Sonny Charles And The Checkmates - Black Pearl

23 minutes ago, M_B said:

I wouldn't be too hasty with Pears,he's young for a keeper, and this season might just stand him in good stead. 

Yes, he's dropped a couple of clangers, but if anyone thinks we'll sign a keeper who doesn't, they will be in for disappointment. 

The improved defensive displays have come with Pears in goal. It looks like we've a coach who can set up a defence,it'll be interesting if Eustace gives him his support going forward. 

Eustace set us up with a packed defence so the keepers have as little as possible to do. With a better keeper we may be allowed to play a more expansive game.

54 minutes ago, arbitro said:

I watched Boys from the Blackstuff again recently and the social commentary at the time was eye opening. It had everything in it and Yosser was the main character. I'd seen him previously in a series called Fox and thought he was a really food actor then. This was iconic:

 

RIP Bernard.

Not much has changed since then.

6 hours ago, Ewood Ace said:

                     Pears

JRC     Carter         New     Pickering

          Tronstad      New

Hedges       Sigurdsson      Dolan

                     New

 

Not your fault in any way but that’s a bottom six team. If we can ever get all of them out on the pitch at the same time of course.

Ben E King - Don’t Play That Song

12 minutes ago, jim mk2 said:

 

I was probably one of those. Szmodics didn't look the part the season when he first signed from Peterborough. It was difficult to see what he offered and why we had  paid so much money for him.  He took time to adapt to the Championship and was probably played out of position in his first season . 

A free role as an attacking midfielder is where he excels and he played brilliantly in that role under Tomasson. Deserves a place in the club's history books for this season alone. Without him we would have been relegated.

When he came at first he wasn’t playing the the role that’s brought him all the goals. We had BBD playing there. When Sammi was playing deeper in midfield he sometimes looked like a fish riding a bike. Pushing him further forward was a master stroke.

Just like what we did with Andy McEvoy. He was an average midfield player until we pushed him up front in an emergency. He never looked back and was up there with Jimmy Greaves and Denis Law as a top goalscorer.

The Amboy Dukes - Journey To The Center Of The Mind

51 minutes ago, ageoftherover said:

Looks at the genuine respect and admiration they have for him. Theres no way its the same with Hyam. I think we might have ended up having a different season with Sammie as captain.

Not every captain leads by being in your ear all the game. Some lead by example. You look at what they are doing on the+pitch and think “ if he’s doing it, so can I “ or “ I can’t let this guy down “.

That’s Sammi.

22 minutes ago, K-Hod said:

That first goal was just everything good about Szmodics in one move. 
Sent Vestergaard for a hot dog, then ran half the length of the pitch to score.

So much for him to do, but he was never going to give it up, without scoring.

The graft of a shit player, who’s making up for shortcomings elsewhere in their game and the craft of a real goal scorer.

He’s just been incredible for us this season.

Yep that first goal took some scoring. He was second best right from the off but he made it into a goal. He’s running with the ball from out wide. The defenders are running without the ball and straight up the pitch.

Also I get the feeling he’s been playing less than 100 % fit but he’s never took a backward step. We had a real captain on the pitch yesterday. It ‘s great when you’re in a jam and you have a player like that. “ Just give it to Sammi, he’ll do something with it “ ! Like Dougie in the old days.

9 minutes ago, Mattyblue said:

Totally agree on McFadz. Yes he’s experienced, but a superb attitude and a leader in a team that seriously lacks them - as the actual captain for most of this season is very much lacking in that quality from where I’m standing.

I like the guy a lot but his clock is ticking. Not every game we play will be a siege,  sometimes you have to chase back from the half way line. You don’t always get games were you don’t have to move out of the penalty area. I reckon I’m quicker over 10 yards and I’m well past it.

22 minutes ago, roverandout said:

A midfield of rice Wharton and Bellingham would be legit. I'd personally take wharton over mainoo 

It’s a shame the comp as come too soon for Wharton. This time next year and he would have been in the squad, barring injuries of course. Playing with no shin pads was what got me a broken leg.

