den

Yep. unintentional handball isn’t an infringement of the rules. So it obviously follows that handball has to be intentional. The authorities have brought in guidelines to help a referee decide if it was intentional but they’re nonsense, make no sense and don’t clear anything up. For instance, in this case today, it’s so very obvious that it wasn’t intentional. However the guidelines say that a referee must take into account whether …. the opponents hands:arms were in an unnatural position. Well seeing that we know it wasn’t intentional handball, how could his hands be in an unnatural position? They couldn’t, could they. Unless you believe that players run around the pitch for 90 mins deliberately putting their hands in an unnatural position. Refs should be left alone to make their judgement solely on the intention to handle the ball.

Smodic?

Offering next to nothing in midfield or up front but defending well and picking up points is great - for a short spell. The problem is that you can’t continue playing like that and expect to get out of this league. Seems obvious to me.

I thought we were second best by quite some way. The really worrying thing for me is this wasn’t a rovers team underperforming, quite the opposite, it was a rovers team performing to the best of its ability. Defensively we did very well but midfield and up front there’s nothing. We don’t have anyone in the squad that even resembles a front runner, let alone a goal scorer - and that isn’t going to change. Good job we’ve started well points wise because this coming winter could be difficult.

Front three of Ohashi, Dolan and Hedges wouldn’t be good enough one league lower. * just seen Mercers post.

Couldn’t care less where he comes from. Judging someone on their nationality doesn’t interest me at all.

33 years old. He could add a lot more yet if he has the drive.

When, year after year you sell your best players and give your manager nothing to replace them with. When you have owners who have no idea about English football appointing under achieving nobodies to run it for them, you eventually get to exactly where we are. we’re at a point where the squad is too small in numbers and lacking in quality. There’s nothing in midfield, the back four can’t compete even for everyday crosses into the box and up front neither Gueye or Ohashi offer anywhere near enough - and where’s the competition from a third or fourth striker? I don’t think there is any. Dont blame the manager. I doubt anyone could succeed under those terms. Don’t blame the players either. We are set up to fail and until the owners realise that and understand they aren’t capable of changing it, nothing will change.

I just think if a player does what he did, they should be thrown out of the game. If it happened on parks football they might have been.

From previous experience, it’s very difficult for any rovers fans body to reach supporters or members without having a presence on here. Emails don’t replace discussion. You get very little feedback from emails, nor do you know whether they’re being read. It’s a difficult job that they’ve tasked themselves with. Without significant membership numbers they could struggle to be taken seriously. They will have to face criticism of being either too pro club management or too anti club management. It’s a very, very difficult job to be effective enough to actually change anything of significance. Their task becomes harder as their aims become more radical. I honestly wish them well but numbers give them relevance. They should use this m/b to help push their ambitions as much as possible IMO.

It isn’t inexplicable Jim. This squad isn’t good enough. There isn’t what you could call a top Championship player to be seen.

We looked weak. How many of our players beyond the back line won their individual battles - any? Powder puff performance and technically lacking today. Very poor.

Physically weak in midfield and upfront. Too easily brushed off the ball.

It’s a fact that nobody under the age of 64yrs has seen North End play in the top division. Just tell ‘em that.

That should open a few eyes tonight. This squad of players is terribly weak and is going to find the long hard slog of a Championship season a huge challenge. Where is the penetration, whose going to replace Smodics’s 30+ goals? No threat down the right and we finished tonight watching Sigurdson turning back to cross with his right foot towards Ohashi. That was it really. Scary. We don’t just need bodies, we need class and in more than one area.

I would hope not.

Full backs were coached to show them the outside in my day ER. Away from the danger zone.

Would Venkys being found guilty of financial misconduct/tax evasion affect their viability to own an English football club?

So I wonder why the Indian authorities decided to remove the no objection document. Did something change or did Venkys chances of winning their case become a bit bleaker. Also, if they were to lose that case, would they be able to fund the club at all? Pardon my ignorance on this. Maybe I’m well off track here.

Seems I’m in a minority here but I have serious doubts about both Ohashi and Gueye. We’ll know more when they’ve both started a few difficult away games. That’s when to judge a player. If those two do fall short, where would that leave us?

Because he’s been struggling to make an impression?

Waggott has no feelings for the club. No understanding of its history nor any real belief for its future IMO. He’s an imposter and Jack Walker would never have employed him.

So we sign someone from Japan.

I just get that feeling that Rovers are dabbling in markets they know very little about, for players they know probably less about. Linked to the fact that anyone at our end is for sale. Thats how it feels to me. I’ve no confidence in them whatsoever. Would love to think I’m wrong and everything has changed. Doubt it has though.

There are plenty of posters in the LT comments section that are fully behind Venkys recent actions. Many think the sales are good business and look forward to the future with a certain amount of relish. They’re the realists apparently. We’re just one of the smallest clubs in the championship, with the smallest fan base and must live within our means. They don’t see anything beyond that. There really isn’t a problem in their eyes. So when people call for organised protest, don’t forget not everyone would be behind that.