Wahlstedt has to work on a few things in order to become as good as some of his predecessors. Distribution, placement, bravery and also gives too many rebounds for my liking. I think he can collect more corners/crosses than he does but he always chooses the 'safe route', the same goes for some of his shot stopping. Think he had a decent game though, just not quite ready yet. Kaminski also gave away some similar goals to what Leo has done, but shut shop on a regular basis too. Healey should have been offside if our defenders did their job though... Will be good to get Hyam back as a leader in the back.

Szmodics probably the only one with killer instinct in our squad, so I agree to some part. But players can impact both ways. At 75 mins some of our players looked knackered and there wasn't much quality to replace tired legs. When trying to respond to their goal(s), Markanday was our only option and I think most of us can agree now that he doesn't have what it takes. I hope we bring in a defender and striker in January, I would push the pram out for the latter if I was GB/JDT. Edit: Sigurdsson is a good finisher as well.

Healey should have been offside if our defenders did what they should do and rush a few yards out after the initial save. Unfortunately that didn't happen and it was an easy goal for them. We could have put the game away in the first half, but didn't, and in that sense we really missed Szmodics today. Hamer made some crucial saves to keep them in the game in the second half as well. I thought at 1-1 that a draw was probably a fair result but we looked gassed and was never coming back when going behind late on. Gutting, but the squad is so stretched at the moment and we have few good options on the bench. Think we should try and adapt to games when we're 1-0 ahead. Too easy to counter us... Mowbray-esque it is. Just hope we don't fall too far behind the top six when we enter January 2024.

I think we shouldn't expect too much from a game like today. If we had snatched a goal and try to shut them out, then that would've been an achievement. No chance from what I was watching and I wasn't expecting anything else. MIssing a lot of players and a starting striker, so hopeful we'll still be in the mix come the new year.

Some good points here, but I believe Broughton will wheel and deal a lot more than we have been doing for the past few seasons.

Thought initially it looked like a mistake on the third but didn't have as much time as I thought to intercept. Think his view might have been obstructed for the second and I switched on just after the first but will have a look.

Dolan went off injured versus Birmingham, hence the comparison. Wharton is about playing him in central defence or giving Markanday or Garrett some game time. The refs performance certainly was a factor, no doubt about it. Yes, we were poor today as well.

Angry at the result, we had a real chance of not losing ground in the chase for top six but once again we lose to a team we should beat 9 out of 10 times. Think we gave them too much space and struggled with Bannan (again) for long periods of the game. Nolan was poor, and Dolan is better than Leonard at the moment. Having to play S. Wharton weakens the side as well. Still, should have come away from the game with a point at least, but we failed to follow up a good equaliser before the ref took the matter in his own hands and gifted them a goal (blatant foul on Hill). Also, they made some cynical fouls that were clear bookings. Hope we get through December okay, because we're wearing thin and need strengthening.

Has he put on muscle/weight? Looks stronger, but also heavier - mustn't become too sluggish. I was sceptical towards him but this season he's convinced me he'll become a good player at this level.

Not sure JDT appreciates how Travis approached the game. Clattered into Dembele at the first oppurtunity and got himself a yellow high up on the pitch to make our right side an even bigger liability for the rest of the game. The fact that he kept Brittain further up the field instead of playing him in his (previously) natural position at RB, shows how little faith he has in our captain at the moment. Got to say I fully agree with Jon and part of why he does so well is he doesn't do anyone any favours. Also been right to leave Sigurdsson on the bench, he hasn't taken his chance. Garrett probably deserved more minutes last night though... Playing some good football but we became a lot less dynamic when Dolan went off. Leonard came in and did really well though, and Birmingham looked a good side, so it was really good to come out of this one on top after we've had a few disappointing moments early doors in the season.

It deflected off Whartons foot so took a wicked dip. Could have saved it though, but the mistake by the veteran Ruddy was worse.

More than likely 'concussion protocol', from https://www.lancs.live/sport/football/football-news/blackburn-rovers-mowbray-reaction-wharton-19365299: "Tomasson was reluctant to say too much without a more detailed medical report but hopes the centre-back will be back soon. "Let's what and see," Tomasson said. "But when you're coming off that early, it's not great. "We will wait and see. He got a big hit and when you come off early then it's not top-class, we know that. Scott is a tough cookie so hopefully he can be ready soon."

Wharton has had a few concussions now, think this is his second in 2023. Hopefully he'll be back soon. Looking forward to the game, we're playing some really entertaining football at the moment.

Oh, didn't realise. Arnor in then?

I think we'll be up for this one. Their physicality is always a problem, but we should be able to create chances of our own. 4-0 or 4-1.

They won't beat us. Unchanged side for me, lads will be well rested and up for this one.

He covers a lot of ground. Blocks, tackles, wins possession back in various areas of the pitch. Seldom loses the ball and is diciplined. Not one to hit the killer pass but passes forward a lot of the time. Both him and A. Wharton did a good job in the first press today.

Excellent game. Warm butter in knife the way we hit them on the break, even Dolan was looking for his teammates and well taken goal from him. Tronstad has grown into his role and will be difficult to displace, meaning A. Wharton will be able to roam more without making us too vulnarable defensively. Think Wharton is a couple of games off his best but will get there. The red card is a difficult one and Scott Wharton was put in a difficult position by his teammate and had to make a swift decision. Looked a red to me. Other than that he looks shaky/rusty and our left side defensively is a lot weaker than our right side where Brittain and JRC can create problems for anyone with their tenacity. All in all very enjoyable and think it would've been more had it not been for us going down to ten men. The energy that lacked vs. Swansea was back and it was a joy to watch.

Really mature performance from Leonard. I'd say based on that performance he'll come good and bang goals in for fun within a couple of years. Markanday let him leave to League 1, get Buckley back in to fill in at right back so Brittain can stay higher up on the pitch. Dolan too can leave, Moran is better, as is Arnor. Hill is quality, Motm for me.

One thing with Wahlstedt is he stands too close to his line when we're attacking. When teams are hitting us on the break he's on the backfoot and it should be an easy fix to get him sweeping and covering a larger area behind our relatively slow defenders. He's made a few mistakes, but also a lot of good saves. Think he's better than Pears at least, but not at Kaminski's level (yet?).

No. How so?

I agree. Plays for himself more than the team and is struggling to settle in to the way we play. He'll come good, just needs more time. With Smods and him having an off day at the same time, we don't have enough goalscorers in the team. Lineup was probably due for a shakeup today, but noone deserved to be dropped after three wins in a row.

I believe he mentioned it in one of the interviews after the transfer window shut, but please do correct me if I'm mistaken.

That's a lot of if's.

Didn't Egg mention there was an agreement in place, it just cannot be formalised yet?