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I predicted a while ago that heading the ball will be banned at some point in the future.

To be fair to our friends on PNE online they have admitted we were the better side on the night and deserved the win...just need to stop all the cocky pre match bollox and eat that humble Spud!.

I doubt they actually practice heading goals at training, its a fading art.

Great performance that I didn't see coming. We do seem to be a completely different outfit away from home. Maybe playing with less pressure and not expected to take games by the scruff of the neck. Regardless, we were definitely the better team last night. Apart from the crazy 15 seconds which led to the Preston goal, that back 3/5 looked okay. Very pleased for Pratt to see him step up and deliver. I couldn't really fault the performance of any of the starting 11 who all worked their socks off. The subs all did well when they came on. One exception was Maktar Gueye, who honestly. I give up with. I know he has put the ball in the net on a couple of occasions, but he might be the least gifted striker we've ever signed and his attitude stinks to boot. The poor man's Grabbi

I love that green kit but its virtually never seen. What's the point----money?

By switching to a back 3, we've now shot ourselves in the foot with the summer business, quite spectacularly. We need another centre back, although huge credit to Pratt for last night. Huge question marks over the long term fitness of Wharton and Carter, although Wharton did sign a new deal recently, so he's going no where. We need a commanding centre mid, who can really impose himself on the game in the middle of the park. Tronstad was excellent last night and Montgomery played his part too but oddly, he drifted to the left hand side a lot. Not sure if that was tactical or just the player. Neither are they commanding midfielder though. Wingbacks need a serious look, we've got 4 left wing backs, Hedges, De Neve, Riberio and Picks and only Alebiosu on the right. Crazily unbalanced. I suspect both Riberio and Pickering will be binned off in January. Attacking midfield also presents a problem as we've now got Morishita, Henrikson and Cantwell vying for 1 place. The obvious candidate to depart would be Cantwell, based on his wages alone but he's captain and probably the better of the 3. Kargbo now doesn't really have a role, likey used as a striker when back but not sure if he even is one or indeed anywhere near good enough. Jury is well and truly out on the lad. After a crazy amount of recruitment in the summer, we now find ourselves needing a reasonable overhaul of players again across the next 2 windows.

The thing is it soon will be. Everyone's for sale.

Alebiousu again had an massive game... could had scored some goals from his crosses.

He set out to hurt Baradji with that challenge, no doubt.

Maybe they should play the home games in that beautiful gold kit too. They look at each other and think they're Brazil.

We now got a long break until wednesday night. We need 3 points at home against QPR.

Such a daft comment after the Indian series earlier this year, did you miss that series Tyrone?

Following Rovers away from home this season, Charlton apart, has been a real joy. We look solid at the back and swift in attack. I thought some of our football last night was a joy to watch. The interplay between Ohashi and Morishita really caused North End no amount of problems. Ohashi's workrate is unbelievable as was that of Tronstad and Hedges. These three players epitomise how Ismael wants to play and it's so enjoyable to watch. I thought young Pratt did ever so well on his debut and looked the part. Prior to the game I heard fans criticising his selection and saying what a state we are in when a kid has to play. Yet I remember other youngsters in the past being thrown in - England, Pickering, Metcalfe, Faz, Barker, Jones etc - and it proved the making of them. There is no point in having an Academy if these youngsters don't get a chance. Yes, they'll make mistakes but that's part of the learning process. The home form remains a conundrum, but if we can get that right we could have a more than decent season. This team is nowhere near as bad as some are making out.

I thought after a rough 25 minutes or so we took control of the game and were much the better side. We just played football and they didnt like it, they tried to kick us off the park and intimidate and bully us and it didn't work at all, we stood up to it very well. Morishita, Montgomery, Tronstad and Hedges were superb I thought. Full of energy, determination and a bit of quality at times too. Pratt deserves a special mention though, the lad was playing against Congleton Town 2 months ago and to come into a game like that for your professional debut and not look out of place or too shakes, I thought was brilliant. Need to sort that home form out now.

Pears is a below-average Championship keeper. Nothing more, nothing less. And that includes spells where he's been terrible or where he's been excellent (Nov-Dec 2024 under Eustace springs to mind) Can imagine the bean counters have been fuming that he's sitting on the bench on a decent-ish wage (if it wasn't for Toth's injury, I presume they were going to try to flog him off again in January. To be fair, now that Toth has supplanted him, they probably should try to reallocate the budget accordingly...), but could certainly do worse for a backup keeper.

100% they’ll drop off. They just don’t have the depth. Have a couple of quality players that’s about it. Good manager, don’t get me wrong, but squad wise, horrendous. I’m just glad we’ve finally put them in their place and just dominated them as we should.

Jim, that’s all they know. They can’t play any other way.

To lose in 2 days like that requires a special kind of uselessness. McCullum and Stokes have questions to answer about the approach to that game in view of England's poor preparation for the series and the players need to look at themselves and rein in the Bazball nonsense and play proper Test cricket, which means patience and playing each ball on its merits.

Only praising us because they know where they belong. As Sherwelood said they're riding in a false position. Everyone knows PNEs football isn't top 6 stuff. They'll drop soon enough, and with the points being close that top box will be playing switcheroo toward the end of the season.

Sounds like they bowled like it today. The idea was to bat all day today and give them a rest. As it was they’re back bowling again in no time.

Have a few mates from Preston and a colleague. Was lovely to give em a bit of stick today and rightly so.

We deffo need a back up for Alebiosu in the next window

Great night. Thoroughly enjoyed it, but it was really only an anaesthetic. Even in my joy, I played back some of Radio Lancs Sport on the computer.... and it pissed me off. What chance have we got! Bayes being all too gentle around the last minute transfer window departure of Dom Hyam and the concern about two injury prone centre halves, "Everybody makes mistakes" etc. Is this in the context of what happened to Elliot Jackson? Think "Quiet, piggie" and the BBC ....Then, Kevin Gallacher going on about "in hindsight".. F***** Hell! In risk assessment terms, the risk of that kamikaze decision was blindingly obvious and explicit. At the time, I was almost certain that both SW and HC would be injured again, probably at the same time and that the consequences were likely to be very serious for the future of the club.. I can't think of one supporter, who could not have foreseen that...

I thought we didnt want to be too open or gift them loads of chances in the first 30 mins hence why we didnt attack too much. After that we dominated the game and were deserved winners. Sherwood's comments about Rovers's performance were spot on. Still cant believe Whiteman got away with that clear red card Still buzzing about the win and performance. My PNE's supporting work colleagues were full of praise for our performance and slamming their own team's performance.

I’ve only seen the highlights so I can’t really comment on performances. I thought the header from Gudjohnsen was top notch, they are very easy to get wrong at that angle. The lad can finish, not much doubt about that. Gueye should have scored with his header, how can a big guy be so poor at heading the ball ? All in all a great win. I couldn’t see that coming at 8.00 pm with so many players being out for one reason or another. 100% effort from every player and that’s all I ever ask for from Rovers players. Has I’ve said before the players are playing for the manager so we might has well get behind him. The set piece coach is earning his corn, that’s good to see. Top marks for Miller playing after flying all over the world last week.