I was only walking past Noel’s bench at Pleasy on Sunday. RIP Jim.

This is the thing with this league. It’s not a slog, it’s about momentum. Things are so tightly packed points-wise for so long that a few wins take you high in the rankings and a few defeats see you plummet towards the danger area. Consistency is key and if we can keep key players fit we could be in the hunt come January. It will be then that Venkys and Mowbray’s ambitions will be found out. Last season we ducked it, this season we could be in a similar position and we need to spend what money we have wisely and may need to do some wheeling and dealing. As much as it pains me, we might have to sell one of our decent midfielders - where we are well stocked to make room. Something we wouldn’t have needed to have we not wasted £12m. Let’s hope that we aren’t just seeing players putting themselves in the shop window ahead of the January sales (e.g. Evans and Dack) and there is some belief in this side. If we could get a couple or three million for Evans though, I’d take it. He’s only 29 but doesn’t have too many purple patches like he is having now.

He’s massive for us right now. Hope there is no recall clause for January.

Posting screenshots other people’s opinions on Twitter just to try to get likes/comments from 1 or 2 of your “followers”. It’s the internet equivalent of running off to lunchtime dungeons and dragons club to tell your posse what you just heard in the playground! He’s not even a young lad, this is a 60yo man!

Providing he starts at centre forward I’d be ok with that.

I felt yesterday, that in the last 15 minutes, our lack of squad depth was exposed a little. We hung on but you are right, our best XI is the one we have been starting recently and changing that before January will weaken us.

It’s not necessarily who he brought on but where he put them. It made for a very nervy finale.

Agreed. He played Gallagher and then Buckley out wide while played Bennett at left back. It’s still a cause for concern.

I don’t doubt you for a minute, Gary. He just wasn’t on the bench. He must have really upset someone though and surely has to move on in January.

Not a vintage performance but we won today because of the edge that having done consistency gave us. Same side again and we managed to earn three more valuable points. We really looked like a team and were solid particularly at the back - aside from a couple of nervy moments. Maybe we got the luck we deserved today. Adarabioyo was a rock today and we need to do some kind of deal with City to keep him here for the season. For such a young lad he is so composed and commanding. His range of passing is amongst the best in the team. Fully deserved his man of the match nod. Didn’t understand Mowbray’s substitutions. Brought off Graham but Gallagher went out to the right hand side. If that was the plan surely it should have been Bennett on instead? Bennett at left back gave me kittens for the last 15 minutes. Rothwell was the right player to go off - it wasn’t his greatest game at not a left winger but he is still a good outlet who takes the game to the opposition - but I thought Bennett would replace him like for like. Downing has been solid. Overall 8/10 for Mowbray today. He seems to have found the right formula but can’t help but tinker about. We need to hang on to Tosin and Dack in January and add a left back. Minimum.

Bringing on Bennett in the 82nd minute - at left back - feels like having a player sent off! Please hang on Rovers!!

He’s not.

Great news about the starting XI. Our lack of defensive cover from the bench though shows how important January is.

We need a right back too if Nyambe isn’t rated.

Sadly he has a readership of about five people so I’m not sure how great a benefit it will be.

I agree. Sadly we don’t seem to be linked with any and as long as the person who can change that thinks Williams and Bennett are more than adequate that won’t change.

Bell will be wearing a Rovers badge and Cunningham won’t. It’s that simple for some. Back the lads. Give him a chance FFS. (Get your screen-shotting fingers ready @jimwilkz so you can share this with your Twitter tribe... of four followers who like your posts).

Is there no way of blocking this absolute clown shoes bloke from the site? IP address?

£50 though...

Or bad. As the old saying goes: “Lies, damned lies and statistics”. Personally I think Adarabioyo is better than Williams and we need to makes the most of him because he won’t be here for long.

Three wins in three starts and has probably just saved an ungrateful manager’s job.

Not that I recall. But that description would be nothing to do with his age but rather his old school methods. Choose your next post carefully...

That’s really not relevant. Players step up divisions all the time. Free or otherwise. I’ll trust what I see with my own eyes. He’s an unpolished diamond and we are lucky to have him. Meanwhile Rovers are talking up Ben Gladwin like he has just joined the club and is about to be unleashed. Now there’s a “free signing” we should be worried about.

Not sure I do know what you mean. Do you mean Mowbray is the best manager in the championship and the current Derby manager proves that? Or are you on the wind up? I take it you realise Mowbray is only 55 and a mediocre manager, while Hodgson has been a successful manager for the last 43 years - and counting...?! It’s not about age, it’s about ability. Comparing Hodgson and Mowbray is a complete non-starter.