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Ok so it was time to move on after successive coaches couldn't match what he offered to a team and he didn't step up to what was needed from him. However it's really odd they then went like for like in his replacement on the payroll presumably just based on this lad being of bigger more athletic build. But cut from the same lacadaisical cloth and still struggling to fit the style of play...whatever that actually is.

This argument always surprises me as surely we should look at ourselves first and consider the profits that English football has or is currently making from dictatorships and exploitative corporations. That's not to mention our British governments role. Seems to me, once we have got our house in order, we can go and try to sort out the rest of the world.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cj0e85lm36no Six subs incoming. Can't have those pesky diddy teams crossing the drawbridge.

River didn't have a say in it last time it rained

Cheers Gav. Probably for another thread but I remember Vox Pop like it was yesterday and knew lots of the characters.

Chiesa was pretty special throughout that tournament. Injuries have set him back a lot, but in 2020/21 he was one of the best attacking midfield options in Europe.

My point is that he doesnt really play that same role for Forest so there are question marks about his suitability in playing that holding role and how he would fare against proper opposition. A few games against crap teams in which England werent tested doesnt answer those question marks. Neither does anything he did in under age groups, although I have probably as little idea as you as to whether he even played there. Hes a good player, I am merely questioning how good he actually is, we have a habit of overhyping players based on a couple of games against crap teams. And also more importantly, how suited he is to that particular role. That Gerrard and Lampard line is just a recycled one used out of context here. I am noy saying that we should stick all of Bellingham, Palmer and Foden all in and try to squeeze them in as we have in the past, I did say that we are correct to try and be more balanced. But there has to be room for one of them in what is their natural position. Any of the 3 are a couple of levels above the likes of Rogers and if we cant get any of these in the team then something is wrong. I refuse to accept that say Bellingham playing as a number 10 ie his natural position is not good for the team.

I remember reading the story of Herbie Arthur in the snowstorm game against Burnley when I was about 6 and it captured my imagination. To date it's still one of my favourite stories. For those that aren't aware, I've included it below. "Burnley was the scene on December 12th, 1891, of an incident with which Arthur's name will ever be associated. Sir Charles Clegg, now the president of the Football Association, was the referee, and in a blinding snowstorm Burnley led at half-time by three goals. The second half had not been long in progress when two players, between whom there had been earlier friction, squared up again. Both men received marching orders. The whole of the Rovers team, with the exception of Arthur, followed to the dressing-room, and could not be persuaded to return. Thereupon, Mr. Clegg, as he then was, directed Burnley to recommence the game―with 'Herby' Arthur against ten men. In this predicament the goalkeeper successfully claimed for offside, and rallied so long in taking the free kick that the referee applied the closure."

Well so far so good for him. He played a similar role for England during the under 21's tournament this season. Limited experience? You mean recent opponents? You can only play who we played but for me, its how he plays the 6 role and the partnership with Rice which both seem to suit each other games. But does it suit the team better tho? That's what matters surely? Team first? We tried to fit Gerrard and Lampard into the same system and it never worked out

Not football related, but filmed in Darwen, with Darreners:

Getting gates of 1600+ at tier 7 level they are an exception which explains decision to opt out. On a personal note if Bamber Bridge mess with the 3pm kick off on a Saturday I won't be bothering. Think this is an awful decision to change kick off times for streaming. Hope large numbers of clubs opt out.

Our fans in general seem to grow unhealthy dislikes of departed managers here despite them all doing good jobs here before being undermined by Venkys. There seems to be a lot taking great happiness in Tomasson's struggles. There was the embarassing snake stuff at Derby away which I suspect will be repeated next month. And even Mowbray, the level of over the top hatred rather than focusing on the real problem.

I do agree to an extent on Bellingham, I have seen him both in the Champions League and for England and he is capable of scoring goals and bits of magic but it has been amidst spells of anonymity. That being said, there has to be a way of getting one of Bellingham, Palmer or Foden in that role. Any of the 3 are better than Rogers.

A couple of years ago I thought Bellingham was unbelievable. Since he went to madrid though, when ive seen him for england he seems to me to have developed a massive Ego. His performance for England has dropped from an all action all rounder to someone who only moves when they have the ball. I get the impression hes a difficult character to have around and the squad dont particularly get on with him.

That isnt a constructive reply to suggestions that there are still question marks over how good he is and moreso, whether he is best suited to a role he has limited experience of playing. Playing against recent position doesnt disprove that.

If it's pishing down with rain then the river might have a say in it.

Naturally, but we're trying to come up with a definitive 150 names.

What happens when we've been beaten by Derby, fans are up in arms and it's pishing down with rain? They expecting people to hang round another 90 mins to watch some has beens and never beens play? No chance

The thing is, you can't really know at this point. Players can falter or accelerate in their development rapidly. At one point, Grant Hanley was considered a superior prospect to Phil Jones. Adam Henley was allegedly being scouted by Real Madrid after putting in corking performances against Manure and Liverpool. We didn't need Zidane because we had Tim Sherwood. Obviously we can't sign them all up, but we should be signing up the most promising ones, and the ones handling their current level best. Not just the ones we currently think are going to be Championship level.

Surely every single one of them deserves recognition.🤔

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - O'Malley's Bar

For clarity and frames of reference this project started in the summer. Thanks to The Lancashire (Evening) Telegraph, BBC. The Books of Mike Jackman and Harry Berry. The FA and Scottish FA websites, Spartacus Eductaional, England Football Online. The National Football Museum and others who have added personal oral histories. I'd also heartily recommend and thank the Staff and volunteers at Blackburn Library and in particular their website http://www.cottontown.org Under the guidance of Mike Sumner they Break down and add more detail to the nominees and other figures of each era from 1880s-1990s. Huge thanks to Mike. https://www.cottontown.org/Culture and Leisure/Sport/Pages/Blackburn-Rovers-Players-1880s-to-1990s.aspx

Id say tactically we can probably have two different forward lines depending on if Kane plays or not. If hes on then prioritise runners like Gordon, Morgan and Rashford to get beyond him. If he's out have Watkins doing the running and have more technical players in behind like Belligham and Palmer. Its all about reducing the congestion in the number 10 position. Seems daft to be so dependent tactically on Kane but his scoring record is ridiculous and getting better, so we need to accommodate him.

Dunn & Tyjon are the most likely Joseph, Vare, Sergeant, Decandia & Leatherbarrow have not looked out of their depth at U21 level thus far (especially given that they are all 17/18 years of age) and must surely be worth a year or 2 on a pro deal to see how they progress

Who was in charge of the Rovers under 21's?