@SkipDonoghue any team news?

I think that the wide areas have been quite a weak area throughout the teams that Mowbray has played, and in terms of us "scoring plenty of goals," I would suggest that goal and assist contributions have been pretty poor from that area, and we have been incredibly reliant Graham and Dack (often assisting each other) partnership and from our former set piece specialist of a centre back. The likes of Gallagher, Brereton and Samuel when played wide as wide forwards I think it would be difficult to argue have been anything other that in the main, incredibly ineffective and noticeably uncomfortable in those areas. Their combined goal and assist return from these positions would likely make for grim reading. There was also the "defensive winger" thing that Mowbray seems to have thankfully started to phase out, with the likes of Bennett, Conway and the out of position Reed mustering up a lack of attacking threat. The main success was Armstrong in his first half season in League 1, a constant menace from a wide role. Last season Mowbray had perhaps too much patience with him, and also didnt help by IMO playing him wide left where he is less effective, but even so, he was poor far more often than good and his numbers were fairly underwheming. Rothwell and Chapman are the 2 exciting and seemingly most natural players in these positions but due to the cautious nature of the manager, have ultimately both struggled for game time. Rothwell is the main one, only a couple of goals and a couple of assists but they came at the end of last season when he was excellent, started this season on the bench. Chapman under utilised in his first spell and ignored in his second spell. Downing seems to be someone who can hopefully get decent numbers in terms of scoring and assisting, and was superb v Hull, but you look at his stats in recent years and also obviously his age and there are perhaps question marks on whether he can really improve our goal contributions and also even if he can, for how long.

Nothing like a bit of hyperbole to make your point. He isnt a defender so he cant be the worst defender in the world.

To give them any credit for us not about to go out of business like Bury would be the least illogical thing ever.

Walton Bennett Lenihan Williams Cunningham Travis Johnson Rothwell Dack Downing Gallagher Subs: Leutwiler (sadly), Nyambe, Evans, Chapman, Armstrong, Graham, Rankin - Costello Gallagher and Bennett wouldnt have been in, but for me Gallagher has to start centrally after his goal yesterday and as much as I think Nyambe is better than Bennett, it would be harsh to drop the latter after 3 clean sheets.

He got an injury right at the beginning of pre season and then soon returned and started playing regularly for the under 23s, he was back fit well before the end of pre season. Mowbray has never seemed to have any faith in him, even when he signed he said he doesnt seem him as a potential starter any time soon and was quite critical of him in general presumably as an attempt to dampen down supporters wanting to see him. He definitely should be above Gallagher and Brereton in a wide role, neither are competent there but both have played there this season. Armstrong as you say Nothing to do with the "anti Mowbray no matter what" group people just want to see him given a chance in a position thats been at times somewhat of a problem position under Mowbray in terms of direct attacking contributions.

Hes been fit all season and managed 20 minutes v Oldham?

Smallwood played a poor back pass which led to the corner in the first place to be fair.

Why? Quite a few of the younger players who played looked out of their depth, notably the centre backs. Being away at a Premier League team surely wont "suit us" more than a home tie against a League 2 club.

In terms of attacking threat he has done very little and has never really looked like scoring in my opinion. People will judge players on their performances, and it makes perfect sense that people have regularly praised a defence on the back of 3 clean sheets, and also questioned an attack that gas yet to score from open play. Gallagher has played every game and is a big part of said failing attack. If you have such a problem with what you perceive to be the nature of the messageboard, what do you get from regularly reading and posting out of interest? Again, seemingly as an attempt to be funny, you have taken something massively out of context. Gallagher as an individual was far more effective under Coyle than Mowbray during his loan spell, as proven statistically. Blackburn Rovers were far less effective under Coyle. They arent mutually exclusive.

To clarify, that initial comment about Lowe was one you took out of context as a "comparison" when he was just highlighting a specific part of chaddys post showing the folly of praising a player so much for his work rate. Who has said he should be as good as Graham straight away? Totally made up argument. If your mentality is that you shouldnt judge yet, fair enough but others will and have the right to do so. I dont believe he should be in our starting 11 at this time on merit. I personally totally agree with @DE. in regards to what I also perceive to be a lack of attacking threat from Gallagher and also that Mowbrays appointment coinceded with a decrease in his effectiveness first time around.

Doesnt look like a comparison to me, more that the fact that Gallagher worked hard isnt enough to justify a place in the team. Look at Wilders comments over the weekend about work rate not being something to applaud.

Dont understand why youd change our formation away from our usual one only to change it back at the weekend. That second paragraph has nothing to do with my point about Chapman. Give him a start see what he can do and let him put a marker down to potentially improve our impotent attack. Totally get rotating the squad, totally get that the league is the main priority, cannot remotely empathise with Rovers fans saying they dont care about it.

Surely a cup game is a perfect chance to give an exciting attacking player a chance for a team who havent scored a goal in open play in 5 league games. Giving him a 20 minute cameo is a waste of time and he may aswell continue to fester in the reserves.

