Congratulations to the under 23's

[robinrover]

They have secured their place in the top flight after last night's win against man city
The future is very bright
Tony Mowbray has dropped a hint that the last 4 games he will experiment with some of the academy players but who should we expect to in?
Both Davenport and Chapman should expect roles now
So what about the actual academy talent?
Would love Rankin Costello to have a role but the emergence of Rothwell and dack finding form again,means he will probably not be given the chance.
Vale?possibly a bit too soon for him
Another season in the reserves will do wonders for him.
So just Butterworth
He must be getting a chance soon but nuttall and brereton will also be asking the same questions.

[alfinyalcabo]

Well done indeed ..I wonder just how many of these youths will go on to make a future in the game nowadays.. Most likely about one in every thousand..

[robinrover]

Well we have
Raya
Nyambe
Lenihan
Travis
All in the first team,progressing from the reserves.
Magloire and Buckley made a couple of appearances for the first team.
Now I am not saying every one will be superstars but it's certainly the way forward for a club with little cash like us.

[alfinyalcabo]

It's the way forward for us as well,Dwight McNeil is a shining example who signed for us when Utd released him at 14 ...

[AucklandRover]

They have secured their place in the top flight after last night's win against man city
The future is very bright
Tony Mowbray has dropped a hint that the last 4 games he will experiment with some of the academy players but who should we expect to in?
Both Davenport and Chapman should expect roles now
So what about the actual academy talent?
Would love Rankin Costello to have a role but the emergence of Rothwell and dack finding form again,means he will probably not be given the chance.
Vale?possibly a bit too soon for him
Another season in the reserves will do wonders for him.
So just Butterworth
He must be getting a chance soon but nuttall and brereton will also be asking the same questions.

Interestingly, Robin, Rankin-Costello has been playing at right-back recently, but we surely need Nyambe back in that spot to try and get his confidence restored.
If we are keeping Leutwiler, he should get at least one start. Other than that, I would like to keep Lenihan, Williams and Bell in defence, just because their partnership needs to be cemented.
Further forwards, it's probably going to be a case of giving several a go, but not too many at the same time. In fairness to Rotherham, Wigan, etc, I don't feel we should put out too experimental a side against QPR, but we won't have that restriction in the other three games.
If Brereton is tried again, surely it has to be alongside Graham (or Nuttall), in Dack's position.
The others we will probably see at some point are Davenport, Chapman, Butterworth, Buckley and R-C.
How about this for the Bolton game?
Leutwiler
Nyambe Lenihan Williams Bell
Chapman Travis Davenport Rothwell
Butterworth Nuttall.

[robinrover]

I would be more inclined to field a slightly more experimental side against QPR rather than bolton.
Derby games carry a extra edge which requires experience,no matter how down and out they look.
That said I wouldn't change a thing to the first team on Saturday however I would have Buckley,Davenport,Chapman and Butterworth on the bench.
Oh and as for leutwiler I think his time is up
His contract is up in the summer,so I would imagine tony Mowbray will be scouting someone now
I would try the lad in the reserves he has done well this season(I think it's alberson)we need to look to the future now we are safe
Sadly leutwiler is not part of those plans.

[champs95]

I would be more inclined to field a slightly more experimental side against QPR rather than bolton.
Derby games carry a extra edge which requires experience,no matter how down and out they look.
That said I wouldn't change a thing to the first team on Saturday however I would have Buckley,Davenport,Chapman and Butterworth on the bench.
Oh and as for leutwiler I think his time is up
His contract is up in the summer,so I would imagine tony Mowbray will be scouting someone now
I would try the lad in the reserves he has done well this season(I think it's alberson)we need to look to the future now we are safe
Sadly leutwiler is not part of those plans.

I don't think I am going to be popular with this one, as he is one of our own. But having seen him play in almost very game at this level, I don't think Raya is good enough to be a number one. I would possibly let him go.
He is not a number one Championship keeper.
Westwood at Sheff Wed is the exact type we need. A proper keeper. Tall, makes saves, commands his area.
I am not even debating this, I made my feelings about Raya made in the summer. And its really cost us. He is weak and not good enough on crosses. You cant have a small, weak keeper at this level. And leaving him with no back up was stupid. He was doing better than I imagined up to when he got decked away at WBA. Since then his confidence is shot. If we want to push on at this level, we will need a proper keeper. That earns us points. Raya is an okay shot stopper, but woeful on crosses. He gave another goal away on Sat at Forest.

We have had a season where we have been more than fair with the likes of Smallwood, Raya etc and yes it is sad to see some of them go. But move on they must. We need to upgrade our squad. As much as I like Ritchie, he has been a brilliant pro for us. And helped get us promoted. I will aloways be graeful for that. Equally, I want him to play football every week. Because he is good enough for that. But a league down from ours is his level. Probably the same for Nuttall, and Raya. I like all these lads, they just aren't good enough. And we cant carry passengers. I'd say the exact same about Mulgrew who also desperately needs to be moved on. We owe him nothing, and he has cost is just too many points over a season. Way more than the goals he gets, which gain us very few points in reality.

[champs95]

Re what TM has said about blooding young players in the remaining games.
You NEVER field a whole team, from 1-11 of young players. As its massively counter productive, which is why nobody does it. We'd lose about 5 or 6 nil.
No, you blood one or two (no more) alongside the experienced lads, and see how they fit in.
We wouldn't field a side of Under 23's all together at once in a league game with points and money at stake, as it would end in disaster. So no point starting it now.

