J*B

I’ve written this once, deleted it as I decided I was being dramatic, then rewritten it again. I’d lose every single game to Preston for the rest of my life to beat Burnley at Ewood.

Narrator: But they didn’t repay them in March…

I love watching England, especially away. It’s a fantastic weekend. And we’re not shit anymore, which helps.

Meh, don’t care.

Sometimes I want to pack this all in, close the website down and stop worrying about it. Then I realise way. Nice one Groundhog, don’t get too stressed, they’ll tonk us at ewood as well yet.

The biggest problem for the next derby is Burnley will go into January will a plan after a very successful first half of the season and a perfect Derby day. Their weaknesses are obvious, it’s all across their defensive line and keeper. So they’ll sign someone to rectify that. Add Jay Rodriquez into the mix and the Ewood leg will be a seriously hard task.

It’s not necessarily the holiday that gripes me, it’s the complete lack of awareness from the management. Pre-Venkys losing the Derby wasn’t a thing. Now it has become normal, acceptable behaviour. As has posting holiday snaps the day after a humiliating defeat. If they had any sense whatsoever or any clue about the culture within the town (see Season Ticket Pricing) they would have insisted that whilst players where going away for a well deserved rest based on the first half of the season, they categorically must not post anything on their social media accounts as it has a direct risk of winding up pissed off fans.

That’s sort of the point - Rotherham did the things they are good at well and Burnley couldn’t cope with it. We couldn’t even attempt to do the things that we can do well.

Which, to be fair, is to be expected when their team has either been signed for ~25m or last season was playing in the Premier League. The biggest issue for me yesterday was we didn't seemingly show any intent to win the match and certainly didn't do any of our own things well.

It's the day after but not much has changed. I still think Mola starting off the back of one good game against West Ham was a huge error of judgement, whether he is fast or not. I suspect the beating he took will end his career here, unlikely to recover from that. I still think Garrett starting in central midfield was a huge error of judgement. He's nowhere near ready for that sort of game. I still think Morton playing in the Szmodics role was disastrous and ultimately cost us the game. Neither Travis or Garrett could hold on to the ball and that played right into their strong central midfields hands. I still think inverted fullbacks is far too clever for the Championship. I can see the logic when you have Kyle Walker and Cancelo, but not where we are. I still think Hedges is absolutely wasted at left wing back. I still think Pickering was very hard done to. I still think playing out from the back doesn't suit any of our central defenders apart from Wharton. I still think not having a reasonable option off the bench when Gallagher got injured changed the game. Hirst clearly isn't trusted and Vale has no future here. Despite a decent set of results in the first half of the season, I'm now looking down at the table rather than up for after the World Cup. We're yet to get any sort of result after conceding first. We're still making the same mistakes we where at the start of the season. We're only 5 points above 7th place. I suspect a classic Mowbray-style breakdown in the New Year, unless we can address all of the below issues in January. 1) Dack has to go. I love him, but if he isn't trusted ahead of Vale then his time here is done and its best for all parties we remember the memories and wish him well. 2) Hirst must be returned to Leicester. There's perhaps a player in there best of the performances for Pompy, but as yet we haven't seen anything in him and he's being the awful Vale in the pecking order. 3) Vale must be loaned out. He isn't even putting the basic levels of performance in if you ask me. Needs a rocket up his arse, I wonder if he think's he's better than he is. 4) We must sign a fearsome central midfielder. What happening to Belik(?) at Barnsley? He would be a start. Doesn't have to be a fantastic footballer, an Aaron Mokoena equivalent would be perfect. Minimum 6 ft 2. 5) We must sign a replacement for Hirst and Vale that is a viable option immediately. 6) We must sign a deputy right-wing back and a quick (Khadra-type) winger either on loan with the option to buy or permanently. Over to you, Gregg...

Side note, the Dingle Dome looked in good nick on TV.

They’ve both been here a while and are two very valued users. Exactly what this site should be, to be honest. I’d rather they hadn’t, but I hope they’re having a good day. Would love to buy them a drink one day.

I’m just hoping he can be VerySympatheticClaret when he logs back on at this stage.

Especially when our football team has performed like they did today!

The bare minimum is press and he’s incapable of even that. He does the classic ‘jog after the defender until he becomes the midfielders problem’. The sooner he’s found out and sold to Forest Green or something, the better.

Because he’s faster than Wharton, according to JDT. Absolutely nonsense. He may well be quicker but you can’t play one game in 8 months and walk into a game like that.

5 POINTS OFF 7TH! I’m going to set a bot that adds “but only five points off 7th” every single time someone posts “we are 3rd” on here.

It’ll be very very messy if the manager doesn’t play our best players in their correct positions. Feels like nobody at Ewood truly understands it or us. During Venkys reign of terror it’s been D or L in the Derby to the point I’m convinced they all just accept it. No standards. Anyone got Gregg Broughton’s email? I fancy giving him a piece of my mind.

Also, how much more up for it where they?

Big decisions all wrong. Terrible. Mola, Garrett, Vale… I don’t want to see any play for us again.

Clinton Mola responsible for two goals and the huge chance which Brittain stopped. This will take a lot of repairing, trust in JDT is currently at an all time low.

Horrific. And it falls down on JDTs head. Terrible management, a total misunderstanding of what is going on.

Jack Vale is nowhere near the standard required. He’s done nothing at all.

Terrible management if you ask me. Wrong team picked. Garrett especially should have been off at half time. Not convinced at all about inverted wing backs. Very unlucky to lose Gallagher but there’s no way Jack Vale should be on this pitch.

Garrett and Mola need to come off. I’m all for giving the kids a chance but a game like this needs an established head that isn’t fazed.