I like that line up. Except I'd play downing on the left, Buckley in dack's position (whod I'd leave on the bench) and then give travis and Johnson 45 each for other centre mid spot as I feel they still need the minutes. Perhaps Grayson for Tosin?

I certainly don't subscribe to the idea of getting rid of TM, not at this stage anyway. He deserves at least 10 games or so, any side can loose their first couple. However I do think that he's under pressure, a different kind of pressure to the last couple seasons. Two major factors. 1.) We didn't have a good 2nd half of the season, we had clear defensive deficiencies, especially away from home. TM had the whole summer to sort out that problem and the jury is out on whether that has done so. I think a back line of Cunningham, Del/lenhian, Tosin and RN is decent, but he will live or die by that choice. 2.) The other part of the situation is that he has built up a pretty capable championship squad and that brings it's own pressure to deliver. It is most definitely his squad, no more inherited dross excuses. A bench of Bell, downing, Chapman, brereton, Graham, evans, Buckley and Grayson is pretty strong at this level in my opinion. It will be interesting and I am really hopeful that it comes off. Hes a genuine football bloke, I just hope his conservatism doesn't hold him/us back.

He's not 19, he's 22 next month. Yes young, but not that young. He's been a professional footballer for 4 years, played in the champions league and a full season for a playoff champ team last season. How about him next to downing at left back?

What was so frustrating about the performance on Saturday was that we seemed to throw everything away that we had worked on from pre-season. I realise that the opposition during pre-season was a waste of space, but we played 4-2-3-1 with the right midfielder playing hard right (armstrong) and Rothwell playing on the left, but tucked in. Then come match day, he plays downing on the right and armstrong on the left so that they are constantly cutting inside on their favoured foot and narrowing the pitch. Then the subs didnt make any sense. DG needs to start these kinds of games so that we can play through him. If he doesn't start, there is no point bringing him on as we just go diagonal. Bell should have been subbed off, Downing to left back and Rothwell on. Armstrong shouldnt have been subbed off, or if you do, then BB should have replaced him. SG should never have been playing out right either.

Absolute fing disgrace. All that optimism, punctured like a balloon by bad selections and defensive mentality. Soul destroying result

My team for Charlton would be; Walton RN Lenihan Tosin/Mulgrew Downing Johnson Travis Armstrong Dack Rothwell Graham Happy to go with Tosin if hes well acquainted with the other defenders, but know its more likely that TM will go with Mulgrew. I certainly think the defense will benefit from having both Johnson and Travis shielding them with their mobility and energy. Too often last season it was like a knife through butter with Smallwood and Evans. TM has said many times that when we play at home against a team who will defend deep and give us possession of the ball, he will play DG as the main striker. Makes sense, unlikely to get in behind (at least down the middle), much more potential down the sides with Armstrong or Rothwell and DG can hold the ball up and bring others into play. However I would potentially expect SG to start against Fulham as we need a striker who is much more mobile as well likely have much less of the ball and be looking to play on the counter. Where does that leave BB? Its a good question as I think this could be a real breakout year for him, but cant help feel hes more of a 2 up top type striker.

I saw something like that myself on a Rovers group on facebook. No sources, just rumors based on us not guaranteeing him 75% of games. Really hope not, his height and pace would compliment Lenihan perfectly imo.

I remember him signing a new contract recently, when does that go through to? You'd think 90mins vs Oldham was a given.

Looks like Chapman and the Nut got a useful run out for the u23s tonight. Chapman scored twice and assisted and the Nut also scored. No match report, just twitter updates from Rivers at this stage, so unsure if they played 90mins but hopefully at least an hour into the legs

Bit of catch 22 situation with the Dingles in Europe. Do we hope for them to be knocked out this qualifying round, so that we can laugh at them for being out before the competition 'proper' has even begun; or do we wish for them to progress to the group stage and thus their league form hampered into winter, by which time it might be too late to escape? Decisions decisions..

We only play one up top. We've got Armstrong, DG, Nuttall and Brereton, assuming he signs..

I wouldnt mind that final loan spot being a left footed winger or wide midfielder to provide a bit of balance. Other than that I think the squad is ready to go

I thought Bellamy would never ever sign for a 'little' club like ours.

