Thanks Herbie. Great read once again (no 'like' button for some reason)

As I've said previously. Spoke to the guy randomly on the phone outside my local when he was talking to a young lady. Spoke to him about Rovers & suggested he checked us out on here. (Which he did almost instantly) Defo who he says he is & is most certainly a Rover!

Signed. Great idea for a great man!

Wow, that was a really tough watch! Not sure what else I can add to what hasn't been said already. Thoughts with Natalie and the rest of the family. 

Just looked and it's almost 12mths to the day I posted about Tony being the most deserved person I could think of to get a place in the hall of fame. 

All the best Tony, you enjoy those walks pal!

Ok. Been on my missus works do. Plenty beers so prob not the best time to post.

I've always held my tongue & complied with the political etiquette! I've had enough! Fuck off Tony! Fuck off Steve. I'm sick of this 'we nearly' , "if it hadn't been for".

Ban me now! Fuck off Venky's fuck off tony!  

Those on here who know me. Know it takes a lot!

No effort no nothing!

1 hour ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

You wouldn't want a pair of the Brererton ones. They come with two left shoes and they cost a fortune.

When I was a serious buyer of trainers for actually playing in I preferred " PUMA " until they started manufacturing them in fourth world countries like Treasure Island etc. I'm more of a fun buyer now so it's the fashion brands now like " Lacoste ", Oliver Spencer " etc. The last pair of trainers I bought were by "Trussardi ". 

Made me chuckle that.

Slightly off topic, but I love the Trussardi mens fragrances. Have a bottle of 'My Land' & 'Riflesso'.

Ah ok. Done a bit of digging & it turns out that these are not an adidas release but a customisation service & it looks like the guy who does it is a rovers fan (going off his posts on FB). Is this u mate? If so I apologise for the sharpness of my earlier post.

Not sure on the legalities but they look pretty good & not just Rovers ones. I'm not promoting it or advocating it, but google 'adidas matt Jansen trainers' if interested in having a look. That's how I found it.

Yep. Pretty good but no trace of them on any search relating to Adidas. Don't know why they wouldn't have spent thousands on producing hundreds of pairs of these tbh! They'd sell like hot cakes! 

Barcelona Messi, Pogba United, Salah liverpool? No lads, the money's in Rovers trainers! (Yes I know about the gary Aspen ones!)

Let me know when the Brereton one's are released & reserve me a pair of size 9s!

10 minutes ago, Amo said:

I told them they should’ve established a connection with the club BEFORE stealing our badge. They “respect my opinion”...

That's along the same lines as "with all due respect....."

Thanks Herbie, always enjoy reading these reports. Well written & with a touch of humour. ?

1 hour ago, JacknOry said:

Extended highlights

 

Absolute class! On Lenihan's goal:

"Not sure who scored it. Don't really care!" ?

Just now, hakkinen said:

When was the last time we won by this margin away? 

Never mind away, I can't remember the last time we did it at Ewood!

1 minute ago, Stuart said:

Great to get 3 points and a big win but Mowbray must learn from this. Playing attacking players and not playing Bennett and we could go places. Same as we all said last time!

Exactly this! Let teams worry about us!

Am I dreaming or is this actually happening?

If I am, don't wake me up FFS!

Just now, Harry The Bass said:

Straight off the bat - Nyambe is injured.

Also- those clambering for this want Bennett to start wide left? Make your minds up.

I don't think you quite got the "28 changes in 5 games" bit!

Just now, jim mk2 said:

 So why doesn't he play the team that won at Bristol ?

Erm, cos he's a tit?

Merry Christmas one & all. Have a great day & see u at Ewood tomorrow!

I think Holtby might surprise us in the next few weeks. Yes, dacky is going to be a huge miss but Holtby has real quality, which for me he shows every time he plays. He also has more goals & assists than Rothwell this season in fewer appearances.

I think we might be pleasantly surprised. Would love to see Dack & holtby together again like the hudds match 

1 hour ago, magicalmortensleftpeg said:

Shame we can’t get into the top 6 tomorrow but we’d only be outside on goal difference with a win so it would be another point closer. 
The teams above us aren’t going to drop many points. It will be a battle from here until May.

We can if we win by 15 goals or more! Come on Rovers, let's go for it! ?

Our passing tonight is dire!

Agreed. Hate the red button  games! Standard definition! - what's that all about! One camera angle, no replays, crap commentary  - but, like you say, better than nothing & there's no way I can get to south Wales on a Wednesday night. It's tough enough getting to Ewood straight from work for a 7.45 ko! 

