Lots of goals in this team with Moran, Siggy, Szmodics and Leonard. I'd add Markanday to that list too, seems to have goals in him. Gonna be a very exciting season.

If you don't enjoy this Rovers team you might as well get a season ticket to Aldi. Some real talent in that side, with a brilliant manager who loves to attack.

Can you put that disclaimer in the optimism thread too. Lots of negative posts in there, which clearly isn't allowed.

Unlucky today. Some great football, 3 goals and lots of positives to take. Top 6 finish very achievable, once a few adjustments are made to the the midfield and Pears is dropped.

Well summed up.

I watched the Cardiff Swansea game. Thought both teams looked poor. Cardiff at least offered a bit of a threat. Meite (lad they signed from Reading) looked dangerous and Ramsay is class but there wasn't much else to get excited about. Swansea passed it around nicely but looked toothless. Millwall V Leeds this lunchtime might be worth a watch.

Just watching the EFL highlights on ITVX. Programme comes from Ewood to celebrate the 500th game. Good interviews on the pitch with JDT and Szmodics. Worth a watch.

Intrigued to know who ? is (between Sulley and Taylor) Looks a similar age to Taylor so maybe a 70's player?

My limited knowledge of tax is that you can't write off losses in one country against tax in another country. The tax stuff would appear to be a non-starter, despite Nixon and Elliott Jackson continuing to pursue that line. We know what the issue is, the Indian Authorities spelled it out.

Good point, the way JDT wants to play is very demanding. I can imagine some of those lads won't know what's hit them. The Championship is also demanding. Moran look shell-shocked yesterday by the end of the match and he was only on for a bit. He kept losing the ball, kept being closed down, and kept being dragged into positions he wasn't comfortable. Boro were all over him. It must be a huge step up from the U23's.

No offence, but that's a really depressing post. There are posters who I enjoy reading on the match thread, who make well thought out and intelligent posts. You seem to be comparing them with others who just log in on matchdays to slag off everything that moves ('he's sh*t' 'he's a c*nt' blah blah)

Spot on. He was pointing to a Rovers player, but I think he knew he'd fucked up and was trying to justify it. And he did give offside soon after against their guy who was on the RS side of the pitch who was clearly on! I think what unnerved the lino was the guy who, after the Crooks goal, ran out from the section of singers near the DE, and followed the lino all the way back to the Halfway line giving him shit!

I sit level with the edge of the 18 yard box and close to the pitch. It's amazing how bad the lino's are at keeping up with play. That really is an appalling decision though. You didn't even have to be in line to call that.

Yep, that was a brilliant moment with his face up on the big screen at the same time as SS slotting the opener. Think he would have enjoyed that one!

First half of last season we couldn't play out from the back. We we hopeless at it. We'd just lose it as soon as we tried to play into midfield. We defended deep and defended well and got a lot of 1-0 wins at home ( apart from when we lost it fannying about at the back and conceded...but that didn't happen as much as people claimed) This season we are just incredibly open, and much more attacking. We're a really good watch at times, my worry is we are very susceptible to the counter because we commit so many players forward.

Blackburn Rovers 2-1 Middlesbrough | Championship highlights | Video | Watch TV Show | Sky Sports Crooks was a yard offside. Great dummy by the excellent Gally for our first goal. Shame he missed his header. A good clearing header from their FB in the first minute. Oh no, that was Dolan trying to score!

Telalovic was the exact opposite of what he looked like on his YT vids. I thought he'd be quick and wiry, but he was almost Shefti-esque. He looked a big lumbering target man. There's no way he's run 100m in 10.1.secs! The again he may well be just unfit. Despite all that I thought he looked decent. We'll see when he's properly fit.

Gally was excellent apart from his headed finish. Dolan is poor, but then Moran was no better.

Takes me back to the Paul Ince touchline coaching masterclass.

The bellend who filmed it will surely be getting a visit from plod?

Apart from you forgetting about Sparky who was a brilliant manager for Rovers....totally agree with your post. Credit to GB for appointing JDT. He's clearly a very talented manager. Sharpe told a little story last season that early on one of the players had commented that JDT might well be a 'genius' in the way he coaches the team. Add to his clever man-management and positive aura and he's a bit special. He's also clearly a winner who doesn't suffer fools. A new contract offer should be in the offing. He's that good.

maybe it was a league cup tie we'd never won under Mowbray (can't remember to be honest)

His was my favourite goal of the night, great team play and a cool finish. Good save with his feet, sign of a good keeper that. It's been the same in every game. It's only worked when the ball has found it's way to Wharton on the edge of the box and he can play those little through balls into the box (like the one Szmodics scored from at Rotherham)

IIRC there was a stat from last season too - don't think we won a single FA Cup tie under Mowbray.