Exiled_Rover

Joe Allen looks absolutely washed, doesn't he? Pickering was wandering into CM to act as an extra player in there (similar to how JRC has played the last few weeks).

I wouldn't go as far to say as not popular, but he's not getting the same leeway Mowbray got. It's a strange thing to witness when he's clearly a much better manager.

I think the perennial 'best of the worst' also-ran club that is Everton will survive again. Leeds are in massive trouble though. As Brentford seem to be establishing themselves as a stable PL side (shame) it's only right that a London club should get relegated.

I'm missing my weekly football game to go to this - but I guess we all have different priorities.

There were a lot of teenagers in the Jack Walker on Saturday - I assumed it was some kind of half-term offer?

Sadly every other media / comms team does a better job of the highlights on their YouTube channel than our lot - it really must be a skeleton crew at Ewood Park. Also that's the first time I've seen a close up of Gallagher when he's stretching out like that - from my vantage point in the stands I always thought he was just feeling his hamstrings, but no he's pulling up his ankle socks. He really is a tart.

I'll hold my hands up on this one - I thought he should never play for us again after the Wigan debacle last year. He's been excellent in these 6 games and has really turned his career around. The gloves should be his until he loses form, which is saying something because I think Kaminski is a very good GK at this level.

I mean Broughton has already got a fee for Magloire - that was a miracle in itself. Imagine if we're able to flog Vale in the summer to a L1 / L2 side on the back of him having Championship minutes under his belt.

As we have no CFs this will be another battle. I expect something similar to the Wigan game where they didn't lay a glove on us, but we couldn't convert any of our chances either. With regards to team selection, my main question would be whether Dolan can keep it up - he's run his blood to water twice this week.

It's about being sustainable and appreciating where you are in the food chain - if the January striker loan deals that fell through don't reinforce that enough. The Academy costs approx. £3m a year to run - it's obviously more than paid itself off with the amount of first teamers it produces (for this level at least - I still don't think it's cranking out many Premier League talents), but if an offer comes in for a Scott Wharton or a Hayden Carter etc that pays for the Academy to run for 2 more years then it has to be considered.

Thomas actually got booked because Joe Allen was appointed as the referee for 30 seconds.

That's not how JDT wants us to play - he doesn't want to play 3 CBs for a start. He was pragmatic today and went back to a formation / tactic that allowed us to beat Swansea 3-0 earlier in the season. I thought we shaded the game, but couldn't really have been disappointed with a draw - there just aren't many goals in this team.

Imagine if JDT was allowed to spunk £15m on strikers and spend 200% of the turnover on wages.

Is he saying Brittain isn't match fit?

So what you're saying is Mowbray spent the money incredibly poorly (money we're never getting back - including Brereton-Diaz who's about to leave on a free) and JDT / Broughton have had to spent almost their entire transfer kitty just to try and stand pat? Carter, Garrett and A. Wharton weren't in the picture last year, which is why I excluded them from the list. Their development, long with that of Hedges and JRC is simply a credit to JDT and co. Sounds like a shambles of a squad to me.

We simply don't score enough to be the favourites in any game for the rest of the season. Wigan didn't lay a glove on us, but came away with a point.

I'd say so, yes. The following 11 players all got significant minutes. God knows what the loan fees and wage contributions were (substantial I'm sure), but they all left for the princely sum of £0 in the summer. How are you meant to succession plan there? Defence: Lenihan and Nyambe left. Van Hecke, Giles and Zeefuik were on loan. Midfield: Davenport, Johnson and Rothwell left. Clarkson was on loan. Attack: Khadra and Poveda were on loan

Because the previous bloke didn't build anything - he adapted his formation every year based on the PL loans he could get his hands on... although even that was trial and error. The new guy, the one getting all the pelters despite going deep in both cup competitions and having us there or there abouts in the league with a shambles of a squad, is trying to introduce a consistent formation and style of play.

Ayala is off in the summer - it was a canny transfer offer, just didn't come off.

I thought the thread quietened down when the final whistle went. There were clearly a number of posters ready to jump all over the team / club / manager with a loss who had to keep their powder dry until the next time. It's a strange atmosphere on here (and at Ewood) at the moment.

I personally don't think any formation fits this squad - it's not been built by Mowbray with a certain formation in mind. We now have a plethora of CBs, but we don't have the WB to play with 3 at the back (anyone shoehorning Brittain / JRC / Thomas / Dolan in as a RWB has to be aware that Pickering cannot play LWB). JDT wants to play 4-2-3-1 long-term. He has the flexibility on the bench to shift to 3 CBs when trying to grind out a win. I think that's a fine state of affairs as we limp to the finish line this season.

I see Porteous is getting rave reviews at Watford - another CB transfer target we were priced out of. On the bright side at least Carter has emerged as a legit starting CB for us, that softens the blow.

I can't picture who this player is - is he in the Academy at the moment?

No you're right, in real life the coaches just say "Tyrhys I just want you to run around a bit upfront and close people down, yeah? Awesome".

There's literally a position called 'Pressing Forward'. He puts in a shift and doesn't immediately lose the ball when it comes near him - WBA had him in their pocket last night, but he deserves to keep his starting place based on the other options.