The huge miss from there is Rowatt. Look what he's done with Millwall. He'd be miles better than TM.

Tell you what. If Everton stay up this season then they will be mightily worried about next. Unless there are three worse teams they will be in huge trouble. Can't see Lampard lasting the duration of next season.

I'm shocked TM is allowed to get away with such whoppers. It's a young team. Kaminski an international GK. Nayambe 4+ seasons in this division plus a league 1 promotion, ditto Lenihen, Warton 3 years of lower league football, Johnson as old as the hills, Travis 3+ years in the championship, Gally I've lost count of how many seasons he's lumbered about, Bereton 4 seasons and an international. Not exactly a team bereft of experience, hardly a young team whatsoever. Only 2 were in their first championship season. The lying snake. As for the atmosphere. We gave away a goal after 3 minutes. Our only forays into their penalty area for the first 40 minutes were a couple of free kicks - we couldn't manage it from open play. School of thought but maybe give the fans something to cheer about? Also with our weak attempts at attacking at the end of the first half were greeted with massive approval and endorsement from the crowd as if watching total football. To blame it on the fans is an utter lie. The fans snaffled up every crumb of hope in the first half - issue was there was so few of them. We offered literally nothing. They were very lucky it's the forgiving lot left because in Jack's day that sort of performance would have seen a lot harsher reaction. Man of integrity - as if. Another lying lowlife polluting this club.

So the verdict from the other side of the world (sister back from NZ) is rudderless. I find it hard to disagree. First half was appalling, second half better and perhaps unlucky to not force a draw, but if you don't turn up for 45 mins then you only have yourself to blame. First half was beyond terrible. One of the worst performances I can remember. Second half much better - especially with Rothwell and Buckley (who would have thought it?) The team looked more comfortable in a 4-3-3 - the centre backs weren't lunging forward recklessly and since the wingbacks weren't attacking being full backs suited them better. It was interesting getting a Rovers fan's take on the players with no baggage. Interestingly summed up a lot of common belief on here. Player comments were as follows; Johnson useless and invisible. Gally - not sure he's in control of all his body. Dolan - anonymous Centre backs all looked hapless first half. Positively Travis put himself about and the subs looked lively. Pickering looked ok too. I'd agree with most of this sunmary. Only things I would add to that is Nayambe was very disappointing going forwards. So frustrating. Not after Cafu but a bit of forward drive would help. I'd also add that 20 minutes walloping a ball long to Dolan is the height of stupidity. Oh and we got lucky with the penalty decision at the end. Clear as day penalty imo. Still didn't change the score and incredibly we somehow arent out of the playoff hunt (albeit unlikely).despite our diabolical run. Did I mention that first half was an affront to all the fans. It was played on the beach.

A few kind of firsts for us tomorrow. My sister's first game in a long, long time since she's over from NZ. As someone who emigrated in the early Venkys years it will be interesting to see what a relatively fresh set of eyes - yet one won to Rovers on the magic of the Souness years - makes of the team, the ground and so forth. It's also my first trip since baby Bb so it will be interesting watching games back in person. (We will ignore the fact that Rovers form has spiraled since baby Bb arrived. I'm sure that's an unhappy coincidence.) Prior to this absence a lot of people bar myself were still quite favourable to TM. Interesting if that's still the case. My thoughts. A Rovers win. We are due one, things are out of our hands so the pressure is off a bit, and Stoke aren't any great shakes. We often get a reaction as the murmurs of discontent grow. Not aiming for a Mercer but I have a good feeling about this one.

Maybe they want someone to.l make Maguire look good? We've had some good loans over the years. He definitely wasn't one of them.

I find it hard to disagree. What makes it frustrating is so many favours are being done for us. Yes Luton went against us but other results went for us especially the Sheff Utd one. So it's doubly frustrating. Lack of accountability is huge. We must be the only club where results don't matter. To have 3 horror runs in 5 seasons and still be in post. It's unheard of.

