bluebruce

In fairness we really can't just not fix the drainage issue. It has been costing us points, embarrassment and may result in fines or point deductions if it keeps happening. The problem, as ever, is the owners who really should be paying for both the pitch improvements and some players to prevent relegation.

I'd hold out for 8 million. It's nothing to a Prem side if they think he might become their first choice RWB in the next couple years. 4 or 5 million is absolutely peanuts to them.

Has that been relaxed then? Because there is this slightly draconian statement in the pinned WDWY thread in ICBINF which might need a bit of editing (unless it's intentionally there as a deterrent but not really how it works): 'Therefore any discussion on any of these points in ICBINF or the main football board are now banned. No ifs, no buts. If you post even hinting on any of these subjects your post will be hidden and - after a short period of goodwill time - your account will be face a warning.' Anyway, I don't want to derail this thread.

I think the issue that makes this unprecedented for us isn't necessarily the number of injuries (although that has been quite high) it's the way they've all happened at the same time, and often in the same or understocked areas. Earlier in the season we actually had barely anyone out for a while. Then it has just compiled. I think part of the issue is not rotating enough, and now we have so many senior players out it's hard to rotate without risking points, which compounds the problem as people are having to play too much.

Thought it had to go in don't say we didn't warn you or whatever it's called.

Although to be clear, this isn't a research concept that 'may' come off. It's ready, they're making them now. It is already the first battery to meet China's new enhanced battery safety regulations. It will just take time to scale up, and of course car makers need time to design cars that use them.

Labour continuing their incompetence by seemingly trying to throw a spanner in there though. I'm sure you heard about the stupid new pay-per-mile road tax they want to implement from April 2028. Not to take this into the realm of politics of course, which we can't discuss in this forum. But it certainly won't be helpful for the efforts to electrify our vehicles. Which is strange because they allegedly want us to electrify. EVs will still be cheaper for overall ownership over the long term though, especially when these newer, cheaper batteries come in.

This did cross my mind at the time too. I can't say he definitely would have, but it's in his wheelhouse. I'm not blaming Pears for that goal to be clear, it's just that Toth is a better keeper and would occasionally get to things that Pears can't.

The new Dolan. A flair player who works hard and puts up reasonable numbers, but cops a lot of flak from a certain portion of the fanbase when things aren't coming off for him.

CATL, the world's biggest battery maker, with nearly 40% global share of the industry, have announced a new sodium battery. It's over 50% cheaper at present, and they expect it to roughly halve in price again in the next few years as they scale up. So that should result in a drop of thousands in EV costs. Crucially, it's also rated for a 3.6 million mile lifespan! And by that they mean they expect it to still have 85% of its original capacity after 3.6 million miles. So it's a battery that will outlast the car itself, probably a few times over, so can probably have a second life in energy storage or swapped to another car with a failed battery (if we really have failing batteries anymore by then). Sodium is also a far more abundant and more environmentally friendly material to extract than the lithium that most batteries are currently made of. Additionally, it's less flammable so it's safer. This battery can charge better at lower temperatures, and at higher temperatures. It can still work at up to minus 40 degrees celsius, and up to 70 degrees celsius. So realistically, anywhere on Earth. And apparently it charges at almost normal speed at around minus 20. The main problem with sodium batteries has always been the low energy density. Because they couldn't store as much per kg they were heavier for the same energy, which of course reduces range. But this battery has a 175 Wh per kg density, which is actually higher than one of BYD's new blade batteries (the short form, at 160 Wh, which is designed for faster charging - the long form has 210 Wh but charges slower) which were only released this year and improved on the prior generation which maxed at 150 Wh per kg. So cars with these batteries would also have more range than the majority of BYD cars on the road these days. Ahh maybe the charging speed sucks? Nope, 0% to 80% in 15 minutes at room temperature. Which is better than most EVs on the road now can do (30 mins is typical), albeit not as fast as some of the latest LFPs which can charge in 5. This seems to be a game changer, and coming from a massive company who don't bullshit about what their batteries can do. It also could have huge implication for renewables in general, as a battery that lasts 5 times longer and costs half as much could help revolutionise storage of renewable energy to reduce the relevance of intermittency.

