I have no idea why Smallwood, Chapman and Davenport are in the same bracket. One is 28, the other 2 are 21 and 20. Smallwood is a senior player given the occasional game in the under 23s to keep his fitness levels, same as one or two others. That comes back to the U23s/Reserve team being ultimately a tool aimed with the first team always in sight, developing players to eventually play in the first team, or occasionally keeping fitness levels up, whilst winning their league would always be a healthy sign, it is not priority number one. Obviously, playing a few unfit and rusty first teamers will result in a patchy performance, same as if its done in the cups, but it suggests that Mowbray wants him fit in case he needs him, which is fair enough. But with Chapman and Davenport, why do you consider them to be bona fide first teamers, blocking the development of other young players even though they are the same or of similar age? This is the thing that I dont understand. Chapman has made 2 sub appearances in dead rubbers, and Davenport one, and neither have started any games since joining the club. Why are they solely first teamers in your mind, you are thinking of them as if they are senior players hindering much younger players development. At this moment in time, they are in exactly the same bracket as the players you mention. I dont get why Chapman is hindering Vale either, they both regularly play in the same Under 23 side, same as Butterworth. I am sure you once suggested (correct me if wrong and apologies if so) that we should always have one of our strikers in the Under 23 team, whether it be Brereton, Gallagher etc, whoever isnt involved because the Under 23s lack a striker? If so, you are sending mixed messages. And Vale, Mols and Butterworth are not necessarily still in the Under 23s because they havent been given a chance, its because perhaps they arent considered ready yet. Buckley was seen as a key performer at that level, I recall you suggesting he was the best technical player at the club, but everytime he has featured in the first team he has looked massively out of his depth.

I specifically stated Davenport and Chapman, 2 players who are between the ages of Butterworth/Rankin-Costello and White. Samuel is much more experienced and recovering from a long injury, and admittedly is crap. Hart id potentially play over the useless Bell but again I didnt mention him. So essentially you are writing them off. Chapman has started is it one league game in 2 years? Davenport maybe a dozen for Burton? None last year between them. One is 21, the other 20, and you are claiming that that should have been enough to cement first team roles if they were good enough. Their admittedly limited game time at senior level, in which both received positive reviews, and any expert tutiledge in Davenports case should be seen as positives, not suggestions that they should be written off.

Told you hes going nowhere sadly. Hes not going to fix our defensive woes or prioritise them, otherwise he would have done previously when he promised, theres no point getting your hopes up. Hes also not going to stop picking his favourite teachers pet Elliott Bennett so penalties will continue to be conceded. And our flimsy defence will be repeatedly ripped apart especially in every away game. And our crap keeper will continue to help our opponents. And the likes of Williams and Bell will continue to mess up. And we will continue to be spineless and characterless anytime there is a whiff of adversity. And our Chief Executive will continue to rip fans off for the privelidge. Otherwise, plenty to look forward to this season ?

I find it incredible that any Rovers or indeed football fan would defend such ridiciously high prices The only argument I have seen is that "they did it first" which indicates that a senior executive is allowing his own attempt at petty squabbling to be prioritised over fan affordability. The 1875 discount isnt relevant because the 15 quid discount to a new fan would be offset by the same membership fee charge. Just because the fans "knew" about the scandolous prices doesnt make it any better. I dont think you understand what defines a casual fan, someone who isnt arsed about attending, they wouldnt have planned attending this classic game months in advance. Say the weather is bad and some amateur games get called off, will them people say right lets go down and watch Rovers instead baring in mins them extortionate prices? No chance, especially with the surcharge penalising people for making a late decision. I genuinely think if tickets were 100 quid for a home game and it was moved to 4 in the morning you would still defend Waggott for it.

Why are they the most important?! On what basis? Davenport is a young highly rated player who has suffered badly from injuries but has previous experience of Championship football. You speak as if its a senior player like Smallwood blocking White's path when he plays for the U23s, when in fact Davenport is actually 2 years younger. Surely working with Pep is only a good thing? Again, why are you using Harry Chapmans senior experience against him? He is 21, Butterworth and Rankin-Costello are 20 but Chapmans exposure to mens football and proving in glimpses that he can impact games albeit at League 1 level surely is advantageous? I dont understand your attitude or mindset towards very young players who have what I would perceive to be an advantage in terms of senior football experience, which is what matters, and expert coaching. What would you do with them?

