The worst thing is, nothing has changed!

Staying in this division is not the target.

If this were an expensive hobby then it would be damned to FFP and we would just pay whatever non-existent finds that the likes of QPR and Derby and whoever else have. Every year we do this dance. We need promotion, it’s as simple as that. Which is why pussyfooting around with managers who don’t have the ability or stomach for it is folly. But not to worry, in a month this will all be forgotten about and we will be back to the normal ebb and flow of football and building slowly, doing things the ‘right way’. Whatever that is when you are spending money you don’t have and the club’s response is not to fertilise the soil, sow seeds and grow, but to treat us like cattle and milk us for relative pennies compared to the size of the debt. Does this ‘right way’ also extend to spending millions that we don’t have on unproven “potential” just because they are English? It’s lucky it’s only football. A some point this has to come to an end. Happy New Effing Year everyone!

Players are the sheep but when the shepherd gives up you know you are in trouble. Let’s see what happens in January to see whether he has given up or not. But so close to the play-offs again with the window about to open it’s like last season all over again. Such a tight league - we only need a couple of wins.

Spot on. He is certainly no friend to the youngsters. One of the first things he did when he came in was complain that money spent on the academy was money not spent on the first team. Well, he’s had both and we look absolutely no better than we did when he first took over. Relegation with Venkys bankrolling us has turned Mowbray’s career around. Not the first time I’ve said it but BRFC has done more for TM than the other way around.

Sorry but you have that backwards. He started very much an attacking force. He was dropped. He now plays a more conservative game. But you carry on making it personal and then call me a baby when you get called out on it. We are heading back to the ‘dark’ days you and I, if you continue.

Sky Red button

This just proves the point. A less attack-minded Travis plays more under Mowbray and is less effective. Pretty much sums things up for several players. Including the reverse argument.

Wind your neck in. Having watched Travis - a lot - that’s my assessment. Yes, early on when he was playing well and being that positive force he was dropped and I was critical. Now he is less forward-thinking he plays more regularly. Things change over time. Attack-minded players don’t stand out for long in Mowbray’s teams. They assimilate or they are dropped. That’s not being blinkered, that’s what happens. Maybe you have a different opinion, rather than just another not-so-veiled pop at me. I didn’t think your recent form would last.

When Travis first came in he was a breath of fresh air. A huge upgrade on Lowe, forward passes, taking the ball forward, high energy, all-action tackles and alway looking to make something happen. He seems different these days, more conservative. Like he has been moulded into Mowbray’s type of CM. Players don’t shine for long under this regime. It’s all about the team work ethic then find Dack and he’ll finish. Well somebody else needs that remit now.

We played the worst team home and away last weekend and couldn’t even score.

“The most recent online story”

Is this recent? Nothing in the paper version, and the most recent online story suggests City were looking into a possible recall. https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/tosin-adarabioyo-hopes-long-term-21089710 Next news: he’s non-specifically “injured”. EDIT: not even “injured” just “absent”

Lenihan

By replace, I mean his position. He isn’t the only player who can play the “hybrid” role (aka number 10). It might just be a chance for Rothwell or Holtby to shine further forward. No player is bigger than the club.

Decent team from the squad we have. I’d be ok with that - maybe starting with Graham and Gallagher coming on later though. I just hope Buckley is used as an understudy to Travis or Johnson though and not out wide. Hope Adarabioyo is back - our defence looks so much stronger with him and Downing in it. Sadly I can see Bennett starting.

Lol. I didn’t mean literally touting. But I’ve nothing from anyone else but you that there is interest. From the number of posts about it, it would seem it is an open secret but they are all by you! Nice passive aggressive finish though. ??

He doesn’t have to “meddle”, he just needs to replace Dack - and from the ranks by the sounds of it. One of Rothwell, Holtby or Buckley - none of whom are regulars - now needs an extended spell at number 10 in a team resembling the one he left unchanged for that excellent winning spell when he dropped Bennett and played everyone in their strongest position. Sadly it looks like Bennett is now back but not even on the right of midfield where is performs best.

Lol. Rovers paid £7m for potential. Sends out entirely the wrong message if we buy Brereton and sell Buckley. Buckley looks to have a thousand times more potential than Brereton. At least he looks like a footballer. Personally I’d by happier if we sold Brereton “with all his potential” for £3m and cut our losses: “not a good fit at Blackburn” could be the rider. But please stop touting our best development players Mani. The only person I’ve heard making any noise about Buckley leaving is you!

It would just be good to know then what the injury is/was that kept him out of two important and winnable fixtures. His absence alone could well have been the difference in those two games. Sorry but with everything that has gone on under Venkys when it comes to players being left out with talk of knocks, illness and niggles (especially when they are one appearance short of a contract extension or a transfer rumour) it is difficult to not be a little cynical. Sometimes it’s what they don’t say. For instance, in this article... https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/18120535.mowbray-adarabioyo-absence-evans-injury-wigan-draw/ ...both Williams‘ and Evans’ injuries are described but curiously Adarabioyo is mentioned only as “absence”. I infer from that that there is a different reason he is out and I suspect it is to do with City. Does a certain number of consecutive games or percentage trigger another payment? Is someone in talks with him and City insist that he speaks to them. They can afford to do what they like. Yes, all tinfoil hat stuff but curious nonetheless.

It’d be no surprise if we made no new signings this window. Maybe Buckley on improved terms. We’ll probably make Cunningham permanent. Smallwood surely has to go. Potential to try to cash in on Evans. Bell and Bennett are out of contract in the Summer. These may be extended by 12 months. Wouldn’t be at all surprised if we try to cash in on Graham before he goes on a free. There is a danger we could finish this window weaker than we started. Rather like last January. I doubt it will form part of any half ST PR!

But it is still against the rules. Not sure why this isn’t going in.

So (if true - and I’ve no reason to doubt Josh) then that’s tapping up. Hypothetically, it could have even contributed to him getting injured. Being afraid of a challenge is a sure fire way to do some damage. Any truth in this should be pursued with the appropriate authorities. As for Buckley, he seems to have been being touted for a good while - even when he was in the U23s. He is still raw. If he goes out to a PL club he will go straight into their development squad - a backwards step for him. In an ideal world he would go out on loan but we seem to need him in the team numbers-wise. He has a long way to go. Easily bullied due to his size and not quick enough but is good on the turn and can link up with attackers. Talk of “clubs circling“ is likely to have come from an agent trying to get a new deal for his client.

Has an agent got wind of a better loan offer if he can get him out of his Rovers contract...?

John Williams took up that challenge though. With everything that has happened (actions not words) since Waggott turned up, one could be forgiven for thinking that faced with the same statement he’d simply have got out his calculator and typed ‘8 0 0 0 x’ and then asked how much pies cost...