Need this fraud of a captain out of the club in the summer. He's an absolute liability and a coward of a centre half / captain. Carter and Wharton are both ahead of him IMO.

Agree with this. If Rovers stay up this season it'll only be delaying the inevitable. More cost cutting in the summer with Szmodics and probably one or two others will leave to generate some income and will be replaced with young loans from the top division, or cheapo permanent signings of injury prone players (Fleck) or inexperienced at Championship level (Telalovic). I can see us easily spending some time in League Two in the near future should Venkys still be stinking out the club, and its an awfully long way back from there.

Well, what was a 'must not lose' game yesterday has led us to a 'must win' game on Saturday. Coventry are having a hell of a busy week having gone the distance yesterday, with Hull on Wednesday night and then Rovers on Saturday. We'll have to be hoping there are some tired legs in that team. Coventry's attacking players are a polar opposite to ours (Szmodics aside). All of them pose a threat whereas we are relying on one player to do the job while Gallagher, Dolan, etc. flounder. Honestly don't know what to expect. Will it be the Rovers that beat and Leeds or will it be the Rovers that lose to Bristol City and Sheffield Wednesday? My head says it'll be the latter but my heart is desperately clinging to the former. Predicted team: Pears Brittain Carter Hyam Pickering Tronstad Ayari JRC Gallagher Szmodics Dolan I should add, Coventry's performance in the cup yesterday will obviously make it look a daunting task for Rovers to beat them, but it is doable...Birmingham beat them 3-0 last weekend.

I really think this current squad is one of the most unlikeable groups we've had in my 30 odd years supporting Rovers. Maybe I was spoiled early on by getting into the sport in the early 90's when we were blessed with Shearer, Ripley, Wilcox, Atkins, Sherwood, etc...but I honestly am sick to death of seeing some of the same faces in blue and white every week. This current crop, Szmodics aside are absolutely spineless. When we went down to League One last time I still felt we had a decent core group of good senior pros that'd show their character and do the job to bounce straight back (Mulgrew, Bennett, Graham, Conway, Lenihan, Williams to name a few) but this time round I'm looking at the group and I just don't see that at all. The squad has gradually been gutted of any personality and charisma. If we go down this season, which is now a real possibility again after today then we'll be getting outspent by Hollywood Wrexham whilst battling Mansfield and Stockport to stay in the 3rd tier. The club desperately needs a refresh from top to bottom.

Absolutely gutless performance from start to finish. We had 2 great chances, scored 1 of them. The rest of it was as dire as it gets. Our performances against teams in and around us this season should cost us, but I think we'll probably muster a draw next weekend and that'll see us safe for this season at least. Next season I fear the worst, we could be a Rotherham style team next year when Szmodics has inevitably moved on. JE has to take criticism. He set up in a way that said to Sheffield Wednesday that we had no intention of trying to win the game but simply not lose. Granted you can't do anything when your keeper has two howlers that result in 2 goals conceded, but the way in which the team approached the game frankly deserved to lose it anyway. Gallagher non existent. Hyam back to being crap after last weekend. Dolan ineffective. JRC and Tronstad both distinctly average. Despite his goal Szmodics had an off day and gives the ball away for the 2nd goal. Lets hope Coventry are on the beach next Saturday because their chances of making the playoffs are relatively slim now. We need a Birmingham & Huddersfield stalemate, and for Millwall and West Brom to do us some favours next weekend, because I don't trust this Rovers side to get the job done themselves.

3 nil Swansea now

Quote from BBC sport text commentary: "Adam Wharton looks like he has been playing in the Premier League for years. He is so comfortable under pressure."

They'll be happy to see that Wilcox is off to Man United then.

