Maybe instead of a goal of the season competition we should have a worst 45 minutes one...plenty of contenders. Gallagher can’t seem to trap the most basic of balls, surely if 5 of his 6 goals were scored from the bench then that’s firmly where he should be starting? Brereton looks shot of confidence (and ability) once more. Very depressing once again 

Foden and Bellingham are the present and the future. All others will be a footnote. 

2 minutes ago, The Mighty Chaffinch said:

We struggled to get results at Carrow Road even when we were good. Defeated 2-1 in 94/95 and a 2-2 Kevin Gallacher leg break the season before. I’m struggling to remember us winning there (possibly in the promotion season under Souness?) More recently calamitous 3-3 and 2-2 draws in our last two relegation seasons have cost us massively. Nailed on defeat. 

Just checked, we couldn’t even win under Souness, 1-1 Bent scoring

We struggled to get results at Carrow Road even when we were good. Defeated 2-1 in 94/95 and a 2-2 Kevin Gallacher leg break the season before. I’m struggling to remember us winning there (possibly in the promotion season under Souness?) More recently calamitous 3-3 and 2-2 draws in our last two relegation seasons have cost us massively. Nailed on defeat. 

Douglas has looked good tonight and so I thought...this is the Douglas we were supposed to be signing...then I realised, for the last two seasons he has played for teams who win most of their matches and subsequently give him more freedom to come forward and influence games due to a lack of forward threat from the opposition. This season he’s actually had to defend. Luxury left back perhaps? Johnson has annoyed me but other than that we’ve been ok...and at the moment ‘ok’ is like winning a medal. Oh how expectations have nosedived. Still going for 0-1. 

Pearson (oddball that he is) knows how to organise a team, Mowbray doesn’t. The malaise continues. 0-1 

We have played on this pudding of a pitch for weeks and yet we still can barely string two passes together on it. Brentford adapted to the conditions straight away and look comfortable. This is annoying beyond belief. The ball is bouncing off Gallagher like he’s got 50 pence knees, shins and thighs. If he did then the 3 quid that that equates to is still too much for him. Abysmal. Our record on SKY just gets worse and worse. A further annoyance of these recent defeats is that every one has been by a goal...this always leaves an element of hope...it also means I can’t turn it off early and be free from this torment. 

A performance more reminiscent of earlier on in the season. JRC’s return cannot be understated...I think he offers so much going in both directions. Buckley was superb throughout and needs a run of 10-15 games to really see if he can put in consistent performances like that. His close control and centre of gravity were very encouraging. 

The single most pathetic final 10 minutes I have EVER seen from Rovers. Against 10 men, absolutely no speed of movement, inability to pass to each other, zero urgency, Nyambe waiting 30 seconds every throw in as there’s no runner. Utterly utterly disgraceful. Mowbray has to go now as that was an embarrassment. I can’t believe what I’ve just seen. 

If we win it will probably due to individual performances rather than team synergy. Feel a lot more confident with Darragh back in the fold...two teenagers together was never going to work but sadly there was little option. Hopefully Branthwaite can be guided through the game today. Brereton looked more like the player we saw in the first half of the season on Wednesday...let’s see if he can build on that. Hoping for a win but not confident enough to predict one!!! 

Just now, OldEwoodBlue said:

Dack trotting about on the wing like a lost schoolboy

Like an extra from Grange Hill circa 1979 

That was abysmal, schoolboy stuff...but I suppose we’ve got two schoolboys playing centre back 

Another frustrating night of getting near to their box but not quite in it, of the opposition scoring with their first real attack, of balls falling to the wrong men on the edge of the box, etc etc ad infinitum. 0-2 

Another disheartening but all too predictable display. For what it’s worth, I find it all the more frustrating for the following two reasons: firstly, we’re not conceding bucket loads of goals...all our recent defeats have been 2-1s and 1-0s...this implies that we are not a million miles off being a side capable of winning more regularly , secondly, we seem perfectly capable of getting into the opponents final third but then things routinely break down. How many times did this happen yesterday and across recent games? The problem for me lies in the formation. Call me a dinosaur but it’s crying out for a good old fashioned 4-4-2. When the ball breaks to those arriving on the edge of the area then usually nothing happens (see Travis yesterday). Get another striker up there with Arma and see what happens. Give McBride a go if needs be. If Elliot was playing for Watford or Norwich he’d have about 30 assists by now...so frustrating. 

23 minutes ago, simongarnerisgod said:

i was`nt aware glenn murray was at forest,he`s a proper centre forward ffs,i hope tony tells lenihan to take care of him because murray up against branthwaite or harwood bellis is like putting the fox in with the chickens,it`ll be a harsh lesson for either of those two🙄

Yep, signed on loan from Brighton in the window. I think he’s notched against us for Brighton, Palace and Reading. 

