Good point. Yes he's calling it abuse but actually it's criticism of his poor performances. It's another of his sneaky sly underhand ways to avoid any kind of accountability.

Another thing: Mentioning the £200 million on full backs alone is slimy, weasel words and disingenuous in the extreme. Pep did that to win the Premier League. We are talking about the championship. How is that a like for like comparison. What a snake. Hugely irrisponsible, actively encouraging fans to police other other supports. Highly immoral too. Told you he isn't a good guy. Glad you don't let them get to you because if this is your response when not got to, I'd hate to see your response when they do!

That's really strange that Pep and £200 million is needed because I could have sworn that Blackpool and Coventry were in worse positions than TM inherited with is but are now above us in the league. And that's without either Pep or the dosh.

I think what pisses me off about this - aside from the sheer unprofessionalism of it - is how needless it is. It doesn't take a leap of imagination to think football fans would not be too impressed with their own players liking a post from a 7-0 dribbling. Nor is it a great intellectual feat to think even if it was done without any ill intent that it could be misinterpreted. Btw I think it is unprofessional not innocent but even if somehow you concluded it was ok, it might just cross your mind it could be seen negatively. Anyone with half a brain cell might see it is likely to go badly and not a good thing to do. Then of course there's the fact that not liking it is going to have zero effect. What would happen if they don't like it? The 7-0 doesn't stand? Their friendship with Reed is over? Reed begins to suffer from depression because he feels unloved? Not only are there negative consequences for posting, there are bigger all negative consequences for not liking it. So why do it??? Honestly footballers are a stupid lot.

Another brass necked comment in the LT from Total Mess is that the team deserves more credit than it gets. Who says that after a 7-0 loss? Deluded tosser.

Even with his lack of nous surely he shouldn't be surprised at getting stick after terrible runs and performances. A radical school of thought I know, especially round our way, but perhaps managers are viewed on their performance?

Me too. And it's the only way I feel we could get rid of them. Not that Venkys would let this happen.

True. But it's a small consolation. I mean what does a false 9 and a right back have in common? Totally different roles, different skills, different mentality. You need a certain nous for both positions, which he's hardly going to get shunted everywhere. And neither are his main position so it's all a stupid waste hampering his development. It's another cost of our stupidly thin squad.

Another fault of the manager. I've never seen so many signings make so little impact.

One player I do feel sorry for us Buckley. I mean there's a fair amount of debate as to how good he is/might be but playing three different positions - and in three different areas of the pitch no less - in as many games is bound to bugger up his development. That he was wildly unsuited to two of them makes it even more unfair. Just to clarify not saying he is great or rubbish or commenting on his performance today, but rather pointing out the ineptitude of how he is managed.

Indeed, it's a heck of an evasive action. I mean I expected a whimper and a loss but even so TM manages to continue to negatively exceed expectations.

Shocking. Only time I have seen us mauled at home was Vs Arsenal when we lost 4-1 but that was against the best team in the country with the best midfield combo around (Viera and Petit). Even then we bagged a goal. This lot are a yo-yo team who have been beaten by others in the championship. Not an insurmountable opponent. Mind you nearing the playoffs we were never going to win. Can't get too high under Total Mess. I don't know what hurts more - the result or the fact it makes no difference.

Good post. I think your point about the midfield lacking bite and being able to impose itself is spot on and why for me we perhaps aren't a top 6 starting 11. I'd also question whether we can guarantee the strikers (bar Ben) can impose themselves enough/stick it away enough for a really sustained challenge. However their goal return is pretty decent so perhaps that's me being overly negative. The midfield though, definitely needs to dominate more. As you say the squad is what lets us down. The loss of two or three key players makes a huge difference. No cover for Nayambe, I know we seem to get goals but without Bereton I would be worried, very few positive changes to be made after the first 11. The drop in quality after the first 11 is quite scary. Mind you I remember the Dingles getting promoted with a paper thin squad and few injuries so it is possible. But I do think, even if we avoid serious injuries, we are a bit of midfield dominance away from managing it if I am honest

Agree. Rather crucial.

