It's strange how things can be seen so differently. After about twenty minutes I thought our midfield was stronger than theirs and certainly in the second half we controlled that area. Buckley got caught in possession a couple of times in the early part but after that I thought he was fine. I really think a lot of minds were made up about Forshaw before he kicked a ball and at Oxford he was poor (as were the majority) but yesterday I thought he was good. He made some good challenges and kept the ball moving very rarely giving it away. As the discussion was about him and Cantwell I personally would prefer Forshaw in games where we will have to scrap, be aggressive and match their physicality. Cantwell fails in all three areas for me.

Forshaw was good yesterday and contributed a lot to the team effort and collective. Cantwell doesn't. Did you actually see yesterday's game?

Your are swapping an arthritic statue for a show pony who plays with divers boots on? Seriously I would rather play Forshaw than Cantwell. At least he is a team player and doesn't play for himself.

About 2.50 pm yesterday the Bristol City stadium announcer introduced and gave a brief biography about an ex Bristol City player called Dariusz Dziekanowski who was then welcomed on to the pitch. He was there to receive his legacy cap for playing for them. It was in a frame and just like an international cap. He then walked around the pitch to receive warm applause and there was even a banner on display bearing his name. It got me thinking about what we actually do on match days for ex players and apart from the half time draw (when most are on the concourse) with some banile questions. Could something like legacy caps for ex players be brought up at the next Fans Forum and the possibility of them being awarded.

But why would you assume that any new signings would be behind Travis and Tronstad if they are better players? Both have been really good this season but to improve we have to bring in better players irrespective of where they play. If O'Brien does (miraculously) sign will be be back up to them? The only concession I would make us that there are other positions we need to improve on as a priority. But it is my belief that this simply won't matter as on February 3rd we will all be, once again disappointed.

Surely we should be signing players to improve the quality of the squad and increase competition for places. I don't want players who are a 'back up', I want players who will improve us.

We were right behind the free kick for their first goal and I said to my granddaughter that Pears was offering his right side to Twine. If he hadn't had been sloth like moving his feet he would have saved it. There was no pace on the ball and it was low down so for me it should have been an bread and butter save. It's on Pears, nobody else.

Most unusual for me after a defeat but purposely stayed after the final whistle to applaud the team. We deserved something from the game and the contrast in performance from the Oxford match was stark. Yesterday the players gave it their all and this included a few who clearly wouldn't have played had we had some strength in depth. Eustace too deserves praise for putting out a team and coming up with a system that on another day would have got us something. The players and staff are so deserving of our support simply by getting us to where we are and still in with a shout of getting something despite the efforts of the cretins at Ewood and in India to derail another season. These people are the real enemies of Rovers and if we do drop down the league it's on them as it has been for several years now. Eustace, his staff and the players aren't stupid. They can see exactly where the problem lies and that three weeks have been wasted, three weeks when some new, quality players would likely have contributed to earn us some points from these recent defeats. F*** Waggott, Pasta (or whatever his name is this week), Gestede and the Punekars.

I think it will be and perhaps they are identifying decent players but I can't help but think there is a huge void after that via Swag, Gestede, Pasha and the owners as they prevaricate over potential fees and contracts. I dread to think of any of the three stooges in negotiations with other clubs and players agents. Either way move on, there's nothing to see here.

There are four months between the August and January windows. Targets should have been identified and approaches made as soon as possible. Too many are falling for the official club rhetoric of it being a difficult window. Lots of other clubs don't view it that way and have got deals done. The only certainty in the window will be the disenchantment of many fans and possibly Eustace too. And the latter could have disastrous consequences.

I'm certainty not my friend. My expectations based on previous years are as low as can be and stay that way. The vast majority knew of the urgency of new players weeks ago and with ten days to go we have next to nothing. Waggott was yesterday, in my view trying to temper expectations but anybody can see through him.

Eustace has said Travis has had a full week training. Providing there is no reaction by tomorrow he should definitely start in my view. He will undoubtedly add a lot to the team with his presence and should he start will be an important factor in getting a result.

He has his pride and reputation to consider. His good work is in danger of blowing up due to a situation out of his control.

