In my paper it had our formation down as 4-2-2-2. That's not how I saw it but we definitely play with two defensive midfield players

Looks like a new keeper is a certainty , Leuts is in the shop window I think.

Yeah we all know what we need, It's what we get that's the problem.

I bet the people who lived in that row of terraced houses were thrilled. Lovely photo, I always got to the ground really early ( 2.00 pm ) and stood by the railings on the Riverside. I'd usually move to the end Rovers were attacking once I knew which way we were playing. Sometimes I'd stay put if the opposition were local and there was a big gate.

Tell the players that, chances are it will be flip flop football.

I also like Henderson at Rochdale who scores plenty of goals in a very average team but I think age is against him.

Rodwell is obviously a class player in terms of ability but he seems to be just playing within himself. He could wear the same kit every week without washing it. You need more commitment and ability to get around that area of the pitch rapidly from whoever plays in that role.

Managers come and go at Ewood but the same malaise remains. Slow starters. Out enthused again. What I'd give for a set of players who are really up for the battle.

The thing is he's supposed to be a striker yet his runs take him away from goal.

Quite a few of our team fit into that category Jim. I thought we got " bullied "by Norwich tonight.

Jim'll want it leaving up for next season just in case.

Given I can't recall Graham actually touching the ball he possibly was.

Pm me, I know a good optician, I can let you have his number. If that's him having a good game what does a bad game look like ?

He's got absolutely no presence at all. The only time I noticed him was when that centre half clattered him prior to Dack putting the free kick into orbit. Disregard the skill element just compare his workrate with Pukki's.

Tom I put more effort into getting out of my chair to open a can of Stella than Dack and Graham did out on the pitch tonight.

Let's not kid ourselves, first half we got a real football lesson. They were quicker, more incisive, more physical, more aggressive on and off the ball than we were. On another night we could have easily gone in 4 or 5-1 down. We gave them the usual Rovers first 20 minutes half hearted performance and they took full advantage of it. Second half they took their foot off the gas and were content to let us have the ball from about 60 minutes onwards. They knew we had no real goal threat. We were watching modern possession football were there is an end product at the end of the passing moves to our stone age football were we pass it around until we lose possession. The difference in coaching methods stood out like a sore thumb. Scores - Leut 6 made some good saves but got caught on his line for the first goal, second one was the fault of whoever let their guy have a free shot at goal, Travis or Rodwell ? Bennett 5 not a right back in a million years, that " cross " in the second half will live long in my memory ! Lenihan 6 did ok apart from the moment he dreamed he was Franz Beckenbaur and attempted a chest trap on the turn when all he had to do was head the bloody thing. Williams 7* our best on the night and did his best to keep Pukki quiet. Bell 6 I've seen him play worse. Not a winger and not a full back, why we signed him is a bit of a mystery. As was what he thought he was doing with that second half clearance. Armstrong 5 not physical enough for me, if he's up against a lad equally quick he's got no plan B. Rodwell 5 not the answer to the defensive midfield role, not anything like mobile enough and too easily bypassed. Travis 6 kept going even when things weren't going his way. Got a nice goal but I thought their keeper should have done better. Rothwell 6 poor in the first half but improved once he moved into a more central position in the second half. Dack 4 abysmal, best summed up by that second half free kick. If they'd have put another set of goals on top of the existing goals it would have still missed by a mile. Looked like a pub player tonight. Graham 4 did he touch the ball ? On his holidays already. Subs Brereton 4 ineffectual, compare his work rate with Pukki's. Conway 4 did nothing of value. Chapman 6 did more in 15 minutes out wide than Conway and Rothwell did in the whole game. Should have been on before Conway.

We had Ron Davies over when we signed Mike England. They were best mates apparently. He was released as a youth and later became a top striker in the old First Division. Another young Welsh lad we released was John Mahoney who later became a top attacking midfield player at Stoke. Every club has stories like that. Bolton let Alan Ball and our own Keith Newton go after trials. Burnley told Bryan Robson he'd never be big enough ! Apart from O'Connell I can't think of a recent one. We've had plenty who were going to be big timers that just faded in lower league obscurity though.

Sometimes he's too mobile. He likes to come bombing out of position being drawn to the ball now and again.

John Connelly is the Rovers player looking at the opposition ( Is it Bury ? ) goalkeeper in the earlier photo.

That's serious stuff. If their results ended up getting expunged we'll be 6 points worse off.

That's what's been missing from his game up to now although the one goal he has scored was a neat close in finish.

In both cases I think potential buyers were waiting to see how both of them went on in this League. I also think both of them have had mixed seasons so one or two clubs will be interested but I can't see there being a stampede. Having said that there is a dearth of players who can play the Dack type role. On the other hand how many teams would want to play that way ?

That's good to see but there's more to playing centre half than being quick over 100 yards, if that was all that mattered Usain Bolt would be a world beater.

If you're ever going to score goals as a striker you've got to get in and around the penalty spot area on a regular basis. I don't know how many Ruud Van Nistll ruuy ( spelling ) scored at United but it was a lot and 95% of them came from in and around the six yard area. We don't score many goals with long shots, mainly because we don't try them.

That's a great photo. Normally the aerial views are at 90 degrees to that one, looking across the pitch.