Dolan bottled that back pass.

Ayari is starting most games for Brighton. Maybe got one start when he was here having also struggled ar Coventry. That said I didn't mind him and his cameos at the end of the season suggested he could've played more mins but eustace opted for more trusted players.

Josh king comes to mind. Adam Armstrong also very quick

4 or 5. Tronstad needs a rest at some point, wether they can take him off on the hour in a couple of games and rest him in the cup perhaps. The 2nd string attacking options like gueye, Leonard, Hedges, weimann come into contention. Leeds could even be one to consider a back 5 and bring fadz in.

Would be saving the heavy rotations for the leeds game. Jrc for brittian to keep things fresh, I prefer Buckley to baker, ACD a must back on the wing. Dolan over Hedges. Pears Jrc. Hyam. Batth Beck Tronstad Buckley ACD. Cantwell. Dolan Ohashi Subs: Toth, Fadz, Brittain, Baker, Hedges, Weimann, Leonard, Gueye & an under 21 player.

Wouldn't describe dolan as having pace. He's got good agility and a little burst of 5 metres but isn't quick over any distance further. His burst through the middle for the goal was fantastic but he then mucked up the pass and got a bit lucky. Same with his big chance before that. Great first touch into the space with a finish even gueye would be ashamed of. A mixed bag for me.

Nice to see a bumper crowd given a good game of football. Was a good atmosphere in the blackburn end too. Thought we were good value for the half time lead. Dolan and hedges both wasted good chances either side of the goal and again those wide areas seem to me to be the area in greatest need of improvement. I need to see their two goals again but they looked somewhat similar with Roberts running 1 v 1 vs Beck with little support around him. I thought Beck made a poor decision in the build up to the 1st but thought he was left exposed by others for the 2nd. Once they got in front their quality showed and they really should've extended their lead but we fought back well to get a point applying pressure at the end. Pleased for Leonard who I think there is a player in there. I've previously formally apologised to Pears for previous comments but I feel I should do it again. Dolan was club motm, must say i didn't quite see that, a very mixed bag as always from him. Cantwell has been a little off it since his suspension I don't particularly rate baker. It may just be a lack of match fitness but he's a nothing player to me. Reasonable technically but can't impact games with it as he looks slow to the ball and poor physically. We missed Travis I thought, I would play Buckley in his absence as I suggested pre game.

I expect to see baker but I'd prefer Buckley. I think it's a squad game at this part of the season, got to keep the squad fresh. Would use ACD off the bench around the hour mark with a view to starting him vs Hull. He's a young lad who has started 2 professional games.

Pears Brittain hyam batth beck Tronstad Buckley Dolan. Cantwell. Hedges Ohashi Subs: keeper, fadz, jrc, duru, baker, ACD, weimann, gueye, leonard

Personally I think criticism of him last season was at times justified. He took over with us about 6 points clear of the drop and then didn't win any of his first 11 games in charges. It was only 2 wins away from home in the last 3 games at Leeds and Leicester that got us home and they were the definition of backs to the wall nick a goal wins. We massively struggled against teams around us at home and going forward we looked very much pump it long and hope szmodics can find a goal (which he did enough to keep us up). That's not to say he didn't have to deal with massive massive problems and deal with a team and a club heading in one direction. The squad was lacking any depth at all, we'd sold our best player in adam wharton who our whole style of play under jdt flowed. We also were haemorraging goals. However he did keep us last season, so job done but with big question marks. Some of his approach from last season has really paid dividends in this. The switch to 4-2-3-1, the building of a solid base, the pragmatic approach. The players appeared to warm to him quickly and work for him. He got handed a fairly bad hand in the summer too. Szmodics gone, little of it reinvested in terms of transfer fees. When the transfers came, they came very late in the day and still the squad lacked a certain firepower. What he's done this season has been incredibly impressive with the hand he's been dealt. He's integrated the new signings well along with the reintegration of former captain lewis Travis. With Travis he's given the team a proper captain back and is getting the best out of him. We're a hard working, very well organised side that often lacks a touch of firepower. But we've reintroduced some of the build up and passing we saw when things went well under jdt. Some of the goals we've scored this season have been extremely well crafted. This difference is we pick our moments and aren't fundamentalist about playing out from the back resulting in a mixed style. Put simply he's good at finding different ways to win, largely based on a solid defensive structure. Bar back to back away defeats away at Coventry and Plymouth it's hard to fault him this season and he's quickly becoming our best manager post relegation from the prem in 2012.

I think he's probably already doing that role now. We are one cb injury away from a problem here with a lot of games in short succession over the next 6 weeks. We could get through the odd game with fadz or the full backs as wide cbs in a back 3 but would spell trouble if it's an extended period If we are to dip into the market at cb, it would have to depend on when Carter is back (who for me is individually our best cb) and with Wharton due back next season it would be a loan for me. Or we could o'riordan despite him not looking ready yet.

Opinions hey.

I think eustace will for baker as a straight swap for cantwell. If we were going to shoehorn someone in there I'd rather play Buckley.

Pears Brittain Hyam batth Pickerin Travis tronstad ACD. Dolan. Beck Gueye

Ridiculous if it was indeed him

Pears Brittain. Hyam. Batth. Beck Travis. Tronstad ACD. Cantwell. Dolan Gueye Subs: keeper, fadz, duru, JRC, baker, Buckley, Hedges, Leonard, Ohashi

Not a classic by any stretch of the imagination. But it never was going to be in those conditions. We didn't play particularly well, going forward we strung one good move together and scored from it (with the aid of a defldcfion). That's why it was very pleasing to come away with a win here. Would've been an easy game to come out on the wrong side of. But yet again we showed all the qualities of recent weeks and that identify this eustace side: resilience, organisation, hard work, pragmatism. It shows how by doing the basics very well you can grind out results in this league. That's said, despite the current form we aren't going to continue in the top 6 unless some attacking thrust emerges over the next few months. But that's a problem for another day. Eustace who I wasn't that impressed with last season is doing a great job with what he's been given.

The team would pick itself for this one but we have two pressing issues: Is cantwell going to be fit Who replace trav in cm On the cm issue. I'd go with Buckley personally but I'd be expecting eustace to go with baker as the more senior player. Baker is a player I've not quite figured out yet. Is cantwell doesn't make it I'd start ACD and play dolan as the 10

Agreed he was excellent but I'd still give it to tronstad. A couple of really vital interventions.

I've absolutely hammered him over the last few years but he's turning it around. Has been a lot more consistent of late.

I always thought he was but from listening to him on a podcast we paid Liverpool £100 per 100 appearances. Apparently John Williams described it as the best money he ever spent at rovers.

Hard to disagree with this but for me our first name on the team sheet is Tronstad.

Is there a link to the recent q & a anywhere?

Pears Brittain. Hyam batth pickering Travis. Tronstad Weimann. Cantwell. Beck Ohashi Subs: toth, fadz, jrc, Buckley, baker, hedges or siggy, dolan, ACD, Leonard

I was thinking about this watching the game yesterday. Helps that Pickering has played well in the last 2. Could Beck perhaps be deployed left wing in the meantime?