The Southgate classic - it cost us against France at the WC and Italy in the Euros as well. This England team since Southgate took over has been better at attacking at speed and forcing opposition teams back but Southgate insists on getting a goal and then sitting back more often than not.

And that right there is why Trent shouldn't be anywhere near the midfield. Pickford isn't getting there if it hits the target.

Very good goal. No surprise that it happens in the first time they actually bother to move the ball forwards with any kind of speed.

The right players are capable of winning it all, but the manager and his selections aren't. Providing we navigate the group we'll be put out by the first half decent team, so QF/SF depending on the pathway we take.

The personnel don't really matter anyway, Southgate's football is tedious regardless of who is on the pitch. Wouldn't have Trent anywhere near midfield though.

I completely expect to be wrong, but surely, suuurely, Rovers aren't that mental. I want Waggott gone as much as the next man but replacing him with Gestede is akin to replacing Bowyer with Coyle.

Respect is earned, not an automatic right. If you accepted a job at a new company, handed in your notice etc and then the new company "forgot" to file the paperwork correctly you'd be in every right to talk ill of them, as is he.

It wouldn't surprise me in the slightest if we know he has no interest but are pursuing it to make it look like they were doing something. Then we end up with no one and they throw their hands up and say "well we tried, maybe next window!" He clearly doesn't want to come and that's fair enough considering how amateur our club is at handling anything these days. Move on and actually work on one we could get over the line.

The problem is, we don't rebuild. We cut, then cut, then cut some more, padding the squad with loans and academy players. We've just been incredibly lucky that some have been worth a damn for the last few years. In the long term this strategy only results in us dropping down the leagues, and this time I don't expect League One to be the floor.

Let's not be disingenuous. Sammie broke it down to its mosr fundamental component, as presumably the how is more important than the what in this instance.

It's funny how the "unrest" is almost always "they wanted to improve the club". Really makes you think.

That BBC article suggest Eustace isn't with that, and let's be honest, even if he doesn't like it the owners will make him see out next season anyway. I honestly don't understand the end goal of any of this. What do Venky's possibly get out of this arrangement?

"Yet there has been a disagreement on the future strategy and direction of the club, along with their immediate plans for the summer. Boss John Eustace and Broughton have been aligned on the direction of Rovers but Broughton has been unable to find common ground with the club." That quote is very, very worrying. I'm going to guess that Venkys are pocketing absolutely everything and leaving us screwed for next season. Looks like even Eustace is going to get the rug pulled from under him and it's not like he had a lot of options anyway.

I could be wrong as I'm delving into memories a long time ago but didn't he make his league debut against Chelsea and his job was basically to mark Drogba out of the game and shield Nelson and Samba? God I miss when Ewood was an actual fortress. Could be part of reducing pressure but we also had top class CBs at the time and he was never getting on in that position, whereas he could add a tactical advantage at DM.

I'm not one to defend him, but Tony got significant backing at times. I can't see Eustace getting the same so perhaps harsh to hold him to the same standard.

I remember seeing Rudy in the club shop in January and no one seemed to have any idea why he was being shown around. It would be complete Waggott to put a novice ex-Rover in to act as a shield. My bigger worry is that this is clearly a power grab and we're about to see another round of transfers that happen to be related to a very small number of agents/contacts.

Pretty much, we scored a lot of goals under JDT with someone cutting back to someone moving across or arriving late into the box, so that fits if it was his philosophy.

I think Sammie came across very well and managed to navigate some tricky questions well without dismissing them. As others have said, it's clear that JDT (and it sounds by extension other EU coaches) had high standards and expected the players to want to push to be the best they can. Some rose to meet this whereas other perhaps more limited players clearly threw the dummy out. Eustace can come in and play the PE teacher "everyone can do it" role which suits a club with zero ambition or standards. Sammie clearly wants to leave and has earned it. The fact that he and Adam Wharton will be sacrificed to "save the club" is worrying, because it is at best a stay of execution. What are we supposed to do when we don't have another £20m player to flog (i.e. next season)?

Wrong thread

Which is exactly want. No kickoffs at 3pm on Saturday -> no reason to have the 3pm blackout -> PL can swoop in and take all the viewers and the money. As with a lot of industries, there is a serious greed problem in football that needs firm regulation to solve.

He fits in the negative but often effective category with the likes of Big Sam, Warnock etc. At the end of the day, I couldn't give a damn if JE or whoever ends up playing ugly football if it picks up enough points. It's when it doesn't work that it all falls apart.

True enough, but what I'd give to have Roberts up top right now. Well, prime Roberts, not 40-odd Roberts, thpugh I reckon he'd still make the ball atick better than Gally.

As good as the win was on Saturday it has to be said that we were unbelievably lucky that Leicester couldn't be bothered. I mean, just look at the goals, the last Leicester player was camped 35 yards from our goal - if even one player was left on halfway I doubt either goal happens. And this is where if he's going to succeed Eustace has to evolve. Hoofing it up the field to Sammie can work against teams that pin us back, but when we're at home and teams sit off we're all over the place. The fact that he seems to think the squad doesn't need much work considering the style of play and performances so far is raising serious red flags to me. Let's just pray the powers that be don't beef another transfer window.

Whilst I know we need players, I'm perplexed by a number of people wanting to keep the likes of Ayari and Chrisene. We'd only get them on loan at best, and it's not like they were pulling up tress in what was already a very poor squad. We need a major squad overhaul and the players we get in have to be able to hit the ground running in the Championship. What we will get will likely be way short of this and we will be doing well to finish higher than 24th next season.

Gally walking around celebrating Szmodics' achievements, story of the season