Blue blood

The fact that Preston are above us again given our resources really annoys me. It's a damning example of how poor we are under TM. 3 years, 12 million and a better wage budget - not to mention no pressure - and we still can't overtake them? Poor do all round. They're above us in the league so reckon a draw is on the cards. Although whenever pressure mounts on TM (and I use the term pressure in the loosest sense of the word) he pulls out a result. So who knows maybe it's time for the 1 win in 4.

Sounds like you are disagreeing with what I wrote but I actually was saying he should get the boot...

The question I ask myself is do we look any more likely now 3 years on to get promoted then when we first came up. And whilst on paper yes, on the pitch it's a clear no. And if for no other reason than that he needs to go.

Is that possible? And yes Evans should have been gone a long time ago.

Bournemouth are the one that surprise me. A rookie manager doesn't often do that well, although I guess Fulham's squad compensated for Parker's weaknesses. But given I don't think Bournmouth's squad was as strong I am surprised they are doing so well. Norwich and Watford less of a surprise imo.

Whilst I think this is an accurate assessment as a strategy it will only end in tears. What's the phrase about standing still is actually going backwards? Goodness we are a mess of a club.

Ince got MK Dons promoted. Coyle got Burnley promoted. All managers, if they don't sink after a stint at a single club generally have one success on their CV. It's what gives them a bit of longevity. As it is 1 prior promotion doesn't prove much. And whilst I think he is better than the ones I've mentioned, I don't think TM is far superior or a huge upgrade.

We've played 7 decent teams in the league and not beaten a single one. Time for TM ro jog on. I have no faith in the owners choosing a better manager given their attachments to an agency, but even so I think that TM has really run his course. He's run out of ideas, is getting a squad to underperform and still has a shed load of the same mistakes being made. This is a manager on a down and we need to get rid before he takes us with him.

Agreed. And going beyond one game when the likes of Millwall, Luton, Barnsley and Preston are all above us, you really have to question what the manager is doing with his resources. ,

If you are referring to us only signing managers from one agency I agree you have a point in that it's difficult to replace him. If you are suggesting that there aren't better managers a club of our calibre could appoint, then I would suggest you are highly mistaken. In the time TM has been floundering, Rowett, Houghton and Warnock have all got jobs with clubs no bigger than ours. (Maybe Forest, but surely historically only.) I'm not sure who is currently out of work, but even that is a fallacy connected with Rovers - there's a school of thought you can try and get managers who are in other roles. TM isn't the pinnacle of managers by any means. And if people think he is, they should be calling for Vebkys to clear off for making that the case.

And how we are slowly progressing. Was talking today with my Dad about Hughes time at Rovers. 1 season to keep us up, one to make us a prospect and a top half team, a third to get us challenging for Europe. In contrast our progress under TM is glacial.

I appreciate it doesn't help having a crap ref, but let's be honest, we're not very good are we? I mean, ok on paper we look like a good side, but we haven't beaten a single decent team. We've hammered the dross, and that's highly laudable, but to not have beaten a single one of the 7 or 8 decent teams we've played is pretty poor and worrying. We're going nowhere fast. Season will be over by January.

Strong team, well other than the defence which as ever looks threadbare. Should be more than capable of getting the win. And if we don't it's another blow to our promotion ambitions. We can't afford to fall further behind. But I expect a good result today.

Rooney says he wants the Derby job. If he gets it I am pretty certain it would relegate them.

Agree on Cairney. Raya I think with another season could have doubled in price. Certainly wouldn't have depreciated. Also talking about an extra 2 or 3 million, even if solely that, makes a huge difference to Rovers finances, so it's not much of an only in our context.

Not sure this would be a debate if either a) the other defenders were always fit or b) we had adequate cover. As it is neither is the case. Given the 8000 midfielders we have you do wonder why we play it so risky in terms of numbers and questionable fitness in the defence. For example - regardless of ability - Evans isn't massively missed because you have Holtby, Rothwell, Travis, Trybull, Johnson and Downing who can all play there. Bennett too I guess. Whereas defence is much thinner on the ground. Groundhog Day at Rovers though with a cobbled together defence.