Not that it matters since we can't do the business but a Luton win was bad for us. Forest are likely to bounce back but Luton I felt was more likely to fall away and a more realistic prospect for us to catch. So a win makes it harder. Mind you it's all academic since we can't beat the worst team in the league.

Last paragraph is a bit of a low blow Matty. Not needed. First is a better question. I guess in terms of a proven track record over time he's less well-known. I guess to less interested owners and less interested fans he would be less known. Do a poll at Ewood last year and I reckon a fair chunk couldn't answer who was Swansea manager. I mean obviously you hope that for your club those doing the appointments have their fingers on the pulse so to speak and are aware of everyone known and less well known - and such a candidate would be on their radar - but we are also aware that's totally not the case with us or necessarily with other clubs.

1 That's the problem 2 That's a stackable statement. What an arrogant pancake flipper.

Personally am with Tyrone on this. I had heard of him but blimey he said relatively unknown. I don't think it's a wild inaccuracy to call someone who has only 2 years experience outside the top flight relatively unknown. In fact I'd say relatively makes nod to both his achievements and new status. I also think there's a fair bit of a certain poster misunderstanding the English language deliberately too..

When Paul sodding Ince has a better win-loss ratio than you, you know it's time to call it a day...

Finally caught up with WM. Mixed bag is the word. There was enough in there to be a one night classic, even with the usual bore fest from Reigns and Lesnar. Just a school of thought but you can do more than 3 moves each. And it's a bad shout to end the match right after the first interesting moment in the bout too. That's a main event? My word... There were some really strong matches, Bianca Vs Lynch was exceptional and the pick of both nights, whilst Styles-Edge and Rhodes-Rollins were also good. Charlotte Vs Ronda seemed a bit messy for me, though they worked hard. Logan Paul and Stone Cold put in excellent showings given their circumstances. So all in all there was a good night's card in there. Shame it was surrounded by so much dross and filler. I do wonder how WWE keeps going when so much of its product lacks good story telling and appeal. So many titles going to waste, so much under utilised talent. Maybe this is what you end up with due to a monopoly.

I'm not claiming to be the Almighty but I can tell you exactly how it is going to go. We will someone on the managerial scrapheap reject pile from a certain agency will get the job and we will continue to tank. The only uncertainty is whether that reject is TM of some other incompetent. Either way the slow decline will continue.

Gav that's a very one sided view on things! Firstly Bereton. As I said before I can't think of another player anywhere who takes up such a huge amount of the budget that is allowed to take over 3 seasons to become good. Could Rovers afford that? Clearly not. Not could, I suspect, most other clubs have such a huge percentage of their transfer budget do nothing for 3 years. That's not job done whatsoever. That's opportunities lost - although it's far from a washout given his goals have saved us this season. But a roaring success? Not at all. Armstrong agree - fantastic bit of business. Gally - fans know nothing about football? Everyone knows Gally is wasted out wide. So what does that suggest about TM if he keeps playing him there? That doesn't suggest he's the expert and we aren't. It suggests TM is a Muppet for doing so. Again, having such a big chunk of our transfer budget not really performing to the top level again suggests perhaps TM isn't the football genius he makes out. Yes plenty of players have improved under TM. That 3 you mentioned are leaving for free is criminal. Whilst most of this is on the world's most incompetent owners, the manager mist hold some of the blame given he must have some influence on things (e.g. the extension of the contracts over lockdown). Again continuing with the this shows he is an expert I could raise you the likes of Walton, Whittingham, Ayala, the players stupidly out of position, the players limited out of position, the Raya situation, the mid season collapses. He's far, far from an expert. For what it's worth I think he is an ok manager - which is much better than the usual standard here - who makes stupid, idiotic mistakes.and is his own worst enemy. I also think he is a dislikeable toad due to his comments. As for Forrest they have been a basket case club. As we when we came down show, spending doesn't always mean it's been spent well. They have had a huge turnover of players, tons of managers, no parachute payments, a meddling owner and general chaos. To get them firing like he has in such circumstances is very impressive. On Ishmael didn't he get Barnsley into the playoffs? That's more than TM managed with less resources and time. Also WBA were in the playoffs when he left. Is he a great manager? I'm not sure but I would have him over TM. As for the rest you mention, taking a snapshot at one moment is interesting - have Coventry and QPR had the time or investment TM has had? Have either been on the death spirals he has been at. I'll finish with this had TM had a run like he has had with us at either club he would have been sacked. That's how football works apart from at Ewood.