Adam Armstrong and Joe Rothwell both returning to Ewood, I think for the first time for both of them? Hopefully we can maintain what has been a reasonable defensive record as of late, but I still expect us to concede with the firepower that Saints have. Southampton have become a bit of an inconsistent bunch in recent weeks. Its an awkward time for them as they can't make automatic spots anymore but are nailed on for the playoffs. The next few games will probably feel like a bit of a slog for them as they'll just want to get to the playoff matches, so it could be a good time to play them with that in mind. Monday saw us start with Hedges, Szmodics, Dolan and Gallagher as a front 4 for the first time this season (I think?), and I feel that it is probably our best attacking combination. Hopefully they can do the business as they did against Sunderland. Aside from bringing in Chrisene for Pickering I don't see any need to change it, injuries pending of course.

WOW! I don't think anyone could've seen that coming. Finally a win under JE, and a deserved one by the sounds of it. Let's hope this is the start of a decent end of season run. We look a far better side with JRC and Hedges back. 4 more points might just be enough to secure Championship football for next season.

I suppose we should be thankful that Sunderland won yesterday because otherwise you can guarantee that Rovers would be the ones for them to break their own rotten run of form. Would be happy with a point but we really need that elusive win. It would be typical of Rovers this season if Dack comes on for them and scores the winner. I'll go for 1-1. Sammie hasn't scored for a couple of games so he's due. Jobe Bellingham with the goal for Sunderland, Can't imagine there will be any change to the starting XI unless Pickering is injured after going off late on.

There's a strong feeling of inevitability about Rovers going down. Neither team played particularly well tonight, but a goalkeeping error was the difference. Rovers absolutely didn't deserve to win but Ipswich didn't deserve it either. JRC disallowed goal was the wrong decision from the officials. Really disappointing that they came to that conclusion as 1-1 would have been a completely fair result for both sides. That being said, 10 games and no wins now for Eustace is it? Not good enough at all. The opportunity to pull away from the drop has been and gone, and I feel that Rovers will now slip into League One with a bit of a whimper. It's not necessarily all down to Eustace though. Not much you can do when your goalkeeper decides to essentially push one into his own net tonight, and just look at the quality of the squad, particularly in attacking positions. No established centre forward in the squad today and that falls on people above the head coach. For the record I do think we were going down under JDT with the suicidal approach to basically not having a defence, but I do wonder whether it might've been just as well to put Damien Johnson in charge on an interim basis instead of bringing someone in who would need paying off should the situation not improve.

He had already served suspension I think, he was out with an injury today.

No Gallagher...injured. JRC back. Looks like it'll be this.... Pears Brittain Hyam Wharton Pickering Tronstad Rankin-Costello Hedges Szmodics Chrisene Dolan

Leicester lose at Bristol City. Really hope we're not in a last day scenario were they need to win to go up ad we need to win to stay up.

Think well lose 1-2. Sammie with our goal. I just doubt this group of players has enough about them to get something against a promotion chasing side that won 6 nil last time out. Also reckon JE will switch to 3 at the back again. Predicted team: Pears Hyam McFadzean Wharton Brittain Tronstad Ayari Hedges Szmodics Dolan Gallagher

Good point on its own. The majority of away draws in this league should be considered a point gained, such is the Championship. However, imagine if Rovers had actually beat Millwall and Plymouth. We'd basically be safe at this point and there would be much more positivity surrounding JE. Instead, I still think there's a big possibility of relegation due to the run-in. Sounds like it was a much more balanced team yesterday, more than likely down to the returns of Hedges, Tronstad and Pears. Hopefully we can keep a consistent group together between now and the end of the season. Gallagher's form when he came back from injury was promising but he's fallen off a cliff in recent weeks. Deserves dropping but the problem is who do you bring in? There's literally only Telalovic available to come in.

I think regardless of if he stay up or not I can't see Sammie sticking around. He's dragged this team kicking and screaming throughout the season, and he has every right to want to move to a top end Championship club or possibly even have a crack at a bottom half Premier League club. His value will never be higher than it is now, and the club will no doubt be looking to sell him on this summer.

