I think the academy and first team identity stuff is nonsense anyway. We’ve had academy teams that play expansive football for a number of years, well before JDT and will do way beyond as that is what the modern game looks for. The aim of the academy is to produce pro footballers for rovers or elsewhere, they will follow the model that delivers saleable assets which is currently technical players comfortable moving the ball at speed with both feet. In 5 years time it might revert to big direct players, and our recruitment and coaching model will change as that’s what we’re set up to do. We’re an academy that is reactive to what the industry wants, we’re unfortunately not in a position to be proactive in shaping what the industry wants like City, etc

I get what you mean, he does look tidy on the ball and against QPR he looked to get on it a lot in the last 15 when others were doing their best to give it away at any opportunity. I think the thing that may hold him back is physicality, Rothwell is 6ft and roughly 12 stone and a strong, direct runner, Ayari (according to Transfermarkt) is 5'6 and 10 st 8 which is light and doesn't seem to be as direct or as quick as Joe was/is.

I think Ayari is one of those loose forward midfielders who floats about in advanced midfield positions, not quite a (modern) 10 and definitely not an 8 for me, in old money what you'd term as a luxury player. Out of all of the signings I find his the most odd as that (luxury) forward area is where we're arguably the best served in personnel with Buckley returning, Moran, Sigurdsson, Sammie can play there, as can Hedges, Dolan and JRC if called on.

How bad was the pitch by the way, absolutely criminal a championship club is presenting that as a surface worthy of elite level football.

Away pub before the game, still the Catholic Club on Blackpool Road?

I don't think we'll get relegated as whilst we're poor there are some rank rotten teams below us. Last night had all the hallmarks of an 'after the Lord Mayors show' performance, Saturday was the big bounce, last night was the lull. JE will have learned a great deal from last night, more than Saturday I'd wager, let's see what he does to change things. My two penneth, things I learned or had confirmed last night - Garret is tenacious but we need someone better with the ball in there should JRC not play, that said JRC looked miles off it until he went off injured. Sloppy in possession and struggled to close gaps defensively. Sammie is in danger of running around a lot and offering little to cover for the amount of times he's giving the ball away. It looked to me like we were setting up to allow them to play in their half and press at the half way line. Numerous times Sammie went and did some show pressing, chasing the ball like a Labrador for them to pop it off round him and our shape to then go to shit. You can never question his workrate but decision making I'd question at times. He also gave the ball away a hell of a lot last night. I think the front 3 struggled generally last night, SG didn't get hold of the ball once so Dolan and Sammie were unable to rat around him and get on flick on's/loose balls. Wing backs were both poor last night, I'm a big fan of Brittain but thought he had a very disappointing game last night after playing so well Saturday. Hedges looked like the adrenaline that got him through on Saturday had deserted him and looked every inch a man whose not played for 2 months

Half term as well so people will have other things going on, juggling childcare, etc plus we're away again on Saturday.

Only worry with bringing Scott W back in would be that Hyam, McFadz and Wharton would be the slowest centre back trio on record. They'd have to run 100 metres in instalments.

I can’t believe Gilsenan hasn’t had more of a look in the first team considering our problems out wide. Looks a fantastic player and seems to be mr consistent as well

Totally standard practise, Wednesday is the most common day off in League 1 and 2. Championship and prem will be different due to spread of games.

I didn’t think I’d see Siggy and Muller mentioned in the same sentence today, well not unless it was a yogurt/corner based pun

Agreed, I think we’ve ended up with 3 products of the nice but unrealistic world of u23 football. All nice footballers and I’m sure look great in the pattern heavy world of u23 football, none of them have the guile to cut at at this level yet, and dare I say ever. Ayeri got on the ball a lot on Saturday because QPR let him, he didn’t at any point look like he’d hurt them. As for Siggy, I just don’t know what he is. He’s not a winger (at this level anyway), I’m not sure he’s a 10, he’s defo not a central striker. He’s a really odd player as he’s not quick, not skilful and doesn’t seem to be particularly good at seeing passes others don’t either. If he was an u23 on loan we’d send him back

You joke but I wouldn’t be surprised if Venky’s thought Ted Lasso was a ‘Welcome To Wrexham’ style documentary

They could of course share logins with anyone but it would be pretty irregular for the secretary or CEO to not be the ones handling this. They do at every other club in the country.

If that’s the case he’s as big a fool as the rest of them

Nixon and his “others may be better line”, from the man who brought us “you’ve got a wee gem there”

To be fair he’s probably back in Orlando by now

I feel a bit for Moran in so much as I don't think he’s been played in his natural position. He looks like a 10 to me, who will drop off a central striker to receive in pockets and the limited success he had was when we mere more fluid up front and he came central. More recently he’s been played out wide as a touchline hugger or Saturdays disaster. He’s got neither the pace nor trickery to play as a true wide man and doesn’t have the athleticism or ability to play off Tronstad as the deep lying playmaker.

Wonder what Duncan makes of all this, got visions of him holed up in his room at the Dunkenhalgh wearing a bleaching cap looking wistfully out of the window as sleet batters the valley.

The worm had started to turn yesterday with the Maguire news unfolding, coupled with the info that realistically only IS and SW would have access to the EFL registration portal.

He’s played a blinder has Steve, a quick glance at Facebook and the ire is all pointed toward the underachieving JDT.

Am glad I’m not the only one who has read the meetings goings on and thought what a bunch of gigantic Fanny’s. If they have so little resilience that fans rightly criticising them has a major effect then we really are screwed in a relegation dogfight

The fact it has to be sanctioned by Venky’s is laughable, they’re on such an ego trip all the time, it’s always about control

Waggot will be glad the JDT news overshadows the EFL booting out our case today.

Why would Wilcox have any interest in leaving a team on their way back to the PL to join the raging bin fire that is Rovers