Lenihan and Downing behind Evans and Smallwood. ?

Thanks Parson. Didn’t go last night (Fridays bring other commitments). It’s certainly going to be a more difficult season. Higher level and a rebuilding job. Those that shine will shine brighter this season. Including the coaches. Thought: Did Dunny’s aura / persona bring something to the young side?

Happy Kean Out Day Gav ?

The fans shouldn’t have allowed that to happen. Can’t blame Kean for being a two hat. He was born like that. It’s still a tough one to take... “Back the team” and “Kean out” ...shouldn’t have been seen as an either-or.

Happy Kean Out Day Chaddy! ? ?

Don’t care what Chaddy thinks. I’ll celebrate this utter charlatan’s exit every single year. I’ve never hated anyone but I hate Steve Kean. Notable those who now want to forget about it that chapter and pretend it never happened...

Is it 6 years ago already?

Just watched the highlights back and Williams was sent off in the most ridiculous fashion. Deliberate handball having picked the ball up following a stumble. This after a throw in for Rovers about 25 yards from the Bournemouth goal was thrown all the way back into our own half and Williams given the ball as last man. That is absolutely about concentration and game management. Sunday league stuff.

Knockgate back on!

Is that a new rule? Normally they are transferable.

And with the late late goal that’s a bad night all round for Rovers.

Knockgate also suspended

Lenihan is having a bad run. He needs Mulgrew around to lead and to pick up the pieces. Hope Rodwell can step in at Championship level because Darragh is due a “slight knock”.

Hope you’re ok Ricky.

That’s a huge and unexpected three points. Fortunate perhaps but well done TM.

Phew!

Sadly this is the kind of behaviour we should expect from most modern footballers. Told they are special from age 5 onwards, paid obscene amounts of money and are given anything they want. Not a surprise that they think they are above the law.

I’m a fan of the non-3pm matches being televised but only because I struggle to make away games - other commitments / cost / local experience). However it isn’t right that the club gets no additional income for it. Unless there is some contractual all-up seasonal payment to each club then the EFL have stitched up their members. Sky should be paying clubs to broadcast their product. Again, it will be in the contract small print (or the league share arrangement) about who owns the rights but you can bet your neck Manchester United wouldn’t allow their image rights to be used on the cheap let alone free. This needs to be rectified. Also, with regards to poor home attendances, this is purely and simply down to walk on pricing and the ST increase. Fans who are used to going to Ewood would continue to do so if the price was right. The TV coverage (and especially the iFollow / Red Button poor quality, lack of features and minimalist experience) is no match for being at the game. Maybe make subscribers choose a home team and they get to watch away matches on the red button (including 3pm) but not your home team? I would say this of course because it suits me and their are still pros and cons but it would take away that excuse. I expect away fans, by and large, would rather travel than watch on TV in any case.

After 8 games and only one defeat we have a -1 goal difference. We are playing a very cautious style of football with Smallwood and Evans still the preferred midfield. Last night’s point will probably mean there is more chance of them both continuing there. If you extrapolate our current form over the season we’ll be on 63 points. That’ll see us firmly in 11th or 12th place. Great for a newly promoted side looking to consolidate but it won’t get bums on seats and it may not be enough to keep hold of Dack. It also looks to be a waste of the resources we have (Rothwell, Reed, Bennett would be replacements for Smallwood right now). However, with Mulgrew being out last night (and having to play a full back centrally through poor recruitment in defence) I can see why Mowbray might have played the gruesome twosome but I would also hope he’ll be a little more ambitious in future games.

Aside from their free kick that hit the angle of post and crossbar. It was pretty clear cut though. Easier than the chance Dack did take on Saturday.

A pretty one-sided affair...

A squeaky bum match!

You do wonder how he has gone from one of our best players to not even on the pitch.

Boroblue said: You entitled to your opinion. But you didn’t actually say if you watched the game or not. That’s about as poor as we’ve played under Mowbray. It wasn’t a professional “shut up shop” performance. We gave the ball away regularly and have been saved from what on balance probably deserved a 2-0 Derby victory. Possibly 2-1 with Dack missing the kind of chance he normally eats for breakfast. Still, it’s a point in an away fixture that would have been a 1-pointer target. Mowbray got his team selection wrong tonight and we didn’t look our usual selves. Overall, we can go on about who’s opinion is right but we have to be glad of a point. Certainly we will be happier than Derby after that.

Given how badly we played. That has to be considered a good point.