I obviously want to win, but what I really want to see is some attacking intent. I could take a loss if we show some sort of signs moving forwards that we could be an effective team on the road, rather than the dull, passive, unimposing team we've seen for most of the season. I know it's a results based business, but I think it's imperative we start seeing positive signs for the season. Us limping to a 0-0 draw with 0 shots on target will just tell me that our problems remain.

I don't think anyone wants him sacked. Any criticisms have been valid and have been very much playing the ball, not the man. Not seen any Coyle comparisons but appears you have? As for who will be brilliant, probably nobody. I do think we'd get more out of some players though if we played with a bit more attacking intent. Gallagher and Hirst on the wings, a false 9 lost up top and Hedges at RWB are all questionable in their own way. I especially felt sorry for Hedges, playing out of position in front of his national team coach before being hauled off at half time. That's probably that for his Wales World Cup hopes. As for the WLWLWL run, yes it would likely have us 8th-10th. For me it's unsustainable as we look much more likely to drop a win to a loss/draw than turn the losses into positive results. Off the top of my head the Wigan, Luton, Reading, Sheffield United and Cardiff performances all rank amongst some of the worst we've produced in recent years on the road, with barely a chance created over the 450 minutes of football. All 5 we've been rank rotten, which is a worrying sign really. I don't think it's a lost cause. It might click eventually and some of the misery on the road might give way to some sort of functional team. It doesn't look likely at the moment. People decry xG and whilst it's inevitably very flawed, ours being shockingly low over the last few away games is probably a fair reflection of how toothless the performances have been. Across all 5 away games above, I can think of a couple of chances - the missed penalty at Cardiff, Diaz's chance at Luton.... and I'm genuinely out of ideas! 2 decent chances in those 5 away games is criminal. Thankfully we were better against Blackpool and Swansea, with Swansea playing in a style weirdly akin to how we're playing now! I've tried to avoid my own confirmation bias where possible, but speaking to total neutrals who watched the Cardiff/Wigan games on Sky and they've all commented on how crap we looked. Hard to argue really. I know it's just another game, but we really need to step it up in time for the Burnley game. A similarly timid and lethargic display will not be tolerated there, and the last thing I want is the players to face the ire of the fans. But something has to give soon - people pay a hell of a lot of money to travel up and down the country, and whilst we can't win everywhere, we should at least expect a team showing some aspect of 'arte et labore' - our total lack of urgency is the most frustrating thing imaginable when you've spent north of £100 and are miles away from home. Roll on Boro, which hopefully is a chance to start righting some wrongs.

I'm not even sure on this. Our system was promised as a high press, high intensity system, which Dack perhaps wouldn't suit. But we've completely departed from that in favour of a more pedestrian style of pressing. He maybe doesn't suit the fluid front 3/4 we go for, but it doesn't look like any of the others do either. I'd argue he suits it more than some of the others simply because he's a better footballer. Ultimately, it's all a bit of a moot point given we barely play in the opposition half. No doubt Dack will have been criticised previously by JDT for coming deep for the ball, but I can't blame him as we show no urgency to get the ball forward - and I'm not advocating long ball, but a few forward passes (rather than side to side) wouldn't go amiss.

I like them as people but if Szmodics and Hirst were chased all summer, then this lauded and refined summer transfer strategy might need a second look…..

Because the system is negative. It’s the same very away game - he showed the same attitude at Reading, Cardiff and Luton. It’s approaching disrespectful how he approaches away games.

If this was Mowbray I’d be calling for his head. The most pathetic , toothless, cowardly away performance since the last one last week. Does he give a shit? Will he laugh away all interview?

Negative, uninspiring shite again. He had no respect for the fans! Utterly garbage.

Golden. Think this I what I was looking for! Thankfully a lot of the stories wouldn't go on nowadays mind!

Not forgetting a Marcus Bent hat-trick. He scored 7 league goals for Wigan - 3 vs Rovers on one crazy afternoon.

Good point. He will have a lot of goodwill there simply by not being Steve Bruce, and like you said it isn't a bad squad. Just not sure what would constitute success there!

