He'll never operate any different now that's just fanciful thinking i'm afraid. However he might have found his level at last and may operate better with the youngsters. He seems to fall down with the experienced pros perhaps a bit intimidated by them and their cliques. Too focused on not upsetting them and keeping them all involved so they don't turn. Now he's got mainly lads who can motivate themselves and be told what to do they aren't set in their own ways. It'll bring it's own challenges but with guys like Ayala around running the back line That will help a whole lot compared to having the likes of Williams in there or on loan kids. He isn't doing anything different the same logic that only exists in his head is still applied. Strikers wide, 3 at the back etc etc and i'm convinced he'll try and revert to possession stuff once season has settled a bit. That's exactly what he did last season but if he stays away from that and lets this side find its own feet i think we'll do ok. The thought of extending his contract though still remains to me a cop out again. He'd gone stale and out of ideas 2 years ago that's why he changed the style that basically wasted 2 seasons and remaining money. Lets see what happens once teams suss us out this season.

Yet i get told by a 'sooperfan' on twitter that i should email Steve or attend the forums to air my views. Then he'll get back to me or answer in person. My reply was it's a bit pointless and i don't really think i'd fit in they wouldn't like my line of questions, to which i got no straight answer only some abuse from a big man hiding behind his keyboard and alias name account. Very odd bunch some of our lot, nodding dogs you might say. There's a reason neither he nor that venky stooge in the shadows will front up and there's a reason they were hiding the STC stuff. Because they can't lie straight in bed let alone in front of people who don't swallow the company spiel. Although quite why he'd swerve the LT and their soft ball questioning iv'e no idea.

It's 11 v 11 it's one game so yes we can compete, don't be sounding like our er...leader. That's attitude you need now in our position and its been missing far too long. This is a young fearless team going off what we've seen so far. We don't want anymore of this oh we only lost 1 nil to a good side so we are happy nonsense again. We are underdogs and we are best that way we are used to it so i don't buy the sob story, sorry. Apart from that though i agree over the season you'd expect WBA to be contending top spot. And any kind of non defeat tomorrow we'll grab with both hands. If we had a quid for every team walking this league that should have done we'd be doing ok. Get into em !!!!

Would the owners way over in India really have a grasp about brexit or what it may or may not throw up ? Or was it just another set of sales pitches by the Coventrio to extend their journey when asked why we weren't going anywhere. Another excuse to get a few more pals on board and keep the likes of Smallwood sat in a back office 'advizing' whilst his contract ran down. These lot are so full of it and now we are on another set of new excuses whilst they oversee the downgrade. I don't recall the 'Tony's rebuilding with youth' mantra Mowbrays disciples trot out including cashing in on the established one's already. Great way to go about it, no money to pay them but how much has he blown on loans and is set to again over the last couple of years ? Money straight down the pan !

Everybody from manager through upper office and to the ownership each has their own way of avoiding any accountability at Ewood. It's like an art form they've mastered over the last ten years.

Agree on Arma, good as he was at popping them in there was a touch of the Rhodes issue with the team set up. Mowbray said Obifemi is similar to Armstrong so it seems he wants to go down that route again. Not for me i'd rather see them mix it up with the ugly stuff, rather than return to possession stuff just looking to slip a quick striker in after 50 sideways passes. Target man or good winger and switch Gally up top to do the dirty work.

For me we someone who can hold it up and lay it off better to bring others into the game. When we are under the cosh one decent touch or foot on the ball and you bring Diaz or Gallagher into the game running forwards. Too much of their time as wide strikers is spent chasing balls we've just lost from playing it forwards down the center. Then there is Dack to come back, Dolan himself, Rothwell and several others all good going forwards. Loose their way going sideways or dawdling on the ball, we seem a bit more direct this season. Yet don't have the outlet for it.

I still think we need more of a target man type especially the way he keeps setting up. Dolan puts a shift in but nothing sticks and it's too easy for big center halves. Gallagher could do that job of running round and causing bother with his size and workrate. Sadly he has the touch of a baby elephant in wellies. We need a lump up there.

That twohat then dropped him i seem to recall and blamed it on the red card incident. Nothing to do with the agency trying to sell him then getting a few bites. Percentages spelled the end of Nico.

After the time he's been here he'll not be getting a free pass from me after 3 cracking results. The waffle is scarily similar at times but the differences are night and day apart from that. One is an actual manager albeit a very frustrating one but the other is an over blown coach type. Just a tub thumper who somehow found it worked once to great effect then tried to live off it ever after.

We can moan about Mowbray but my god Coyle sounds like the bell he was generally thought to be. How the hell he got within 3 miles of Ewood we'll never know but someone somewhere was taking the piss for sure.

It's only taken him about 3 years to realize set pieces are a thing in this division.

Nyambie was in the thick of the rough stuff v Millwall and had a good game so he might well be carrying a knock or something. When he was being left out for Bennett it looked ropey and we know he's one of TMs tactical victims at times. He's got the benefit of the doubt at the min though but if they sell him that's an own goal.

If we get stuck in like we have been then there's nothing to fear they are a championship side like us not Barcelona. Anybody can beat anybody, no doubt our gaffer will be talking them up into one of the games biggest but as long as we can keep our momentum going we'll be fine. Such a pity that berk in a suit has ruined a possible good gate just to squeeze loyal Rovers fans and travelling west midlands hordes. Rovers 1 WBA 1 Diaz from the spot after Frank Skinner gives baggies an early lead. 11,191

We still look disjointed and unbalanced and keep going behind however we looked more stodgy and workmanlike. This is what you need in this league maybe the manager has finally got to grips with it. Better to be getting pats on the back from your own fans for grinding out points doing the ugly stuff. Than getting plaudits from opposition managers who've just beaten you for trying to play the right way and being nice. Carter must stay and the possession based game must stay in the sin bin.

I don't think it's that it's just the way he works and always has he's looking for excuses to throw people in anywhere. Development coach remember.....since he realized he can't actually build a team for owt else in this division.

So are the longest....

It adds up to panic signings and bodies for the sake of it. For the manager to then spend the next 8 months trying to work out what to do with most of them. Planning it isn't.

It's all about the points not the player so he must play and play until he can't. Points BEFORE players Tony, we really need to get as many on the board as quickly as possible. Leave the pissing about until you have no option.

Grim but not surprising at all. New young team and another transition season is upon us now. For once there's some justifiable excuse there but if anything it highlights even more how bad it was last season. Luckiest man in football runs this ship.

Ah.. Thought it was a bit strange but probably a fair explanation although a bit ott. I'm sure there'll be plenty room.

Corry International is his real name.

So no sales on the day at Forest 😒 Is this going to be another new theme this season.

I don't think he'll have a long career at Sunderland. He's was on an absolute cakewalk here money for old rope.

It really is best just to not bother listening to him it really is theraputic. Then you only have to get annoyed at his wide striker, tiny man up top stuff on a matchday instead of being wound up beforehand. If he's not bigging up the opposition or their fanbase he's being a martyr to what goes on here. We know the script by now.