Yes especially when we had one in the books who was known to be injury prone. In fact neither of the other two are particularly injury free. Surely that's for the manager to sort out rather than Dom! But knowing that we already had injury tendencies in that area made signing an injury prone player even more risky. That's not rocket science. The more I think on it, missing out on Bauer has cost us. Tosin was better but on higher wages which perhaps could have been used elsewhere and was only a one season benefit. Bauer would have given us a dependable long term option who was often available, which I'm not sure Ayala is. This year I am not as sure, although if we had Bauer it wouldn't be a question we are asking. Missing out on Kipre was a blow, but surely our European scouting network could have found someone of equal ability with a tad more fitness.

All squads can afford to carry an injury prone risk or two. The benefits can outweigh the costs in these situations. What a squad cannot carry is more than a couple of injury prone players. I would suggest we are carrying far too many, which on top of Covid and long term unfortunate injuries is a real killer

Their best is shoddy and poor. Their worst is abusive and criminal. Goodness knows how people can like them or what frame of reference they are using to come to that conclusion. I treat another human like that, say a family member, and they would view things in a very different light. Also have we forgotten - Hughes, Souness even ignoring (though we shouldn't) the years Jack was here and in charge the standards were still high. How can we have forgotten that?

Yes. Maybe storylines are rushed more and as I said before about the character development and turns make little if any sense - that seems to have occurred more since the transition to TV. Strange really as the first few episodes after the move were still good and you wouldn't think the additional time would be that much of a problem. They had and have a roster deep enough to do a 2 hour show. And looking at the current roster it is incredibly deep. So the TV shouldn't have been that much of a negative change.

Watch NXT and NXT UK as well as the PPVs on the network. Whilst I would say unwatchable is overly harsh I would say that it is definitely a mixed bag. NXT is in my view the strongest of the products and still produces some.good and great quality matches. However it's not imo at the level it was a year or two ago. It had a couple of years where it was simply excellent and it has fallen far from those standards, especially in light of character development. People turn from faces to heels and vice versa with little reasoning and in a short space of time which undermines the brand's credibility. The in ring action is still pretty solid but their slow storytelling and character development was a strength so for that to go is a big loss. As for the rest it's a very mixed bag with some gems thrown in. Most PPVs have a few good matches in and a fair whack of cross, NXT UK similar. Can't remember too many good PPVs where I was really invested - a couple of matches at Summer Slam being a notable exception. When it's good the product is very good but when it isn't it is quite bland. Is that better than previous years? Debatable. I thought Drew was a good champion giving good matches. But a lack of crowd doesn't help and must be having a huge impact on the quality of things.

Mirrors my thoughts too. Add in the legacy of Flowers as well and Friedel was up against it when he came. Fair to say I became a big fan. Best Rovers keeper ever. As for our current crop of keepers. TK does well in part simply by coming after Walton. That said, even with that benefit I actually think he is good. It doesn't help that Pears doesn't look convincing - and after Walton also looking none too convincing, that's going to make the defence exceptionally edgy. However, at least the number 1 position is sorted. Hopefully the Greek lad can develop and make the number 2 spot his own too (or Pears improves.)

Yes. There was an article linked on here a while ago about him that was an interesting read. Him and his agent seem in cahoots. The article talked of how Boro were angry (possible legal dispute) over inflated transfer fees that he had arranged, and his agent tried to get himself a job as Head of Recruitment as well when Monk applied for the position of Manager at Brum. The fact he has been sacked from numerous clubs, often with not a bad record on the pitch suggests he is very dodgy and worth steering clear of.

That's my thinking too. He'd one pretty well imo, and if this season hasn't been great, then his previous couple of years have seen certainly seen them punch above their weight. I imagine had he had the backing TM had had, 15 millioin or so, then it could have been what got them that extra bit and into playoffs and possibly the Premiership. Certainly his record is decent, a couple of good seasons with PNE where he perhaps overachieved, a promotion with Norwich. He doesn't strike me as a duffer. The problem is with these smaller clubs punching above their weight, sooner or later they always get found out. First time I remember seeing that is with Coventry back in the Premiership under Strachen, with him having to get a new stirker each year. Sooner or late the magic runs out, and that might be happening to Neil now.

You say that but I am not so sure. Footballers are a funny lot. Bale is good enough to win trophies but was content to sit on the Real bench for a season or two. (appreciate he has moved on now but only after a good stint chilling in the stands.) And there are a number of other examples too. Even Smallwood didn't want to move on and took a wage here rather than playing. Being set up financially seems more of a motivator these days.