Exiled_Rover

I'd like to know why Adam Wharton wasn't selected, even for the bench. I know he's a 60 minute man at the moment, but he could have provided something different to the team - he's our best CM. Was it a look to the future - i.e. he has England internationals to play during the World Cup break, or did he think he'd be overawed by the occasion as someone with so little senior playing time?

They had an xG of .34 for the game, so I would say that.

Do you not think we were relatively untroubled until Gallagher went off injured? I've just had a long conversation with a close friend who is a Burnley season ticket holder. His exact comment was "They were a bit too happy to let Burnley have the ball, for me. That said, I thought they were set up really well in the first half". We went into that game looking for a draw - or at best to nick a win on the break. We nullified them until Gallagher went off and Kompany told his troops to push on as we had nothing upfront after that. Garrett is going to be a good one and actually brings that 'aggression' you all seem to be craving. A. Wharton is a much better player, but JDT decided not to include him for whatever reason - I assume with a view on the long term. Barnes deserved a yellow card, at best, for that push on Kaminski. Some referees would have sent him off for that. He also deserved a yellow card for his foul on Travis later on.

Watford were a shambles when we played them - man for man they've got a FAR better squad that we do. Burnley are currently flying with... a far better squad than we have. Rotherham are equipped to attack Burnley's weaknesses. There's no way Gallagher and Brereton are winning enough headers to make that an option for us - it's just not in their game.

Barnes should have been red carded, if we're honest. He committed three bookable offences. Anyone can 'bully' a team if the referee gives them free license - sadly we never get that, as evidenced by Travis being booked for... I'm not actually sure what. Handing off a player?

I imagine they're singing from the same hymn sheet - they know the squad is drastically lacking quality and depth. They've both inherited the mess that Mowbray left and have only had half a transfer window (and no PL parachute payments!) to fix it.

Transfermarkt says no, but I was sure he'd signed a new one towards the end of the summer. He excelled in a back 3. Can he play in a back 4? Obviously you would have to sell Ayala in January to accommodate him.

I was far more pissed off when Mowbray didn't try to win the League One title, but there you go.

I'd have very much liked the stonewall penalty and red card - that would have thrown the cat among the pigeons. Alas the ref bottled it.

I'd give them the entire Darwen End if they can fill it. We certainly can't with our boycotting fans.

You must be in your teens, right? Worst you've ever felt? So not the multiple relegations. Not the tyrannical reign of Kean where he had to be shamed into resigning as he was never getting sacked. Not the 5 years of listlessness under Mowbray? Curious.

It's a warm weather training camp, not an 18-30 lads holiday.

Huddersfield didn't create any chances to finish.

What style of play does suit the players we've got?

Last man and no genuine attempt to play the ball? It's what Cancelo got sent off for a few weeks ago - carbon copy.

Down to 10 men and 1-0 down certainly changes that game. He's bottled it because he's a coward. I never want to see a Premier League ref again in this league, they've got too used to VAR bailing them out.

Agreed. JDT turned down Champions League football to come and sit on a cushy number at Ewood Park. He's definitely not an ambitious personality - you can see that by his so-so playing career and walking away from Malmo after winning back to back titles looking for a bigger and better opportunity. He's just topping up his pension fund, the bastard.

Once he bottled the big one - the straight red and penalty - I knew were were in for one of those refereeing performances.

Ok, last reply on this thread / match then I'm going to go outside - it's only a game of football after all, it's not that important. Garrett, Mola and Travis all put in crunching tackles in this match. Unfortunately the referee was only blowing for fouls one way - so no matter how much you 'give a fuck', it doesn't make a blind bit of difference if you're blown up for everything and their CF can push your GK into the back of the net / hit your CM late and no-where near the ball without a booking. This was also the game where Gallagher was desperate to play on despite a very deep gash to his leg. I don't question the commitment of these players, I question the ability - I always have.

He was a promising Academy player 5 months ago, now he's being asked to save our team against a squad assembled for £30m+. Sounds reasonable.

He's not trying to turn Ayala into Beckenbauer. Our CBs aren't being asked to play make - just play the ball forward to a team mate. The problem we suffer from, at times, is that our midfield isn't good enough off the ball and in possession. It's s no coincidence that it all clicks when A. Wharton is on the pitch - he finds pockets of space and has the touch / vision to move the ball on to someone in a better position. I like Travis as a player, but he can't do that. I thought Buckley would thrive in this system too, but so far no dice.

I wonder how long JDT has to deal with the likes of Low, Benson et al. I know they were part of the package deal when he was appointed, but I'm sure he's sat in Broughton's office during the last five months and said "C'mon, Gregg, sort it out, they're useless".

I'd stop bothering, to be honest. Pre-JDT's appointment in the summer (that 5 week black hole where the club stood still and let 12 players walk out the door whilst all their rivals were busy signing players) many of us thought this squad would be mired in a relegation battle. A few shrewd permanent signings, a decent loanee and several Acdemy players breaking through have papered over the cracks of what is still a very average squad. JDT is performing miracles, but for some reason people think we should be pushing for automatic promotion whilst playing cavalier football. You can't reason with them I'm afraid.

I think he'd find far more time and space in the lower leagues. His game is all about playing the ball into his feet - he actually has some nice touches when he gets the ball under control.

Well let's hope we've got £9m+ lying around in January then because we desperately need a striker on top of those two 'decent midfielders'.