I look forward to this mainly because it'll give us all something quantifiable to moan about. We all know the recruitment hasn't been good enough this summer and with Bell & Williams likely starters tomorrow the goals conceded column will give us confirmation of this come 5pm.

Not in the least bit surprised by this. Would go a long way to explain how transfers go down at Ewood since Venkys arrived. Its an absolute shambles, you can't run a football club like you do any other business and as you say it shouldn't go to that clown Suhail for anything other than sign off.

The owners are why we have Mowbray, he is a symptom of the disease. The desperation to blame Mowbray from some people on here, whilst completely ignoring the fact that Venkys are the reason we are operating with a League One standard management team, really doesn't make sense. "Yeah but they gave him £12m which he spent on two strikers who can't score" etc Yes, corrrect. Mowbray isn't a very good manager. Sadly that's the level we're at now operate at after a decade of Venkys ownership.

I agree with most of this but I'm not sure you can even count us as 'nearly men' - which is thoroughly depressing. How long have we occupied the play off spots under Mowbray for example? I'd guess three weeks at most. We're solidly mid table and haven't strengthened where we desperately need to so unless the youngsters have an absolute stormer we're looking at 10th-14th I'd wager.

Both. Either. Agreed Dack and Armstrong are their best signings. The point still stands though; they haven't made a decent singing in defence in their whole time here, and we're weaker than we were there last year with the season starting in a week.

It's the perfect storm really. We've got a budget that requires a couple of dynamic negotiators - and clearly Mowbray and Waggott ain't that. So we're going to have to get lucky. Very lucky considering our weakest area is one where we haven't bought a decent player since Mowbray and Waggott arrived. The reality therefore is there's very little chance we're getting promoted this season; the Venky loop.

Absolutely nailed it with your last paragraph for me. We have a League One standard structure in place from management all the way up to the 'board room'. So it's hardly surprising the only level we've been 'successful' under the Waggott Mowbray axis is League One. Yet every, single, fucking, time it comes back to Venkys. The buck stops with them, always, no question.

Have we had a 'successful' window under Venkys ownership? Genuine question

Was it the young chap from Celtic in the end? Fuck me that's underwhelming

This is about all we can hope/pray for, sadly.

I'd be more inclined to focus on the improvements those transfers make to us as a team than focusing on point scoring over people I've never met.

Thought it was a pretty standard 'Rovers under Mowbray' type game. Good in patches appalling in others. Losses of concentration and disinterest with glimpses of what players could be with a better coach - Brereton especially. As a team we mimic Mowbray and sadly he's too long in the tooth to change. We'll finish between 10th-14th I suspect, probably where we deserve to be given Rovers in 2020, shame on you Venkys.

OK, fair enough. But I'm telling you now it was sarcasm, he should go to West Brom, currently they are a far more appealing proposition, sadly.

"But also, be prepared to play on the wing or potentially in goal." ?

Perhaps Solihull?

Surely you picked up the tongue in cheek?

Should I use a special colour or something when being sarcastic?

West Bromwich Albion. How have we got to a position where we are less appealing than West Bromwich Albion? I've been to West Brom, there is nothing there. There is nothing in their town there is nothing in their trophy cabinet. They are a poxy yo yo team who will never go anywhere. We are Blackburn fucking Rovers for fuck sake, pride of Lancashire, rich history, ex Premier League Champions. Stop being ridiculous Cedric and come and play for the biggest and best club in Lancashire. But also, be prepared to play on the wing or potentially in goal.

Yes, posted this just as I saw the next one. However, I am sticking with my 'not believing everything Tony says' mantra ?

Sounds like Williams departure could be funding a new CB coming in. If the incoming is Kipre, and it's essentially cost neutral for what we get for Del, then that'll be Mowbray's finest work since signing Sir Bradley.

You should really charge for these lessons, can't be giving out that kind of stuff for free ?

Has to be a wind up.

Fair. Point still stands, no harm in giving the guy a bit of a gee up. At the same time it's healthy not to believe every single thing TM says.

Bit of salesmanship there from Big T. Absolutely no harm in giving the lad the feeling he's been our no.1 target for some time, even if it doesn't quite add up.

Given our lack of options in this area do you think Big T will enforce the '6 months to learn how we play/become one of the lads/be Eliot Bennett' rule or will he go straight in for the Bournemouth game?