Parsonblue

Many of us who were there completely agreed with resting the players - indeed, we were surprised one or two more weren't given the night off. Hugely enjoyable game though and a very encouraging performance by a number of fringe players. My main disappointment was the performance of Brereton who looked tired all night!

Remember going down to Stoke early 60s because Matthews was down to play in Friday night's paper. Needless to say come Saturday afternoon at the Victoria Ground he was nowhere to be seen - but had put a few extra on the gate!

Caddis, Whittingham and Samuel played their part in helping us out of League One - which was why they were brought in. Caddis and Whittingham have moved on after the prime objective was achieved. Nuttall was always brought in as a player to develop whilst Leutweiler was brought in as an experienced back-up to Raya. Personally, I'd say the manager has been pretty shrewd in his dealings thus far in terms of developing the club as a long term project. We are slowly improving but without spending a fortune which seems to me to be the ideal scenario.

A hard earned point against a team who I would expect to be challenging for the play-offs. We rode our luck a little in the first half but looked increasingly more comfortable as the second half progressed - Derby seemed to run out of ideas of how to break us down. Defensively we were too deep in the first half but in the second Mowbray got them further up the field and we looked much better. I thought Evans and Smallwood did an excellent job in front of the back four making tackles and closing the spaces that Derby would want to operate in. I can fully understand why Mowbray has these two as automatic choices as they have the experience and disciple to do the required job - I'm not sure some of the younger players, as one would expect, have the necessary disciple to do that. I think this game showed how important Danny Graham is to the team - Armstrong simply looked lost through the middle, whereas Graham knows how to unsettle defenders whilst holding onto the ball and bringing others into the game. Similarly, we also need Bennett's energy in the team and we looked so much better with these two on the pitch. I thought there were several very good performances with Raya and Nyambe being the pick. On the downside, Conway struggled to get into the game before being withdrawn, presumably for tactical reasons, and Armstrong offered very little - either in the centre or on the wing. I also find Bell to be frustrating. For an attacking full-back he rarely beats a man and defensively looks all over the place at times. I think this game showed why Mowbray talks about needing another three or four transfer windows to complete the rebuilding job. Our team spirit got us through last night but we are still short of quality in one or two areas of the field. Nonetheless, it's another point and for a newly promoted team we continue to look more than capable of securing a mid-table berth come the end of the season - which would be a really great effort.

I must admit that I would have settled for a point before the game and thought we were desperately unlucky not to clinch a win. Dubious decision for the free-kick but a wonderful strike from the lad. I thought we had a number of good performers today - Nyambe, Mulgrew, Dack, Bennett and Graham were immense and young Reed looks very good. A word for the manager who got his selection and substitutions spot on. Going to three at the back worked well and was a sensible move for me once we were in front. Another game which has shown how comfortable we look against teams that cost a huge amount of money. Mowbray is certainly building something which looks very promising for the future.

It sounds like the LFA are tightening up in terms of when games have to be played by. In the past there have been months between different rounds taking place.

If you go into the actual list of results its now 0-6

I see that most sites have now corrected the score from yesterday to a 6-0 win for Everton. I think most sites seem to take a link to a particular site which seemed to have missed Everton's opener on 4 minutes. It was a difficult game for a young Under-18 team and, as I said yesterday, 6-0 rather flattered Everton.

I know - confusing isn't it. A couple of friends who were at the game with me have asked if we missed something. I note that one site has Everton missing a penalty - it was actually Rovers who missed the penalty. It was raining pretty hard, and we were sheltering as best we could under umbrellas but I don't think we imagined Everton scoring so many!

It ended 6-0 to Everton in driving rain! Not the best way to spend a late Saturday morning. The result flattered the visitors although they were the better team - we fell to pieces at the end and conceded three late goals.

You can go down to the Academy to watch these games.

I think Liverpool had released him or were about to release him.

No

With regard to his subs he gambled to try to get something from the game. When he doesn't he's often accused of being negative. The poor guy can't win. I honestly haven't seen anything thus far that suggests that Rovers can't finish in somewhere between 9th or 15th in this League. Not challenging for promotion but not involved in a relegation scrap. We have a decent squad when everyone is fit and the new players are up to speed. Of course we'll lose games this season - the opposition is that much better - and there may be times when we might drift uncomfortably close to the wrong end but on what I've seen so far I have no doubt we will be fine come next May.