Who should be the front 4? Not much in the way of players cementing their places in our attack! Dack hasn't started firing, albeit our tactics havent got him in the game and he is our best player so difficult to drop. Graham and Rothwell have not been given the amount of starts (2 & 1) in the league that they will feel they warranted on the back of last season. That said, Graham perhaps more suited to home games. Downing in the main has been good but was as bad as anyone on Saturday. Gallagher hasnt scored a goal in 19 months, Brereton has one in that same period I think (may not be fit enough anyway) so neither of them are demanding a start. Armstrong has not really registered the numbers youd want from him since we signed him permanently, and Chapman has become the forgotten man. I dont really like Armstrong central, but would potentially go with Armstrong down the middle, Dack as a 10, Rothwell right, Downing left. Chapman definitely deserves a chance from the start tomorrow and taking in the squad to West Brom, and Graham obviously should travel at the weekend too.

To be fair, he played Nyambe, Platt, Grayson, Brereton and Buckley in the last round. It is a difficult draw, because Sheffield United will be packed with quality, McBurnie, Sharp, Morrison, Besic, Jagielka, Osborn etc. Make too many changes ourselves, and we wil get battered, then again we cant afford injuries to key players like Cunningham, Williams, Lenihan, Johnson, Travis, Dack or Graham. Grayson and Platt were out of their depth v Oldham.

Presumably because Gallagher for example has been given 3 chances in a row wide, following the lead of Brereton last season who when he did feature usually played wide, and its not proved a successful tactic, surely a natural wide man would be at least worth a go. No one can be sure that Chapman is the answer, but he isnt anywhere near the squad and its a massive curiosity. He played v Oldham, was hit and miss but played a couple of superb passes amidst the obvious ring rust. We saw what he is about in League 1, direct running.

There side will be full of players they have signed and are yet to get up to speed, Ravel Morrison, Phil Jagielka, Ben Osborn, Mo Besic and Oli McBurnie, plus Billy Sharp who loves scoring against us. As much as I agree that we need to name a much changed side, and I appreciate that the League is the main priority, I don't understand how a Rovers fan "doesnt care" whether we win or lose. Even at the Oldham game, was delighted with the 2 late goals. But anyway, some big selection dilemmas. With Tosin out, we are down to 2 centre backs, Nyambe can't play there effectively contrary to popular belief IMO, and Grayson and Platt proved v Oldham how far away they are, so if we play them 2 again I couldn't see past a thumping which does nobody any good. Problem is, with a lack of depth, can we afford to do anything but wrap Williams and Lenihan in cotton wool? Chapman HAS to start, not a 20 minute cameo, a start to show his worth. Would also start Armstrong and Rothwell, and would start Gallagher up front, if he fails to score again I would take him out on Saturday. Would also start Nyambe, Buckley (CM) and Walton.

That doesn't mean that I can't suggest that we should play more natural wide men! Especially when I don't think the current plan is working. Why did he sign Harry Chapman if he has no intention of playing wingers? And what about Stewart Downing? I don't think that our wide men have been particularly successful throughout his tenure to be honest, hence our over reliance on the Graham and Dack partnership. For me, our 2 wide men should come from 4, Armstrong (who I consider more of a wide man than a forward especially as hes far better right than left cutting in), Rothwell, Downing and Chapman. Brereton was often used wide last season, Gallagher this. For me it suggests that maybe he doesn't have the trust to play them regularly down the middle over Graham, but its the easiest place to get them game time. I don't think either is effective wide.

Working his socks off doesnt mean he should play every week, every player has been trying their best so that doesnt make him stand out. They havent, which I've repeatedly said is a massive concern, that the manager really needs to be getting far more from us as an attacking team, and that we have been crap going forward so far. I think the Gallagher out wide experiment should be written off as a failure, and he should only be considered as an alternative to Graham.

I understand to an extent, but my point being its nothing when youve got the luxury of a 35m strikeforce, including a striker who scored 18 in La Liga the other year, and is already top scorer in this league. With him and Ayew in the side, that sort of luxury means it is very difficult to have sympathy with the manager even if he has had to rely on loans and frees in addition to that, because them 2 are replacements for James and McBurnie themselves, and bloody good replacements at that. With firepower like that at the managers disposal youd expect a minimum top 6 finish.

The good ones tend to be. I've said a couple of times that hes putting in the graft, but thats not enough to warrant a place. He's never a wide man in a million years either.

The thing is, Dack and Graham have credit in the bank as proven performers, Rothwell has not been given a chance really (a solitary start and away at Fulham) despite his form at the end of last season. In general we havent been anywhere near good enough going forward, dont even think thats subjective, as improved as weve been defensively.

Fair enough, he did well to earn a foul out wide. He hasn't offered any threat of a goal however, which isnt ideal for a 5m striker, and the likes of Rothwell could only dream of the sort of patience that Gallagher is getting from the manager at the moment.

My main priority is always to win. BUT WE DIDNT WIN YESTERDAY! My criticisms are on the back of yesterdays impotent attacking display, which was horrid to watch and not effective. "Yes Attacking wise we need to be better" - Correct, much, much better. Theres no need to repeatedly bring in our defensive display, I completely agree that its good to see us so well organised. Having more effective attacking players does mean that its more difficult to stop Dack. Yesterday they man marked Dack fully in the knowledge that we had no attacking threat elsewhere. If Rothwell was running at them too, different story entirely. Gallagher has warranted 5 starts, offered no real goal threat yet hes done well, whereas in your mind Rothwell deserved to be dropped from the start of the season. Totally devoid of sense.