I expect to see Chapman, Butterworth, Magloire and Buckley, maybe Rankin Costello?
Weirdly I don't expect to see Brereton.
I will however maintain, like Travis and Rothwell, keeping him back until we find an effective position, will eventually see the best of him. And I do still believe in TM and believe he will come good next season. I just don't think we play a system at this moment, where he will play. Or one that suits him.
He runs from deep, and is quick. But isn't a winger. And most definitely not a striker in the mould of Graham. I know Auck's also suggested this, we could look at playing two number 10's. Him and Dack behind the central striker. But that would mean not playing a winger. Things to consider, and more options. Going forward we have so many options. Personally, I don't think we need to spend a penny or bother going for a striker. Graham will imo ....... stay at Rovers as a coach, and develop here. And play a limited amount of game time. We have Samuel, we have Brereton, we have Dack, who could play further forward. We have Butterworth, we have lots of options. If we get another in, then its another player to be missing out most weeks. I think we will adapt the formation, to suit what we have. And that includes Brereton.
We need strengthening at the back, massively. A new RB at least 2 Centre halves, and definitely a CM. My personal favourite to replace Smallwood, is Barry Bannan (at Sheff wed) and I'd personally go for Westwood who is their keeper. Both are the exact type we need to improve. I would like Reed to come back, but not sure on that one?
So for me, we need a keeper, who would be number one. 2 Centre halves (Bauer and someone with Champ experience) a right back to replace Nyambe, and a centre mid to replace Smallwood. I'd keep Evans, he is fine next to Travis.

[AucklandRover]

Very interesting thoughts, Robin and Champs.
The formation stuff is surely going to continue to be flexible.
On the Telegraph site, you always get people saying, "Pick the best XI, and play them in their best positions", but that's not modern football.
TM has not always got this right, by any means, but what he has been TRYING to do is to match the team and the formation up with the opposition's strengths and weaknesses.
Picking up the point of the two No. 10s, we have also heard TM talking recently about the No. 8 spot - the old-fashioned "inside forward". We now have a lot of attack-minded players, but it is only possible to play an absolute maximum of five of those at any one time.
The following can all play out wide, but I would say only the first two named are proper old-style wingers: Chapman, Gladwin, Conway, Bennett, Armstrong, Rothwell, Brereton, Rankin-Costello. (I am assuming Reed won't be with us next season, by the way).
Of course, Bennett and Conway are much more often used as 'wide midfielders', with support of the full-backs in mind.
Now - along with Samuel and Butterworth - Armstrong and Brereton would almost certainly prefer the 'secondary striker' role, presently occupied by Dack.
As proper centre-forwards, we only have Graham and Nuttall, and the latter may not be quite good enough.
That leaves Rothwell, and I am assuming he is the one Mowbray sees as being best suited to that roaming No. 8 role, between midfield and attack.
In the more defensive areas of midfield, we have Travis, Davenport, Evans, Buckley and Smallwood. Probably, though, RS WILL be leaving. (The other midfielder who has had a lot of praise recently is Jack Vale - only 18).
What I am getting at is that - even leaving aside new signings - we aren't going to be looking at the same formation every week. Assuming Dack and Graham are still with us and first choices, and that Rothwell and Travis have made themselves very difficult to drop, we appear to have nine places taken (whoever the back five are). So, do we play with only ONE 'holding' player (Travis), a winger (Chapman) and a utility player (Bennett, Conway or Buckley, for example)? If so, a lot of people are going to miss out on a weekly basis. Can Rothwell be turned into a play-maker in central midfield? It's possible, but that would then put a hell of a lot of pressure on Travis, behind him, in a 4-4-2.
If we could get hold of someone else for that role who is guaranteed a place, that would probably take up most of our budget, because the gambling compromises (Murphy and Whittingham) haven't paid off. I have been reading that Tom Cairney has struggled in the PL (as the central play-maker), despite having starred in that role last season. All the same, he is valued at 20 MILLION! You see what I mean.
Obviously, there are going to be defensive changes as well, but I am really focusing on the shape and composition of our front six. To sum up, the choices (assuming Reed leaves):
Defensive/Holding Central Midfield: Travis, Davenport, Evans, (Smallwood), Buckley (can play a more creative role too).
Wide Right: Chapman, Bennett, Rankin-Costello (flexible), (Vale - can play either side, apparently)
Wide Left: Conway, Gladwin, (Vale)
Creative Central Midfield: Rothwell(?), A.N. Other
No. 8: Rothwell(?)
Secondary Striker: Dack, Armstrong, Samuel, Brereton, Butterworth.
Centre Forward: Graham, Nuttall, A.N. Other.

I have indicated the spots where I think we need strengthening. Elsewhere, we are spoiled for choice.
This is where flexibility and horses-for-courses come in. Assuming we do get the two A.N. Others shown, I would be a bit a lost when it comes to choosing the "best" six.
I know there are always injuries to take into account, but being a manager is still a hell of a juggling act. As far as I can see, even if no other youngsters come into contention, TM will be looking at starting with 6 from between 18 and 20!!

[robinrover]

Good posts champs and aucks.
I am not ready to throw raya on the out list however I completely agree with champs that he needs genuine competition.
The defence I also agree with,maybe Williams can be converted to a centre back,he looks far more comfortable there
If so that would be a need for one commanding centre back
A right back 100 percent yes and someone to push at left back against bell
I really like Doyle but he never gets mentioned anymore despite good performances for the reserves.