Bang on philipl. Some of the reaction on here is pitiful. In the first half we played some decent football, created chances but didn't take them. On another day we could have been three up by the break and it's a different game. In the second half they dominated and made the most of their chances. The mistakes we made in the second half we would have possibly got away with in League One but in the Championship better players are going to punish them. Bristol City are a club that have been rebuilding for a few years now - look at how the stadium has been transformed from what it was. They have been steadily rebuilding on the pitch and played some decent stuff in the second half. Why anyone should think that going to Bristol and winning would be a formality for a newly promoted club is beyond me. The second half yesterday was the first time that we have looked second best in any game thus far and to be fair the last two goals came when we were chasing the game and took risks with the number of attacking players we had on the pitch. We have looked a solid Championship side in the other games and that is where we are at the moment - a mid-table team that probably won't challenge for the play-offs but will stay away from trouble at the other end. Mowbray has talked about a long term project and that is what it is and will probably take another two or three transfer windows before we have a team ready to challenge at the top end. We have come on leaps and bounds in the past eighteen months and surely a little perspective is required at this point.

A game of two halves. First half we dominated, created chances but didn't take them. Second half Bristol dominated possession and took their chances. Bristol are a pretty decent Championship outfit with a superb stadium and sizeable fanbase. They ought to do well this season with Taylor and Weimann who ran our centre-backs ragged. We are a solid mid-table Championship team and when we don't take our chances we will be punished at this level. This was a good wake-up call for anyone who thinks that we will simply walk out of this League. We've made a solid start for a promoted team but have some tough games coming up and will need to make the most of the chances we create. One or two didn't perform as well as they can today but it's certainly not a reason to panic - every player has an off day now and again.

Lyons looked very good when he played against Kendal last month. Would be a natural replacement for Hardcastle at Under-23 level.

We looked poor tonight against an Everton outfit who were not as technically good as Chelsea or Leicester but who were physically strong and capitalised on some poor mistakes by our lads. At the moment this is very much a team in transition with the next crop of youngsters coming in to replace those who played last season and have either moved up to the senior squad, moved out on loan or are out with long-term injuries. Tonight we struggled to get anything going forward and defensively made mistakes which were punished. Everton had a couple of lads with first team experience and, of course, they are far more experienced at this level than our youngsters. It's a big jump from Under-18 football to the top division of Premier League 2, particularly when facing lads who are two or three years older than our own. Long term it will hopefully pay dividends but at the moment it's a struggle.

Waggott and Mowbray seem to deal only with Mrs Desai and her husband now. Which suggests that Balaji has been shunted aside - which probably explains why the club is now being run on more sensible lines.

I thought Caddis improved as the game went on and in the second half did extremely well, making the third goal with an intelligent piece of play and a clever pull back.

What was impressive Stuart it that both Butterworth and Tomlinson put in a 90 minute shift at Leicester last night and had a huge amount of work to do in that game. Fitness levels are very impressive throughout the club.

Difficult night for a very young team at Leicester against a side that included internationals, a number with first team experience and a centre-back that cost £12million. At one point our back four was made up of 4 17-year-olds. Like ourselves, I believe the team had a difficult trip down to Leicester due to the traffic problems which are now a regular feature of away trips. Many of the lads who won promotion last season are no longer part of the Under-23 set up - Travis, Platt, Wharton, Nuttall - and both Tyler and Joe Rankin-Costello are sidelined with long term injuries. It's a good learning experience for the youngsters being drafted in from the Under-18's to fill the gaps but tonight, like last week, they came up against some quality players who were operating at a higher level. The main disappointment at the moment are the performances of Tomlinson and Hardcastle and both look like they could do with a spell on loan somewhere before they start to go backwards at this level. It's going to be a tough season and a steep learning curve for the youngsters being drafted into this team. Hopefully, they will come out at the other end better players for the experience.

Remember it well Tyrone. Walter Winterbottom was the manager and was given the players and it was up to him to make the best of it.

Wharton has been loaned out to get experience Rev. To learn and make the mistakes in League One rather than with us in the Championship. At present he wouldn't make the first team so would be in the Under-23's - and he has nothing to learn at that level - or sat on the bench not playing. I disagree with your point on Brown. Both Wharton and Platt improved tremendously, as did a number of younger players by playing alongside Brown in the Under-23's as he guided them through the game. It was an invaluable experience for our youngsters.

True, but under the present system we wouldn't have survived in 71-72 if Furphy hadn't been able to make drastic changes and the same could be said for Kenny in 1991-92. Clubs can always say no if someone comes in for their best players.