This HT team talk and whatever changes he might implement need to be spot on in the game we'll be under the cosh in the 2nd half. Need a smash and grab 2nd and the game will be ours. No subs just to be generous today please, get it right.

About 60 years ?

True but even Rhodes couldn't do that and Graham is sadly fading so you wee with the willy you have. Mowbray signed him so he has to get the best out of him some how. Galloping up and down the wing won't do that and the only time he's looked effective in terms of goal threat is Preston where the team went on the front foot and looked to get it in the box.

In which he scored two goals proving if the service is there he can notch. Surely when you pay 5 million for a striker you try and play to his strengths not ask him to do something he hasn't really done before, like be a back to goal target man. Get balls in front of this lad he'll score a few.

Grant Hanley and his leg changing bandage, Ryan 'he'll be out for another few weeks' Nelson only to pop up on Spurs bench 2 days later !

Stubborn as a mule and definitely more focused on the good human being angle for me. It's a hard job we know and you want a good vibe around the place but it does seem he puts more stock into that than anything else.

3 points is good but squad harmony is more important. Better to keep rotating around to keep the cherubs happy. Every now and then we win a few and keep fans and owners happy. Happy days Tony ain't as daft as he often sounds.

In future tales from the cript on the dark side those figures will be somewhat altered. 'We had 800 there on a Friday dinner time, B'stds had 50 in their own ground'...

They paid most of it upfront i think that's already been confirmed. Someone has played a blinder here in the old advising stakes again.

He just confirmed it there about keeping everyone happy it's piss boiling every time you cut him some slack you then realise he's learned nothing. Hope he proves us wrong over the next few games but seriously doubt it and what does it say to certain players ? Come in do well we win, best performance of season then out you go because we are scared of Stoke. Where is his actual faith in his team and himself ?

Over loyalty and i presume after his bold words he then went away for summer and overthunk it. Convinced himself that altering to keep ball and getting a bit of back up would solve the problem and not upset too many.

No tickets on the day

Whilst i'm happy it's as strong a team as possible to hopefully wallop that lot the amount of seniors in there makes a bit of a mockery of it. Time to bring back reserve team football.

Brums followings are always hard to call they've fluctuated up here a lot down the years but being a big city club they are obviously capable of big turn outs. I think it's quite a tradition with them to have a big following or home crowd on boxing day whatever their form so wouldn't be surprised if they pitch up here with 3 to 4k anyway this time.

He talked a year or so ago about it being better in some respects having a smaller squad as it makes the managers day to day job easier. Not too much sulking or not to many cliques developing and more togetherness. Since our squad has got bigger so has the chopping, changing and rotating and the new ruthless Tony we craved has gone meeker. Yes he's dropped a few but it's inevitable they get back in every few games. The change of style hasn't helped either i can't think of an average team that has footballed its way out of the Championship recently.

It's a fair point and probably the only change i'd make if at all. Who'd bet against Bennett being put there instead though.

Looks like we've signed yet another dead rubber in Johnson, wonder how much that's costing and just who is scouting these players ?

WE don't really have the players to match these physical sides so i don't advocate trying to play them at their own game. Play our game don't sit back and let them impose themselves.

Some of the attendance announcements in the late 80's were comedy gold ?

Waggott was involved in the downscaling of Coventry and Charlton wasn't he ? Perhaps that's his real area of expertise - cost saving to absent owners. Have him and this manager really been hired to build the club back up again or streamline it to run at its current level ?

We want bigger crowds so lets not bother about a few so called scrotes from Wigan. Honestly moaning about the Burnley U23 game being restricted then worrying about cheap tickets versus Wigan of all people, i give up ! Let the people who are paid to deal with them deal with them in the unlikely event they actually turn up. Nothing screams small time more than worrying about the likes of Wiggin come on lads.

Set up and play to our players strengths and use the signings you've made like they should be used. This is the blood and guts championship there's no place for a pedestrian walking football version of Brazil style. it's not working so forget it. No easy games but no need to fear Stoke they are probably in a false position but they are there this season because they aren't playing well. Make it about us not them and we'll come away with something. Stoke 2 Rovers 2

Trouble is the era we are in now with pubs and bars closing everywhere, the demographic changing and peoples attitudes to going out. Pretty inevitable i'd say which is a shame.

I'd honestly stick Samuel up top on his own before Armstrong that's another thing that rarely works in our setup he looks like a lost child. Logical choice is keep playing Graham until he can't run no more but if not it has to be Gallagher and try and whip some crosses in front of him from wide positions. He'll at least graft and try and make his presence felt unlike Armstrong, being dropped for a game won't do him any harm either.

They tried to counter that by plonking 270 Bees fans in the middle of 5000 empty seats... ?