He was playing right back today.

When you have exhausted every other logical conclusion what else are you left with ?

I watched Montgomery in the first half and it struck me just how much we’re going to miss Brittain. He got into good crossing positions several times in the first half but the ball always came back into midfield. Hard to say what he’s like defensively because Accy didn’t get forward much.

Who was it said - “ If all you have is a hammer every problem becomes a nail “ ? He’s got pace to burn but he doesn’t really know how to use it. He could be a real threat if he’s prepared to learn and we have someone who can teach him.

Busy but nothing special.

That was the hottest I’ve ever been at a game of football. It was blistering. What it was like out on the pitch I shudder to think. It’s hard to judge abilities on a day like today, just running around was an achievement. Not only that but Accy were a very physical team who have got the modern art of shirt pulling at every opportunity off to a tee. Just a few random thoughts - Tijon - nice neat footballer with a good football intelligence. Nowhere near ready for the first team. Yuki took his goal well as did Gueye. Gueye was more of a target man and held the ball up well. Kargbo, very quick but no football brain. He got past the full back a couple of times but let the ball get away from him each time. Aitcheson, not ready physically. Carter, got played a poor ball that he struggled to control and strained something. It was stupid pass to make in the first place, he was hemmed in and the left back was wide open. It should have gone there ! De Neve - runs about a lot but no end product Trav and Tronstad looked good but neither of them get up and behind the front players. As a result we had about 3 serious shots. Accy had even less, I could have played in goal for us today.

He improved quite a bit defensively last season but he’s still not what I’d call a good defender. He doesn’t relish the physical side of the game enough. Think back to Nyambe, crap going forward but nobody ever got the better of him in one on one duels.

Then he signs for another club and it’s - “ We tried but we couldn’t quite get the deal done “.

We Five - You Were On My Mind

Crawley is never “ in “ to me. He can always get out to the next ball no matter what the score is.

The Valentine Brothers - Money’s Too Tight To Mention

It’s surprising what a change of ethos can do. They played Madrid off the park last night. I’ll need a 2 goal start to back Chelsea.

Not in Rochdale where I live.

They’re all playing for themselves. PSG are a team.

PSG looked unstoppable tonight. Brilliant team.

Lou Reed - I’m Waiting For My Man

Once I’ve had my knee transplant !

You’ve got to get them playing in the first place. You need to nurture that live of the game. Even if it’s only coats down on the local rec. I only started going to Ewood regularly after I started playing schoolboy football. I live facing a very large common. On the other side of the common most people are of Asian heritage. Usually the kids playing on the common are from an Asian background and previously they were only playing cricket. However this year, for the first time, none of the kids are playing cricket. They’re all out playing coats down football every night. There are even some girls kicking a ball around. I don’t see the next Mohammed Salah out there but things are changing.

I was only thinking that the other day. Damien Johnson was twice the winger Dolan will ever be and he was in and out of our first team back then.

Great example. Both of them had that little trick that got them that yard of space. Once they’d got that the ball went. They didn’t try to make a meal of it like Dolan does from time to time.

You don’t always have to be quick to play out wide but it certainly helps. I remember watching Rick Holden at Oldham and then City. Most games he wouldn’t actually beat the full back ever but he get that yard of space to whip over a killer ball every time. He had football intelligence and he played to his strengths.

The Marvelettes - When You’re Young And In Love

The scout was right about Dolan. There’s something in his mentality that is holding him back. His decision making is just the same as when he first played for us. He gets nearly as many wrong as he gets right.

That just illustrates why trying to build a home grown team at our level is an impossibility. The best talent is spirited away before they’ve even played a first team game. What’s a million to teams like that, it’s nothing. You’re just hoping that you can keep a couple of late developers that slip through the net.

The Drifters - Baby What I Mean