That was the initial fear, but he is expected to only be out a couple of weeks. He is staying with the Nigeria squad so they clearly think he could still play for them before he comes back.

The stupid statement is that we didn't lose any quality. We have done fine replacing Brittain, but nobody has come in to adequately replace Travis in his role, or Hyam. If he is happy with what he's been given, then he has to answer how he took a team from the playoffs to the cusp of relegation in a year. But I'm sure he'd just give hard luck stories about injuries and referees.

Wilsden has shown the rule stating it is in place, but only for if it results in the dismissal of a player or a penalty. The main problem is it clearly isn't enforced very often.

Some bet builders with over 6 corners and over 2 cards plus the draw when we were losing, and one 2 quid one on just the draw. Wasn't a big outlay, 12 quid which netted £64.70...but I had some other bets that didn't come in (including a couple more on the same but over 7 corners), so about 40 up overall. I miscalculated earlier actually on how much that extra corner not coming in would have won me...would have been another £58.70 (on 9 quid of stake)! I'm recently discovering bet365 are a little generous on their bet builders. Rovers games usually have over 7 corners and 3+ cards. A lot of games seem to be about 10 corners and 4 cards.

Positives: We have shown we can actually come back from 2 down, and score a couple at home, albeit against poor opposition. Baradji is starting to show his class. The two goals will give him oodles of confidence. If he came off with cramp as stated then it shouldn't keep him out of any games, although it's a sign he might not be fit enough yet. We have a really promising clutch of young defenders coming through. Two of them, Litherland and Atcheson, are good ballers too. Shame about Atcheson's injury, although it does seem to have helped Atcheson get his opportunity. Need to see a bit more of O'Riordan to make a judgement. And of course we've got Pratt who has been really solid since coming in. With the numbers, and the potential to develop some fine young players of our own, it seems crazy to suggest we should still sign another CB...except that McLoughlin (who was good today tbf) shouldn't be our best seasoned defender. You could say we have Wharton and Carter coming back eventually, but we all know how that ends. Selling Hyam without a replacement was stupid. 3 ex-Rovers on the pitch, and none of them scored, assisted, or pulled off a remarkable save. The immutable law of the ex was muted. I won a decent bundle betting on the game 😂 about 40 quid up I think Negatives: Pretty obvious. This was a must-win game really. We can't keep failing to take 3 points against bottom-end sides, especially the ones we are in a relegation dogfight with. This was a missed opportunity. Some of the subs near the end continued Ismael's bizarre tendency to seemingly make subs for the sake of it and mess with our flow, though it sounds like the Baradji one was enforced. De Neve being on the pitch gives me kittens. If there had been one more corner in the game I'd have won another 23 quid 😂

We need to get ahead of Charlton first to keep ahead of them. This was the chance, spurned.

Don't think there are rules to retroactively punish players for diving are there?

De Neve is fucking stupid. Dangerous Charlton counter, your options are clean him out and take the card, or use his superior pace to get in front of him and tackle him properly. Instead he had two or three half assed attempts to tackle and kept having to overtake him again after them.

Player turned fully away from it and it was blasted at him. At best it hit the side of his arm as he was turning away. Did what he could to avoid it. I want it, but it's no penalty for me.

'Baradji going off...he's just ran out of steam' Eh? Just scored a fine equaliser minutes ago. Do we want to win this?

It's not like that at all. They've had tons of success in the last 15 years, we have been a failing basketcase year in year out.

Unlucky Atcheson, that was sick!

Says everything about my apathy that I'm worrying more about some players getting some bookings so my bets can come in, than I am about us scoring again.

Just seen it on a clearer image, Pickering definitely didn't touch him.

Last angle is more revealing, you are probably right actually. Could do with a clearer image and slow mo to be 100% though. The player reacts like he felt something, when he probably didn't see enough to feel confident in the dive. But yeh looks like he pulls short of making contact to me. Charlton player likely just gambled because he saw a body coming in a little recklessly. Edit - clearer image confirms, definitely didn't touch him. A well chosen dive tbf, but I do hate cheating bastards.