Exiled_Rover

Love the optimism. I personally don't think the squad is deep enough to maintain an automatic promotion challenge - they'd have to go out and get a quality striker in January, which they won't be able to afford. At this point though I'd be disappointed if we don't finish in the Playoffs, although it's going to be a tight run thing - nobody is pulling away from the pack.

Well if our owners threw £25m+ at the manager in a single transfer window maybe we could get promotion too. As it is we've stumbled onto a cracking manager (thank you Broughton!) and we're building something long term. The word 'project' seems to trigger people because the inept Mowbray took us on a 'journey'. You only have to look at the game time A. Wharton, Garrett and Phillips are getting this season (and hopefully Batty sooner rather than later) to see that he's a completely different manager.

Maybe give him some time to bring in his own strikers? As for Brereton 'glued to the wing', that's where he does all his damage from. He's half the player when asked to lead the line - he gets bullied.

I'm disappointed that Mola hasn't pushed his way into contention, but he has to give Pickering a rest at some point. Edun obviously isn't a Championship player, so we're drastically short of options until he bloods Batty. I only saw the first 20 minutes before I had to go out and play football, but Vale looked like he was on another planet. He's so slow of thought - there were 2 or 3 opportunities that he completely fluffed because he simply didn't see them. It's no surprise he was taken off at half time.

Just seen the highlights - what's the red card for?

Oh would you look at that. Comfortable win at the weekend and the thread is quiet. A poor performance and the thread is jumping. Ewood Park, it's not a crowd it's a jury.

Unfortunately he was left a weak, unbalanced squad by Mowbray. He's done brilliantly to pick up the results he has so far.

We get paid for each SKY appearance, so really we should be glad that we're being recognised.

£15m with time to spend it, yes. £15m on deadline day in the middle of a promotion push, no.

Wharton looked pissed to get taken off at the weekend - I'm sure he's got more than an hour in the tank, but he's being protected like Phillips. You can say that they're 17/18 and should be able to run all day, but they're playing against physically fit men. Their workload needs to be managed accordingly.

JDT has managed his workload - I don't think Mowbray ever took him off. JDT has done it the last few games, which has made us significantly weaker (whether it was for Vale or Dolan). Unfortunately for Ben he's one of our two indispensable players (Kaminski being the other one) so he simply has to start when fit.

Would be a step down from JDT if we're honest.

"Being Hertfordshire born and bred..." Why the fuck are you supporting Burnley then?!

I'll chime in here - on talent, yes he should be in the 18. On commitment - only JDT and Dack can answer that one. I think JDT has proven himself to be firm, but fair with his players... so I can only think Dack's omission from the matchday squad has been down to his lack of commitment in training (and his performances in the U21s).

I don't see it as a strong squad at all - they're being managed very well at the moment, but the injuries are showing that we simply don't have much strength in depth. Assuming we don't go up I think this squad will look markedly different in August next year.

I also can't see us spending £10m on a replacement if he is sold.

Your mate gave him a new 5 year contract...

Yep, we're a very well drilled team now - players covering for each other, pressing as a team etc etc. Very quietly we're also becoming quite a cynical team, which after years of watching Mowbray's naive group is quite refreshing to see.

Personally I hope he takes us to the Premier League and keeps us there, becoming our 10+ year talisman.

I'm not sure where this need for a 'battling midfielder' has come from - we have Travis and Garrett for that role. We either need Buckley to pull his socks up or Wharton to be able to play 90 minutes. We're absolutely a different team when we have two ball playing midfielders on the pitch.

He's been taken off early a lot recently - sadly, like Kaminski, he's one of our indispensable players and has to play when fit.

Really professional performance that - looked really good going forward playing 4-2-3-1 (should have scored 2 or 3) and just shut up shop when we went to 3-5-2. Kaminski didn't have a save to make. JDT is such a shrewd manager.

They've literally just given him a new 5 year contract - please stop with the conspiracy theories. JDT is firm, but fair - Buckley will get another chance when he's earned it.

Where have they got 6 minutes from?!

I wouldn't trust Gallagher's calves / hamstrings, he's always pulling up lame if he puts in a big shift for 90 minutes. JDT is managing him well at the moment. This is the best I've seen Vale play in a Rovers shirt.