He was very poor today, but think thats really harsh on Moran. Hes not quite Harvey Elliott but hes been a very good attacking mid for us. Really rate him.

I watched how we pass out quite closely. I think we are deliberately playing into a central marked - sometimes double marked - midfielder. I guess the idea being to bounce a one-two off them to draw the opposition players in then look for the pass wide / pass through. Does seem a bit unnecessarily mental. But we did it several times in the game, culminating in the goal from Moran.

Thought Scott Wharton was very very good too. He's been a bit of a liability last couple of seasons but today was really solid, scored a goal, and made a lot of great defensive headers and challenges. Really pleased the keeper looks the real deal - you can see as his confidence grows he has all the elements to be a top at this level. Wharton and Tronstad are a first class central midfield pair. Sigurdsson back to his original quality. Pickering playing the best football of his career. Thought Brittain and Carter did well also. Only downers were Moran (who has largely been excellent for us) being well off it. We really need him so hope it's just a one off. And while Ennis and Leonard made good runs neither really convinced that they are going to get on the end of a lot of chances.

Everyone has played pretty well except Moran who has had an absolute shocker.... As I wrote that he just gifted them a goal through another (maybe his fifth?) really poor touch (though why he was passed to there can be seriously questioned).

On Ennis its hasnt quite worked for him but you can see he is getting at the defenders a bit.

Sigurdssons gone back to looking like he did in the first few games. Oozes class.

Very very very interested to see how Ennis looks with a full start. Hope he looks the part.

Been a few articles about him, tipped as a top future player. Got way more press than Ash Phillips or Adam Wharton did at their age I think, or thats my impression at least. Seems to be physically way ahead of a typical 15 year old. https://www.rovers.co.uk/news/2023/june/30/finneran-shines-for-club-and-country/

We have a pretty good first XI imo, except for striker and - to a lesser extent - keeper. I haven't seen a single game all season where any of our CFs (Leonard, Ennis, Telalovic and Gallagher) and really looked like a threat. I think we may be at the point where we just let Ennis start and see what happens as he is the one we know the least about. We can always swap him for Leonard later in the game if we need the legs. Watching Ennis recent cameos I am not that encouraged though as - like Telalovic - he doesn't seem to be finding much space with his movement and as a result barely gets the ball. While Leonard has got good movement but lacks physicality. I guess the hope is Ennis has more to him we have not seen yet.

I dont think Dyche was dropping down to the Championship for anyone, let alone a team on our budget. Dont think this is a stick that the board can be sensibly beat with. Dyche knew as soon as the sacking season starts he would get plenty of prem offers. Why earn a fifth of the salary, have no money for transfers and risk destroying your hard burnished reputation in a single Championship season?

JDT wanted a keeper better with his feet... JDT preferred Pears. Dont think we had anything to gain sales wise by putting him on the bench.

Telalovic has just been nominated for player of the month in PL2 - has anyone whose seen the PL2 games comment on whether it is warranted or not?

Weve played quite well, some beautiful football. But another one where not having a centre forward who worries a centre back means we have to work so hard to create a chance.

Is this a written law? Sort of makes sense, but not heard it before.

Same team, cant really argue with that. But really really hope we swap Brittain and Moran over.

Yeah, sorry I see what you mean but I guess my perspective is the players you mention are more number attacking mids / number 10s than centre or defensive mids which is where Adam plays at the moment. I guess for Whartons career he needs to play a bit further up, but then hes so good on the half turn you want him picking up the ball from defence....

Yeah, hes a 19 year old genuine Rovers fan who has come up through the academy and now a virtual guaranteed starter. He wont be in a rush to leave imo to sit on the bench somewhere. He'll have seen what has happened to Armstrong etc, or indeed Phillips. I would be surprised if he left unless a prem team he was going to were offering a place in the match squad. And I dont think he's yet in a place where any Premier League manager will be thinking hes a player they want on the bench. More broadly - if there is one thing thats changed in the Prem in the last 10-15 years its that all the centre mids are now absolutely massive units. Even the likes of palace or Bournemouth have huge athletes in midfield who also have a lot of quality on the ball. I do to be honest wonder realistically if Wharton can physically make it. But.. everyone keeps growing till your 25 so maybe he will keep filling out. Hope so as on the ball hes a special talent.

Dont know where Travis comes in - he plays CM or RB. With a weeks rest I can't see Tronstad or Wharton dropped, and at right back either Hill or Brittain will play. Will be good to have the option to bring him on through. Same good to have the option mod game with Sigurdsson and Ennis. But I dont think the starting XI will change much barring injury.

Watched the Sheffield Wednesday game back. We don't have a lot of options but one change we need to make is taking Brittain off left wing. Did a great job there against Stoke to mark out their right back which was a targeted plan. But I've been totally confused why he played there last couple of games. Either play someone else left wing, or swap him with whoever (usually Moran) who is playing right. Moran's played well left side in the past which makes that we persisted with Brittain there for 90 against Wednesday when he was obviously struggling even more bizarre. Team for me Leo Hill Carter Wharton Pickering Tronstad Wharton Brittain Szmodics Moran Leonard As per most Championship games a prediction is pointless! Could go anywhere.

Any particular reason you say that? Or just gut feel?

I think it was confirmed that he had a medical? We just didn't end up completing the deal. Or did I misremember that?

Like Jason Steele I think Bell is just a player who is actually quite a lot better than the fans (including me) thought. We can't be right every time.

McGinn is really top drawer. you could see him playing at Barcelona or somewhere, he's got everything. Completely bossed the midfield. If we'd signed him we would have ended up selling him after a couple of seasons as I doubt he would have got us up on his own - but would have made a lot of money. Usually the Premier League bores me to tears but this year is actually very interesting with Arsenal, Villa, Spurs, Liverpool all looking very good and Man City being shaky. Would love it if Villa could stay up there, just for the variety. Always more engaged if a side is involved who isn't part of the traditional big six clubs (much as I hate that term)..

The more he is out the less fee we will get. At the moment id be surprised if anyone paid anything, but if he has a run of games and a few goals second half of the season we might get something. Like replacing Dack with Szmodics, Lenihan with Hyam or Nyambe with Brittain if we're smart we can improve on him for modest investment. I think we will signing someone in January whether he goes or not. Really all about Gregg the egg being fourth time lucky with strikers after Hirst, Ennis and Telelovic. Anyone who knows the FFP maths have an idea if we can spend this window if the Raya money comes in? Assuming Venkys let us use it.

Doesn't press off the ball... the way we play that's a huge problem. If you don't press you don't play, JDTs been absolutely consistent about that. He'd rather play someone out of position who runs the yards. And I agree with him personally.