My biggest worry about tonight's game is we are perilously close to the playoffs. A win could see us inside them. That's got to harm our chances.

I appreciate this is football analysis at its most I'm depth but Norwich are utterly stuffed.

Don't worry it only matches you ignoring all of theirs. Huge financial backing, a number of years to get it right, bottles a ton of semis and then a final - not sure there can be any complaints that he goes. Mind you, I've never thought arseing it up at Cardiff was a particularly good criteria for selecting a manager. Playing and managing are very different as countless examples show. All that said as a Rovers fan I would give him a contract for life there.

Can it also be noted no other manager has alluded to comparisons with the Premiership winning team. Not other dross we have had like Ince or Kidd and not even the odious one told such a lie. Just let that sink in - even Mr Dew on the Grass didn't say supporters compared the team to the Premiership winning one.

Y'know I have never seen a manager be given so much time and backing, and a fair bit of dosh, to land us with such a poor squad, make so many glaring errors and yet still give us such a hard luck story. Incredible.

Erm no we can't. We can't pay the going rate for them when they are known and don't cost us a transfer fee, so the idea we can replace them with similar quality with the barriers of finance and locating them is implausible in the extreme.

A bit embarrassed to say I missed this one even being on! Mind you, after the weekends debacle and the performance in this game perhaps a blessing in disguise. There's so many things wrong with this team it would be funny if it wasn't true. More by error than design we have a solid first 11 which due to lack of options has forced some consistency and a decent start. However as soon as injuries bite, or we have a few options, TM goes and messes it up. I still can't get my head round the fact that the loan defensive cover for injuries still isn't up to speed half way through October. Given we brought him injured this surely classes as gross incompetence. The 3 centre backs rears its head again, because it's only failed 9 times out of 10 when we have used it before. Seems a bit Blackadder "they'll never expect that the 111th plan is the same as the 110th" (not sure what the actual numbers are.) Why we use it when even the mighty Morecambe beat us when we used it is beyond me. None of our first 11 can have an off game. There's no spare capacity or options to cope with this. Mind you it's a good picture of what next year's team will look like. The loans - blimey if it wasn't bad enough relying on good loans, we now have a ton of crap ones. I mean it was never a sound strategy when they were good, but now they are poor it makes it even worse. Again after some of the dross we have had here on loan it's comical that we still have substandard loans. TM and Waggott never learn. Still there's a ton of crap teams in the Championship. We won't go down yet, despite us continuing to dismantle the team. After all after 4-5 years with no pressure and decent money, what can you expect but a bare bones squad. Negligent is the only way to describe this shower.

Indeed. Imagine it would have been more use put to contract renewals.

I think the quote "in the land of the blind the one eyed man is king" comes to mind here. It's a problem when there is no one else vaguely near competent to play there.

The only former Rovers player who I think is comparable to Bereton - assuming he leaves at the end of this season - is MacCarthy under Hughes. Both had one great season where they lead the line for us, and were indifferent for the rest of their time here. Both in their indifferent spells had their weaker performances mitigated by the fact other strikers were taking on the mantle. Both we are likely to see a return on our investment on (unless Bereton runs down his contract which I don't see happening.) MacCarthy is seen as a good signing despite being a one season wonder so I imagine Bereton will be too. Of course there are some big differences. Of course we should make a profit on Bereton, albeit getting out money back for someone of MacCathy's age was a good return. Also what we should get for Bereton will be less due to another final year saga. One difference is that MacCarthy wasn't a huge outlay as in the majority of our budget, nor were there as many pressing issues in the team to be filled, either when recruited or when he left. All of these differences does make the Bereton situation a little less palitable and positive. But thought it was an interesting comparison as there aren't many players who bombed for most of their career with us and had one great season for Rovers.

Given he was having a half decent season, Armstrong was off and the only other option was Gally, I'm pretty sure most fans would have given him a new contract.