AAK

Course he is right, the defenders are awful, they can't defend, never mind attempting to play it out from the back.

Conceding 4 against this lot is very disappointing, they are such a poor side. Apart form maybe 2 10 minute spells, we've been pretty average for 110 minutes.

Ready made excuse for playing, Smallwood.

He's only signed for 18 months, be a bit strange if we loaned him out for 6 months and then he comes back with 12 months left on his contract. He will end up a league two player, let's be honest.

Hopefully it does pal, at least that will mean we aren't all circus following chimps. Sorry for the pun. Good win, but people are allowed to criticise, even if most don't like it.

Can anyone confirm is there a replacement for a fourth official or do they get any random bugger?

Because they like to pretend all is rosy. Been going on for years now. Not allowed to criticise.

Point is? Are you saying nuttall is a good player? If so I won't value any of your future comments.

I have a lot against it, he's shite. He scores at u23 level which is a poor standard of football. Them u23 sides get battered off bottom of league 2 opposition in that ldv cup or whatever it's called now.

Doesn't come on here now, after bielsa sent him his second cheque of the season on Boxing Day.

The main thing about his comments is that he still doesn't think we need to bring defenders in and is looking for forward players, why? In terms of goals scored we are 13th, only a few goals away from around 9th/10th, we are short of a real good goal scoring forward, obviously bringing in wingers who can bag a few and another forward midifielder would be great, but one striker who can bag 10-15 a season would be fine at the moment. However goals conceded we are 21st in the league, only conceding one less than 22nd and 2 less than 23rd, surely we need defenders and maybe 2 or 3 defenders?

Well unless theres a big rush over the weekend for Newcastle tickets it is going to be a very minimal crowd. Only around 5000 home tickets sold so far.

I thought Marshall was excellent for Rovers. There was an article in one of the papers when he was here, and he was saying how difficult it was playing at the club as there was a lot of hatred from the fans etc and he criticised the owners.

Clubs used to have to agree on prices, but they don't now, that's why Reading subsidised their fans £45 (yes £45!!!) tickets to bring them down to £30 at Old Trafford. Although the clubs could still have had an agreement, like we did with Norwich in the league.

How reliable that is I do not know mate, but would be a great addition even if for half a season.

Chap who is fairly well 'in' at Rovers told me over the weekend that we have made an enquiry about loaning Leighton Baines for 6 months.

If we got through wouldn't attract much interest from rovers fans, even less than Newcastle game and watford wouldn't bring more than 1500 at most, unless it's £10.

I was just thinking with a big away following, we might push 12k home tickets. However, then again, Swansea, Stoke and West Ham game son past few seasons and there were bugger all home fans on, and they were all weekend fixtures, not sure what prices were like. Rovers fans don't see them as big games because most of them watched top flight teams week in, week out for years.

With it probably being on telly, reckon it will probably be a similar home crowd to league games, with a few extra away fans. 20k I reckon, including maybe 6000 newcastle fans.

I wouldn't imagine so pal. Newcastle aren't a big pull for Rovers fans.

No don't think so, he was fuming at being taken off, threw his arms out at assistant manager.

He's their club captain isn't he? Can't see him leaving on that basis alone. Additionally they are only one injury/suspension away from needing him. I am sure he won't mind being on the bench for a team that is second in the league.

Thing I would go with the latter, Tomphil. Do you agree pal?

This time two years ago under Coyle, we'd conceded 40 goals, the exact same as this season, have we really improved since then at championship level? I'd argue not. The defence is the exact same, same players, same errors and same awful defending. Back then I would argue we had a better forward line to with Gallagher, Emnes and Graham, with the addition of Joao also. Central midfield is the same, Evans and a dolloper at the side of him (was Lowe, now Smallwood). We've still got poor or no wingers. What's changed?

Course they accept the defeats, what do we expect when the manager says publicly "this is where we are" and "in this league we will be handed some big defeats" and "you have to take losses in this league" - if he's accepting it, so will the players.