Angry_Pirate

Walton: "I’m looking forward to working with Ben [Benson], the goalkeeping coach, and hopefully it’s the right fit for all parties." Hence the reason you were signed.

I dunno, I just found this article: With Lambert's arrival, Blackburn Rovers have only conceded 15 goals this season, which is notable, given the fact that most of the bottom-half teams have allowed 20 or 30 apiece. In other words, Lambert is inheriting a team that is decent defensively. I think lambert was a "get us promoted" manager, not a "save us from relegation" manager. We already had 17 points from 16 games and Charlton went down in 22nd on 40 points. I think we would have been just fine. Lambert only got 38 points from 30 games. Plus, Lambert signed Elliott Ward.

Lambert was dreadful too. I remember saying after his first 4 games that it was the worst, most boring and undeserved 10 points I had ever witnessed. What followed the remaining 6 months was worse. I was delighted when he left. Ironic how excited everyone was (myself too) with Lambert... but he started the ball rolling towards relegation IMO. I've heard from many people in lots of different roles within the club that Lambert was easily the worst "person" to ever manage BRFC. For what it's worth, does anyone actually think that if we had kept Bowyer, that we would have been relegated 18 months later... or at all. I honestly dont think so. Bowyer got us to 8th and 9th in two full seasons, yet is lambasted for not getting us promoted with a squad HE mainly built. Mowbray just about gets us past Shrewsbury into 2nd at Easter and had one of the best budgets and teams in L1 history and then comes 15th overseeing the worst period of form in years from Feb - April, and still struggles to get more than 3 of his signings into the XI. If you are one of the fans so able to criticise Bowyer, I dont see how you also see the sun shining out of TM.

Speaking of Adam and having too many midfielders... I updated a little song we haven't sung for a season and a half: Oh-ay-oh, why've we still got Smallwood Oh-ay-oh, why's he still at Ewood Oh-ay-oh, he's terrible in every way..... (some-one-take-him!). Adam not being signed is only a negative when it protects weaker footballers in our squad. If we start the season with only Conway, Rodwell, Reed and Raya gone from our team in May, something has gone wrong. Far too many L1 plodders.

So more bullshit from the manager yet again. "Two signings in the next 24 hours"... shut up Tony. If I kept setting these deadlines in my job and kept blatantly lying and missing them... well, I'd be in a lot of bother. Not Tony Mowbray it seems.

Joe Hart would feel like the 2nd coming of Tim Flowers right about now. I like whoever's called him a dinosaur, spot on. Can we scrape together a few clues and pass them on to Tony as he clearly hasn't got one.

Walton and Simon Eastwood. This is a joke, no? If true. Love to hear people saying that selling Raya wasn't a mistake now. Raya and Leutwiler over Walton (loan) and Eastwood. No contest. Tin-Pot Tony.

Ironically with Adarabioyo, he will almost certainly "play" (if used) in his "best" position (CB). With all the new attacking and midfield signings made, Mowbray knows that the only place where he can now shoehorn Bennett is RB... who we know has to start. What I wouldn't give for a manager who I actually trusted to play his best players through choice.

Well he's been struggling to nail it down for 18 months, so you figure he must be close.

Oh no, you've done it now... Mowbray will be forwarded this 1 message and told it is a solid reflection of "fan consensus" and will now go forward gung ho with "fan favourite Elliott Bennett" and Nyambe sold for £1m to fund Glen Whelan and his 1 year wages.

89th minute winner (for them) - that's new. ... Or not ?‍♂️

Least it was scored by a towering unit of a player.... ?

So part of my wants to say its pre season so don't read too much into it... The rest of me see's Bennett at RB, Evans and Downing starting ahead of Travis and Rothwell, and Mulgrew and Leutwiler as starters... No matter who he signs, you just know he wont play the best XI. New manager by Xmas.

More like couldn't organise a dogshit defense. Is he in Rovers?

All part of his master-excuse.

Goalkeeper: NEW*, Foderingham*, Leutwiler, Fisher. Central Defence: Lenihan, Mulgrew, Adarabioyo*, Williams, Magloire, NEW*. Right Back: Nyambe, Bennett, Adarabioyo*, Rankin-Costello. Left Back: Olsson*, Bell, Williams, Hart. Still doesn't exactly scream out Promotion. (Unless the unnamed GK and CB are very high quality ?)

Foderingham will play the first half for Rangers and the 2nd half for Rovers.

I asked my contact about Carson, an unequivocal "nah" was the response. Guess we'll see what happens and if I bother posting their info again ?

Imagine if it was Kristoffer Ajer or Jozo Simunovic... I'd be gobsmacked.

Nikola Katić and Borna Barišić in a straight swap for Evans and Mulgrew?

The squad numbers are baffling. Half the players (Lenihan 26, Mulgrew 14, Armstrong 7, Dack 23) have their old numbers... yet Rankin-Costello is 2, Hart 3, Travis 11 etc. Means absolutely nothing I'm sure. But why not number the first XI 1-11? Keep it simple.

Be the perfect time for Mowbray to bid. A team already in a stronger position than us, offer £1k less per week, then bemoan other teams financial muscle. TM then can claim credit for trying (and personal scouting efforts from two games last season), then blame everyone else. Classic.

I don't think it is sabotage (clearly), I'm just genuinely worried that Mowrbay is dull enough and thinks that Bennett, Williams, Smallwood, Mulgrew + Leutwiler etc = Promotion (or even puts up a challenge). Every season teams get promoted and win titles with starters who should be nowhere near that level (theoretically) and are swiftly sold back to the Championship. Maybe Bennett etc are those in our squad... personally I don't see it. Also, ? Just vomited in my mouth seeing a Rovers team sheet on July 17th 2019 with "Smallwood (c)" on it. I worry that we've been too relaxed sleeping on the assumption that Smallwood would be getting sold. Don't get me wrong, the team tonight is Smallwood + 10 Under 21 year olds, so who else would be captain... but still ?

John Ruddy. (Not my opinion).

Skrtel turns 35 in Decmeber so it's not ideal is it, though he is a bigger name than I was expecting and would hope he would do a good job for a season. Scott Dann being over 2 years younger would be a better option. Olsson I would be happy with but I think he is a 3rd priority. Ironically didn't our team the first year relegated feature Olsson and Dann in defense (with Hanley) and almost get relegated? ? Nyambe, Bennett, Lenihan, Mulgrew, Dann, Williams, Olsson and Bell... is that enough? ?? (excluding youth). Carson, rather not. He's an upgrade on Leutwiler. Not Raya.