Dreams of 1995

I have to begrudgingly agree to most of this. It makes those contracts handed out to other players last year all a bit more weird. Why did we give Hart and Smallwood extensions, albeit limited, when such important players were nearly out themselves? Makes no sense at all.

That is basically the spine of our team right there. Lewis Holtby, Nyambe and Rothwell are some of our best players. I think we will activate that Dack clause to get another year out of him but even then his fee is substantially reduced. January must be about getting these lads tied into new deals immediately. I'm pretty apprehensive about this window, and think baring any real miracle we are going to lose 1, if not all, of them.

I would say Mowbray definitely inherited a worse squad. Pretty certain our defence back then had Greer, Brown. Although his back four vs Burton isn't that dissimilar to our back four now. We had Williams Mulgrew Lenihan and Nyambe. What I would say is Nyambe has come on leaps and bounds, although I'm starting to think we are going to lose this boy for a free. Seriously would be criminal. He's the best right back in this league imo. Our midfield was an ageing Conway Lowe Gurthrie and Feeney. Front two of Joao and Emnes. It wasn't comparable to the likes of Rhodes, Gestede, a better Conway etc. Still, the proof is in the pudding, we are looking good and as Phillipl said in another topic this is the the season we were told he'd have a squad capable of getting top 6 with his "slow build" project. It is looking promising but hope we can keep it up.

On another note, for the UFC fans amongst us, Ferguson is in a fight this weekend vs Oliveria which will be a classic. On at silly o'clock as usual though.

I don't get Yarde's camp. He has to move away from them trainer if he is going to progress. Arthur jabbed his brains out and Yarde had absolutely no come back to it. You seen the interview after the fight? He talks about how he has to knock an opponent out to win but maybe try adapting your methods to the fight first. He asked his trainers at the end of one round how to get past Arthur's jab and his trainer responded with: "LIONS IN THE CAMP" or some crap. Absolutely zero technical input. Yarde is a good fighter and has a good chin, even if his face does mark up, but there's no way he will progress to world level with trainers like that. Two good weekends of boxing coming up with the obvious Joshua fight this and Golovkin next. Friday this week sees a Brum local fight in Sam Eggington. Fresh out of losing the light-middleweight title. He should have enough to see Theopane off.

I’m sorry Sparks but you keep saying that. At this level what 17/18/19 years old are there that are passing like he is? He wasn’t spectacular when he came on but he had a better time of it than you’re making out. You told us Mols was better. He’s mincing it in the Spanish lower leagues now. I think Buckley has a a better player than you make out.

I am anxious about tomorrow too DE, but usually that's when we play our better football. It is the games we should win comfortably that we struggle with. This is actually a very interesting game on paper. I still think Raya is one of the best goalkeepers in the league and he will be up against Kaminski. We also have Ivan Toney vs Adam Armstrong so it really is a battle of the big boys really. I like Brentford. I liked their old ground. Like us they try to play football and we won't see the dross we were served up by Milwall. Barnsley came and played some real good stuff and it caught us out early doors. Brentford won't be nearly as wasteful. I am going for a 3-2 Rovers win. Trybull in for Johnson (he finishes games better) whilst Rothwell comes in for Brereton. If Douglas is fit he plays because Amari'i Bell will be torn to shreds. Kaminski Nyambe Lenihan Ayala Douglas Holtby Trybull Rothwell Elliot Armstrong Gallagher Our team picks itself these days and we have been fairly consistent with our "spine" when fit. The b/s "Tony Tombola" - which was rubbish when it was first brought about - can now be put to bed once and for all. Time for a new catchphrase.

Anyone notice how many times he puts his weaker foot through it too? There was definitely one occasion he had time to shift his body and use his stronger foot. I don't mind that as it shows confidence but I hope he puts the hours in on the training field for it. All it takes is one mistake for a keeper and it is remembered for months. Anyway, he's the best keeper I have seen at Rovers since Friedel and we have him in the Championship!! Let's hope we keep him and don't get him poached next year. He is probably worth a crack in the Premier League imo and I hope that it is with us.

