I never walked out feeling awful more like elated that enduring the total percentage game had paid off again and made the grind worthwhile. I'm hoping like others that what we are seeing now is a genuine attempt to ramp it up a notch come what may. Just no point spending another season sitting back tip tapping sideways all the time and finishing midtable even if it's a point or 3 better than last time. Might as well give it a go we'll finish somewhere in the middle anyway but at least it'll be more entertaining and make better use of our bolder players instead of carrying others. I still think even with a decent left back we are another season away from genuinely challenging so i agree with Mowbray in that regard. Best way to find out though is have a go and see where we land. That's all i really want to see from any manager.

You're right but it's the time it takes for the penny to drop that has been the issue. I could counter what you've said there several times over in regards to most of those names but we'll just bend way off topic again. Quite simply now the new vibrant system of playing should totally dictate team selections.

That's what we are afraid of as it will be the first sign of reverting to type of flogging something to death just so it works once in a while. To try and justify a signing and his wages. Gallagher now should be made into the battering ram center forward he has the tools to be. If that means coming on the last 15 to chase down from the front seeing a lead out or chasing a game so be it.

Aye that'll have gone for good now i think.

I'd send him to the doctor pronto. Best football we've ever played imo was the first half season under Woy until him and his methods got found out. It's not always about the easy on the eye stuff though it's how it functions as a team. He might want to remind himself the more successful Rovers sides operated like well oil machines and didn't play in pretty patterns. All that being said 'pound for pound' this side is now shaping up nicely if they did somehow pull of the impossible it would have to rank as one of the best ever achievements by a Rovers side and manager.

Yeah at the end of the day snake oil salesmen like him shouldn't be able to do what they do but this stinking industry doesn't so much as allow it it actually invites it.

Think the Jones deal was expected to run close to 20 million once all the clauses had been met. Fair to say they probably have now so a rare moment of usefulness from Anderson getting almost the fee Venkys paid to buy Rovers back in one deal. Sadly that might have contributed to why he was around so long also.

That extra experience shows and it's vital for keepers, the way he's transitioned to a new country, team and style shows he's a cool customer.

Now it all makes sense he must've watched the Spurs away game.

Understudy ? Hope that manager wears a stab proof vest one with plenty padding on the back.

That's a good point about interceptions. Remember having a convo with my mate at a game about him defending corners well. Probably when we were moaning about our defenders !

Keep being brave and doing what we are doing and we'll get something here, revert to type and give them too much respect and we won't. 2-1 Rovers

Better he never returns because he belongs in footballs wastelands. Also he pals in places would whip it up so he was the victim. Absolute wretch of a specimen.

Then we got relegated......

Yes he had that deft touch it must've been something he learned as a youngster as i doubt he ever had much power in him. He always struck me as someone who'd worked really hard to master his craft rather than having natural ability, def had natural instincts though. He would have been some player if he'd mastered the target man side of it as well.

Fair comments Armstrong has more in his locker and as we've seen with King pace can get you a long way used correctly. His weak point is up top on his own having balls hoofed he's like a lost boy unless it drops in front of him to race onto. Thankfully we seem to have dispensed with that. For balance JR because of his lack of aggression was often anonymous in similar play but surprisingly still poached his fair share of goals from the hoof. Lacked the direct pace and strength but still had a canny knack of losing his markers and having a yard on them. All in the head with Rhodes rather than the legs.

Daft arguments Arma v Rhodes they're totally different players and to be honest to get the best out of either you have to tailor your formation. We've seen with Armstrong just plonk him up front and he struggles, give him a way to run at people or cut in and he looks far more at home. Armstrong in hos own way is a niche player given he can fill a couple of roles well in terms of attacking play. That's why if he has another good season he'll be coveted.

Needs chances laying on a plate, never made goals himself.. ??? So many goals on there refute that nonsense he was doing what really good strikers do and getting himself on the end of things. Many of them just loose balls. Time to put this one to bed, he was top drawer for us and over 4 years worth the transfer fee in goals returned. Not many big money buys you can say that about.

Rewriting history to suit one's own narrative is a phenomenon these days in all walks of life. Alan shearer up top would've struggled to single handily drag Rovers to promotion under Bowyer there were still to many weaknesses and a bland approach to games. For the first time since Allardyce we are starting to resemble a square pegs in square holes functional team for more than the odd game. Any striker or set of forwards needs that behind them to make their contribution really count so lets hope it really is a new dawn not another flash in the plan. The last word on Rhodes is we'd have been relegated sooner without him and once he'd gone we went down despite having an all round stronger better player as his replacement. People saying he wasn't a game changer need a reality check, yes not an impact player but he dug out so many poached goals in an insipid team it kept our heads well above water for a spell despite everything else. Stick to facts not fantasy where he's concerned.

Very true and it's not something you could get from a goal poacher like Rhodes our many others of his ilk. It's a team ethos though not one player and it was mostly non existent under Bowyer. Similar under Mowbray odd games aside its not been his core style so hopefully now it is using the younger legs.

The truth.

A Prem team who doesn't worry too much about paying squaddies 20 grand a week could do worse that having Mulgrew as back up for the odd game. Actually think that div might suit him better than the blood and thunder league. By the way I'm talking purely as a back up player for odd games.

They missed a 2 off the front of that unless they really meant 5 mill per season for the club the other 20 directly into pockets or down the drain.

Previous system didn't suit many of them really so i just hope the manager has been building with this one in mind. Otherwise as others get fit again we'll be back to strikers on the wings etc. For years we've been crying out for something that's built around all the good players and the others fit in like cogs. Looks like it might finally be here !

Biggest test for him is if he can leave alone whilst it's working. Hopefully this is now the core style and we don't have a revert to type.