He's the reason I feel either Leeds or Ipswich will pip them to second. A great squad and financial clout covers a lot of mistakes (think Parker as a manager too) but at some point a lack of managerial nous will get exposed.

No one was expecting a classic. Given it was a good time to play Cardiff perhaps disappointing not to win. Given we've been in poor form perhaps a relief not to lose. A point serves us well as we limp towards the season's end. A point per game will easily do it for us. Next season however...

Definitely the case. Was reading about this and Beale said the criticism from Sunderland fans was because of his accent! He also bangs on a lot about his 16 years experience at top clubs (Liverpool and Chelsea) implying (to virtually stating) he's an expert which I doubt endears him to fans either.

If ever there is evidence there's a troll in our midst that is it. No one, well over the age of 11, no one would be thick enough to challenge someone on their experience as a DOF when they have bugger all themselves. Nor do I think anyone would be championing the expertise of a profession in one sentence - what experience have you got as a DOF - and at the same time expecting said person to have the expertise to suggest an alternative. In fact no one is stupid or ignorant enough to think one's lack of knowledge means an answer doesn't exist. I mean just because I don't know how to fix my car doesn't mean there isn't a solution. Also the respons when asked how Ennis worked out, ignoring the obvious that it hasn't shows either a complete lack of understanding of English or a willfulness not to engage properly with people. Again even a child would have worked out the said question and implications. And all that's before we get to the tone. I'm all for different opinions and debate but such posting is really low imo.

I'm not sure that is physically possible.

For me Stoke and Millwall are in much more precarious positions and its between them for the third place to go down. Millwall have been quietly falling down the league, more under the radar than us. Their manager has very little experience of club management. We've seen how Rowatt, their previous manger, has repeatedly had teams over performing. We've seen a few times the gulf in performance when he has left a team. Stoke do have a good manager, in fact have had a number of good managers, and yet still struggle. That shows there are bigger issues and this season it feels like the game may be up. Losing to us must also set alarm bells ringing and the fact no one has rectified Stoke for years makes me feel they could be in real bother. One of those two plus Weds and Rotherham imo. Our front two will keep us up before going to pastures new leaving us facing the drop next year.

Millwall, Stoke, Swansea and QPR all look pretty poor too. And there's only one place left as Rother are down and Sheff Weds I feel won't make up the points and have all the off field issues as well. So probably we only need to do better than one of the 4 mentioned. That's pretty doable

All the signs are there for relegation, especially he players having a moan. It seems we've simply switched our style in our rock paper sissors approach to football. I still think that with the lead over the bottom 3 that we have and one place at least being taken means we won't be relegated. There's enough yes, like Stoke the other day, we'll get points from to limp along to the finish. All set for next season though to plummet down the league.

The above is why I'm not that excited by the appointment. He fits their criteria, as matt83 succinctly summarises. But it is really not an adequate criteria to appoint any manager whatsoever. His record isn't amazing. He's not that experienced. He's arguably done ok at a couple of places, but couldn't have been classed as doing well anywhere. To be honest he reminds me of the Berg appointment, underwhelming, but relief that it's someone who has actually managed and not been a car crash. I also can't see his defensive style pleasing the higher ups. Not that I think the higher ups have any valid opinions, but given how fractious things are between head coach and the higher echelons I doubt one extra clash is going to help matters. Still we might get new manager's bounce to keep us up, but that's about it. Hoping I'll be proved wrong - would love it. But I fear that it's going to continue the downward spiral.

On reflection despite a bizarre openness over the last few months that has seen us leak goals, overall JDT I feel did well with Rovers. Remember that there'd been the running down of the team for a year or two under TM and a step up in terms of lack of investment (players leaving on frees, Armstrong money not invested). Fans, myself included, were worried that relegation was on the cards when he joined. Add in he didn't get his own backroom team. Not an easy situation to come in to. Add in more transfer disasters then the rest of the league put together. Moved goalposts and two sabotaged windows with no incoming fees to spend and he was well and truly up against it. I'm not sure many managers could have coped with the rug being pulled out from beneath them and such adverse conditions. And his standing for me rose with his appropriate criticism of his bosses. He wasn't a great manager mind. Sticking with Pears in goal last year is evidence there were some huge blind spots. But he was decent, and that is as good as we are going to get. Perhaps decent enough that without being constantly undermined, he might have achieved something. Shame we will never know.

So the only person who has left is someone who definitely wasn't to blame for the transfer window fiasco. Sounds about right for Rovers.

Reminds me a bit of the joke about Little Timmy in his first day of class. The teacher's asking each child what their father does for a living. When it gets to Timmy's turn he says "my Dad is a male prostitute who sells crack on the side." The teacher quickly shuts down the conversation. At break the teacher speaks to Timmy and challenges him as to whether his answer was true. Timmy answers "oh no Miss, my Dad plays for Burnley, but I was just too embarrassed to say so." In a similar way, that they're willing to fabricate an excruciating save instead of send story, the truth is certainly far more nefarious; probably a deliberate sabotage/Venkys pulling the plug on any deal involving actual expenditure. And let's make no mistake, it clearly wasn't a save vs send error. For starters, it happens to be this deal, when all the others got done? The only deal involving actual investment, given Venkys track record of underfunding us. When all the others around it got done? Yeah right. Then of course there's the history of last January's transfer window. The revamped procedures to prevent errors according to our DOF. Heck, the extra pressure/scrutiny/diligence last season's debacle would engender every employee and everyone overseeing the process to ensure no more errors occurred would be colossal. Of course, both of these arguments ignore the most basic principle, which is people don't accidently not send very important emails. Thinking of the charity I work for, when we do funding applications - we make sure it is sent. It's simple human nature and basic working practice to ensure key information is sent. Not only that - and I can't account for the system in question - but generally the save option is nowhere near the send button. Certainly all the email systems I've used they're not next to each other. In fact send is the default option on all of them. So somehow getting the two confused and not checking? Yeah right. No the sinister goings on at Rovers continue. This lot are lower than pond scum.

it is great odds but 2 of the 3 relegation positions are already pretty much sown up. Rotherham and Sheff are already down or at least too distant from us to overtake us. The third position however is a real possibility...

That's a barefaced lie. Couple of examples being the state of Ewood Park and the pitch. Both exempt from FFP, neither maintained appropriately. Even if it were true- which it isn't- that's like praising a mad axe murderer for not coming grannies out of their pensions.

Credit to the lad but we will get so little of it to invest in the team. Like Rhodes, Armstrong, Hanley and Duffy before him, Jones come to think of it, an insulting low amount will be ploughed back into the team. The downward trend continues.

Yep, including his injury prone nature.

In the next round. A tad worried the ref was going to blow for a foul. Don't think we will mess it up now

Garrett appalling but involved. Moran just appalling. Much less open this half from both teams.

It was a double save because the first save was poor. Great recovery mind. And we still need better.

Game over! Great ball and what a player Sami is.

Thank goodness! And again as I type! Keeper did us a favour there. Great to be in front but issues remain.

More alarminf then Garretts performance or Pears keeping is how mentally soft we are. Go behind and go to pieces. We were playing them off the park. Rather than be pissed off we let in a goal we become piss scared.

Thought exactly the same. That bit will get forgotten though

He has it in him. Problem is he often has to redeem himself because he drops so many clangers too.

Dominated them. They've had nothing yet we STILL concede. No wonder we are struggling, teams have to put us under zero pressure and still score.