I think Wharton is a very good defender but Ayala gives you that bit more Championship nous. He dealt with the crosses in very well last night. Would always opt for the experience of Ayala in games like last night, whereas Wharton can grind his teeth at Championship level against the lesser teams. History tells us that Ayala and Lenihan will have a spell out injured so I think Wharton will get plenty of game time this season

I quite enjoy the feeling of having gained something we didn’t deserve. 6 pts from the last two games against tough opposition really. It was the opposite to Barnsley who came and played some decent football. It was almost as if Milwall didn’t want to win and were more interested in trying to copy Wilders formation. Their centre halves weren’t ball players and looked entirely uncomfortable when asked to play the game and not simply spoil it. I don’t understand how their centre half got away without a yellow card for that tackle on Brereton. Likewise that little tubby boy in midfield, Woods, he made a rather cynical lunge on Armstrong at the end of the first half that could have done some damage had he not had such little legs. With that in mind I think the ref forgot his specs because how he missed them handballs I’ll never know! Two real hard taught games and 6 pts to show for it. We’ve come through this relatively unscathed and luckily Gally is showing some promise as Brereton gets injured. Strength in depth and all that. Big test on Saturday against another London team, albeit a far cry from the style of play Milwall brought. This will be a good game of football and one I suspect will be won or lost in midfield. Must start Rothwell and Holtby together because Holtby is the only one in there who can find Rothwells runs from deep. Did you see his lung bursting run only for our player to completely miss him and go back last night? I was screaming at the tele

One of them called us "virus ridden, tier 3 wankers" ??? Bloody hell, I did not expect to hear that insult at the football. Ironic really, given Milwall's real position in the leagues is about Tier 3. They are punching above their weight

We have been terrible but here we are 1-0 up. Great timing for the goal too.

Was gonna back it, saw Mercer had backed it and pulled out. Saved myself a tenner. Rule numero uno of betting: If Mercer has it on avoid it.

Foals - The Runner

Gallagher can consider himself unfortunate but at the same time outside of the lightning quick run he didn't offer much. Elliott was a far better player for us when he came on vs Preston, albeit against 10 men. Either way that is our best squad on paper so credit to Tony for sticking with it Nice to see Chapman on the bench and hope he can be afforded a few minutes when we are 2-0 up on the 60th minute

Henry's goal vs Ireland was better Three blokes took pictures of Maradonna in his coffin. Yesterday Boca Junior ultras found them, killed two and the other is in critical care. Hooliganism - "The English Disease".

Loving his name. Exactly the team for me as well. Wharton has been solid for us since he came in. Genuinely would be considering dropping Lenihan for Ayala myself but I know that won't happen. Imagine Mowbray dropping two of his captains in two successive seasons??? Sheesh.

Anybody going to be staying up and watching the Tyson vs Jones fight? Seriously considering it. One of my earliest memories of fighting when I was younger was the Tyson vs Lewis fight. I'd have been 9 years old but my old man let me stay awake with him to watch. It's the only time I have ever seen Tyson. Can't help but feel this fight will be a bit of a farce though, and the thought of watching 50+ year old men fight is a bit weird. I'll be honest it was that Tyson vs Lewis night - everything included, staying up late, the fight itself - that helped to make me fall in love with the art of boxing. For that reason I will probably find myself getting a crate of beers in and watching it.

Lucky for everyone that you aren't then, whereas the actual employer in this thread has stated it is neither here nor there to their ability to do a job They often say attitudes define where you stay in life

I don't know about Armstrong being thee best. Will be controversial because of the amount of goals he has but do think he stops a lot of our attacks by always looking for the shot. Works well for him but if he played a few more wide passes we may get more goals. He's up there though no doubt about it. I think Rothwell and Holtby are the game changers. If they are on the same pitch I feel confident we can win. Lose one and the replacements don't quite cut the mustard and we find ourselves losing the midfield battle.

If you want to see a better definition of idiocy come back and read your post tomorrow morning

What a lovely bloke

Super Johnny Bairstow

Found the ability to turn over the summer Last year it would bounce around his ankles for a few seconds before he fell over. Change in fortunes this year means those bouncing balls fall for you. Like a new man and long may it continue. I personally think he’s been one of our best players this season

It was a touch of tongue in cheek humour But what I would say is that if you genuinely didn't mean "he used to play like an incompetent clown" why would you say "he will return to being an incompetent clown" No need for a reply, just apologise to Brereton next time you see him please