57 minutes ago, Stonesrick said:

Agree. They reminded me of Sheffield Utd a couple of seasons ago, early doors when it was obvious they were odds on for promotion. Billy Sharp couple if my memory serves me right.

That’s right, very few teams coped with their flying wing backs approach. The thing that struck me today was West Brom’s combination of pace and physicality. It’s a potent weapon in this division. 

Proud of the lads today. Against a clearly superior outfit in all departments we clung on in there and made it a game in the second half. Yes, the Baggies should have been out of sight at one point but I don’t think we’ll face much better than that at Ewood all season. Still pleased with 7 points from 4 games. 

Early days for Carter but very encouraging…when Wharton returns we’re going to have some real depth in that position (for the first time in eons). Sometimes adversity brings a togetherness and team spirit that carries you forward…either that or Ayala really is the player we thought he could be. 

Not a bad half but Forest haven’t enjoyed their usual slice of jam yet. 

Hughton has our number. 1-0 Forest 

1 minute ago, The Mighty Chaffinch said:

Simon Eastwood!!! I’d forgotten him. Seemed to play like Gordon Banks in cup matches but never managed to usurp Steele as number 1. 

And then there was Sandomierski…only got 8 matches but looked half decent. 

15 minutes ago, Bbrovers2288 said:

We had the dark years of the fight between jake kean or the other one I can’t even remember his name, ended up at Oxford or similar 

Simon Eastwood!!! I’d forgotten him. Seemed to play like Gordon Banks in cup matches but never managed to usurp Steele as number 1. 

In my time watching Rovers we haven’t had too many established goalkeepers. Mimms, Flowers, Friedel, Robinson, Steele, Raya are the only six who have managed more than one season as the undisputed first choice (Kaminski will obviously/hopefully qualify for this little club). Of that list, Steele is definitely the weakest. The back-ups down the years have been mixed…Filan (decent), Kelly (ok), Fettis (diabolical). Jason Brown never disgraced himself (unless it involved driving the team bus!!!). Maybe I need to do my research but only 6 established keepers in a near 30 year period doesn’t seem much? 

In my opinion you pick a team to win regardless of the competition or the current strength of the squad. I would keep the spine of Saturday’s team in place (minus Ayala) and draft in Butterworth, Carter, Davenport and possibly McBride. We started last season well and part of that was down to beating Donny early doors in the league cup. Morecambe will no doubt rest a few as is the way in this competition nowadays but we should be able to field an eleven that can see them off. 

On 03/08/2021 at 12:17, JoeH said:

David Webb the ref. Did our 1-0 loss at Wycombe last year.

Awful record with this ref. He did the 3-3 with Crewe sending off 2 and sent off Conway in a 2-1 defeat at Hillsborough. I’m not sure if we’ve ever managed to win with him in charge. Couple that with the fact we haven’t won on the opening day since a 1-0 win over Everton in 2010…I’d say our chances are akin to winning the National on a mule 

I really can’t fathom why kit manufacturers insist on producing skin tight shirts. I’m 6ft 4 and have always needed at least an XL but with the skin tight editions I need 3XL now. Most fans do not resemble the players, if anything they need to produce shirts with extra material to circumnavigate beer bellies. 

1 hour ago, SuperBrfc said:

Ah, I think you have got the seasons mixed up there. That Tugay game was during the following season. We did play Liverpool at Ewood three days before the said Birmingham game. We lost 1-0 with Robbie Fowler scoring a dodgy offside goal at the Blackburn End. I can't believe that was 15 years ago.

I'd love to have that feeling back, where Monday would arrive and I was already looking towards Saturday.

I stand corrected. I was at the Fowler game too. 

31 minutes ago, SuperBrfc said:

Yeah, we won 2-0. Bent got the opener, but the game is mostly remembered for a brilliant solo goal from Duffer. Duff's goal is at 21:51 on the vid below:

 

I remember being gutted about the result that night. That was our game in hand which we needed to win to close the gap on 4th place. We had a genuine chance of nabbing a top 4 spot ahead of Arsenal towards the end of that season! It feels surreal even typing that out right now.

I miss the days when I was excited about our matches. I feel nothing in relation to Saturday's game. There have been many moments like that not just this season, but over the last 10 years. Bloody awful feeling it is. The pillocks in Pune have no idea how much damage they have caused.

To those that say "we could be Bolton or Wigan" we could also be Leicester if this lot employed the right people at the club and let them get on with it. They have the funds to do it, but sadly there isn't a football brain amongst any of them.

Three days later we beat Liverpool 1-0 at Ewood with ‘that’ Tugay Gerrard moment. I was at both games and I can’t remember feeling such a gap between deflation and elation in consecutive matches. 

Gutted if it’s Macron. Cheap and tacky 

Loving the fact that Huddersfield have scored more goals than they’ve had shots on target. 

I’m expecting another defeat today. We’ll more than likely finish in 21st place...that would have to be the final straw

16 hours ago, RoverInverness said:

The f-word is the most versatile adjective in the English language. It serves an important function, as does the presence and status of all taboo words. The irony is that if you don’t ever use them you make them more powerful for those of us who do.
 

Being able to express yourself without swearing is undoubtedly a priceless tool. Everyone is well served by learning to express themselves in formal English with no swearing at all. However, if you are not capable of a Malcolm Tucker style rant - in the right company - you are not using the language to it’s full potential. Your choice I guess.

 

IMO, the current situation is a perfect example of when the previously taboo vocabulary should come out of the drawer. Mowbray right now deserves the odd F-word. If he doesn’t leave soon he’ll be getting the odd C-word too. It is for times like these that we save these words.

He’s been a member of the Cambridge University Netball Team for some time already.

40 minutes ago, Sparks Rover said:

Delusion , which is why Mowbray will still be here next season. Chinless wonders in Ewood.

I made a pact with this football club, I do not intend to break it under any circumstances. When my son is old enough he will be coming to Ewood regardless of what division we are in or who is managing the team. 

That was pathetic. Doesn’t feel like a win at all. The ref didn’t give a pen because he knew he’d gone over time already. We have no game management whatsoever. This changes nothing. 

Just look at PNE, sack Neil, put McAvoy in charge and it’s 4 points from 2 games both against promotion chasing sides. It doesn’t take a genius to see that any change has the possibility to create a bounce. Put Johnson in charge for the remaining games and hopefully we can pick up the points needed to stay up. Keeping Mowbray in place is self-defeating 

Game over. 

We’ve had some belters who were winding down their careers and briefly passed through: Djorkaeff, Sukur, Baggio, Dahlin to name but four, however for lasting impact it’s got to be Tugay, Friedel and Berg in that order. 

That’s it, that has to be it. He has to go. I can’t bear this anymore