Hughton’s hex over Rovers to continue. Forest are packed full of players who do well against us, Lolley, Grabban and a certain Glen Murray who must be in double figures against us over the years. Ideal scenario: Rovers win, Mowbray is sacked. Reality: Rovers lose, Mowbray trundles on 

I’d love to be proved wrong but I can’t see past a defeat tonight. The only consolation to Bennett’s inclusion is that at least there’s 4 other defenders to help him out. 

Our record on SKY is abysmal...this goes back a long way. I seem to remember the few defeats we suffered in 94/95 were mainly on SKY (United twice, Spurs away, Man City at home, West Ham away and of course Anfield)...I suppose we were box office back then though. I’m nervous about tonight...but then I suppose that applies to every match. C’mon you blues! 

Not Rovers this time but I was lucky enough to play against Graeme Stuart a few years ago in a match to mark the opening of our new college changing rooms at Factory Lane in Preston. Also featuring in that match were Paul McKenna, former PNE captain Sean Haslegrave (RIP) and Andy Burnham (his brother is my boss). It was a scratch PNE v Everton match but thankfully I didn’t have to don their jersey! Lost that one 1-0 but I did get called a bastard by Burnham for denying him in a one on one. Top bloke though!!! 

The nostalgia thread jogged my memory of an experience 17 years ago when I lined up against Jim Arnold in a charity match. I was completing my teacher training at a school in Stafford and had let on that I played in nets for a Sunday league side...some of my students had organised the match against a rival school for some project or other and I was asked to play. Jim was associated with the rival school (Rising Brook) in some capacity and lined up for them. He of course came from Stafford originally. There was a decent crowd of about 200 and even a police presence given a bit of needle between the two schools and rival estates (by far the biggest crowd I played in front of). To cut a long story short, we won the game 4-1 and Jim praised my performance at full time. I didn’t play well very often but I somehow managed to that day. So...let’s see who else has had the pleasure of gracing a pitch with a Rover???

Just now, The Mighty Chaffinch said:

Something like this 

6 minutes ago, The Mighty Chaffinch said:

I’m always very suspicious (and a bit superstitious) about certain manufacturers. I’m no fan of Macron as I associate them with failure...specifically Bolton but I can’t think of too many teams who have thrived when donning their shirts. A bit primary school second XI for me. I would relish the return of ASICS and I rate two of their shirts as my all time favourites: 92-94 and 96-98. I understand the mood surrounding an Adidas catalogue kit however I have always wanted to see Rovers run out with the three stripes on the arms...preferably reversed on each side. I’ve got a Grasshoppers Zurich kit of that ilk stashed away in the garage somewhere. I think some posters are being a bit harsh on Umbro though. I think they produce solid kits with decent trim. As always though, a bit of fan participation in the kit consultation process wouldn’t go amiss. Pigs might fly first 

I’m always very suspicious (and a bit superstitious) about certain manufacturers. I’m no fan of Macron as I associate them with failure...specifically Bolton but I can’t think of too many teams who have thrived when donning their shirts. A bit primary school second XI for me. I would relish the return of ASICS and I rate two of their shirts as my all time favourites: 92-94 and 96-98. I understand the mood surrounding an Adidas catalogue kit however I have always wanted to see Rovers run out with the three stripes on the arms...preferably reversed on each side. I’ve got a Grasshoppers Zurich kit of that ilk stashed away in the garage somewhere. I think some posters are being a bit harsh on Umbro though. I think they produce solid kits with decent trim. As always though, a bit of fan participation in the kit consultation process wouldn’t go amiss. Pigs might fly first 

Very happy to beat a Nathan Jones team in those circumstances. A little bit of karma. I thought the 4 substitutions were a clear statement of attacking intent which paid off today. Dolan was superb and gives a back four something to think about. We need to see more of him. He needs to work on his shooting but he’s 18 and all facets of his game have got time to improve. Gallagher looks so much more effective when coming off the bench and seems to have it in for Luton. I saw glimpses of the old Travis but he’s still a bit rusty. Douglas is growing into his Rovers career. I’d still like to see a permanent solution at left back but I thought he looked more the player we thought we were getting today. Branthwaite is like a slightly taller Wharton with better distribution. Lenihan’s upturn in form continues. Kaminski needs to stop with the kamikaze heart in mouth distribution (although his sentiments are noble!) but otherwise was faultless. Let’s enjoy this little run (again) while it lasts. You can’t beat that winning feeling. We know another ‘death spiral’ will be on the horizon soon but in the moment...I’m very happy. 

Luton are well coached and know their jobs to a tee. They also look dangerous on the break. Much worse teams have rocked up at Ewood this year. We’ve got the better individuals but....