Mowbray compared him to Gary Pallister in his post match interview yesterday - hard to disagree with that.

6 hours ago, aletheia said:

Has someone thrown a switch at Rovers? I couldn’t see the plan or way forward several games ago (not to mention for several seasons past). And now, praise where it’s due, we look a credible team. Really enjoyed today’s game-a real cat and mouse game from both sides attempting to pass it, not a blood and thunder game (which can in their own ways be good.)

Manager asked why we are now suddenly winning, what’s different. He answered that it was just a matter of fine margins. Well…

-a passing game – one touch stuff

-patience (ignore the numpties around me who moan that it should be launched forward asap)

-sensible shape with players in the right positions

-players that look like they enjoy this shape and way of playing and understand it

-dropped the long ball to Gallagher/Graham –tedious to watch and ineffective generally (although I’m not against long ball at the right time as variation)

-finally, thank the lord, trying to play the ball into hole and play from there. A word on this. It’s great to knock it into say Dack in there but we need to think more of the next 2 touches. Sometimes, Dack with his back to goal is fending off people and trying to take on a couple of players. If he gets caught here (especially when tiring), a swift turnover can catch us out.

-some nice triangles played around Nyambe on the touchline

-a word on Rothwell. Still believe, he can be great for us. But another who someone has to get  inside his head and make him believe. Make him play a great game every game not once in a while. Talk about positional play. Talk about believing that he can score goals.  One of our few players who can drop a shoulder and ghost past people with pace.

Sometimes it’s just the little things. For example. In the main, we have (thankfully) dropped the ineffective throw down the line which is just a play safe lottery. We now retain possession from throw-ins really well. Example from today. Late second half in Derby half on our left (in front of JW stand).  Throw in. Bennett (I think) takes. Downing to receive but he has a defender in front of him making it difficult. He discretely signals with his left hand which side he wants the ball to go. Thrower obliges. And Downing is able to nicely play a long pass onto the far side of the pitch to maintain possession and start an attack. Simple but effective and missing from Rovers’ play for years.

Nyambe –hold my hands up. Always had potential but thought he was a rabbit in the headlights as a defender. Still prone to keystone cop moments and uncertain positionally, but wonderful today at times. One moment, deep in second half, when he stood still on the ball and then dropped a shoulder and surged past their player down the line as if he wasn’t there. Loved it. Bags of energy, runs all day. Got to get inside his head and make him believe in himself.

Tosin and Lenihan

Can be a very good partnership in this league. Tosin has got it all. We’ve been crying out for nearly a decade for passes into the ‘pocket’, ‘hole’ whatever –he calmly sees situations and delivers passes forward into great positions. Just a matter of watching the body language and doing the nitty gritty at times.

Evans was immense. He is never going to be the most silky or pacey. But he really did a job today, worked like a Trojan, made forward runs as well as the usual defensive biting covering and tackling. He and Travis (also limited in many ways) were effective at snuffing things out. Well done lads.

Armstrong. Always had ability but in recent times we all know some issues. Work rate? How much does he want it? Head down running into blind alleys? Making the right decision? Well today, he got it all right. Great performance, first on the wing and then when they were tiring, up front he kept going. Let’s hope he can do it every game and has the will to do it. Well done.

Downing. Age, legs going but class is permanent. Footballing brain and suspect it is rubbing off on players around him. Calm in possession, does simple thing, keeps ball well. Will never surge past a full back but still capable of creating half a yard and whipping in a great cross (something lacking from Rovers for ages). At full back, you worry about pace but know-how has been enough so far and gives his all. Knocked some great balls forward to Armstrong towards the end.

A few things that annoyed me (picky I know after such a good win). Basically all of them at the end when we are trying to wind the clock down. Generally, giving the ball away too cheaply. Buckley coming on and giving the ball away twice when you just need sensible game management. Ditto Walton (good save btw) at the death with a free kick who just kicked it long and it went straight though to their keeper to launch another attack. Keeper has to get it to Gallagher on the touch line so that you at least have a 50/50 of getting a throw and thus hold play up longer. And on another note, Dack not passing to Armstrong who was in a great position to score. These things can cost you.

So, praise is due –for now. Keep it up.

Post of the day for me - exactly how I saw the game. .?

12 minutes ago, MarkBRFC said:

Interestingly, I have just read in the LET that since the start of last season, nobody in the side has more assists than Bennett (8).

Is that for us or does that include his assists for the opposition as well? ?

Those 2 have got to be the biggest bargains of the century! What price for those 2 now in their prime?