8 minutes played so can't judge him as a footballer but Chrisene looks to have some athleticism

Well done Adam, but of grit and pressing with a more steady base behind us!

Zoorab Fishanishvilli

Hes 35 but presumably is being signed to come on at 60-70 mins and give us an outlet up front that can time a header and control a ball The optimist says he'd be on less than Gally and we may be able to use some money on the wage bill for another signing - but that's wildly optimsiticb

Lenihan defended in a back 3 with Van Hecke, Ayala. Also had kaminski behind him and Nyambe and Pickering fullbacks Hyams carrying a knock defending in what's effectively a back 2 including the keeper behind him

For any sizeable protest I think step one needs to be sharing the information on here in a manageable and understandable way across Facebook and tiktok for fans who use those platforms in a way that suits those platforms (presume FB infographics and tiktok under 25 second clips of 'old days' Vs now with some factual commentary) We won't get anyone on marches etc unless the fan base is converted and they don't use or particular like/trust here in my view

The most bemusing thing is (to my knowledge) the Venkys don't come out and say this personally. So where does it come from?

Warnock does admittedly play a bit of a character (you've got to fucking die for 3 points) but he talks too about why would anyone want to play with the ball within 25 yards of their own goal line - 'I like playing football in their half'. None of it is especially insightful but it's quite funny seeing the mentality difference

Was listening to Allardyce and Warnock on the 'No Tippy Tally Football' podcast (great name) talking about when they come into a club with 14 games to go they build it entirely around 1 good keeper and 1 good striker. From there they say you can get a poor defender average, average midfielder decent etc. Just interesting listening to two tried and testeds A) talk about what makes decent good and talk about their development models

This is a real football manager moment from me here admittedly but I don't think Pickering is a bad player, he just can't play how we'd want. Brittain's best asset is going forward and it seems obvious a lump in a midfield three who drops back with Carter covering right back sures up the defence and gives another wing option that we lack completely currently. Brittain and Sigurdson on the same side is bad news for any full back at our level

Completely agree with this, defensively we're a horror show for any diagonal ball and neither Wharton nor Tronstad have the height or physicality to drop into a 3 when both full backs bomb forward. Also annoying the more attacking full back in Brittain doesn't play on the same side as Sigurdson who's hell bent on cutting inside.

Lots of pity online from west Brom fans and a common note is from minute one we didn't put a foot in or try and win a header (see goal one). My JDT sympathy is waining but there's no excuse on a personal level for our defence (who probably have the most experience of the squad barring the keeper) to be so reluctant to win any challenge. Unsure how you change this let alone if the players (who you get the idea have thrown the towel in) or the manager (who may have done the same) do so. I bang on about having no physicality on here and it showed in the best championship 11 when no one could pick a defensive midfielder from 12 or so years. Unfortunately there's nice football on the front foot and an inability to track back when put under pressure and no outlet when put under pressure. Moran is a technical player but has no desire to defend and Sigurdson seems a nice to have. Under pressure Leonard can't hold the ball up, Gally can but he's got no touch to keep it. Brittain either has a transfer lined up or has had a fall out - his performances in the last month have been PIP territory in any other field. I'd be inclined if we persist with this daft formation and bombing fullbacks to start with Pears Pickering Wharton Hyam Carter Wharton Tronstad Garret Szmod Leonard Gally Unsure there is many goals but thought we'd looked better this year with Hill at right back. Leonard looked okay when he was right wing going back a few games and has desire to work hard. Puts a few more grafters in the team and hopefully secured the defence more. The one outstanding issue is how you tell a backline with 300 championship defenders to win a header or put a boot in

Gally is like one of those weird crossover SUV's like a Juke. He's 6 4 but can't win a header. Works hard and runs a lot but has an inability to find space. His redeeming qualities are probably the 'cheapest' to replace but I doubt we'd manage that given the situation. Logically most clubs knowing his contractual term would cash in and replace, but that's not an option for us.

The vast majority of Renault Scenic drivers have wives and a car full of children but this does not lead to wanting bachelor's browsing the forecourts for 7 seater MPVs

Also ex Brighton top target now Chelsea loanee army striker Datro Fofana (FM legend) recalled from loan in Germany. Wonder if the Scandinavian connection, links to Brighton and desperation for a striker may connect dots

The impressive bit of this championship 11 years squads is not one has a hard case unit of a central midfielder - Mokoena our last one? N'Zonzi was tall but petulant. We must be one of a tiny handful of clubs who have been relegated and ended up with more technical lightweight players rather than vice versa

Think he's at Afcon isn't he?

Just some stats for the keeper discussion 2nd most goals conceded Most shots faced, 2nd most for shots on target 7th worst for goals per shot on target (Southampton, Boro and Hull all worse) Stats wise you can see the justification for another centre back rather than keeper. From the 'eye test' though the keepers do look the weak point.

For the ever optimists, here is some comments from Killie and Villa fans ref Chrisene. Surprised he's a centre mid in their view Blackburn Rovers fans having a meltdown over this signing, in a negative way, as seem to think they're signing too many youngsters, that might be case, but judging from some of the comments I think they might be surprised at how good he is, they should also note he's probably just as good if not better in central midfield and can also play on the wing. A lot will depend on how his injuries have affected him, but if he's as good as he was then he should be okay in the Championship, was rated in the same class as our very best academy players at one point, and that still might be the case, again will come down to how much his injuries have affected him. Centre mid is where i think he is best. Could have been a Gareth Barry mk 2 but has suffered from so many injuries since the FA Youth Cup win. Good luck to him and i hope he can get a run of games. Chrisene getting a loan to the Championship shouldn't be a shock, he's already proven himself at Scottish Premier League level, if it wasn't for injuries it would have already happened before now, he's one of our more highly rated academy players of recent times should be physically well able for it

If Waggot is on 300k as people on here say, that equates to 5.7k per week. Of the 28 man squad listed on the website, what proportion earn more a week than our failing CEO? https://www.rovers.co.uk/teams/

Thoughts so far 2 at the back doesn't work (shock) Telalovic has gained a yard of pace but has lost a control of the ball Given Travis was shipped out as a high earner, how many of the 11 on the pitch earn less than Waggots reported 300k a year? Inevitable at some point Sammy or Garratt get injured today Back to you in the studio

Very strong lineup Is this shown anywhere or over radio outside of Lancashire or Cambridgeshire

In unrelated news, and what feels like word bingo. Ex Rover Pascal Chimbonda now managing Skelmersdale has been handed a 5 match touchline ban seeing him out of his next game Vs Bury. In response he's signed himself as a player and plans to warm the bench. When JDT had his game out, and given the striking options at the club - wouldn't we have been better lobbing him up top?

Wonder if the view is a drop to a back 5 with Pickering left of, this presumably fast overlapping left wing back doubling up with sigurdson and brittain doing the same on the side with whoever else comes in? This is my glass is 3/4s full interpretation

Normally you'd think getting all your business done on January 1st is proactive and good business but today it feels like managed decline and irrelevant to the pitch