sharpysharps86

Don't usually get to midweek games as I work in Liverpool, but I'm going to go to this one as I finish early on Tuesday. Eustace has to get a win eventually, and I think it'll come here. I still think we'll go down but we'll do enough here to scrape a win. 2-1. Szmodics and Gallagher. My predicted team: Pears Hyam McFadzean Wharton Brittain Tronstad Buckley Chrisene Szmodics Dolan Gallagher I don't think we can play 4 at the back if it means Brittain at full back. At least as a wing back we have Hyam to cover him on that side. Hopefully Tronstad is back. If not then Ayari should come in as his last two appearances have shown a marked improvement. Anyone but Moran. I'd rather play Billy K in the middle than him! With attacking players...we just don't seem to have any other options, do we? So it kind of has to be Dolan and Gallagher up top with Sammie playing off them.

For the first time this season I genuinely think we're going down. Never thought it'd come to it this season but the way we've just failed continuously to win matches against teams below or around us, combined with having such a weak defence....this team are goners. Teams around us all fighting for their lives and Rovers players turn up with that first 20 - 30 mins today....utterly woeful. Plenty of fight in 'em for an FA cup game against a premier league side, but not in a crucial relegation 6 pointer. League One here we come.

Oh dear, oh dear. Shambolic first 20 mins has cost us here. Moran to blame for both goals as well, so poor. I've changed my mind. We're as good as gone with our run in. Sorry state of affairs.

Telalovic not in the U23s either, so possibly an injury or illness.....but the reality is that JE probably doesn't fancy him.

Quite simply, don't lose. A win would be ideal obviously because I think we need 7 points from the next 3 to ease any relegation concerns after how last weekends results panned out. Feeling optimistic, I'll go for a tight 0-1 win, with backs against the wall for the last 20 minutes. My predicted team: Pears Hyam McFadzean Wharton Brittain Tronstad Buckley Chrisene Szmodics Dolan Gallagher If Gallagher doesn't start then there's a tough call to make. Perhaps shift Sammie further up and bring Moran or Sigurdsson in? Or we stick Billy K up top and he bags a hat-trick 😂🙏.

Definitely get that impression. I doubt well ever be in a situation with JE where he is continuously moaning about off the pitch situations. As likeable as JDT was / is....it was becoming extremely irritating to hear that in every interview.

Incredible pride tinged with disappointment of what could've been was the overriding feeling for me last night and again this morning. I thought the starting XI were all magnificent. I was very concerned at Moran partnering Buckley in the middle but he was superb. It's impossible to not love Sammie Szmodics. Buckley showed his class but needs to do it on a consistent basis. Who is this keeper and what's he done with the real Ainsley Pears?? Not sure whether it's down to a change in style or the personnel in front of him, but Pears is playing like a proper number 1 at the moment. Long may it continue. JE got everything right tactically on the night, and the subs were largely the right ones. Ayari and Markanday pleasantly surprised me with their impact. Billy K was an interesting one. Seemed terrified when he first came on but grew in confidence. Being picky, Sigurdsson seemed to struggle at times and dallied on the ball, but he did well to pick out Markanday for the goal. The ref was shocking and so in favour of Newcastle. Some of the calls he made and things he missed where shambolic at times. The Ewood atmosphere was a delight. It's been a long while since it was rocking like that. A taste of what things could be like if the club was in the right hands. The important thing is to carry the confidence of that performance into the league, starting at Swansea on Saturday.

Would be dangerous to risk Gallagher, McFadzean and Szmodics with 3 huge games coming up in the league. Getting to a quarter final would be brilliant for the 2nd year running, but not if it means our key players are knackered for Swansea on Saturday. My predicted team, and probably way off. Please don't dislike my post 😂. Pears Hyam Wharton Pickering Brittain Tronstad Garrett Chrisene Moran Dolan Sigurdsson

Its really difficult to be patient given the situation at the club and the constant lingering threat of teams below us picking up wins. However, I remain confident that Rovers will pick up enough points to survive. JE is making us hard to beat, and I feared that if JDT had stuck around that he would've continued with the suicidal approach of trying to outscore the opposition without any kind of organisation at the back. It won't be pretty or particularly enjoyable, much like Hughes in 2004/05 and when Big Sam coming in halfway through 2008/09, but I have faith that JE will keep us in this league. That being said, we simply must win the home games against Plymouth and Millwall, and not lose away to Swansea.

