Hasta

Agree although we have had VAR around for about 2 years throughout Europe and this happens all the time. It's not a new occurrence, hasn't been addressed yet and I fear it's going to happen time and time again. That ref tonight should be dropped from the tournament immediately. As for VAR in general, dont get me started on the disallowed England goal against Holland !!

Watching the end of the Scotland v Argentina game and another VAR timing masterclass. Penalty given on 88 minutes by VAR. 3 minutes injury time goes up on the board. Had to be retaken as keeper came off her line according to VAR. Was eventually scored and game restarted on 94 minutes. Therefore there should be 2 mins normal time plus 3 mins injury time left. Ref added about 90 seconds on. At the final whistle both teams went to the ref in disbelief. Games should be lasting 100 minutes+ in some instances but it's simply not happening. We are getting 3 or 4 minute delays with only about 40 seconds being added extra.

The problem is I've said for 4 previous transfer windows we need a new centre half. I've waited every windows and it hasn't been adressed. For 3 of those windows it is well known we have been sniffing around Bauer. I didn't know a lot about him other than Charlton fans rated him, and missed him when he was injured. As he was obviously Mowbrays number 1 target, I hoped he would be coming in at some point so am disappointed that we've now lost him to Preston. Theres a lot of people on here decided that he is suddenly shit, who I expect would be saying good move by Mowbray if he had signed. If the strategy is going to be sign cheaper from below, rather than pay more money for proven players from above, it may be one that has slipped through the net.

Dacks biggest problem is his lack of pace. He also looks heavy but that's probably because he looks a bit slow. However I don think his work ethic on the pitch is as bad as this thread makes it believe. I can see a ceiling to Dacks ability which is probably lower Prem. I do think that, injury free, Chapman has more chance of an England call up than Dack if he progresses (and gets a game).

Laughable. Wait for Southgate to say something bolocks like "if we are going to change the way England play you have to expect mistakes like this."

The issue for me is not Downing as such. I have no doubt that he would be a better option than Conway for the role Conway was performing. It's just that replacing Conway like for like was well down my priority list. I'm not even sure if he needs replacing.

What I don't get with Goodwillie was, with his duck-feet running style and general lack of speed, how did anyone scout him and think he might be good enough in the first place?

Most people said top 6 was too early last season and that it was all about consolidation. They said next season was the time to be realistically pushing for top 6. I suspect the same posters will say this season it is still one year too early, a slow build is needed and the following season will be the push for top 6. Then it will be "we can't compete financially so it will take longer" We will never get to the season in those people's eyes when we should be pushing for top 6. Good recruitment and good coaching can get you a long way in this league. Top 6 has to be the aim from the start in the upcoming season.

His wife gave birth to their daughter a few hours before kick off apparently. Charlton fans commented after that he was off his game but to be fair he still played.

His overall midfield reading of the game wasn't as good as Tugay but I thought he had the best final, short through ball I've seen from a Rovers player. If the striker made the run he would find a gap to find him. Admittedly it was against second tier opposition but I thought he was brilliant, clearly a player operating a level below the level he should have been playing at.

I had both this and the Worthy final recorded on VHS. As major triumphant games from our past, Rovers should have the full coverage of both games preserved on iPlayer to view on demand.

Surely then another 'top 6' would occur unless you cut the money floating around in football in general.

I was just thinking the same thing. They got put out of the FA Cup by Wigan last year. They got dumped out of the Champions League by Spurs who had spent no money and who, a few days later, were probably the better side again in the league encounter. Chelsea arguably should have won the league cup. They may have done had Kepa actually been subbed when told to. On a single game they are not unbeatable. The problem in the league is the rest of the pack apart from Liverpool are all in a slump. Since Chelsea won the title, they have atet spend of £220million in 2 season but have regressed. Arsenal regressed under Wenger and are having to be built back up. As for Manu United, net spend of £250 million since Leicester won the league and are still nowhere near. Of course they are all dwarfed by City's spending, but there are 3 clubs (well 2 + Arsenal) that historically have had spells of challenging or winning the title but in the last 2 seasons have been nowhere near good enough against the rest of the field, let alone City or Liverpool. All of those clubs should be able to attract the talent needed to make the league more competitive and put up a stiffer challenge to City but in my view have failed. That's not purely down to Man City. It's also down to their own management.

I've go to feeling Derby will sneak this if they can keep,11 men on the pitch. I think Leeds players will get nervy and their heads will go.

Should get 5% off season ticket cost for every consecutive season you have a ST up up to 15%. Gives you an incentive to keep getting a ticket. Would make you think twice about giving one up.

If you've got Sky Sports, you can watch the midweek games on either TV or mobile/tablet. Despite having a season ticket, I missed both the Wigan game and the Derby game at Ewood as I could finish work at the normal time, get home for about 7.15, make some tea and just watch the game on TV. No rushing around like a lunatic to get to Ewood. The problem is, if that happens 5 times a year, it's 5 games I'm doubting whether I need a season ticket for.

They didnt go fully over but they went towards the fans and applauded. After getting quite a bit of stick second half I wondered if they'd not bother but they did.

Enjoyable game which I never felt we would fail to win at any point, even with their promising start. Bolton looked so punchless and devoid of ideas up front, with 35 year old Clayton Donaldson looking worse than I remembered from when he was at Brum. Thought Butterworth looked decent. Williams and Lenihan seem the best centre back pairing we have found although I'm not convinced it's good enough for a top 6 push.

Dark grey and red halves or stripes ?

Whilst he's obviously posting genuine racist tweets by Rovers fans which he has received over the last 6 years, he seems to want to tarnish Nick Harris purely based on ththe sub headline of "A Rovers Taiwan Takeaway". The article refers to the fact that he had left Rovers to go to Taiwan, and the sub headline appears to have been written by someone else after the article had been submitted. Not quite sure where he's trying to go with this as he's received far worse from supporters than the article (which even if you take the sub-heading at its worst isn't particularly offensive) but he seems to want a higher profile target in Harris.

For the handball, had that come over the top of several heads and brushed a defenders arm ever-so-slightly in that position, no-one would have said penalty. Therefore, whilst it did nick his forearm, you can't disallow it for that. It was a remarkable game whereby at the end either Man City got KO'd out of their holy grail competition again, or Spurs bottled another competition again. Anyway you looked at it you won.

On a poll on one of the Bolton websites, of the people out of contract, David Wheater, is one of the only people they'd vote to keep. Not saying he's the right option but I'd be happy bringing in Bauer and a taller, experienced head at centre half.

As there is not a match thread yet, does anyone know if the QPR game is on the red button?

Allardyce you mean.

Paul Downing. Unbeaten in all Championship games he started.