Dreams of 1995

Buckley got pelters but he'd be much better in that "10" position than anything we have in the club at the moment imo. His better performances were always when played higher and asked to pinch the ball back JRC at wing back, potential, but his lack of pace would have made him suffer in an Ismael system, where basically you are required to run more than you are required to play football. Leonard could have been given another year for me. But again, I reckon he'd have broke down in an Ismael team, where rotation does not exist and the effort required is enormous. We have a much worse team than last year, no doubt. I can't think of a single player who has improved what came before him. Alebiosu is a good signing but on a par with Brittain. Gudjohnsen is a good signing but we have had better. The only thing I can say about Gudjohnsen is that he would have scored a stupid amount of goals under JDT imo. We were carving teams open at times and putting that ball into the danger area with few people to get on the end of it. JDT was crying out for a Gudjohnsen and, as always with Venky FC, it came years after we needed it

The 'official attendance' will be the same as it always is, as it counts tickets sold not bums on seats The true figure will come in the FOI request to the police, who will release actual data In any case, you will be able to see, visually, if there is a reduction in attendance. What Pasha points to is irrelevant.

Very well produced video. Let’s hope it cuts through - needs sharing absolutely everywhere

Didn’t work out with Pape but he got some important goals for us under Eustace. The header in the drab affair at Sheff Wednesday to pinch a 1-0 win being a memorable moment, followed closely by his other headed goal being about 1 foot off the floor in front of the travelling Nobbers I always think back to that West Brom game for an understanding of what he is capable of Generally though, he didn’t show the ability to step up to the Championship. Eustace got a better tune out of him and knew how to use him but Ismael is inflexible and it never worked with Gueye. To be honest, people look at that YouTube video of him missing the open net, and I am seeing a player devoid of all confidence - not helped by his captain ridiculing him in national TV and his manager calling him out also. During his time here he won us some important points - 9 by my reckoning - and had the whole Eustace debacle not unfolded those points may have meant we made the play offs. We then sold him for a profit. It could have been a very successful affair but it probably leaves on a disappointment, for a player who had the potential to be a fan favourite but whose ability would not allow it Good luck to Pape in China. He gave Rovers fans some memories - good and bad

I wouldn’t take RF99 that seriously when it comes to the players. Pretty much everybody is shit or a kid. His record on players is about as good as Mercer’s on score predictions

Ismael runs his players into the ground. It is very easy online to sit & blame head coaches or club staff for everything and anything, knowing you never really have to prove it. Lovely to moan isn't it. Yet when you look at our injuries this year, you would be daft not to question exactly what has been going on both during training and within the match day itself. The way we set up puts a lot of strain on our forward / midfield players. Our defence begins quite deep for a team who is tasked with pressing so high, and we don't seem to push up until a press looks like it may come off. That space between the back 3 and the front 3 is enormous at times, which means that either the wing backs or the attackers have a hell of a lot of ground to cover basically running around like headless chickens Wrexham found us out with this one. They really drew us on to them, ran us into the ground and then pumped long when the centre halves eventually pushed up to shrink that space. It was amateur really. Parkinson is a shrewd manager but there's no way he does a number on Eustace the way he did on Ismael. We looked amateur that day Then there is the training. I know quite a few baggies fans and they have all said that Ismael is supposed to be fanatical on running & distance & sprints and recoveries. I am saying this with zero authority here but it would not surprise me if we are running ourselves ragged in a training environment. The amount of muscle injuries point to that for sure I have to be honest and say that I have never warmed to Val. I always try but we have had some fantastic coaches previously - and yes, I count Mowbray in that - but this chap has come at the wrong time for me. Right at the end of an era that looked like it may result in a play off place; right after the drama with JDT & Eustace and the commencement of the PashaRudy show; and, to top it off, a tired and young squad that he can't appear to get a tune out of I just don't see our identity which after this long in charge is criminal really. For me we should change head coach and soon. A loss against Ipswich on the weekend would be my tipping point

This could be a fun game of trying to guess I had a look last night and came to the conclusion it could have been the Pelligra Group, owners of Perth Glory

I think you can add Gregg Broughton to that list of good faith also. Say what you would like about the success of his signings, you felt that during his time here the ambition was re-sale and re-invest and then promotion. Hence why Broughton did not last long, and the end of his time here coincided with JDT telling us that the project had changed Broughton and JDT aspired too much for this lot. It panicked them and since then Suhail has crushed any and all opposition to him within the management structure of Rovers

Blackburn Rovers is now a club where apathy is endemic I do not think that anyone can blame you. There is a malaise at boardroom level; a club and owners that see no real benefit in ambition. Instead, it is simply a case of moving from one account to the next, ensuring the portfolio of far flown billionaires is ticking over without any unusual activity required from the Chairs. The Venkys have shown no interest in anything Rovers since they embarrassed themselves on an international level. I think back to the visit of the Queen, over 10 years ago now. As far as we know, this is the last time an owner stepped foot in Blackburn. They came for their state visit, rubbed shoulders with royalty and then flew home before the Rovers kicked off only the following day. Can anybody blame fans for disengaging when our owners cannot be bothered to attend or engage? The family feel of Rovers is all but gone. Long-term staff moving on with allegations of less than friendly behaviour behind the scenes; Suhail Pasha, faceless for over a decade, but now front & centre in all manner, has systematically ripped this club from the town. The truth is that under the Venkys nothing will ever change. The fans will continue to disengage and this element of their portfolio will wind down. It feels like such a hopeless task at times, to follow and remain engaged with Rovers, but at the same time it is impossible to shake both the joy or the unbridled sadness that comes with the final whistle and end result I do not like using the word 'hate' but I hate the Venky's for what they have done to this club. A once great source of pride, trodden in to the dirt, and left in a position where an apathetic fan base have succumbed to this suggestion that we have 'found our place', that nobody else better will come along and that we should be grateful for the owners for paying their way. It is the most fantastic piece of business management that Suhail has provided the Venkys - one in which he is greatly recompensed for - to etch away the ambitions of an entire fan base and deliver a most extraordinary example of Stockholm Syndrome. I am 32. I have confidence I will outlive Venkys. What condition the club will be at the end is the part that worries me.

Confidence - you don’t feel confident when out of position. Soon as you’re out back, every touch is easier

Toth showing why he’s a million times better than Pears. Saved that follow up from McBurnie - phenomenal

I think Coyle was beat as a child. Played against too many men like him - he has a niggle at every person he comes in contact with. The surname must mean something

Disappointing line up for me. I wanted to see more of the academy I don’t think we need to see any more of De Neve or Henrikson up front. The bench lacks any real ambition and the fact that, given a free hit, we have gone with two left backs and two centre backs on the bench tells me we have no ambition whatsoever of progressing in this cup All of this talk about giving the academy a chance is nonsense. We may well win this match, but this line up is just crap. I hope I eat my words. I am hoping Hull put out an equally poor 11

Excellently summed up there wilsden. You will never convince cynics

Is there a difference between thinking we would be buggered without them and thinking they have been bad owners generally? It can’t be that big a portion of the fan base. I don’t have much conversation with Rovers fans but when I do it is always unanimous that the Venkys are bad for this club. I guess it is the company that you keep There is a message to get across but from the sounds of some posters here - Matty, yourself - there appears a belief that message is nigh on impossible to make. Unless, of course, the events on the pitch during the 90 minutes spark a sudden burst of frustration It is a shame really but this is the hand Rovers fans have been dealt