Jimmy612

I'd have to watch again, but I can't really remember Bowler getting to the byline too many times... I felt like the more obvious threat was coming from their left (our right) in the form of Lavery and their left back (name escapes me).

I thought Pickering did pretty well. His main nemesis is pace, of which Bowler isn't blessed with loads. I was also extremely worried about him vs WBA with Jed Wallace' crossing ability, but he just about managed there as well, barring one or two hairy moments.

City is a remarkable choice for comparison because BBD scored just shy of 40% of our goals last season, KDB scored 15% of City's. So the example you used is exactly the opposite of what you are expecting Rovers to be this season... Heavily reliant on BBD again. What was your point? City are a brilliant example of scoring goals across the team - we are likely to be the absolute opposite. Not withstanding the fact City's new striker has just scored 9 goals in his first 4 games of course.

Only Brereton can be said to have lived up to expectations in the last 3 years. Dolan has 7 in 71 for us, Gally has 23 in 118, Hedges has 0 but scored 11 in 66 in the SPL, Szmodics did well in L1 and Hirst the same - no real Championship track records there. Dack is another question mark, desperate for him to get back to where he was, fingers crossed. Just found it a bit odd given the calibre of Championship attacker we have, for you to suggest we're gonna tear up the division. There's very little evidence for it, particularly considering we've scored a solitary goal in the last 4 games. Regarding the stats - if you don't focus on how many shots we have or how many times we are in the opposition box then that's your prerogative, but I bet managers and coaching teams will. What's the old adage? If you don't shoot....

If at the start of the window anyone had put Travis and Buckley forward as 2nd choice right backs there would have been outrage. Travis is a sticking plaster there. He's not a right back and does tend to drift and get caught out of position. A lot of Blackpool's play went down that side last night, and a few times Lavery wasted good positions with poor or wasteful play. Buckley is exactly the same, a midfielder. I'm really pleased with some of our business and Brittain has started well, but we should all be praying he can get fit quick.

Haha negative outlook. I asked you what brought you to the conclusion we have a strike force that could tear up the division. We've got Brereton who I acknowledged is great and Dack who I love but hasn't played in practically 3 seasons. The rest have a lot to prove and a lot to do. Surely you can understand that without calling someone negative? You ignored my comment about actual stats from our opening 6 games... Why?

One or two big ifs in there. Desperate for Dack to do well... There's very positive signs him and BB have a good understanding AND Dack sees the game unfold ahead of everyone else. How many has Hedges scored so far in a B&W shirt? Looks good, nice touches but we need people to weigh in with goals. Gally won't score more than 10, rest are probably 6 or 7. Let's hope Hirst can weigh in.

RV is Ribble Valley. Where he lives and talks about a lot. Howard.... Every Howard on the planet drinks gallons of red wine. His tweets also remind me of Mercer in terms of structure and wording. It's a theory, they're there to be disproven.

Right. I actually have a theory that this twitter account is Mercer. And hence, I have a theory that this is a load of bollocks. But I shall watch with interest.

What's this based on? Brereton is great obviously. The rest haven't scored more than.... 6 or 7 a season in the Champ? Dolan is a 15 minute pest, Vale is young and needs games, Hirst is unproven at this level, Gally is Gally... Szmodics needs to show a lot more. Pre-match last night we were dead last in the division for every attacking stat except goals scored, where we were 15th. What logic dictates our front line can 'tear up the division?'

An injury to BBD leaves us practically toothless and with a lack of pace and quality in forward areas. AND, it now most likely means that yet another multi-million pound asset walks out the door for nothing. Tad disappointed that our two final signings are loans. That 'special player budget' must be going back on ice for now. Okay, loan to buy 'option' but as we've read millions of times in the last 24 hours and seen with your man last season, there's absolutely no obligation to spend any money. Last night's result and emergence of Wharton came at a perfect time for GB and Co. It completely placated a tetchy, nervous, frustrated fanbase. The squad isn't great, new players have to prove themselves and I still think we're in for a nervy season.

At the risk of bringing out the tooth puns again, I think you better brace yourself for that particular outcome. If we don't sell today that's that I would say - he can sign a pre-contract in Jan as far as I can understand. But, only with overseas teams? So if he does want to play PL, we might still have a chance...

Yeh, sorry I was talking about first I saw Mola's name - Sharpe seemingly had a sniff of it before he was holding the shirt above his head. That's what gives me hope that Dembele is a possibility.

Sharpe has said 'not aware of anything' regards Dembele.... but how much did he know about Mola? First I saw his name was about 20mins ago from Joe H. We're getting there now in terms of a squad, but that could be blown to smithereens with a Brereton late departure. Even with Dembele through the door I'd be very fearful there's nowhere near enough goals without him.

The sticker book is full 😑

Would love this.

Is there any evidence whatsoever that this is happening? Seems unlikely.

I remember watching last night just thinking how ineffective Dolan had been, particularly in the first hour or so - don't know what minute he went off, but he had a couple of flashes in the second half. We can't consider him a starting player - he's good to have buzzing about for 15mins at the end, but he is so lacking physically - not just strength, but pace, balance, ability to get himself between man and ball. I really hope that Hirst can bring some power and pace up there.

Yeh he's a terrific player - great feet. Testament to our group that we managed to nullify him as well as we did - Pickering, Wharton, Diaz.

That's my train of thought too. Said last night, no-one else in the squad will score more than 6 or 7 goals. Brereton is still the only one that can run in behind a defence - no surprise that Dack in his natural position had the ability to find him. Even with BBD, I can't see us challenging the top 6, so you've got to make a calculated risk - is it worth £15 - £20m if it means we COULD get in to a relegation scrap. In fact, pre-game they showed a few extremely damning stats of just how blunt we had been all season. Last night incidentally we created more chances than we had all season, but BBD was still central in everything good that we did going forward. Without him I'd fear for us.

https://media4.giphy.com/media/tIk1NLkHzKYBboNhnO/200.gif

Am I the only one who looks at our squad and worries that we have a huge lack of pace? I barely see anyone run in behind the defence, when Brereton does he's usually offside. We've never replaced Armstrong's pace. Defences look really comfortable playing against us. Apparently Sammie is quick but I'm struggling to see what he brings to the table at all, frankly, pace or otherwise. I feel like we're so one-dimensional.... in fact, I'm starting to worry we might be 'none-dimensional'.

It's extraordinary how many replies he gets. Absolute star of the show, whether you agree with what he says or not.

The fact that I know who this guy is speaks volumes about the absolute chaos that is and was the Venkys ownership of BRFC. "When they wanted me to be their manager in 2012/13". This sounds like bollocks to me - what stopped him getting the job if Vs actually wanted him? His salary demands or his expectation that a better opportunity would come along? Bellend.

Honeymoon period now a distant, happy memory. The last two games we haven't only been soundly beaten, we haven't even laid a glove on Reading or Sheff U. Yesterday could easily have been 5, 6, 7 but for Kaminski. An absolute mess. I sat watching it and I just could not see a game plan all. There seemed to be absolutely no cohesion, no patterns of play, no identity, no idea. Seriously worried about Szmodics - I don't know what he brings as a player for us to have paid a fair chunk of our budget. Works hard... That's all I've seen so far. Can't see him having a big impact at all. Dack can't be fit - if JDT has made his mind up on him that's another big warning sign for me. Yes, we need players but if that's an indication of where we're shopping then these signings aren't guaranteed to solve all of our problems. Big two weeks until the international break. This group must restore some confience - I'm suddenly very, very nervous.