Good to know that we can go into this one with an unchanged team except Chrisene starting in place of Pickering. Would be a fantastic sign that we have turned the corner if we could get a win here. Southampton's season on hold now till the playoffs so we should be looking to out compete them.

Maybe I am being unfair but apart from the run that led to the Hedges goal - where Gallagher miscontrolled and was quite fortunate with a rebound - I am struggling to think what he did in the game? Everything seemed to go through Dolan, Hedges, JRC with Szmodics fishing nicely a couple of times? Edit - I quite like Gallagher in some areas. He's very good defensively, and sometimes can suit a direct way of playing. But yesterday was the sort of game where the team were purposefully avoiding giving him the ball as his touch and link up is so poor.

If you were going to take one of the front four out yesterday Gallagher was the one who seemed to contribute very little. We were focussing on quick passing, running with the ball, one two linkup. Gallagher just offers very little in that style of play. But we won 5-1 so maybe what he was doing off the ball had a big impact to enable others to score?

Yeah agreed but after 2 years at the club under two different managers he has never been subbed to save his legs / protect him. Even when looks absolutely shattered, carrying a knock etc. There must be something where he has made it clear he wants to always be on. Fair play as well as he never stops running. Got to respect that attitude.

I think he must have said to the management he never wants to ve substituted unless absolutely necessary. Same under JDT, never comes off.

Yeah despite how it sounds on here id say weve largely been playing pretty well with the exception of Plymouth over the last 4-5 games. I think the international break seems to have helped too. We look tactically very organised against Ipswich and here.

What age is Szmodics 🤔🤔🤔

Depends who we sell, but if we have roughly the same/equivalent squad no way we should be going down.

Hedges has been brilliant. Hes the player I think could make the big step up next season like Szmodics and BBD have done in recent seasons. JRC also utterly fantastic.

Quite a few players have been criticised roundly at Rovers and gone on to have decent careers after rovers beyond expectations - Bell, Josh King, Jason Steele, Duffy etc. Just a reminder that we don't always get it right

We played well against Ipswich without Gallagher - id stick with that and bring him on for the last 30 mins. He has physical qualities but takes so much away in terms of link up Id save him till when we need fresh legs.

We didnt really play like Big Sam at all (and just as well with Dolan and Szmodics upfront). To be honest it was quite similar to JDTs style but committing fewer players forward. Lots of one two touch combinations and overloads out wide. A lot of unforced errors but also some really good flowing passing moves which were reminiscent of earlier in the season.

Agreed that we were good. We've played a lot teams under Eustace and generally we have looked solid and competed well - Plymouth and Swansea notable exceptions. Ipswich are top of the table but very lucky to come away with the win today. All that said its no use if we can't win games. We really really really need a win at Sunderland.

*tin hat on* Id actually say we've been quite good.

Generally Ive been quite impressed with Dolan, hes probably been our best player. Tronstad having a really poor one though. JRC, Hedges, Brittain all doing okay. Szmodics anonymous. Worry that Pickering is due an absolute roasting by their right winger. Id actually be tempted to swap Chrisene and Pickering over as Pickering is on a yellow. Feels like we could get a point if things continue as they have been last 20 mins of the first half.

I was really confused by that disallowed goal. Were making a lot of unforced errors but overall on the balance of play weve been good value. Think theyve only had one decent effort which they scored from. Weve opened them up a couple of times. Unlucky to be behind. But... Doesn't feel like Ipswich have really got out of second gear.

Hard to pick between them as theyre very different players but similarly ridiculous stats. Would compliment each other very well in a two though. In terms of this current England team a definite issue is the way Kane drops deep. We have loads of great attacking mids, its not like we need Kane there. So if you could swap him for the all out striker Shearer was in say 1995 I would.

Id say we have a more rounded and balanced set of midfielders than we have ever had. Bellingham, Rice, Saka, Foden compliment and link up each other much better than previous golden generations... (Scholes, Lampard, Gerrard and even Joe Cole while individually brilliant all were ultimately too similar to really work together well). Add Kane in there as the main striker it's a really good midfield and attack. But... I don't think any of our other strikers are on Kanes level. And as others have said our central defence and keeper are poor by historical standards. That said Southgate has tended to overachieve, and this is his best squad yet. So feel like we will continue to do well.

This is it - what will determine Rovers future more than anything else is intervention by a UK regulator. They can ignore us, but they cant ignore the law. We need to make sure as soon as the regulator is stood up in the next few months Rovers is top of the inbox. Im wondering if a case can be put together once the regulators terms of reference are published and a team including the likes of Tim Farron, David Speedie etc could be put together to interface with the regulator?

I think playing a high line is okay if we dont have McFadz in there. And helps of we have Carters pace too. If Carter is fit he will have a decision to make between Carter, Hyam and Wharton. I cant see us going back to a back 3 after the back 4 looked good against Boro.

They've lost away at Cardiff and Preston recently so its hardly impossible. But they're the favourites obviously. I thought we looked a pretty good proposition against Boro. So feeling okay about this one. Think another draw likely.

Yeah I have to agree. While dtaw was just about a fair result but if you had to pick a winner it would be Boro. The opportunities we got were not in as good positions. Still thought we were broadly quite good both defensively and offensively though.

Thought we played well today, Boro are in decent form and a decent side and while we rode our luck a few times we looked both decent defensively and offered a threat. Pretty rare we've managed to do both in the same game. The players seem motivated to play, and tactically we were pretty well put together, which is reassuring as I was beginning to get a bit concerned about the manager. Change of shape, good effort from the team and some smart play gives me hope.

Think hes done okay personally - hes won the ball a lot although he should have done better with it.

Feared for us when they were all over us between 10-20 mins but weve come back into it quite well. Eustace may have a lot of short comings but we definitely aren't a long ball side. Were playing in quite a JDT sort of way without committing so many players forward. Also short passing out of the keeper.