Another thought that crossed my mind later. Leicester started with that Fatawu on the right wing. Although he looked dangerous on the ball nothing came from him. He just kept coming inside and running into traffic. When they subbed him for Albrighton he just stayed out wide but he was firing in a succession of really dangerous crosses that we struggled to deal with.

King Curtis And The Noble Knights - Soul Twist

1 hour ago, roverandout said:

I'd put him at 75 million.  He's better than rice was at that age

Yes that is true, Rice has developed into a top class player now though. He reminds me a lot of Ronnie Clayton.

Just now, 47er said:

Yeah, all of a sudden he's worth £50M apparently! Now he's not with us that is.

Barring injuries he’ll go for that before too long. 

13 minutes ago, roverandout said:

Good article 

 

https://inews.co.uk/sport/football/crystal-palace-adam-wharton-euros-kobbie-mainoo-3035820

Sad really, we gave him away.

The Knight Brothers - Temptation ‘Bout To Get Me

2 minutes ago, roverandout said:

I could see Trafford being a number 2 to someone in the premier league.  

Maybe but would they even get their money back on him ?

17 hours ago, simongarnerisgod said:

good luck getting them off the wage bill😁

As I said on another thread - they have a truly massive squad that must be costing an absolute fortune. Last time they had a couple of good players to sell to balance the books. I can’t see there being many clubs rushing to chuck big money at their existing squad.

27 minutes ago, 47er said:

He's not useless. When he came we were on a disastrous run that pointed clearly to relegation. We couldn't get a win for love or money.

He did what he had to do, he made us hard to beat (with some obvious exceptions) and kept us in the Championship.

I don't see him as an inspiring type, I don't think he'll take us up but promotion is not a priority at Ewood anyway.

In any case we'll get yet another inadequate summer recruitment fiasco.

Let's remember he's at a club where the CEO said before the season started that the main objective is "to stay in the League". Bit of a different attitude at Ipswich!

There are better targets than Eustace. Till they're gone there will be no or little progress

 

I think he inspired the players yesterday enough to put in that performance.

I was just looking at the league table. Have we ever won more away games than home games previously ?

2 hours ago, philipl said:

Dingles as good as down and needing a third complete rebuild in three seasons.

I saw their playing squad listed the other day. I never realised it before but they’ve  got a massive number of players. What that lot must be costing in wages I shudder to think. At least they’ll be saving a fortune on winning bonuses.

Without a significant strengthening at both ends of the team we are doomed to repeat this season. Expecting a more expansive way of playing with the existing squad is just dreaming.

34 minutes ago, Parsonblue said:

What a day of emotions and a remainder of why, after 60 odd years of following Rovers, I'll still renew my season ticket and my away travel season ticket for next season.  Rovers have never done anything the easy way and this season has been no different.  I've always believed we would survive but I must admit there were times when I started to wonder.

Today, as at Leeds, Eustace got the tactics spot on and the players stood up to the pressure and delivered when their backs were against the wall.

Szmodics had been a revelation this season and has been a joy to watch.  At times, when running through on goal, he'sbrought back memories of Andy McEvoy and Tony Field for me and the feeling that he would never miss in those situations.  However, I also think that McFadzean has been a key signing and today he was magnificent, a real leader on the pitch who organises and encourages whilst also being a formidable barrier in defence.  At times he's looked like a second coming of John McNamee and I can offer no greater praise than that.

I hope the owners will provide Eustace with support this summer because I think he has the makings of a decent manager who seems suited to a club like Rovers.  How Birmingham must reject getting rid for Rooney.  I must admit that I won't miss not going to St. Andrews next season.

I was thinking Andy McEvoy when he scored that goal at Leeds. He never really goes for power but he  just passes the ball into the net like a lot of the top strikers do/did.