philipl

Good luck to him in the future but was increasingly thinking he was a dinosaur failing to achieve whatever the remit was at his level

Beg to differ. Dolan was slow enough for Championship opposition to cover up if he got past the first man - which he frequently did - but almost never beat the covering player. And yes Barcelona were garbage at St James' Park, Liverpool didn't need a 96th minute dingle lucky moment to beat Atletico and Arsenal weren't given a 70 minute chasing at the San Mames while BBD's alma mater weren't the best side at the Tottenham Stadium for 80 minutes. The Mallorca outfit Dolan's heroics helped to beat looked well capable of dispatching any club in the Championship this season while I am sure you would feel rock solid on a bet that no Liga side would reach the last 4 of any European competition come April 2026...

canned sound? But good luck to Bucko- he will bee far happier (and gazillions wealthier) there than not making the matchday 20 at Ewood.

Dolan speed of feet and natural balance were different level at Rovers and in the Championship. They got him into positions which also required vision and decision making he hadn't developed which made him such a frustrating player. At Espanyol every player will be next level.skillful beyond anything he was alongside at Rovers so: - he will be getting better quality service - he won't need vision and decision making as much because colleagues will be better positioned around him to receive passes from him - when he screws up or gets dispossessed better players will be better positioned to rescue him - he won't be singled out or doubled up on by the opposition because in a league with Yamal, nobody is worrying about Dolan embarrassing them.

He is 23 so plenty of opportunity to iron out his weaknesses and build on his strengths. Liga football could well be more suited to him than the Championship. Brilliant to see his great start - let's hope he can keep this going.

Consistently underwhelmed by the lack of game savvy from Sherron- perhaps a Coach at his level isn't there to win games? It was late 30s against boys and the boys didn't remotely try to run the legs off Rochdale. At the end the veterans looked fresher than our kids did.

I don't know about "all in" but VI has a certain charisma which is more brooding presence than the brilliance and sparkle of JDT. Eustace had the charisma of a flat tire but I will own up to finding that sort of Midlands accent uninspiring. At a guess and being a long way removed from the scene, I would imagine Ismael is more straightforward to work for than either of his predecessors. I loved listening to JDT, admired how JE got Rovers to gel, applauded both for telling the club to F off, but Valerian is growing on me. No certainty in football, of all industries, but there are grounds for optimism in the Franco-Hungarian-Australian-Irish-Portuguese-Norwegian-Belgian-Japaneese-Icelander-Congolese-Sierra Leonean-Polish qualifying-Swedish-Welsh-English melange in blue and white, green and gold.... Valerian's football is pragmatic, willing to be flexible and easier on the eye than much of Eustace's output. JDT definitely would have had us in the Premier League by now, Eustace was in with a possibility, Ismael- the jury (as Jimmy Armfield described Ewood crowds) is in session.

From the tiny bit I saw, Isaac Dunn looks a great prospect

Saturday's bench looked stronger than most benches named last season. I have always been impressed by what little I have seen of Garner Hickman whom I think too many are writing off.

6 Sheffield United assists. Only Szmodics didn't turn his gift into a goal.

We pushed West Brom and Brum so.the least I.expect is for us to be competitive. Nice selection dilemmas for VI - Carter and Wharton surely deserve another start and Carter pace is an asset but hard on McLoughlin and Miller. Up front 5 into 4 doesn't go so one of Yuki, Royo, Cantwell, Hedges and Gudjonsson starts on the bench. If he gets on, Sammy has to fight for his place back so I suspect we will be adding to the Ipswich early season draw tally.

First non-Rovers Championship football I have seen this season. Watched from my sick bed and now feel worse. Couldn't believe how bad it was. Of course both will be inspired playing against us but that was abysmal.

If you'd offered me Rovers sandwiched between Ipswich and Southampton after 5 games at the start of the season...

I will whisper it again but what if these so and sos have got it right? Wages down, age profile down, a smaller squad but genuine competition for places all over the park. In Morishita and Gudjonsson we might have qualities we were sadly lacking last season. A manager who has generated real togetherness knitting the biggest rag bag of pick ups together since Ken Furphy was in the seat.

Wow, not just the win but the performance. Tavaeres is a hell.of a player but his pass success percentage is dire. Needs a lot of work. That's my only negative. Wharton and Carter were immense. This week the subs worked really well including the switch to 3 at the back. The discipline with which we saw out the past ten minutes of playing time was something we haven't seen in a very long time. And yes Gudjonsson looks the real deal. What a lovely goal too

Axel broken hand so not travelled. I had forgotten about him. Would be a bit off for Gudjonsson to star against France and go on the bench today. Andre up top and the Japanese lads on the flanks?

Presumably any fine will be taken from assets held in security

Spanking Serbia 5-0 in Belgrade is a sit up and take notice result at any level.of game.

In dire need of lady luck smiling on us. Please And a shoot on sight approach to give us a chance of getting lucky..

For what it's worth, I am reasonably convinced the ultimate source of the money that paid the Walker Trust was in the UK but that Mrs D rumbled the family had been sold a pup sometime around 2012 since when Rovers have been an unwanted naan on the Pune breakfast table. Occasionally nibbled at but otherwise left to gather flies. Now the tantric one and son seem sufficiently clear of their Italian experience I suspect Tommy Jimmy is correct. Even a decade on from the Kean era there are too many old problems for a genuine third party to be allowed freedom of full due diligence. The consequences of Neville Mansions and Akron birthday bash played out in the Delhi High Court last week illustrates the problem.

Sticking with my estimated 10 I am confident are good enough to keep us in this league. Hopefully, some newbies develop and that 10 figure grows. Thankfully Gueye is not in the 10 but I didn't think we'd be mad enough to offload him with our window closed and Turkey still open.. Here's to us raiding the free agents bin and Umtiti starting at Watford... Going back to sleep. Best way of getting better...

Heard it was a woman whom would probably have been a very popular appointment but the RG neurotoxins maywell have killed the notion.

There is no certainty the money held under guarantee will come to Rovers. I fear it will be needed to dig us out of relegation doodoo whereas when it was being deposited with the Courts it could have been used to get us into the Premier League. The 7.7m fine could have been far worse. I would imagine there was enormous relief in the Pune compound. Still remains ridiculous stupidity of people so wealthy getting themselves into such a stew back in 2010 .... Which includes buying the Rovers

Only 10 players I would be confident of being good enough to keep us in the Championship

Hey Jordan- Lend us a tenner