I love seeing their GK (Fisher, a Rovers Academy graduate) acting like he's Edison. That's going to result in 5+ goals over the course of the season for the opposition.

Could have won a penalty and got Fulton sent off, but I'll settle for a goal instead.

Oh that's such a lovely team goal. We've been setting up that trap all game. Calm finish by Szmodic on his debut - fantastic assist from Hedges too.

It's not a game for the neutrals that's for sure.

It's Gallagher wide right, Brereton wide left, Szmodic and Hedges interchanging in the middle.

Ah, they're one of THOSE teams then. Disgusting tackle by Fulton on Travis.

I'm all for the game being more physical and diving being unrewarded, but that was a dangerous tackle. If someone did that to me or a teammate they'd be seeing stars.

We're looking to sucker Swansea in and hit them on the counter attack. They're wide open for it - I'm just not convinced letting them have the ball 40 yards out with nobody closing them down is the right choice!

Dangerous tackle through the back of the player with no chance of getting the ball - it's a red all day.

Ref has missed a blatant red card on their #10.

It literally has been picked on merit. Vale was very poor against QPR - he's not ready, if he ever will be.

Genuinely don't bother.

If I was a BBC Producer and my reporter + film crew had come back with that piece he'd be out on his ear come Monday. That was pointless fluff - we learned nothing about anything.

I think we've reached a new low in this thread.

Curious one that - came with a lot of fanfare, but is looking like a flop at the moment. Vale has played well enough in pre-season to earn a start and Markanday couldn't get off the bench at the weekend and is with the U21s today.

I wouldn't like to predict the team JDT is going to pick. I don't know his tendencies yet, but he did start Gallagher out on the right which is worrying. Did Hedges do enough to keep his place? Did Gallagher? Did Vale? Surely Szmodic and Brereton start. The rest of the team picks itself at the moment.

Watch the QPR game back - we're lobsided in attack because Pickering doesn't push on into the acres of space infront of him... because he knows he simply can't get back. He's not athletic enough to play on that flank on his own.

He's an ok Championship LB. In this formation though he's being asked to play as a WB - he's just not athletic enough to do it.

If he signs for Burnley then last season was a lie. They are absolutely throwing money around tho.

Did he feature during the pre-season? I'll be honest if he's anything like the rest of the ones we've seen he needs to be in the first team. Pickering just isn't good enough for this formation.

Leonard looked quality in his brief cameo during the pre-season. Better than Vale. Don't we have a LB that's highly rated too?

With how tight our wage budget is we simply can't afford to have two quality, experienced players per position. Not unless you want to seriously dilute the First XI. That's where the Academy comes in - Broughton and JDT have got it spot on in my opinion, it's what I've been crying out for for years.

They got any spare LBs?

Buckley has replaced Rothwell.

Unfortunately money has changed everything. Bournemouth, Brentford et al have access to HUGE, competition spoiling, parachute payments to re-arm for a promotion bid. The landscape has changed, despite the fact they're nothing clubs.