One thing to cling onto is just how inconsistent Boro are this season. They can go and beat Leicester away and then lose at home to Norwich. Playoffs seems a little out of reach for them at this point, so who knows, maybe they won't be able to get themselves up for it. Says a lot that I'm hoping Boro have an off day to give us any chance of something from the game 😂😭. Ultimately I think we'll lose something like 2-0, offering very little in attack unfortunately. Maybe a bit early to predict a team but i'll have a go. I just don't see JE switching from 3 CB's away from home, so I'm expecting to see O'Riordan or Billy K start. Alternatively he could go with Chrisene as the left CB as I think that's where he started against Soke. If Tronstad and Hedges are back that is a massive boost, as I think Hedges energy getting up and down the pitch at wing back is crucial on the left. Predicted JE team: Pears O'Riordan Hyam Wharton Brittain Tronstad Buckley Hedges Szmodics Sigurdsson Gallagher The team I would consider going with: Pears Brittain Hyam Wharton Pickering Buckley Tronstad Hedges Gallagher Szmodics Sigurdsson

What an utterly hopeless situation. If JE can't get this team up for games against our relegation rivals then what chance do we have of staying up when it comes to taking on teams in the top half, and even worse the top 4! Boro will have a field day against us next weekend, and I dread to think what will happen when we go up against the likes of Leicester, Leeds, Southampton and Ipswich. Dreadful. We are as good as gone I'm afraid, and its exactly what the club deserves for continued mismanagement and budget cutting.

Monumental game in the season and for the future of the club, as will pretty much every game between now and the end of the season, but this feels especially important because it potentially provides a huge boost to the team if they can get their first win under JE. Plymouth seem to be in a bit of disarray of their own, sounds like their current manager is on borrowed time already. I wonder if they could end up sacking him and Schumacher ending up back there if Stoke sack him as well before the season is out! It wouldn't surprise me at all. Anyway, the game itself. I think (or maybe its just hope) that Rovers will win this one, 2-1 perhaps. I haven't the foggiest idea what the team will be but I'll attempt a prediction. Wahlstedt Hyam McFadzean Wharton Pickering Buckley Ayari Chrisene Szmodics Dolan Gallagher I really don't fancy Pickering at right wing back, but I suspect that's what he'll go with because I can't think of any other option other than sticking someone like Garrett there, unless Hedges somehow makes it. Regardless, that is a team that looks incredibly poor on paper, Szmodics aside. Might be able to do a job in League One....

Absolutely woeful from start to finish. Never really looked like scoring and the one goal we did score was a gift from a misplaced Millwall pass. I'm sick to death of this club and it's players, bar a very small elite group that seem to genuinely care. Quite frankly, this team deserves to get relegated. They're the biggest bunch of soft touches I think I've ever seen as a Rovers side. The sad reality is, half of 'em won't care because they'll already be on to their agents about securing a move back to the Championship in the summer. The only one that deserves to stay in this league is Szmodics. Hyam gesturing to the crowd to calm down as he sluggishly meanders about with the ball in the 94th minute or whenever it was. Joke of a captain. I had hoped that Eustace would be a good shout, but he's looking more like the new Michael Appleton every week. Grim.

I wouldn't trust this club to tell us the truth on anything these days.

Yep, that just about sums it up. Leo in goal, no Tronstad. We are truly in the mud.

Don't usually get to midweek games as I work in Liverpool, but I'm going to go to this one as I finish early on Tuesday. Eustace has to get a win eventually, and I think it'll come here. I still think we'll go down but we'll do enough here to scrape a win. 2-1. Szmodics and Gallagher. My predicted team: Pears Hyam McFadzean Wharton Brittain Tronstad Buckley Chrisene Szmodics Dolan Gallagher I don't think we can play 4 at the back if it means Brittain at full back. At least as a wing back we have Hyam to cover him on that side. Hopefully Tronstad is back. If not then Ayari should come in as his last two appearances have shown a marked improvement. Anyone but Moran. I'd rather play Billy K in the middle than him! With attacking players...we just don't seem to have any other options, do we? So it kind of has to be Dolan and Gallagher up top with Sammie playing off them.