Even if we had the calibre of footballers to play out from the back, which we don't - no-one in the Championship does - to do it EVERY SINGLE TIME is just obstinate on JDT's behalf and absolute suicide. Whatever the sport, unless you are significantly physically and technically superior to your opponent, using the same tactic repeatedly with every single play is daft. Preston were ready for it and so will be every team we play until something changes. If this stupidity persists for one more game, then you have to question JDT's motives because promotion won't be among them.

Agree with RoverTheHill. Barton's done nothing for two years on the pitch and plenty wrong off it. Football clubs need quality footballers to win games but they also need quality human beings otherwise things will descend rapidly towards the gates of the Championship. He is a divisive, cancerous character. Avoid.

Least we've got someone who can hit 'em!!!!!!!

Wasn't there Jan ... but saw it on TV. Agree that we had most of the possession but we've made a nice little history of that without taking the points before. But disagree about Sergio ... I like him but he has a way to go before he's as good as Gamst in form .. time and again he got stuck in the corner with no clue how to beat the last man and get a decent cross in.

We could be Champions of Europe and West Ham could be battling relegation in the Conference ... and they'd still beat us at Upton Park. Playing in Europe is starting to take its toll though ... suspect Hughes had an eye to the Basel game and with a few regulars out, we lacked the cutting edge. Peter tried hard on the left but lacked the quality of an in-form Gamst .. which we don't have at the moment either.

Hilarious! Pardew might well be fortunate to still be in charge in Jan. Who's next to line-up Lucas? Mr Cotterill maybe ...

Yeah ... he definitely wants out. This from a press conference the day before the Aus-Paraguay match with Lucas having just been named Socceroos captain. "I'm hopefully in just as good a position (as back in August) where as if I play regularly and play well, those kind of opportunities will present themselves again in January and if not in January, I'll be a free transfer in June. "I'm confident that if I keep playing well, something similar to that (another transfer opportunity) will happen." He is an ex-Rover still in a Rovers kit.

I'd definitely favour Warnock over Pong who I think has gone to Nobenders anyway. Lucas wants out and you're better off to move those players on otherwise they can be like a cancer. If we can get J2-3m plus Warnock for a bloke who's given us good service but really has only hit the headlines on the back of a World Cup, and who is going to walk for nothing come May, LET'S BLOODY GRAB IT! Agree, Warnock will provide competition for Gray and we look much better with a lefty playing at left back, particularly if Gamst is not at his best.

That same source predicts this unlikely match-up! DOMINIC MATTEO v RUUD VAN NISTELROOY With Andy Todd struggling with a knee injury Matteo is likely to take his place in central defence. The Liverpudlian has not been a first-team regular this season and must use his strength and intelligence to compensate for a lack of pace. Van Nistelrooy remains as deadly as ever in front of goal and Ferguson may highlight this area as one to target. Close football observers...

One game doesn't make a dynasty but that was about as entertaining, enjoyable and classy a performance from Rovers as I can remember since .... well since the halcyon days of the mid-90s. Chelsea would have been proud of that performance. Especially against Charlton! But then again, they didn't lose to them either...

Jose might just be a bigger git that Sir Alex! Get that man a bucket. He's going to win the premiership and probably the Cup but let's hope he doesn't win Europe. Great game Rovers ... beaten but reputation enhanced.

Spot on 1864 ... I'll drink to that. When was the last time we scored from a free kick? And why wasn't there more added time at the end until they got awarded some shonky spot kick? Brilliant!

Definitely on the right track ... People will pay the money for entertainment. The biggest problem with the league at the moment is that Chelsea is killing the game! Now we'd all be laughing our socks off if it was us so good luck to them but you can't have a league that runs for nine months that's decided in six weeks. They've bought the best players available at any cost and then stuck the next best ones in the cupboard. No-one can compete with them and everyone else is playing for second. I know it's been raised here before but salary caps and equalisation programs are the best way to make a league vibrant and exciting. Exactly how you run it in the context of English football is another issue with promotion/relegation and the bigger picture of the Champions League. But when you have a competition where everyone thinks they're a chance of winning it, you can charge what you like! They will come.

Here's the biggest bunch of sour grapes I've ever read from a Celtic git who clearly thinks that there's something challenging for a footballer from playing the other 30-odd games a season not involving Rangers. http://www.sundayherald.com/50755

Couldn't believe my eyes when I saw the headline on the Guardian. Thought we were condemned to scrapping among the old hacks and the bright young hopefuls of League 2 for a striker. Biggest signing in a decade (that includes you Barry!) and shows the club still has real ambition. Bloody brilliant!