Over the course of this awful run I haven't really seen much evidence that the players aren't working hard enough. The difference to me is the tempo we played at last night compared to recent weeks. And in my opinion that is primarily down to the players who are picked. Smallwood and Evans just haven't got the speed of thought or good enough first touch to play a high tempo, pressing game. Reed is perfect for that style of play and Travis compliments this perfectly. Some pace around the pitch is also requisite in this type of game and last night showed we do have some pace which Derby struggled with. The biggest lesson for Mowbray from last night was that Smallwood and Evans together seriously impede us.

Pace, intensity, pressing and movement. We have been severely lacking in these areas for some time now and tonight we saw them in abundance. As poor as we were in central midfield on Saturday we were the polar opposite tonight which is simply down to personnel. Reed was terrific and is fundamental to a high press at the tip of the diamond. Travis was full of energy and tackled like his life depended on it. He was sloppy in possession a couple of times but that aside was very good. Rothwell excites me when he runs at opponents. He runs a bit blind at times but give me that type of player anytime. Conway was good tonight although I wouldn't give him a new deal. Dack grew into the game and his footwork in tight areas was good to watch. Hopefully he learns from the nonsense of the last few days and stays away from Instatwitter or whatever it's called and remembers who pays his wages and his duty to them. We looked as solid as we have for some time against a side with some good attacking players. Mowbray simply has to see the error of his ways and keep Smallwood and Evans away from the starting eleven. It was an enjoyable evening and, as football does gave us all a high after weeks of lows.

Scoring first in any game is important but looking at our home games so far we have only come from behind twice and then only drew (Reading and Rotherham). We have almost gone full circle from pre Christmas when we conceded lots of late goals to recently conceding early goals. There was a perceived mental weakness with the late goals but I honestly don't know why we have started conceding early too. Either way it shows another huge weakness in the squad and one I fully expect Lampard to be aware of and look to exploit. I can't see anything other than a defeat with Mowbray saying we played well, worked hard yadda, yadda.

My daughter and granddaughter actually went to the Blackburn End having not checked their tickets. They were directed to the Blackburn End side of the JW Upper. They sat amongst parents and kids from her school but they said there were a few other schools there too.

I think you are right but surely the integrity of the competition should be brought into question with the very people who should uphold the standards. Any of the clubs involved in the relegation scrap with them should complain about this. I wonder which EFL budget the money came from and what guarantees do they have to ensure payment (presumably with interest).

I honestly think he would be under more pressure had we started the season in the form we are in now. There seems to be a contentment amongst many because they expected us to be in the position we are now and therefore their own expectation has been met. I'd be surprised if this isn't the line being spun to the Indians from Mowbray and Waggott. But I it runs much deeper than that with some of us having an eye on next season and very little confidence in Mowbray to bring in the quantity and quality to rebuild the squad to kick us on. His over reliance on League One standard players and tying the club to ridiculous contracts means the playing budget will have to increase massively to bring in the type of players we need. Will that be sanctioned by the owners? I have very little faith in his ability to construct a new squad. He seems to be stuck in a footballing time warp.

Well that hamstring soon healed. A touch of Lazarus there for Dacky. I wish Mowbray would pick up his staff and walk. ???

But avoidable if Mowbray hadn't decided to reward average Joe's for doing their jobs and winning football matches (for which they would have been handsomely rewarded with win and promotion bonuses). I've enjoyed debating these aspects in a civilised manner with you. The next few weeks and summer may well define the next few years for our club. Either way I'm sure it will be revisited by us.

But could the likes of Smallwood and Williams earn what we are paying them given they are essentially League One at best. That's why I'm saying they could sit on their contracts and take the money. Even sending them out on loan would cost us. I'm not bracketing them with the big earners of yesteryear but the process of getting rid might be the same given the security they have. And don't forget we will have Hart, Grayson, Wharton and Fisher back and I have a recollection of the first three being given new deals this season too.

The players out of contract are a red herring if you are talking about them being replaced. Leutwiler has hardly started in the league (1 game is it) and Fisher will be coming back anyway. Gladwin hasn't kicked a ball this season. Conway and Rodwell haven't started too many games and Downing was considered not good enough. The numbers won't reduce sufficiently enough to bring in a large number of players unless we get rid of the ones now playing who clearly aren't good enough. But as I have said they have very little value to get a decent fee for any of them and I'd be staggered if they could get anywhere near what we are paying them. That's why I think we might have to pay them up to get shut of them as they will sit tight. Mowbray was absolutely wrong to reward these players with new, improved deals and I believe they will become another millstone around our necks.

Finding out the team at 18.45 will be interesting. Will Dack still have an injured heart string, sorry hamstring? Where will Bennett play? Will the two crabs occupy the engine room? Will Charlie Boy have recovered from his sprained ego? Will Rothwell be the scapegoat? Will our best midfielder be stuck on the bench? I honestly can't see anything for us given the general malaise at Ewood.