I'd give West Brom a wide berth. From what I've heard, they are skint and appear a bit of a basket case behind the scenes. But on the flip side, despite their lowly league position they haven't been as awful as the table suggests, suggesting there's a lot of scope for improvement. As for Parker, be interesting to see how he gets on. So far he's been a bit of a flat track bully; got two sides promoted who spent a fortune and were favourites, before struggling with the step up. Also can't see Leeds sacking Marsch anytime soon.

*Insert childish but nevertheless obligatory joke that JCC couldn't pull in Burnley because something inbred something* Don't you miss the derby day build up 🙄 😁

Correct in that Crewe was a 1-0 loss. There's a video somewhere on Youtube of their keeper's heroics. Some may argue it was Ashley Ward and co making him look good mind 😅 Wigan away was 3-0 but was a total disaster. Ince had to go after that! Forgot our 4-0 thumping at Bolton in all of this too under Bowyer - awful. A 1-0 late defeat there in 2013 wasn't great either. Come to think of it, had a few shockers there - 2-1 last minute defeat in Sam's last game, the 2-0 defeat under Kean. I still would have to say that Kean's era was my least enjoyable watching Rovers. Because of everything going on behind the scenes and in his interviews, I drew no pleasure from our games and even the wins were somewhat tainted by both disgust at what our club had become, the way fans would be derided by Kean/his media cronies and the fact it always kept him in the job. Every game was played under a cloud - through no fault of the fans who went. Wigan and Bolton at home were both particular low points, but it was a truly horrible time.

Never mind - found it:

Very niche I know - don't want anyone to waste much time on it mind 😅

That was a tough one - went to that too. Remember loving the sea of blue and white behind the goal though at least! The Cardiff City Stadium has largely been an unhappy hunting ground too. Off the top of my head remember an awful 1-0 defeat under Lambert, a wretched 1-1 draw under Bowyer, Duffy's own goal 'heroics' and then last week's disappointment. Then again, we won on 2 of the last 3 trips there - although both were behind closed doors!

Bit of an odd request, but I remember a belter of a thread on here when we played Burnley in 2005. The best pre-match build up - people talking about nervy cans/brews, derby day memories etc. I can't find it on the archive/messageboard Gold (the 'bring on the dingles' thread was replaced a week before KO by the look of it) and would love to read it again. Anyone able to help?

My first ever Rovers game 😁

That was 2011! This was the year West Ham cheated to win the game and to stay up. Never been more angry leaving Ewood. As for other bad games (will just do ones I attended rather than watched): Rovers 0-1 Crewe (2000) Man United 7-1 Rovers (2010) Take your pick from trips to Cardiff

Can we finally break the hoodoo at Wigan? We love finding a way to lose/drop points here, and it's spanned more managers than I can be bothered to count. It's a very winnable game, they've been pretty poor at home. Bucking this recent WLWL trend is imperative, and is very possible if we get the balance of passing/purpose right again. Gutted I can't make it, sadly midweek is too tricky from Cardiff.

Delighted tonight. I was frustrated and thoroughly hacked off midweek, so over the moon to see this reaction. Very happy Rover! And especially happy for Szmodics - I have criticised him but performances like that will prover me wrong. Nothing beats a Saturday night after a win.

Confirmed no bubble travel and 2,200 allocation. Ticket details to follow. However they’ve said there’s no trains running? Is that true?

I love the faith you have!

Shows the mentality of the squad. So eager to down tools and hate it when the going gets tough. We've seen it this season even before the goals - if a team shows intensity against us we completely fall apart and fail to match them. On Saturday I just want us to pass with purpose. Tuesday was seriously pathetic; if that's football I'm not sure I enjoy the sport!

My main concern is that our downturn in form seems to be accelerating as the system JDT wants to play is bedding in more. This indicates a real struggle to adjust to it. We need to adjust very quickly, as it's an unforgiving league and any long-term strategy/'project' goes out of the window if we become embroiled at the wrong end of the table.