https://www.rovers.co.uk/news/2024/april/26/we-want-to-prove-the-doubters-wrong--says-sammie/ Szmodics trying to create a siege mentality for tomorrow. If more of the squad had his mentality and attitude then I wouldn't be as fearful of going down but sadly there are too many surrender monkeys for my liking. Hopefully by tomorrow evening I am eating my words.

https://www.coventrytelegraph.net/sport/football/football-news/coventry-city-predicted-team-blackburn-29064082 An article which contains Coventry's predicated team. Having seen some headlines about them having to play Academy players Eustace and his players should not fall into the complacency trap. That predicted team is a good one with the likes of O'Hare, Ellis and Wright included. Tomorrow is going to be extremely tough and if we don't match their intensity and desire we won't get anything from the game. Anything resembling the lacklustre second half last Sunday and relegation beckons. And Eustace has to earn his corn by picking the right team and tactics.

And the Broughton/Venky model will become increasingly more difficult I believe. The likes of Wharton and Phillips were given a platform by Tomasson and the big clubs began to take notice. But I honestly can't see any young home grown players being given the same opportunity under Eustace who certainly seems to trust the senior players rather than youngsters. A big thing was made of Broughton getting lots of deals done with quite a few youngsters but in reality how many of these would be deemed good enough to break through to the first team. The likes of Gamble, Batty, Vale and others will possibly be released soon.

Good analysis and the numbers really do tell their own story. Out of a possible 66 points thus far we have garnered only 24 points. And to think Ewood used to hold some fear for visiting teams.

The intensity has gone out of our game under Eustace so I don't think that the amount of games Coventry have played will be any advantage to us. We aren't a pacy team by any stretch of the imagination but under Tomasson the intensity made up for some of this. We really look like plodders and as such easy to play against.

I didn't see him. Benson was though.

He did well. He still got forward on the left side when he could but was disciplined in his defending. Cirino though was predominantly forwards in a proper conventional wing back role so most of the time Batty was in a defensive three rather than the rigid five Eustace plays.

A really entertaining match tonight at Ewood as the under 21's came back from two goals to draw and for long periods in the second half looked like we were going to win. Sheron played three centre backs with in Whitehall, Gamble and Batty but it was the wing backs who really excelled. Cirino and Duru were great examples of how to play that position and the forward runs they consistently made were a real strong point for us tonight. I have said for a few months now that Duru has been excellent for six months and in my view he should at the very least be in the first team match day squad. These games are free for season ticket holders and in the past I have just scanned my season card and gone in as I would for a first team match. Tonight everyone had to go to the ticket office, show your season card and get given a paper ticket. In light of the reasons for the farcical Digital Day and the EFL Environmental Award how does that make any sense. Another day in the crazy world of Blackburn Rovers.

I don't remember Ian.

I honestly don't know and found it strange. At the time I just thought he was consoling him. I always found it safer to keep out of a players way for a while after they had dropped a bollock.

Post of the season.

It's an interesting take on it but in my view and my most recent knowledge of law then Pears would have been penalised for deliberately handling the pass to him irrespective of his swipe and touch of the ball. For the life in me I wouldn't consider that a new phase of play. I don't know for sure but I couldn't see the referee consoling him by saying he could have used his hands and prevented the goal. That would have made Pears feel even worse in my opinion.

Is it Eric Winstanley?

He probably will but he wasn't signed to play for the under 21's. We signed three centre halves in January and between them they probably haven't reached double figures in first team appearances.

Indirect free from ten yards out, no yellow card.