And the shear incompetence of at least half of the above perhaps gives an answer (or least part of an answer) to our early wonderings about foreign managers...

Right you are Suffolk blue. 25 quid a head for Rovers fans which isn't too bad. Probably taken our biggest following in many a year as its our first game back, warm August weekend etc.

Yeh absolutely. Anything above 250 will be a really tough chase for them on a 5th day surface.

For all the rubbish spoken by the Aussies before the series, theyve already resorted to Starc going around the wicket to the left handers with a bodyline angle and Lyon as their best chance of a wicket. There is really nothing to fear from this Aussie side-at 4 down one could argue this is the strongest part of the batting line up in Ali, bairdstow (normally Stokes also) and Woakes.

Play a strong team and try to win the game in 90 mins. Momentum is so important this division and it would be great to get sat's defeat out of our system asap. I think Chapman will start and perform well.

Nonce. Dont you dare insinuate that I do not know about football over a msg board just because I have a different opinion to you. You dont know me and thankfully never will. As a season ticket holder who goes to around 1/2 our away games as well-I think clubs do needs fans like me. Considering your attitude to me and the fact you slated Sam in that previous thread yet are now brown nosing him-do we need human beings like you? With regards to the Jack Walker. He died at the start of the season-I dont remember us making any big money signings whilst down-most of it came from selling off the relegated team. We have lots of young potentially good players, due to the pressures of money invloved in the prem league have not been given fair oportunity. Oh and do one pr1ck

Not quite as simple as that, but thanks for your thought out response. 10 years ago, imo, the club were in a very similiar position. A team full of underachieving, overpaid and injury prone players that ended up being relegated. Within 2 years we had forced our way back, in the mean time having cleared away most of the dead wood, played some of the most exciting football we seen in years with a good staple of players through the ranks and brought back a feel good factor to Ewood (remember our home and travelling supports in our first 2 years back in the prem?). My main point was that if we cannot sta in the prem with a manager who plays attacking good football-then perhaps we are due a 'cleaning out process' I beleive clubs like ours need them from time to time. 8 years ago we returned a far stronger club then we went down as-ive no reason to feel why it should not be like this again. Furthermore, the hypicrosy on here is incredible-there is an 8 page thread discussing what a pr1ck '###### Sam' is, not all of it was written by Waggy and me....

Im in total aggreement Waggy. Rovers have sold themselves to the devil in exchange for 17th place. Incredibly sad times, Id rather we'd have gone down and rebuilt like we did last time, then 3 years of scrapping the barrell football in the bottom 1/3rd of the league

The whole Eng team was/is crap. As Franz Beckenbauer said after a German peformance in the 2002 world cup, 'you can put all the players into a bag and then hit the bad indescriminatly. It wouldnt matter who you hit-as every player deserves it as much as another' Another terribly boring Eng friendly, Id rather they got thrashed 4-1 then beat 1-0, at least it would be slightly entertaining! Bentley did nothing right or wrong when he came on-how Brown is still playing international football is a disgrace. I thought Downing actually looked the brightest player when he came on. Still, who really cares in the end-role on sat and league footie!

Could someone please post a copy on of that 5 year transfer dealings on the Niko thread (i crap at posing links and photos etc), just to remind everybody on this thread about what Hughes has done for the club and the shoestring he has done it on!

The fa cup replay game of a coupla years back shoulda made it. Attendance was something like 28,700 with a massively reduced capisty due to stewarding/riot police/sas/whatever else they had to seperate the 2 fans

Another important thing to remember is that we havent (bar City) played games against opposition where the £20 Cat B tickets will show the most impact. Games which in the past would have been maybe Cat A or A+, Sunderland, wigan, bolton, man city, newcastle, everton etc and attracted some dismal crowds last year should see a significant increase. For example 18,500 vs City last yr, almost 27k this year. Again, newcastle in dec, last yr was 19k i think, this yr should be around the 25k. This is where we will make up the most in fans (a good % admitadly away fans), whereas unfortuantly i think we could have free entry and not fill out reading/fulham type games