Doesnt membership cost 15 quid? Does nothing to encourage one off buying. Indefensibly high pricing.

Why are Chapman and Davenport considered to be senior players though? They have made I think 3 League appearances between them since signing, all as subs in games that didnt matter. If they are so far away from the first team they should play for the under 23s. The U23 is all about developing the young players, results and tables are secondary.

Didnt you say recently that the under 23s lacked fire power when they dont have a senior attacker, which makes sense with the goals Chapman and Samuel contributed. We have to remember the primary purpose of the Under 23s, to develop players for the first team. Chapman and Davenport are only young, it makes no sense to remove them from the under 23 picture if they arent making matchday 18s for the first team.

Very true. I had absolutely no confidence at half time that we would go on to win which is a sad state in itself. Part of it has to be a mentality thing. When we beat Hull earlier this season and ground out a successive 1 goal win I think some people got a little bit carried away as if we had turned a corner in this regard. That horribly flimsy and spineless nature to our game in particular away from home continues to haunt us. The manager continues to be unable to rectify this. Its very easy for Mowbray to pin point individual errors as he also did last year with Raya in particular but ultimately they will not be eliminated when the quality of our defensive players remains incredibly low. When we have poor players like Walton, Bennett, Bell and Williams amidst our defence then they will continue to make regular mistakes.

I still fail to see on what basis this team can be judged as a top 6 one. You are massively overstating the quality of the players. Of course the foibles of the squad are down the manager but as much as a new manager is needed, I see the current squad and dont see solutions in more than one area in terms of having a top 6 challenging quality team. Walton is horrendous, its generous to suggest he is bottom 6 quality. There is certainly no chance that the defence is anywhere near that quality, Cunningham excepted although hes a write off with injury. Lenihan is the best of the rest but injury prone and makes far too many errors and the rest again are nowhere near good enough, Bell, Williams, Nyambe and Adarabioyo, as well as jack of all trades master of none Bennett. You cant get top 6 with a defence and keeper like that. Midfield and up front, theres an imbalance there. Travis a good player, top 6? Not yet no. Dack I think youd have to say yeah, he is pushing top 6 quality with his numbers. Holtby might have that quality too, but obviously hes only started once and he wants to play where Dack is. Rothwell an enigma, should play more but (partially as a result of management) hes not proven yet as that quality week in week out at this level. Johnson, Downing and Graham all at one point perhaps but to varying degrees are subdued by age. And down at the younger side, at huge cost, Armstrong, Gallagher, Samuel, Brereton etc all certainly cant be considered top 6 players. I also think Alex Neil is a little more than decent, at this level hes up near the top.

But what is quite clear is that Bauer WOULD have been a huge upgrade on the crap we already had. Williams has been here for years and has had more than enough chances to prove that hes good enough and hes failed to do so. Shocking again yesterday. Adarabioyo is flimsy, weak, brittle, hes not a good enough defender. Bennett always seems to give away "soft pens." Hes a liability yet forever the first name on the team sheet. Hes nowhere near good enough. Preston as a team were awful first half. Waltons main weakness is goalkeeping sadly.

Didnt you say in the summer that we was right to move on from Bauer as he wasnt of the required quality to get into our starting 11? Views on Williams and Adarabioyo being not of the required quality as Championship defenders? Views on Bennett the liability continuing to give away penalties? Surely you would that Raya for all of his faults is better than the useless Walton?

Stop banging on about Cooper.

Possibly not but he certainly could influence the owners, and lets put it this way, hes hardly going to be currently trying to convince them to sack his chum. You also are implying that Venkys are logical, reasonable people. He wont be going anywhere. Dont get your hopes up.

I think he is incompetent for the work he has done off the field, as shown by a repeated failure to hit sales/attendance targets for example. He also is somewhat biased in his role, if he has any impact in potentially sacking Mowbray, because he is his friend from a previous job.

He isnt going to be going anywhere. Holding false hope that he will sacked will sadly only leave you dissapointed.

