philipl

Most seasons under Venkys actually except for when Mowbray splurged on Gally and BBD

So deadline for Henriksson to be in the squad for WBA getting ever closer. Any bets on the Premier League loans supposedly in process?

Repeat of yesterday. We will end up 6 runs short is my bet

I wouldn't rule out Travis starting at right back if For Shaw is fit and Miller is not recovered in time. I expect our performance will be more Elche than NEC. Then it depends if WBA finishing is more NEC than Elche.

Hedges now replaces Dolan for the misery guts who get high on moaning. Or perhaps not as I am seriously worried by McLouhlin and the other summer signings based on their (non) performance pre-season. Hedges has been a serviceable Championship player for us but sadly has proved Welsh management right correct in not selecting him for a seriously underwhelming Welsh squad of players and opted for L1 and L2 plodders instead. If he is a regular starter this season then we really have had a dud of a summer window.

Looks terrifically scientific until I noticed Sheffield Wednesday in 14th... Rovers 10th with a marginally better probability of going up than going down.

So tonight Boro are stronger, Rovers are weaker and Venkys are a permanent disaster.

Miller has some big boots to fill if he ever arrives...

Premier League table is dully predictable yet most games are extremely competitive. The table writes itself even with two weeks to go to kick off and a month of the transfer window to go: Champions Liverpool or Arsenal- both are significantly strengthened Champions League City and Chelsea - both have too many ? to be obvious title winners European places scrap Brighton if they are only average on the injuries front (they lost nearly twice as many minutes as the second most injured squad last season) Spurs - better manager and some decent signings United - Cunha and Buemo are too hot in combination for the scum to have as bad a season again Forest, Villa and Newcastle - underwhelming transfer business but enough strength in depth Could join the European places scrap with a good season and refs not being biased against them Bournemouth, Fulham, West Ham, Palace Relegation fight (and I think it could be a proper fight to avoid the drop for the first time for a few seasons) Burnley, Leeds, Sunderland, Everton, Wolves, Brentford - the promoted teams have done good business and the other three haven't.

Weird week ahead. Knowing us, the two players to be signed today won't happen and will drag on. Might have said good bye to Brittain (certain), Pears, Travis and Buckley before we go to West Brom plus some youngsters out on loan. Gut feeling we will have a wild card incoming. Perhaps Mercer on the wing?

Given the SPL season has already started, I can't see any reason for Miller not coming straight into the side. Ditto Henriksson coming from mid-season Sweden who could be preferred over Hedges. Expecting the unexpected in the starting line up. Kargbo and Gueye coming on in the 60th minute is pretty certain though.

I was at that replayed game at Cambridge- horrible evening apart from Colin's strike.

Hugely relieved that Dike is injured They have Keeper issues and the sale of Heggem this week is likely to help reduce but not resolve a significant PSR problem.

In common with most of the Championship, the local Baggies are not exactly delighted by the transfer window so far. The biggest change is likely not to be signing but a fit again Daryl Dike coming up against us. That guy is a highly mobile monster with a strong finish who is highly likely to get the better of our defenders, whoever they may be. Busy afternoon for Toth but we should be competitive elsewhere on the pitch against one of the Championship dark horses for promotion. Rovers to play well, not take key chances and go down to a hard luck but not undeserved 3-2 defeat.

Having seen bits of this summer's signings plus reading the reviews of Miller and Henriksson, the fitness, sports psychology and training teams are going to be extremely busy this season. Huge number of issues to be improved on and managed out. Talk about assembling a rag tag and bobtail squad!

No bloody wonder we got the performance we did! PATHETC ROVERS It was announced two weeks ago. There is a 5* at E250 per night and a load of 4* at E80 to E135 per night in Nijmegen on Booking.com right now. For the sake of less than E5k Pasha has completely FUCKED THE FEELGOOD WINNING FACTOR. This is not just rank bad management, this is disgusting ignorant stupidity.

For that matter so should we. From the Ohashi interception in the first ten seconds to five must score but didn't openings in the second half...

I was concerned by the sight of them in their training kit looking in the dumps disembarking the coach exactly an hour before kick off. Even Gueye looked pissed off. Schipol to the Nijmegen ground is going to be at least two hours on the coach and it didn't look anything like a Waggott special either.

The signings this summer are desperately poor on their showings to date but which Championship sides pass, move and retain the ball (ignoring their repeated attempts to gift us goals) like NEC do?

Ennis scored for Blackpool

NEC were decidedly better than the performance the toffees put on at Ewood. This Summer's signings look underwhelming on that showing- none of them would be in my strongest XI or even go to subs. Going to have to hope that Miller is class and starts well.

Kargbo and Tyjon apart, nobody did themselves any favours against a really crisp NEC who were easily the best pre-season opposition this summer.

Great goal Kargbo

NEC Nejmegen are in a decent top league kicking off next week. Shame Cantwell has a knock because he would have given them something to think about. Only Tyjon doesn't look outclassed.

Sound on the NEC feed, none on the Rovers feed