could name as it stands going into the PNE game, but we need a couple of signings before then, someone to get us goals, and someone to play LB: Walton Nyambe Lenihan Adarabioyo Downing Travis Evans Holtby Armstrong Graham Rothwell (maybe Chapman in for Armstrong)

Elliott Bennett comntinuing to let his team down, rash challenges, being massively out of position. Bell just as bad on the other side. Rothwell keeps giving the ball away, poor again. Brereton looks lost. Armstrong has done nothing. A depressing watch so far. Only Downing can take any pride, a couple of superb passes and a great goal albeit a little flimsy for their third.

Im watching and hes barely got involved, hes out of his depth. As for Walton: 2 v Forest today, 1 v Huddersfield, 1 v Preston, 1 v Stoke, 1 v Barnsley, 1 v Sheffield Wednesday, so 7 off the top of my head. Absolute dog shit.

May aswell not be playing.

Would be nice if Brereton could get some game time in the second half as I havent seen him yet. Walton must be close to double figures in terms of goal costing mistakes now. Downing a class apart thankfully and has us in the game.

No goals in that team but I suppose theres little scope to change that. Although why Graham isnt playing I do not know. With players like Bell, Bennett and Brereton in it we are always going to be up against it.

Buckley has proven that he is absolutely nowhere near ready for our first team. He should continue his development in the lower leagues for now.

Ive never seen either player but they hardly have pedigrees that suggest they could make massive differences to what is at the moment IMO a practically impossible play off push with this squad. Im sure its just gossip and will be forgotten about tomorrow. Smallwood doesnt HAVE to accept a lower wage, he could justifiably see his contract out if he wanted. Che Adams is the mind of signing that would make a big difference. Southampton owe us a favour after selling us a waste of space!

Downing has been a good signing to be fair. Johnson not so much. The majority of younger players that Mowbray has signed have thus far been abject failures and as I touched on in the Mowbray thread I dont think our squad (excluding Dack due to long term injury) is noticeably more valuable than when Mowbray arrived.

These links to Gillingham defenders and Blackpool midfielders are the exact types of players we need to turn into actual, genuine play off contenders!

I would say that Mowbray has done a good job, not a superb job, unable to stop relegation, promoted but not as Champions, then on course for a second season of stability and mid table consolidation. Certainly a man who will be looked back on fairly fondly. One thing that is interesting is with Dack so unfortunately out of the picture, with his injury covering the majority of his remaining contract, putting him to one side as we may have to do, is our overall squad massively better/more valuable than when Mowbray came in, prior to spending what is not much shy of 20m I would suggest, and having 3 years to build and room to manoeuvre wage wise? The situation with Dack is very unfortunate because as a signing both in terms of effectiveness and value it was an absolute masterstroke, but ultimately should all of your eggs be in one basket. He has made quite a few signings for 6 figure fees, Bell, Chapman, Samuel, Rothwell, Davenport, Gladwin, Hart, I dont think you could argue that any of them have come off, Rothwell is the closest but whether it is down to the limitations of the player or the manager, or a bit of both, he has failed to impact games. I dont think any of these can be suggested as successes or a new manager would be excited to inherit them. Who are our most saleable assets, if indeed we have any? Lenihan who he inherited is probably our most valuable, and he has question marks over various things, can be rash, limited on the ball and injury prone. Beside that, maybe Travis or Nyambe but you wouldnt get that much for either. The only one of Mowbrays signings that may have some value attached to them is Armstrong, who often flatters to deceive and I suspect you would be fortunate to break even on. The majority of Mowbrays funds have gone into 2 players whose values will have massively depreciated. Baring in mind Gallagher I suspect is on very competitive wages, I would suspect that we would do well to get any buyers, especially for a 7 figure fee for either. His use of the loan market and also of short term deals has been mixed, some undoubted successes, Reed who has now gone, Adarabioyo who is still here, both good, Palmer and Payne less so, Antonsson and Walton in between, same with short term deals, Downing has been good, Whittingham terrible.

He is shit in midfield too. Just not a Championship standard footballer.

Its very much as a last resort but above playing the dreadful Bennett who I hope is moved on in January. A dismal player.

One of them touches was a goal.

We are short in a few positions but our absence of any goalscoring power takes high priority. At Centre back we have 2 plus a dodgy deputy which usually would be a major concern. As it is it is a strength of ours! If you are seriously suggesting playing them 2 dollopers up top at Forest then you must see our problem! (Surely Graham has to start that)

No idea what team we should be putting out. Graham is a certainty. Would give Holtby a run in the 10 position and not shunted out wide if he is fit. Would go for Evans alongside Travis again if the former is fit. The centre backs and keeper pick themselves. Would play Armstrong back on the right. Left side, Downing is a given but between Williams, Bell and Rothwell, its who to play down that side alongside him. Rothwell has been crap and Bell is always crap so for the purpose of having no alternatives, even though hes not very good himself, I would play Williams LB and Downing LM. Right back we need to hope that Nyambe recovers, otherwise I would go with Rankin Costello. If he is injured, then Travis to RB and Davenport CM. Dont want to see Bennett near the team, dont want to see Gallagher, dont want to see Bell and dont want to see Buckley.

Eddie Neketiah is leaving Leeds with Bristol City leading the chase for a loan. Good job that we dont need any attacking reinforcements as Gallagher, Brereton and co will step up to the plate.

To be fair, Gallagher played central v Birmingham and for 2/3s of the Huddersfield game and was equally ineffective. There is no logic behind him playing wide but he has been poor when played central which he has been more than half of the time. There is also a reason that he rarely if ever gets the chances that Dack and Graham have had because he lacks their anticipation and movement to be able to get half a yard or sniff the chances out. I agree with much of your general post but I have to say that Gallagher is a really poor player and should never have been signed.