Mowbrays mate, the incompetent Steve Waggott was telling fans yesterday that basically Mowbray is going nowhere. Naive to think otherwise.

Typically predictable and cowardly collapse by a team lacking ability and character in equal measure. Walton is an absolutely horrible signing, a truly woeful keeper, probably the worst in the league. Makes the erratic Raya look like Alisson, and possibly as bad if not worse than Jason Steele. If only our sub keeper wasnt equally dreadful. No matter which of the 2 goes in net, we will concede goal after goal. Mowbrays obsession with Bennett is incredible, stuck into a new position as the weeks pass, the same conclusion, another penalty conceded. A waste of space but a teachers pet. Derrick Williams still continues to steal a living in our defence Bell continues to be incredibly passive, when the going gets tough he goes into hiding. Adarabioyo is the flimsiest, softest defender you could ever wish to see. No wonder West Brom fans mocked us when he signed. Good to see Gallagher get a goal. Sadly, the manager wont be going anywhere I dont think and anyone who thinks he will does so out of pure hope.

Venkys wont know or care if the fans turn. Think sadly his job is safe as houses under Waggott and the only chance of him going is like at Coventry if he walks.

I dont understand this fascination many have to custom build a whole management team with ex players shoehorned in. I agree with your agreement that we shouldnt appoint a manager based solely on who he supports, that shouldnt come into it. However, Ainsworth should be an option solely on his credentials ie the job he is currently doing. Javi Gracia is an interesting choice. I am very skeptical that he would come but I certainly endorse that sort of ambition as his appointment would be a real statement. Lee Bowyer has to be a consideration too, again maybe a doubt over whether he would come, but hes at a basketcase club with no budget, and is doing a superb job. Hughton is the obvious choice, him, Gracia and Bowyer are all managers who possibly wouldnt come, but theres no point settling for an average manager straight away.

So theres a bit of petulance in there when he isnt having the impact he wants, but surely the fact that he is regularly scoring and assisting proves that he is impacting games at that level.

Youve been insistent that he shouldnt be in the squad?! And what about Holtby when hes back? (For me he should possibly play alongside Travis)

I am asking someone who attends more than a couple of games a genuine question. Chapman from an outsider is regularly scoring and assisting, which is what attacking players ultimately get judged on, and getting nominated for an award only last month. Most of our attacking players in the first team do not score or assist goals anything other than incredibly infrequently. Thats why I can't get my head around the implications that his performance level is unacceptable, and am asking a regular attendee from what I can gather and one who is particularly criticial of Chapman to shed more light on the situation, speaking from a more educated position than myself.

https://www.rovers.co.uk/news/2019/october/were-searching-for-consistency/ “The performance levels of the team have been good in stages, I think back to the game against Nottingham Forest and it was really encouraging against a team who were second in the league at the time," I find this quote quite concerning, if that Forest game is the benchmark then we are in trouble. That game was typically dire and dull. “I want to try and finish in the top half of the table, hopefully the top six. We’re trying to be a better team, control games more and earn the right to win matches." I feel like hes trying to tamper expectations, but its too late after bleating about pushing for the play offs so much, as well as players that have signed doing likewise, it wont wash.

Few questions/points: - How many times have you seen the 2 centre backs you mention, as I have never heard of either? What are they like, are they likely obtainable? - You mention the 4 young lads. Buckley seems to be closest but every time he plays, he looks a million miles off being up to it IMO. Could do with a loan. You also said in the academy thread that Vale is incredibly lightweight too. Butterworth and JRC could be worth game time however. - Do you really think its realistic for whoever is manager to spend so much money? 10m on Assombolonga, Darlow and a CB permanently, then another 10-15m in the summer. No chance sadly. - Who would take any of the crap you mention in advance of their contract expiring? - Sadly it just shows how far away we are from even threatening the top 6. We essentially needed a new back 4 and goalkeeper in the summer, and a new striker. We got an inadequate goalkeeper, a very good LB whose temporary deal will now be covered by injury and a flimsy plaster over the cracks in the middle of our defence who again doesnt seem up to it. We also signed a striker who is horrendous.