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To be honest i expect that lot to expose us in the same way Derby did whoever turns out for us. Just don't think it's wise throwing him in a game like this you need lads of the quality of Van Hecke to do that. I'd prefer to ease him in against weaker opposition first and as you say he's 22 and was at Chorley, that doesn't bode very well in my humble opinion.

That's fair enough when you already have a good solid first 11 plus back up in key positions and are expecting midtable mediocrity. It's no good at all when you've got rid of every good player and replaced with inexperienced foreigners and others who've never played in the Championship. In fact it's a self inflicted for relegation policy and something that nearly happened a couple of years ago with a better squad. These people need to walk the plank they really do.

He's 22, not a kid anymore , 6'3" apparently. Just don't see any alternative if we stick with a back 3. You could also argue what's the point of having academy players if you aren't going to play them, especially in dire need like this You saw what shuffling the pack did in the last game , it was a shambles tbh

It looks absolutely dreadful.

Oh dear https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/ckgkg1d49v7o

Throwing a kid in to a game like this when hes only had a brief loan at Chorley really isn't a smart thing to do. There are still enough experienced pros in the squad to shuffle the pack and come up with something otherwise what's the point of having them.

He'd been quite heavily strapped up for a number of games prior to the injury - if anything, I suspect that we were expecting him to play through knocks (and it backfired). If he was after a move, I'm not sure being sat on his arse would be his best method. Especially when you consider that he's been - by some distance - our best player this season so far.

If Ismael is being honest about creating pathways for some of the academy lads, the surely he has to hand a chance to Pratt tomorrow. After the Hedges disaster last week (not blaming him for that btw), it has to be back to round pegs in round holes . Pratt surely can't do any worse. It has to be a back 3 for me as I really don't see Miller and McLoughlin in a back 4. This is something we all knew was going to happen and now it's being realised as injuries start to bite hard

Free agent ain’t happening. Ismael said that a few weeks back. Guess we just have to be miserable until we sign one

We have 12 championship fixtures before we can realistically expect a new CB to be signed in Jan. Surely we need to find a free agent like Craig Dawson ASAP. Our season trajectory will be determined by this congested period and responsible owners and management would be moving mountains to make this happen.

From Ismael I hasten to add.

Ha ha fair play to them it's a local derby and it's banter the way it should be, we know whose made the biggest club in Lancashire the laughing stock of our little neighbours. They only ever turn up to see Rovers anyway and it'll sweet to stick the chickens up their arses by 10pm if by some miracle the depleted team wins.

I might nip down to Spud Bros, I need a new squeaky chicken

Oh please no, not squeaky chickens ☹️ Christ if that upsets you I suggest you don't attend 🤣

Oh wow. We’re being taken the absolute mic out of by Preston. Venkys you are a disgrace 👍🏻

Ismael’s PR excuses for not bringing in another centre half are very insulting to the fans who have half a brain.

Away fans look like they are in the Enclosure area (Darwen End) and the Nuttall Street Upper (DE) in that video. I don’t remember away fans in the seats. Did they use to have half the stand when they had the upper?

Has he? Was known as a top player when he played, known as one now.

That's absolute BS. You can have as many U21 players as you like. If they're good enough they'll break into the side. What he means is: "We dont want to pay the wages of 25 senior players"

Nobody is claiming Tugay to be one of the best Premier League players of all time though. As I've said previously, Scholes was top class and there's no denying that but in more recent years he's been elevated to this legendary status that is a level beyond where he actually was. Time will tell which level Adam Wharton will be at. We all know he's pure quality but we'll have to wait and see if he cracks that very top layer.

Ardiles and Archibald great names in the game but very little impact at Ewood imo (apart from bringing the extra crowd in).

Who the fuck designed that, willy wonka?

2012 and 2017...Similar close season decisions. Beginning the season demonstrably weaker and unready...

Why is it harsh? Im not having a go at him personally (im not Ismael) and I appreciate that he wont be enjoying the situation, far from it. But he is a waste of space in terms of as a resource for a football club. He cannot even get through a week of training without picking up a new injury. Obviously, any anger at the situation should be aimed 100% at those who knowing the injury records of our 3 centre backs (which isnt enough anyway) allowed the summer window to unfold as it did.

I've always puzzled about how Cantwell came to be at the Club on so much more money than anyone else, especially when the general trend for wages is very much in the other direction. Paul Mani opined in the past that Eustace threatened to walk out in the 2024-25 close season after having promises reneged upon and that they had to basically bribe him to stay by signing Cantwell and one or two others. Taking that in conjunction with your post it starts to make sense. - Eustace threatens to walk and Waggott has to pull a couple of rabbits out of hats on a limited budget. - Waggott pulls his usual con trick on the Cantwell deal and changes the goalposts at the last minute. Unusually it works as Rangers are relatively desperate to get shut - Waggott manages to get the deal past the Finance Director as in this instance despite the high wages, "the flex" comes from no up front fee. - Gestede and Suhail aren't happy with the deal as his wages are totally out of sync with the new wage policy in general. Cantwell is now approaching 50 senior appearances and they both want his wages off the payroll in general and dont want to make any extra payment that will be triggered at that point. Right that's it - re-secure tinfoil hat and back to the bunker.