Gladwin's the one who I said was permanently injured - I wasn't being flippant I really couldn't remember his name. I'll give you a Graham on the bench but what is the point of the others? If you aren't good enough to start then you shouldn't be on the bench in my opinion. Assuming we bring six (I reckon we need eight) in who are ready to hit the ground running we will have a bloated squad. And where will the plethora of youngsters who have been given deals play? We will also have Grayson and Wharton back in the summer. I envisage a bottleneck at every level next season primarily down to Mowbray awarding extensions to a group of players who aren't good enough.

Aside from Conway, Downing and him that's injured I don't think there are any more out of contract. And the way he was bigging Conway up last week it wouldn't surprise me if he got offered a deal. Last weeks announcement that we spent over £400k on agents fees included players who signed new deals. And if we have to pay some of the current ones up that will cost us dearly. However you view it Mowbray has put Rovers in a poor position with his dealings. As far as new contracts go Mowbray has painted the club into a corner.

And his analysis is good. For too long our play has been predictable and far to easy to play against. To many of our players need a few touches before they have decided on their next pass which invariably is square or backwards. They got away with it in League One but now against better players they are found wanting. We have regressed this season primarily down to Mowbrays loyalty stance for which we will be paying for a long time. His stubbornness is holding us back and I can't honestly see us progressing with him here. The old adage of 'taking the club as far as he can' has never applied more.

The highlighted sentence is what is really concerning me. We are stuck with the players you mention (and others) who Mowbray naively gave new, improved contracts to and Dack aside none of them have any saleable value and are unlikely to earn what we are paying them elsewhere. I think we need up to eight new players which will give us a bloated squad with potentially a huge wage bill. The knock on effect will be that no youngsters will get near the first team. I can see some of his old guard being paid off. Overriding that though I simply don't trust Mowbray to pretty much build a new team. His record in the transfer market is poor, borne out by so many regular starters since he came were already here. And he has spent around £10m. He has to go for me now.

Mowbray has gone public twice in recent weeks about Rothwell not tracking back and insulted the player by calling him a little boy. He used Bennett and Conway as examples of getting back to help defensively. So (in true Mowbray "I know best" fashion) yesterday he played Rothwell out wide and Bennett as number ten. At times Mowbray is a walking, talking contradiction with his ramblings. After an hour yesterday there was a summit between Mowbray, Venus and Lowe and I fully expected a change of shape with two positive changes. On 73 minutes he goes like for like with Travis for Smallwood and on 77 minutes Brereton for Nyambe. When I saw the board go up I thought we'd go to three at the back but Bennett went to full back and I still don't know where Brereton was supposed to be playing. As far as I'm concerned it's another example of the absolute fear with which Mowbray manages.

My daughter and granddaughters Next Generation tickets were in the JW Upper. I thought all these were going to be in the Blackburn End upper tier.

Mowbray is insulting our intelligence if he thinks we really believe Dack was injured. I heard he was late reporting for the team meeting and told to go. Mowbray reverted to type today with the Evans/Smallwood axis which frankly was poor. Evans is a coward of a footballer as he takes the easy option nearly every time he passes the ball. Smallwood simply isn't good enough. Alone with Bennett they contributed the square root of nothing. If those three are better than Reed I'll plait blancmange. Rothwell promised much but delivered little but the three shots we had in the first half were all from him. Games are invariably won or lost in midfield and our sorry bunch must be the worst in the Championship. The quality of our crossing is shocking. I can't recall anything of note in the last few games. Hit the first man, too low, too high or over hit. Danny Graham looked exasperated today. The body language of several players at the final whistle wasn't good and I can't see us getting above three points for the rest of the season as Mowbray looks pretty clueless on the touchline.

And then will he play some of the kids? Them goalposts must be worn away now as they get shifted every few days.

The triangles and round the corner passes are great to watch. And at a guess they have half a team of foreigners who didn't cost a lot. Aligned with some very good coaching and a system that suits the players. I believe these are the main ingredients for promotion from this league.

Do they call it the curse of the OK magazine (or something like that). In all honesty though who really cares. It's about time he put a performance in and put all his focus on progressing his career.

They have them now. They were sent to the schools for distribution.

They haven't been told anything Stuart. In fairness that could be poor communication from the school.

He is still harping on about fine margins and mentioning three 1-0 successive home defeats as if they have turned into moral victories. Also the players whose poor form contributed to the awful run are being trusted to win games now.

My daughter and granddaughter applied and were told they were successful but as of yesterday evening they hadn't got the tickets. I don't know if it's down to the school or Rovers but either way it seems poor.