Bloodyhell I feel old!!!

My sincere condolences.

I read that as Burlesque at first, and now I've realised you actually said Burnleyesque I've got a horrible image in my head. I hope you do too!!

I can't make this game, I missed Saturday too, am starting to get withdrawal symptoms as have only seen us play W Brom so far. We've got a real chance to turn a good start into a very good start tomorrow, playing a team level on points. Sunderland will be no pushovers as their 5-0 win v Southampton shows, but like all teams in this division they have their vulnerabilities and I trust JDT and his coaching staff to know how to exploit them. If we can put our chances away and stay solid, we've nothing to fear. I think someone said on the Boro thread that we'd had an easy start to the season and it gets tougher from here. I can't agree with that; they're all tough games when they come thick & fast like they do at this time of year. To be where we are with a 3/1/2 record is positive IMO, especially given the context of funding issues, how we recovered at Rotherham, nearly won v Hull when a man down for 80 mins, and by all accounts should've got something from Plymouth. We'll be in top 6 tomorrow night if we win, that'll do me fine for our opening 7 fixtures, with the promise of better to come once the new signings have bedded in.

As ever I really enjoyed that interview with GB. He is articulate, answers questions in a straightforward manner and doesn't shirk responsibility. Seems like he doesn't get ruffled too easily either. We've no way of knowing if what he is saying is 100% true of course, but to have someone on board who regularly fronts up to fans & explains the rationale behind the decision-making process and doesn't just waffle management gobbledegook is hugely refreshing. Despite his platitudes towards the owners, he & his team clearly had the rug pulled out from under their feet midway through the implementation of a clearly thought-out transfer strategy that was 6-9 months in the making. Since that fateful change, to still be able to bring in the likes of Wahlstedt & Moran, despite stiff competition, is testament to his perseverance, recruitment research & also (in Moran's case especially, less so Hill's) the trust placed in the belief in the quality of coaching he'll receive here. Telalovic is clearly punt, but one which has logic behind it. He seems to be an English style player, & although he his minimal 1st team experience he must have something about him to have been anywhere near the BM first 11. I'd rather this, than know we'd committed £8m to Ellis Simms for example. Overall the new signings show promise, and are evidence of creativity & exploitation of new avenues of recruitment. Will the 7 improve on BBD, Dack, Ayala, Kaminski, Morton et al? Who knows, but if they don't it wont be for the want of trying on GB's part at least.

It's on rovers.co.uk

Haha, that's my mind playing proper tricks on me!! As pointed out above though, the sentiment still stands!

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/66726456 Man Utd the biggest net spenders in world football in last decade, by some distance, to the tune of over £1.3b. And they've won the same as us in that time. Mind boggling.

https://www.rovers.co.uk/news/2023/august/31/a-proud-night-for-the-academy---jdt/ I love JDT's enthusiasm for all levels if the squad. There can't be a young player here that doesn't feel like he has a chance of making a name for himself in the game when the Head Coach is so ebullient.

And that's what really counts.

News breaking on BBC that Villa's team bus has been attacked at J10 on M65 & significant damage caused to it, though seemingly no injuries... I can hear Cindy Lauper clearing her throat just now... https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/66635771

We were not awful. Could've been better at times, but we were not awful.

No need for that. Celebrate the win, it's a team game.

You'll not be disappointed!!!

Not read any other post, so here's my independent view. What a superb performance and win. Gutsy, gritty, the perfect textbook away showing. To a man (perhaps bar Dolan, but even his effort was there) they were excellent, so proud. Despite the stats, we had 3 of the 4 clear chances in the match, but for a little more composure from SS and Moran it could've been more emphatic. Back 5 (6 inc S Wharton) were immense. The highlight of course was Hedges' goal. Sensational skill and thunderbolt finish, questionable keeping perhaps but even so. I'm so pleased for him as he is much maligned by many on here, unfairly in my view overall. Same also for Pears, Travis & (to a lesser extent) Gally. Pears is underrated, and as for Trav he must be a nightmare for opponents, the crowd hated him. He must not be sold, & I'm sure won't be. Well happy!!!

What a great view you had for that spectacular goal!!!!

Dolan isn't woeful, but he is way out of form. Today is huge for him personally, plays well & he may we still be here next weekend, otherwise I can see him gone with a year left on his deal & now we have Moran for the season. Other than that it's as expected, team picks itself atm.

3-1 home win today. Szmodics, Leonard & Hedges.

Didn't see the match so can only go off what others have said, sounds like we should've gone ahead, then gave away two easy goals, then really upped our game when we got the advantage of a man up. Whether their player was unlucky to be sent off or not (we've had our fair share of that), I'm nor sure I recall a time previously when we've really made the extra man count, to the point that coming away with a point is almost a disappointment. I always try to see the positives, the obvious ones seemingly being Szmodics' zero to hero performance, Hedges, JRC, Brittain & Ennis' promise. I think there's enough about this squad, with some additions, that can do well again this season, despite the guff going on behind the scenes. Rotherham was a tough place to go to last season, their home form was what kept them up. We know that only too well. On a game by game basis, we're one point better off than last season having won 4 points from these two fixtures compared to 3 last season, which is progress whichever way you look at it, right?

Haha, and I did @ROverbOy , Rollover onto Saturday, the dream is still alive...!

One thing I picked up on from JDT's post match comments v WBA was when he was asked about the increased added time. So many other managers & players in the game have criticised it as putting more pressure on the players. I heard the vice chairman (or similar) of the PFA slagging it off on the radio this morning as adding to the burden off too much football for players. But not JDT. "Brilliant, we should've done it years ago!" said Tomasson. "It has been terrible for years. We have been killing our product. Of course, fans play a hell of a lot of money so we need to give them something back. That means the ball has to be in play more, so I am really really happy with those decisions. I think it is the right way to go." (From Lancs live) He clearly gets that football is for the fans, it's about entertainment, the beauty of the game, it's aesthetics & competitiveness. We really need to push the boat out to keep him happy, he is an overwhelmingly positive individual & that seems to be rubbing off on the players. It's certainly rubbing off on me!!

I must remember to take a trip to the co op tomorrow!!

Tomorrow's lottery numbers will be: 9, 15, 22, 29, 37 & 48.

But Leonard played his first 90 minutes (correction - 105 minutes) of senior league football on Saturday as a lone forward against 2 of the biggest defenders in the league. Besides Ennis, our only other "strikers" (using the word loosely) - Gally & Vale - are injured or being nursed back from injury. Ennis isn't injured, but has been considered unfit. I think he should get the nod against an opponent from a level of football below what he was playing last season, and Leonard given a rest.

It sounds like we have, just not registered. Amounts to the same thing though!