Tyrone Shoelaces

Mm, you forced me to do this- Slade - Squeeze Me, Pleaze Me

What a week we’ve had. Two totally committed performances on the bounce. Beating Leicester was one thing - they let you play football. Today was a different story altogether - this was a minor war. For once Rovers stood up to all the nonsense going on and never took a backward step. We played our football when we could but when we couldn’t we put a foot in and fought fire with fire. I’m beyond thrilled with the players today. Pears - cool and calm, a ball magnet today. JRC - didn’t get forward as much as previously but did a steady job apart from when he tried to play too much football when they had their last attack of the game. Pickering - I’ve knocked this lad in the past but he was faultless today. Plus he got well forward to score a great goal. Along with Travis my MOM. Carter and Hyam - brilliant today, withstood everything a really physical team could throw at them. Travis - carried on from where he left off at Leicester. A real captains game. Put himself about without doing anything silly for once. I think he’s learning. Buckley - did more than enough to keep his place. Passed the ball nicely at times. Should have done much better with that shot in the second half Szmodics - busy as always but occasionally gave the ball away cheaply. Unlucky with the shot onto the cross bar. Thomas - only in the game in flashes but he worked hard enough. We need to get him on the ball more. He’s got really good pace off the mark. Dolan - another one that carried on from midweek. A thorn in their flesh all afternoon. Nice pass for the goal. You could see they’d targeted him. Gallagher - more like what I expect from a big strapping centre forward. He’s obviously worked on his heading. He got loads of flick ons today. Not many of them went anywhere but it meant Sheffield had to deal with them deep in their half. The subs weren’t on long enough to contribute much but they bought into the work ethic of the other players. More of the same next time Rovers.

Reading that the people who worked with him everywhere he played are falling over themselves to praise the lad. Mowbray thought otherwise and basically gave him away. I bet Brentford couldn’t believe their luck.

Brittain was less than impressive against Leicester. He spent 20 minutes chasing shadows.

Elvis Costello - Pump It Up

We need to get the team selection right today. JDT has lots of options, let’s hope he makes the right choices. I’d have Thomas in for Hedges, Gally up the middle. Dolan out left. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Morton play again. I also wouldn’t be surprised to see Pickering playing and Brittain on the bench. If JRC pulls up again we have a ready made replacement in a Brittain.

If he does move that’ll be the sort of sum they’ll be talking about.

The Beatles - She’s A Woman

Next season Dolan will take BBD’s place. If he goes that is. If I was the Spanish scout that recommended him I’d be getting worried at the moment.

Staying fourth definitely would be.

Anthony Modeste seems to have done ok as has Kalinic

There weren’t many players that you could watch and say “ He hasn’t got a weakness “ but Keith was one. He was fast, great in the tackle, good on the ball, strong in the air, calm under pressure and completely two footed to the degree he could play either left or right back equally well. He was good enough on the ball that we played him in midfield from time to time.

Ruby And The Romantics - When You’re Young And In Love

He didn’t look too good the other night. Barnes had him on a string.

Did you ever see Newton play ? The guy was a Rolls Royce of a fullback. Nobody since has come near.

I didn’t like his attitude here. You expect strikers to be single minded but he took it to extremes.

Billy Boy Arnold - I Ain’t Got You

Sonny Boy Williamson - Don’t Start Me Talkin ‘

Alan Armstrong getting hammered on the Southampton fans forum after last nights no show against Grimsby - “ Worst number 9 we’ve ever had in our time in the Premier League “ or words to that effect. You should have stayed with a good team son.

The Pointer Sisters - Fire

Percy Sledge - When A Man Loves A Woman

If there’s nothing in writing what’s to stop Rochdale accepting another offer from another club in Summer ?

The soul singer Chuck Jackson. His original version of the Bacharach and David song - “ Any Day Now “ should be in every soul fans collection.

On another point - Brierley is back playing for Rochdale. Do we still sign him if he gets a serious injury between now and the end of the season ?

Definitely. If we do beat Sheff Utd we’ll have it all to do in the semi final. It’s still possible though.