Think it'll be a third draw on the spin here. I'll go for a 1-1. Szmodics to score for Rovers. My predicted team: Pears Hyam McFadzean Wharton Brittain Tronstad Buckley Hedges Szmodics Dolan Gallagher This is probably our strongest XI with who we have available for selection. Question mark over whether Hedges starts or not though. I think McFadzean starts this one before getting rested against Newcastle, like a few players will I imagine.

I'm really hopeful that Buckley can kick on now. There is a spot up for grabs and I've thought at times in the past that he has the potential to become a focal point of the team, it's just he's always been in the shadow of others it seems. The Sheffield Wednesday loan was never right for him, and I believe he was played mostly out of position under their previous manager before he got injured. On paper, Tronstad and Buckley together could be a very good pairing.

A point away from home, a clean sheet. I'd have taken that before the game for sure. Hopefully it can be followed up with a win on Saturday. Norwich have been free scoring as of late so it'll certainly be a tougher test.

Cardiff aren't in great form and Rovers are coming to town. Seen this story before! Starting XI will be very interesting given we've had to really chuck Hedges, Gallagher, McFadzean, etc. in at the deep end recently. With Fleck likely to be missing, Garrett in the middle seems the most likely option but I'd love to see Buckley in there if he's ready. Pears Hyam McFadzean Wharton Brittain Tronstad Buckley Hedges Szmodics Dolan Gallagher

14 games IMO is enough time to pull away. It's just under a third of a full season. Teams have been in far, far worse positions than Rovers at this stage in previous seasons and survived. We've just come off the back of 2 tough away games, but before that we beat Stoke. I believe they will be fine. Sorry if you don't think so.

Of course he does, but it's not like he'll be sat on his arse twiddling his thumbs. It's no more shocking than it was under JDT and I've no doubts that if he had been in charge today that it would've ended in defeat trying to play it out from the back constantly. Both of Rovers goals came from mor direct play. Todays conceded goals, I'm not sure you can do much about the 1st, the 2nd is poor for sure, but it takes time to change things, whether we like it or not.

Did I say be patient and get relegated? Nope. Of course its not unreasonable to coach a side, that's his job.....but what you're implying is that 1 week is enough to turn a team that's shipped more goals than anyone in this league into a unit that keeps clean sheets consistently. That is completely unreasonable to expect and an warped expectations to have. No wonder managers / head coaches don't last long these days with that kind of expectation.

Crikey, are we really expecting him to transform this defence after 1 week with the players. This team isn't going to suddenly start keeping clean sheets after 1 week.

Didn't realise that we have Swansea, Millwall and Plymouth to play in a row next month. Those are some seriously huge games in Rovers season.

Would've taken a point before kick-off but it has to feel like a defeat with the way we let them back in. Seems like the Fleck injury changes the flow of the first half in Preston's favour. Garrett has been decent at times this season but appears well off it at the moment. Let's hope Fleck's injury isn't too serious and that Buckley can kick on under Eustace. Gallagher in good form since coming back from injury, good to see.

Can't see anything other than a PNE win here. Rovers often seem to struggle to get themselves up for derby games and with current form I don't see the players doing much to change that tomorrow. A draw would be a fantastic result. My predicted team: Pears Hyam McFadzean Wharton Hedges Tronstad Garrett Chrisene Szmodics Gallagher Dolan

I'll have a guess: Pears Brittain Hyam McFadzean Chrisene Tronstad JRC Hedges Szmodics Dolan Gallagher

David Lowe and Damien Johnson masterclass incoming 😂. I hope Fleck and Garrett have trained well this week cos I can't be doing with seeing Moran playing CM again.

Welcome to the asylum, John. Wish him all the best and hope he can do a good job for Rovers.

The club will be waiting until Eustace is all sorted and they've done some media coverage of their own. They won't want JDT leaving to be the story here.

The inability to earn points from losing positions always stuck out like a sore thumb to me. There's no doubt that JDT has potential to be a top head coach somewhere, but you could pretty much guarantee that we'd lose a game if we conceded first under him.