I always struggle to know how to feel about this fixture On the one hand, they are a glorified non-league club who have only had any meaningful success in their history because of the investment of a wealthy Blackburn Rovers fan, and who are at the very least behind Burnley, Preston, Bolton, Blackpool, Accy, all of Burnley's youth & women's teams and probably Chorley as Lancashire rivals. I don't ever want to lower ourselves to see this as a big game. At the same time, I come from Wigan and there's no getting away from the fact that we've had a few results against them over the last 10 years or which have been downright embarrassing. That and their manager is an absolute weapon. Hope we absolutely pump them.

I'd guess it was the certainty of the post give that he's hardly played, rather than the content, but I don't want to put words in his mouth. For what it's worth, it's hard to get away from how he's looked like a little boy in his cameos, but it's far too early to read anything into that in my view. I remember listening to a podcast with Gary Neville when he was asked if there was a Man U teammate he thought wasn't likely to make it, and he went on to say that he couldn't for the life of him see how someone of Paul Scholes' size and fitness could make it as a footballer when they were younger. Not for a second saying Buckley is going to be Scholes! But if he has got where he has based on talent and a brain, let's wait to see where they can take him before we say he's going to fall down the leagues!

Quick scout on their forum suggests that he was a bit of a whipping boy from their fans until fairly recently, who has won a lot of them over after having a good season so far. Having said that, the fact that he has 6 months left on his contract and the number of clubs involved makes it look like agent talk to me.

Trouble with picking up some good results is that it's possible to go a bit too far and see improvement in everything, but Nyambe's ball control has looked consistently better since his return to the side. Could just be a result of playing with better players, but long may it continue. Now he has his shirt back, the next thing for Nyambe has to be to keep it by staying fit. Promising that he has just managed a 3 game week without an injury, should he keep that up then he should keep getting better.

Not much to choose between a few of the names mentioned, but I'd go for Rhodes because of his character and how important he was in our darkest period. That team of 2012/13 must have been the most dislikeable in our recent history with the odd exception like Dunn & MGP. Having our one shining light being so humble and genuinely pleased to be at Blackburn Rovers really was like night and day with the likes of Murphy, Etuhu, Best and other hangers on who I've done my best to forget. His goal record throughout his time here was obviously exceptional, but for that first year his finishing was genuinely as good as anyone in the country. Absolutely flying, half a sniff and you were basically certain it was in the back of the net. Started missing a few as time went on, lost a bit of his edge, but for a spell it really felt as though he was the bit left of our club that was still big time. Says something about him that I was genuinely made up that he scored a hat-trick for another time at the weekend. Hard to think of any other former player that I would react like that to.

Of the upcoming games, this is the one where we really should be expecting three points. Birmingham and Huddersfield are certainly winnable, but much trickier on paper than this one. With that in mind, I wouldn't try to be too clever in selection until we have to be. Start off with the 'best' team, rather than who deserves to keep their shirt from Bristol. Bell, Johnson, Gally, Holtby and Bennett will get their chance over the coming games. No need to rush it. I'd go for the same team as Derby and try to kill the game early.

Nobody should be rubbing it in anyone's faces, we all want the same thing ultimately. Also this run of good form won't last forever, so a bit of humility all round wouldn't go amiss. At the same time, I'd say two things. One, there are always better options. When we had Kenny, Souness or Sparky, who is to say there weren't better options out there? The manager is the most important figure at the club and we should know better than most what the costs and risks of playing about with that position can do. Second, even though there are obviously valid criticisms of Mowbray (which I think have been drastically over played, but there we are) should he get us up he would've achieved a double promotion on a modest-ish budget and having to rebuild a squad from very little when he first arrived. In anyone's book, that would be an excellent achievement and one which deserves a crack at the big time. Dyche needed two attempts with the Dingles, and that's turning out okay. Anyway, nobody should be crowing about our upturn in form. Many of the Mowbray in crowd including myself were having a few doubts before Barnsley/Brentford, so for now I'm just going to carry on enjoying it and see how far it can take us.

Fabulous result. We were so far behind some of those sides at one stage. Swallows, summers etc. But with winnable games coming up, I'm getting excited!

Bit of a missed opportunity, but a perfectly acceptable point under the circumstances. With Dack out for Saturday, I wonder if there could be a role for Bennett as a number 10? His best performance last season was Brentford at home when Dack was missing. Really made the most of his engine, pressing from the front. Obviously not as dangerous as Dack but capable of knitting play together. I imagine there will be a few changes so Holtby will probably get a spot elsewhere.

