I called it as soon as I saw the lethargic way we turned up against Wigan, this is the start of another classic Mowbray horror run.

So, what's going on here? Rovers say he's injured, other speculation is that there is something going on behind the scenes to why he's not playing? Strange one, but if he was to go somewhere else or back to City, we'll have been well and truly had as didnt we pay a substantial loan fee for him?

I think he means he saw them on the TV when we played Wigan, they were there because they are on Wigans staff.

I do agree with your comments on Dack, he's unique in the way he plays that role. We certainly can't replace him like for like. Buckley and Holtby as wide midfielders who tuck in didnt really work on boxing day but needs to be worked on I guess, if thats the way he wants to play I feel like we need to commit to it with those players and see what happens.

Nobody is spending "8 figures" on John Buckley in January, you don't have to be "ITK" or work in football to work that out.

I know Armstrong gets some stick on here, but I genuinely think he's always a threat even when not playing well. I'm hoping we play him through the middle with a partner now Dack is out, I think he will score goals. The rest of that list though, I've seen enough of that lot to doubt they will get between them what Dack has already scored this season.

Both could have easily have been lost too, but yes agree everything is in small margins. Let's see what happens, but I'd happily have a friendly wager that we wont win again until either QPR at home or Middlesbrough away in late Jan/early Feb. Yeah fair enough I get that the side has been built around Dack, but any manager worth there salt imo should have something in mind/place incase that sort of thing happens. I'd like to think one player will get a good run of games to step up in that role but we just know that it will be someone different every week leading to more disjointed performances, and everyone just shrugging there shoulders and accepting it.

Agree it is harsh coming off the Wigan game, fair enough. However, surely we are all used to Mowbray by now, it's a valid concern and criticism because we all know what he is like, it was so novel to have an unchanged side for 5 games or whatever it was, Dack being out is the perfect excuse for meddling Mowbray to start overthinking things again. I hope he proves me wrong, buy I honestly think we could be looking at 8 games without a win now.

I said in another thread, but IMO this the start of another terrible run, and Mowbray will probably make 4 or 5 changes every game for the next 7 or 8 weeks or so until he stumbles on his best 11 again.

He would have to play for us until he is 48 for that to happen though.

Exactly what I was coming in to say. I can't see anything but a defeat here, those two home games have set us up for another Mowbray horror run unfortunately.

Two bad results, but always expected when everyone expects to win them. We have gone from a settled side to not having a clue who Mowbray is going to pick again. I have a bad feeling that this is going to be the start of another Mowbray horror run, fully expect 2 defeats in our next two now. We're just not going to score goals now Dack is out.

Buckley in the "Dack" role. I've got a feeling now that Dack is injured, it's going to take another 6 weeks of rotating everyone around until we find our "best team" again.

Dack to WBA has all the makings of Rhodes to Boro, just a signing to help them over the line, then probably sign someone better in the summer. One to watch on the summer for me is Watford, could see them making a move for Dack if they come down.

Every club has there own set of classless fans. I remember being at Anfield in 05 when a large portion of our fans in the away end were singing "Cisse hows your leg" after he broke it at Ewood the year before, he promptly slammed in a free kick in front of us and celebrated, only for our fans to go mental. I really wouldn't worry about it. Agree on Cook and his tactics though, did a number on us and I thought they were the better side.

Only negative for Sam with me was that you could probably write off over half of the away games before a ball was kicked. He still won the important ones though, wins over Fulham and Hull spring to mind in his first season, Bolton & Burnley the year after. Our home record was superb though, near enough averaging 20k home fans every week, and more importantly being a horrible place for the "big 4" as it was then to come. Give me that era over what we have had over the last 9 years any day.

The commentator also said that we signed him from Aston Villa, and also said that since winning the league in 95 we have spent the "majority" of our time since in the second tier.

Or if the chance that the Wigan lad tamely put in Waltons arms went in we probably would have lost the game. I thought they played much the better football than us in the first half, could have been two up before we even got one on target. Even the second half it took two good saves from Walton to keep us in it before we did anything, and in injury time there was only going to be one side that was going to win, and it wasn't us.

Hmmm. Was gutted yesterday, a last minute pre Christmas deadline kept me at work past 6pm yesterday so didn't end up making the game, think I'll email the customer today with a huge thank you looks like they did me a favour! It was all so predictable as others have said. We showed last night that we just can't handle the expectation levels, it's also twice in 31 days that we have been out played by the bottom side at Ewood, concerning. I have a feeling that this could be the start of another Mowbray horror run unfortunately, whilst we did well at Bristol, I'm not sure we're good enough to play without Dack for any length of time. I just don't know who is going to score the goals, I've seen nothing to suggest that Rothwell can step up in that position, and I just don't see Holtby as that sort of player.

Pure speculation. See what comes out of the club in the next few days. We have proved we can play without him like at Bristol, but whether we can do that on a consistent basis I'm not sure.

So looks a decent crowd tonight, but I'm guessing we'll still be playing to a completely empty Darwen End Lower?

Nah the December 2000 game definitely wasnt compulsory for the coaches, although it was advised that you did so. I remember clearly getting the train into Blackburn for around lunchtime that day and there being quite a few there getting the train over to Burnley, quite a police presence too. You are correct that the tickets weren't allowed to go on general sale though. The cup game in 05 was compulsory for coaches for the original tie, but wasn't for the replay as I travelled over to the game with a dingle pal of mine, we walked down Cravens Brow before and after the game with many other Rovers/Burnley fans and there wasn't a hint of bother.

The beauty of the one in December 2000 was that it was a 4pm KO, and the coaches weren't compulsory. What on earth happened that day for the over the top rediculous restrictions to be put in place afterwards apart from them lot going into Burnley uptown centre and smashing up woolies etc?

Most already covered in here, Tugay against Liverpool in 06, beating Utd in 02, Leeds on boxing day in 92. Couple more I'd like to throw in are - Man City and Palace away in 94, two huge wins on the way to the title. Alan Shearer scoring his 100th goal for Rovers against Spurs in 95. 2000 against this years opponents Birmingham, superb solo Matt Jansen goal before slamming in an injury time winner in front of the Blackburn end.

That Fabio Nunes actually looked like he could have turned out ok, remember him playing against Birmingham at home under Berg and thought he might be decent. Left winger. Wonder what happened to him. That Edinho though, remember he played the first half against Leicester under k*an. Awful.