Not that it's majorly important, but I think both Derby and Forest were bottom of the league when we beat them. And Sheff U at home was in November.

Everything about that is so depressing. Getting to 5th midseason isn't brilliant, it's a half-baked cake. We have a squad that - although the culmination of 5 years of "progress" - isn't actually good enough to get into the playoffs and is being propped up by Mowbray? The man who couldn't get a side good enough to finish in the playoffs, into the top half? It's so obvious that the extra points in Nov/Dec were flukey, we happened upon a system that worked a bit better than last year's. We always do well in Nov/Dec under TM. We had a chance to take advantage of it, failed in the Jan window (again), and are in our standard "we've been figured out" post Jan slump (again), supplemented by the usual injuries we couldn't foresee. AGAIN. Fool me once and all that. It will be the same next year, but with even lesser players, fewer points and probably the same manager in the dugout. Just a couple of hundred fewer in the stands clapping along. Tony Mowbray's Blue 'n' White Army.

You're perfectly entitled to that opinion obviously. I just don't think the logic is sound. If you don't think he will get us promoted or we will be relegated without him, then we surely might as well take a free swing. It won't happen, so it's not important. I just see this kind of thing said all over the place and I can't work it out. Normally as part of a "balance the books", "get behind the lads", "steady the ship" type comment. I have no faith either. At any level. But I wouldn't be so sure about the mutual parting of ways. I can't help but feel we've got another few years of this yet.

I know that these are probably the common opinions amongst supporters, but I honestly just don't understand it. Do you think a) Mowbray will get us promoted? b) Without Mowbray we will get relegated? If you didn't answer yes to either of those questions, what on earth is the point in him being employed here?

One of the few places we, as Rovers fans, can call a shit hole. Shit town. Shit club. Shit fans. 1-1

Appleton

Unfortunately yep. Teams with a plan and a style. Not the most complicated, but it's definitely better than nothing.

Not really sure why people thought we were alright in the second half. We were still pretty crap. But then again we are pretty crap.

Just to check because I haven't been paying attention... Is the deal for Obafemi not part of the Armstrong deal in that we will pay pittance for him in exchange for selling Armstrong for £15m, but separate so we don't give as much to Newcastle? So it's not like we're actually spending £5-6m on him that could go elsewhere?

Aye, the demarcation is the Irwell. Can still see it from here and be there in a 10 min walk though - for better or for worse! Surprised he's that high up the ladder. Think Henley might have made his debut in that game too and he at least looked a decent prospect.

When I'd just moved here after I left Uni, we played United at Old Trafford on New Year's Eve I think it was (or around then), the game was on Sky and a couple of mates and I went looking for a pub that was showing the game. We ended up in a little place not far away called The Broadway. It was the game where we won 3-2, Yakubu scored a penalty, Hanley got the winner from a corner and (I think) Jordan Slew made his debut (whatever happened to him?). That was by far the roughest pub I've ever been in. A proper council estate community pub with United flags covering all the windows so there was no light (and no one could see what was happening in there!) and earless locals skinning up joints on the bar. Like a real world Shameless but not watered down for terrestrial TV. We somehow survived until the final whistle and left sharpish. Someone was shot in there a week later and the place has since been knocked down. ... Still stand by it's nice on the Quays though!

Missus likes the Box Sets, I like the NFL.

I can see Old Trafford from my window. Salford Quays is very nice I'll have you know! Even nicer when United lose and I can watch all the glum faces trudging past from my balcony. On Sky they have a show called Premier League Years, each has a cover image. Invariably it is the team celebrating the league win or their star player, the year Leicester won the show even has the subtitle "Leicester's Year"... 94/95... Picture of Matt Le Tissier celebrating his lob at Ewood. Sums up what Sky think of Rovers perfectly.

You have proven my point. I don't agree with that analysis of what happened. I thought we were the better side apart from some calamitous defending... I might be right, you might be right. How about we look at some unbiased stats to help us determine what the really happened, so we can build for the next game? That's the point. They provide an opinion to help you that has no preconceptions, isn't impacted by mood, fatigue etc. etc.

Stats help you look forwards/predict and are an unbiased representation of what happened. A football result is never the whole story and, as much as we try not to be, every human is inherently biased. Data is everywhere and, like it or not, now powers the world. And the last industries/businesses to embrace it will be (/ have already been) left behind. Football is no different.

Didn't realise we'd resigned Jason Lowe, Tommie Hoban and Gordon Greer. Or if you're stretching the definition of 4 seasons... Paul Caddis, Elliot Ward and have brought Charlie Mulgrew in from the cold.

What's one of the major problems with football in this country? All the money gets concentrated to a small number of clubs. What's the solution? Concentrate the power as well. Any chairman, outside of the nine clubs in question, that is in favour of these proposals is a moron.

Over 120 goals conceded in our 2 nearly years. 4 keepers sharing the games (including a past it Robbo, Raya who was just a kid, Eastwood and Jake Kean) and massively unsettled defence. We must have played over 10 different CB partnerships in those 2 years. Between Duffy, Kilgallon, Hanley, Spurr, Baptiste, Keane and Dann. That's before you even mention the plethora of different fullbacks we played as well. And thinking about it, I couldn't even hazard a guess at what our first choice back 4 was either year. Or even CB pairing. Or keeper. It was all over the place back there.

Joao went off with a dislocated shoulder at the weekend. Could be a couple of months out. [EDIT] And Swift is out until Christmas I think.

Ridiculous prediction... Armstrong will obviously score. 7-0.

As of last season, it seems it's a bang average championship CEO wage... https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-8262315/Physios-191-000-kit-men-56-000-Crazy-wages-dont-add-EFL-clubs-brink.html well, just shy of 5k over... £295,179. Providing you believe the Nazi Digest anyway.

All that tells us is that you own Finance for Dummies.

I agree with all that. The leader thing just jumped out at me because we've been short a proper captain and someone who marshals the defence for years. It SHOULD be Lenihan's job, I just don't think he's very good at it.

Lenihan isn't a leader. It's a major frustration. Where is the rallying when we concede, the congratulations when the keeper makes a save or one of the defence puts in a block, the pressurising of the ref or getting in the opposition's face when they dive or put in a bad tackle on one of our players? For all his faults, Bennett is a better "leader".

Kaminski he is magic. He wears a magic hat... And when he saw the canteen food he said Not touching that! Not touching that Not touching that