arbitro

The Americans have the measure of England tactically. Southgate is doing a fair impression of Tomasson here with the inane passing and walking football whilst the Yanks are playing through the lines with pace.

The match on now between Qatar and Senegal is being played in a stadium that looks about a quarter full. FIFA will however spring it a several thousand above the capacity.

I can understand playing Bale but the selection of Ramsey is baffling. Since he left Arsenal he has crashed and burned and has had very little football in the last few years. How Wales could have done with the energy and drive of someone like Hedges.

Please could Ian to advise me how to get vomit out of a Rovers shirt. I wore it to the last game and the result and performance made me sick.

You could be right Jack. Normally when something as radical as this happens there is a warning given. Perhaps they have kept it quiet because strictly speaking in Law the referee is the sole arbiter of time. To change this it would require IFAB to come up with the amendment when they convene in the Summer.

Although it's not National League what about this from Darwen. It's a replica from the kit worn in the excellent English Game series on Netflix.

I firmly expect the longer periods of added time we are seeing to percolate down to our domestic football soon. In truth though I always think when we are seeing inordinate additional time (when there haven't been any obvious long stoppages) it's usually a failing on the referees part who hasn't managed restarts correctly. In this World Cup there has been little of the restart delays we see here. I find it infuriating when players kick the ball away after a free kick concession or standing on the ball to prevent a quick free kick.

An interesting article regarding the proposed football reform which hasn't happened yet despite promises after a government white paper in the Summer simply hasn't materialised. https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/football-clubs-miss-out-365m-28567193

The Forest game has been confirmed for Wednesday 21st December and in fairness the prices are decent. With adults at £12, Seniors £5, 18-23's £5 and under 18's £2. https://www.rovers.co.uk/news/2022/november/23/forest-cup-clash-confirmed/

I certainly do and my points were a dig at Tomasson. I read somewhere that he wants to replicate a way of playing from the seniors down but having watched the Under 21's four times recently this simply isn't the case.

Once again the youngsters showed great character and resolve to get a result. Coming from behind to win against a decent team was encouraging. Interestingly the way we played (and have in the games I've seen this season) bears little resemblance to how the seniors play. We aren't afraid to go long when we have to and we don't really overplay and take unnecessary risks. Hopefully Jake Batty wasn't too seriously injured although he was in a lot of pain as they immobilised his left leg.

A point regularly missed when we are accused of buying the Premier League is that lots of the players we bought (Shearer, Sutton, Le Saux to name a few) were sold on at a huge profit. In truth nearly every Premier League winner buys it but very few have a trading profit on their players.

Another valid reason to curse the day they darkened our door.

Am I right in saying we haven't beat that lot since we were infected with the Venky Virus?

It was indeed a really young team who held their own and fully deserved a draw despite playing over half the game with ten men. Porto were pretty good with their gamesmanship and were frustrated at the end and tried to take this out on the Rovers players at the final whistle when a melee developed. All in all a decent watch and it was good to see a fully committed Rovers team after the sham performance on Sunday.

Thomason left Scott out and played Mola because of his pace against Burnley's quick wide men. Then we defended on the edge of our box for most of the game because of Ayala's lack of pace. There is some perverse logic from Tomasson somewhere.

For these matches I usually park on Bolton Road itself. The restrictions are lifted after 7 pm

As proved in every game this season scoring first is critical if we are to have a chance. How ridiculous is that though. In truth I'm still feeling really despondent after the Claret capitulation so much that my confidence in Tomasson is waning. He simply has to come up with something different, something new that replaces the predictable, tedious and slow play we have endured in many games.

Age is irrelevant when we are talking about the game Tomasson wants us to play. Quite simply too many aren't up to it and it's our managers total denial and insistence that we keep doing it.

You have highlighted several points that many others have which in their opinion cost us on Sunday. And that is all many are doing, criticising his team selection and tactics. And your wider point about them scoring first is highlighting another big weakness that Tomasson has whereby we just haven't looked like getting back into and game where we have conceded first.

How many have called for his head? He and the team have received criticism and rightly so. The reality check is that we have suffered our worst derby defeat since 1963 and did so without a fight.. Tomasson's team selection and tactics also contributed massively to the defeat.

It's normally a few hundred but we'll worth watching. For the match at Leyland it's free for season ticket holders.

The under 21's are playing Porto at Ewood on Wednesday with a 7 pm kick off and Aston Villa at Leyland on Saturday with a 1 pm start. Quite often these are better games than the first team and really enjoyable. It might satisfy your live football fix for a week of the Winter break.

So far this season Burnley have dropped points to Luton, Hull, Watford, Blackpool, West Brom, Preston, Cardiff, Stoke, Birmingham and Sheffield United. That's ten games where opponents, mostly with weaker squads have competed physically and tactically to do enough to get results. Yesterday were were out run, out thought and given a lesson in the way I think Tomasson wants to play.

Adam Wharton absolutely not injured.