If ever there was a team to get bums on seats it was that one! I also thought a bumper derby crowd seeing us pump Burnley 5-0 would have skewed the overall figure, but surprisingly the gate was only just over 23,000

That was my feeling too, although surprisingly we've won there as much as we've lost since we've left the top flight. Not exactly a happy hunting ground but not as bad as I expected.

I'm amazed he's still there now. He's been under pressure for a while and that was before losing to Reading & Luton in the space of a week! They've got WBA tomorrow so they might just beat us to it.

Something which jumped out from watching Swansea's abject defeat against (admittedly a very impressive) West Brom was how their midfield seemed very lightweight and were forever being out fought & let the Baggies run riot. If they play the same side on Wednesday, Travis Evans & Dack should be licking their lips.

That's the issue for me. I'm not against bringing in more firepower, arguably we need it, but whoever we bring in is going to need to have the all-round game to be able to step into Graham's boots and contribute in our build up. If the young lad has the ability to do that, then great, but otherwise he can learn the game in someone else's team.

I'm not trying to be facetious when saying this, but you can just as easily say 'periods of good form, followed by a sudden awful dip, then back to good form'. In fact given the progress we've made (and for now, looks like we're continuing to make) I'd say that's a fairer way of putting it.

Wouldn't disagree, Tosin of the last few weeks looks a real upgrade on anyone we've had there in a good while, including Charlie. Only saying that in a different set up which plays to his strengths a little more then I can still see him looking at home at this level.

I'm still one of those who thinks that Mulgrew has something to offer in this division, even in defence, but if your team has already got a soft underbelly and then he's not going to do anything to remedy that. Strange signing for Wigan given that their away & defensive problems are not too dissimilar to ours last season, only quite a bit worse!

Agree with basically your entire post, but this bit sticks out. You're talking about Downing, but I think the same point can be made about the whole set up; we're playing a side who from back to front are able to keep possession much better and it's s had a massive knock on effect on our overall performances. I've said this on another thread, but I don't think it's a coincidence that this has coincided with not playing Armstrong and Gally at the same time. Both have shown in the last week that they are dangerous and can contribute to a successful team. At the same time, both are absolutely murder for not looking after the ball. The great thing about this XI is that we have players elsewhere who are very good at recycling the ball and building a platform for us to attack and control the game.

I'd be the first to admit to having already written Evans off, but his performances really have been top drawer. I'd maintain that his big problem has always been being too passive rather than not being good enough, and he needs to carry on to really change my mind, but there's no doubt that he's played a big part in our resurgence. Easy to forget that he's a member of the squad with experience of promotion to the top flight

Left back for me is the only absolute must in this transfer window, although should the right keeper be available I agree that it is the other priority position. I thought I saw some progression in Bell as last season went on, but like others I've made my mind up on him now. Out of contract in the summer too, so chances are that we'll need a second one before long.

I'd like to see Gally get gametime, but this is a game made for Graham in my view. His cleverness and touch is so important in building a decent platform for the rest of our midfield. If we're in front, bring Gally on in the second half and keep Graham sharp for the midweek games. Completely agree about Rothwell. Seeing him track back as well as create against Brentford, he has to stay in the side if he keeps that standard up.

Agree, remember thinking this about relegated teams too. We won a few under K**n before teams worked us out and we had players with the quality to nick a 1-0. Also, as much as this may be true and as much we played poorly in both of those games, it should still be remembered that they were both ridiculous results. I think Charlton only had 2 shots and I remember Luton being an absolute sucker punch, even if we played well within ourselves.

Agree with this. Pet theory of mine is that a lot of our problems this season have come from playing both Gally and Armstrong (both of who I like individually) at the same time. Both can be good finishers on their day, and both have got either the pace or power to trouble defenders, but both have had troubles looking after the ball. Nothing stopping a midfield with Dack, Holtby and Rothwell really hurting teams. We just need to be a bit more respectful of possession to make the most of it, don't think it's a coincidence that our best performance of the season coincides with Graham coming in.

Very much looking forwrd to this, big game too with tricky away games following at Bristol City and Swansea. Not saying that it'll necessarily have any bearing on our second half of the season, but it will mean that we'll have played all bar one of the top 8 teams away from home before Christmas. Back on Derby, it looks like the weakest squad they've had in a few years, and they're short on personel, but they still have players capable of hurting any team at this level. A performance near Brentford levels should see us through. Same team again, 2-0 Rovers.

If they want a big name they'll want to act sharpish. There's still something of an attractive proposition there in that they have a squad with talent (albeit under-performing) and an owner with fairly deep pockets, but the more they get cut adrift the more it's too much of a risk.