On nights like tonight it would be way to look at the players and management and be critical but for me that is missing the real point. Anybody with half a brain can see the bigger picture and who the real villains are here. Years ago I read an article entitled 'What is the point of Tottenham Hotspur?' and the gist was why do they exist. They frustrate, lack ambition and year after year seem to go through the motions. That article could say Rovers right now. What is the purpose of a football club without ambition, without structure, without investment and the worst of all disinterested owners. We are kidding ourselves here that the club is looking to improve, to bring in quality players and to kick on. It won't happen whilst these horrible people are here - history tells us that. I'm more convinced now that unless something miraculous happens in the next two weeks and we bring in some real quality then Eustace will walk away. The club simply cannot carry on in it's current guise and hope to be successful.

He could have been but what has he to gain by it. If he has deliberately misled people surely he knew it would come back and bite him.

I've never understood this leave it late policy neither. Targets will have been identified since August so there has to be a sound knowledge of who we want. But it's the same every January window - as time moves on the urgency becomes greater and panic signings arrive on the last day. If anyone behind the scenes and the owners had any semblance of ambition the signings would have been made and we could have had them in for a few games now. I don't but this theory that prices are cheaper as the window gets closer to closing. It's going to be mainly loans. I was told that Pasha was telling people in the lounges against Portsmouth that Asante-Thomas was having a medical last Friday. If it's true (and I have no reason to doubt my friends word) then why didn't it happen? My guess is the Punekars wouldn't sign it off.

Read your post back to yourself.

I'm really not sure why you would post something so antagonistic. It adds nothing to any debate.

His ball retention is poor. I don't know the stats but I would hazard a guess that he has lost/given the ball away more than any other player (although Dolan might run him close). He is too much of a luxury player for me which would be acceptable if he was doing the business but he just hasn't delivered what he was brought in to do. I was amazed he played the full game on Saturday given the way the game was going.

I have just about brought myself to watch the highlights (or lowlights in our case) and what on earth is Beck doing for the goal. He turns away from the free kick instead of standing up when he could have headed it away or at least get it in the face. Really weak from him and his body language as the ball hits the net tells me he knew it.

He did say something similar after he signed his new deal according to this. https://www.oufc.co.uk/news/cameron-brannagan-signs-new-contract-extend-his-stay

The best player on the pitch yesterday by a mile was Cameron Branagan. He absolutely dominated us. As I recall we were linked with him in the summer but, as usual nothing came of it. There are lots of players out there who will improve us but the way the club is run it's become a very difficult process to actually get them in. Step forward Suhail and Gestede.

It hasn't been a great start for Duru. Losing yesterday afternoon and his manager sacked in the evening.

Aside from his first couple of years at Norwich he has flattered to deceive. The last few games have pretty much proved this to me. His lackadaisical attitude is not what we need and I get the distinct impression that other players are thinking just that too.

A nice full English on the way down, a really comfortable drive and a parking spot three minutes walk from the ground - the day was good up to then and it went downhill very quickly after about 3.05 on when I was sure it was going to be a tortuous afternoon. And so it transpired. We were shockingly bad and for me only three players come away with any semblance of credit (Brittain, Hyam and Batth), the rest should be embarrassed. We lost too many individual battles all over the pitch and couldn't handle Oxford's movement as their players found space all over the pitch. In truth a 1-0 defeat was quite flattering to us and only in the last knockings did we apply any sort of pressure with a few corners and even then the delivery was poor. But a bigger blow could be losing Tronstad (a friend asked Eustace after the match how long he would be out and Eustace said 'a while' but he said Travis could be back for Bristol). With Buckley and Forshaw in midfield we were pedestrian and had no creativity whatsoever. My biggest frustration(apart from the result) was the performance of Cantwell. I don't like to hammer players but how on earth did he last the whole game today? He was shocking, a pouting show pony who simply wasn't anywhere near the standard I expect from a Rovers player. He looked lazy, lethargic and at times disinterested. Not a team player for me in a league where everyone needs to be. The number of times he lost possession and didn't seem interested in winning it back really riled me. His fancy flicks and little turns into trouble had me raging at times. Oxford fully deserved their win today and I'd be surprised if they haven't had a more comfortable game this season despite the narrow win. It's back to the drawing board now but Eustace isn't being helped by the lack of transfer activity as his frustration appears to be growing. Oxford gave three debuts to January signings today so it can be done. We just have owners, advisors and executives who can't see the urgency. Shame on them.