Tbf this was/is the year they should. With the barcodes money and the competence of promoted Brentford, there weren't many candidates for relegation. In fact it's only the utterly appalling appointment of Lampard that has dragged Everton into this mess and given them an out.

I think 8th is pretty much certain. Millwall, Coventry etc are all falling away and not sure Luton will stay the distance either. So top of the almost pile for Rovers. That's pretty respectable until you consider where we were at the turn of the year and how badly we have faded. I get teams running out of steam but in January? Utterly criminal.

Y'know I just said that who they needed to appoint was the much maligned Allardyce. Unpopular but you bet they wouldn't be in this situation.

I want some of whatever the Everton board were drinking when they appointed Lampard. Potent stuff.

On Bereton the point is he did bugger all for 2 seasons, ok at best for one and good this year. Is it really ok for a £7 million signing to take 3+ years to develop? Is it ok for that much of the budget see little to no return for 3 years? I'm not convinced that's ok for us. Also I cannot think of a single player who took up such a large percentage of the budget who was given 3+ years to come good at a club. As for Gally. Regardless of merits everyone and his dog - in fact everyone but TM - can see he's best down the middle. Regardless of how good he actually is/might be that he is played so badly out of position shows TM knows bugger all. If he's actually a good player TM is a Muppet for wasting him out wide. If he is a duffer then TM is doubly stupid for buying him and playing him out of position. Any roads TM doesn't come out well from these transfers.

The issue with this summer is actually one that has been year upon year in the making. We have relied on loans for so long that it always means we are starting 4-5 players down before we even start. Then there's the fact that we let a lot of out of contract players go last summer - admittedly of mixed quality - without really replacing them. As we have seen repeatedly, nobody is actually worse than somebody. Then there's not replacing Armstrong, the only permanent CB signed being an utter crock and you are looking at the issues coming to a head in spectacular fashion. The issue for me is we have always been relying on sticky plaster solutions to our problems. It's no way to build a squad.

Great post. Although it's not like we have failed off badly before or anything... Given its happened 4 years with the same manager surely he should be carrying the can for this. Only at Rovers would someone be bulletproof despite collapse after collapse.

Three thoughts on a depressing afternoon aside from the obvious: 1) Whilst I thought we would fly 2nd I'm shocked at how easily we have capitulated the playoff places. Shocking really for such a turn around. 2) It probably doesn't matter but a draw probably means Coventry won't catch us as they will run out of games given their form. Shame a few other teams will though. 3) I like our away kit. On the TM worst manager ever. Nowhere near. But I would say he is the most underperforming manager we have had. Coyle, Ince etc couldn't run a bath much less a team. Their best was not good enough. TM however. All his mistakes are rectifiable. Players out of position, terrible line ups that need rectifying at half time - if he got basic obvious decisions correct - which on occasion he has - rather than a who is crappest at right wing competition we would be so much better. It's his own stubbornness and overly high opinion of himself that holes us below the waterline. It's criminal. It really is.

Why is Coyle a degenerate? Utterly useless as a manager, yes. Completely out of his depth, and then some. But degenerate? Also think Coyle was dealt a worse hand that TM if I am honest, which combined with his ineptitude was a guaranteed disaster. And one thing for Coyle - his comments haven't been as bad as TMs by a long stretch. As for the manager not knowing whether his contract is being renewed. Facial from Venkys. Utterly clueless and classless. All that said the manager could perhaps aim to finish with a bit more than seeing the season out, even if just as an up yours to the owners. Get rid of the lot of them. TM, Venkys, Waggott they can all do one as far as I am concerned.

Indeed. Problem is it's what he does with the hand that isn't tied that frustrates the hell out of me!