What? We were shocking until the goal, set up was terrible and the Buckley sub was so bad he subbed him again. I’ll give you that the 3 subs of Dack, Gallagher and Brereton were good though. Looked more in control then - though could have been as Boro lost it after conceding.

We looked awful until the goal, not sure if it was the stuffing knocked out of them, or the subs we made. Should have been a red and a penalty. The starting line up was completely wrong as was the Buckley sub. I just don’t understand what goes through his head at times. Kaminski - Such a great signing. Another strong performance. MOTM for me Branthwaite - Should have been a red and penalty. Hopefully he puts it behind him and the clean sheet breeds confidence. Buckley - Well off the pace, he should have been the 4th choice sub after Brereton (move Rothwell), Dack and Trybull. Dack - Looked quality, embarrassing all the prematch doubt from Joe and Chaddy. Great through ball for Gallagher where Armstrong should have scored. He’s comfortably our best player alongside Elliott and needs to start Armstrong - I thought he put in a decent shift today. Had some pretty good chances, 2 very good ones and fluffed them both completely. Never a £30m player but he’s good and easily our best striking option. Douglas - Clearly has his flaws but he’s so much better than Bell. More comfortable on the ball and offers something going forward (2 layoffs to Arma and a chance for himself today). Brereton and Gallagher both played well coming on too. Not really sure what Davenport offers us, what style of midfielder he is - likely would have got some stick here if it wasn’t for Buckley.

Take it round the keeper! He did the same in a match earlier in the season

Shocking defending for the Rothwell run, but great play from Elliott and Armstrong.

Can’t be any worse than what’s currently out there.

Well about 30 seconds later you posted that our tactics are to wait for the magic from him or Elliott.

Rothwell would comfortably. Just not as a left winger / left forward. It’s classic Mowbray - throw players all over the show as long as they’re not in their natural position

Yeah exactly. Absolutely nothing in midfield (one of the reasons I think our 433 doesn’t work - as well as how exposed our full backs are defensively)

This team is relegation fodder with the exception of the front 3 and Kaminski

So 4-3-3 allegedly suits Armstrong and Elliott, what about the other 9 players? Because we look worse in defence and midfield, and we’ve certainly not improved as a team year on year, or year on 2year. This is despite loaning what you’re calling our best / 2nd best player as well as improving at GK and not selling anybody. When I weigh up the pros and cons I see more benefit to a 4231 than a 433 with our current team and I think the last 3 years show that, despite spending more money, not selling anyone, getting in players on loan we’re regressing in the league on previous years. If you genuinely think it’s working and you’re all in favour of 433 I have to question if you’ve actually been watching for the last 2 months as it’s frankly been pathetic. I honestly can’t remember the last time we dominated in midfield (against 11 players) - maybe the Derby match? All well and good against 10 men Wycombe and Coventry. The system clearly doesn’t work, or it doesn’t work with the players he’s using (half fit Travis and a carthorse in Johnson).

Live on Sky in the middle of a transfer window.... 10 shots for Armstrong and a 1-0 Rovers defeat.

Here is the Steele clip...

Has he ever won an FA cup game with us?

He actually looks like he’s falling asleep sat down there. I just can’t support this anymore. It’s turgid stuff and I’ve seen nothing over the last 10 games that can prove otherwise.

This pitch is as bad as what I saw at Chorley earlier. Elliott is a mile ahead of the rest. Mowbray really is running out of excuses. 2nd week of January and we’re 11th in the league, out of one cup and heading out of the other at first attempt to a lower league team.

Yep true, considering the 3 CMs are all ‘holding’ types. They did get in between the midfield and defensive line far too easily.

Dolan and Trybull both been okay. Not much to say about the rest. Bell isn’t good enough, I don’t think he’s even much of a L1 defender in all honesty. Seeing Henley on the bench for Chorley makes you think how far a player could drop. Youth team LB must offer more than what we’ve seen from Bell or Douglas. Shocking from Pears. Johnson and Lenhian both stood off too much. Over a week into the transfer window and we still need a LB and 2 x CB. It will be the same cobbled defence for the next league game and probably the one after that.

27 Goals in 170 (in League 1).....Well Keith Andrews scored 15 goals in 86 Championship appearances after he left us. I don't think many regret letting him go though. The majority of this board will never have seen Whiteman play so can't really comment on whether he is this or that. If we're going to spend a few million then it's CBs we need not CMs. Assuming Mercer is on the wind up if he's saying he'd play a lad whose never played above L1 ahead of a player who made 16 appearances in the Premier League last year (31 appearances in a title winning Championship side the year prior) and has also played in the Bundesliga. Then again, I bet he's never seen Whiteman even kick a football and probably only watched Trybull across a handful of appearances for us. Not like him to voice a big opinion though.

Having said that....Sparks will be donning the lilywhite soon...

Well - Preston have just signed Ched Evans. That club is a bit of a mess, yet they sit level on points with us and an extra win to their name.

I'd go pretty similar to this except Thompson for Bell and Butterworth for Brereton. Would also rest Lenihan but not sure who is available to replace him?

Whoever we get, let’s do it quick so they’re ready to start from the 16th Jan

Absolutely brilliant to see Dacky slot that. Superb finish.

He was ref when we played Luton and waived away the two penalties at the end. One on Arma and one on Brereton I think.

Not sure if this is in jest or not, but there are 6 teams between ourselves and Reading 😂 we’re still in the bottom half with this win.