It's been said several times that something about this deal just isn't right. The fee, the timing of the first bid and then the loan to buy agreement left quite a few feeling uncomfortable. In addition the story that a middle man was appointed by Forest to sell him and that Brereton didn't want to go. If there is some truth in Jim's information then Rovers have taken significant steps backwards in my opinion.

I really couldn't understand keeping him on today when he was clearly injured with what appeared to be a hamstring problem. The same thing happened twice last season with Lenihan (at Southend) and Chapman (at Wigan). Both of them were serious injuries which could well have been made worse by staying on.

That's exactly how I see it, a huge challenge for Mowbray. To an extent Mowbrays reputation is on the line as he has always been conservative in the fees paid for his signings and the £7m fee could be an albatross around his neck too.

I think it's more of an expectation of competence befitting a professional footballer. Brereton has so far failed in the basics but I certainly don't blame him. The fee was nothing to do with him but clearly is weighing heavily on his shoulders and he just doesn't look comfortable in his 'wide striker' role. Mowbray has to take him out of the firing line, go back to basics at Brockhall with him and give him game time in the under 23's. I see this as potentially Mowbrays biggest challenge at Ewood but certainly managing Brereton as he has is doing the player or the club no favours.

I don't know where you sit but around where I sit in the JW Upper fans were as critical of Palmer as they were Brereton. Neither are worthy of a place on the bench and after Mowbrays comments I'll be surprised if Palmer stays with us but we are stuck with Brereton.

Since the season started I have consistently said we need 50 points quickly otherwise we will have a difficult last few months. Mowbrays comments about potential signings in January reinforced my line of thinking as without decent new blood I believe the struggle will be greater.

We had a two v one situation with Graham and Brereton towards the home dug out which they screwed up completely. I looked at Mowbray who had his head in his hands. I thought his gesture was a reaction to Brereton for failing to do something relatively simple.

Mowbray is the only manager I have heard talk about 'wide strikers', it's like a description he has invented to justify playing players out of position. Both Armstrong and Brereton fall into this category and while the former look ok in patches the latter has generally been abysmal. Mowbray is far too clever at times and on this occasion he needs to swallow his pride to possibly prevent spoiling a young players career.

I quite enjoy he game today and thought we would have been decent value for a draw but I thought Mowbray got it wrong today with his changes. We were looking fine and matching Norwich but when Evans went off I just can't fathom why we didn't go like for like with Rodwell. Instead we had a couple of positional changes that we didn't need. Reed was giving us really good width and we were stretching them. It's almost like Mowbray is trying to justify the Brereton signing by bringing him on come what may but today I honestly think the personnel and positional changes cost us. Reed and Graham were excellent today with our full backs much improved from last week. Dacks body language after the goal worried me with the window opening soon. He looked desperately unhappy with the manner which we conceded. Brereton needs some under 23 football and Mowbray has to swallow his pride and play him there. He is shorn of confidence and his body language tells it's own story.

I have just noticed that Newcastle play the Rags on January 2nd with an 8 pm kick off. Hopefully this influences Benitez with his selection.

There are more southern based but at least ten clubs are within 100 miles of Accrington.

It appears that Accrington have the losing ticket in the EFL fixture tombola. Last Saturday they were at Southend and today at Yeovil. It makes a mockery of the notion that clubs prefer long distance games in midweek.

The downside is that some Rovers fans (I spoke to one yesterday) are tempted to take their £39 tickets back and watch it at home with friends. And I don't blame them one bit.

If Millwall on January 12th is free I'll do it.

Confirmation of the above but surprisingly Rovers only have a few hundred tickets left. https://www.rovers.co.uk/news/2018/december/leeds-game-to-be-streamed-live-on-ifollow/

After a Rovers win my greatest hope is that it is Norwich nil. However given our propensity to concede I honestly can't see that. So I think we will have to score a few goals to win which means being on the front foot from the outset, something I doubt will happen. It looks likely that Graham, Dack or Mulgrew will have to once again come to the fore and get us some goals.

Would West Ham or Palace probably double his wages? If Rovers accept an offer I think he would be off in a flash particularly if it was a London club. Isn't he also back with the bimbo?

He played like a painter yesterday, in fact more like a master painter. ?

The logic of putting him on was correct by Mowbray. Two up and seemingly comfortable with no real pressure on him. The basics weren't even there. Whether it's the pressure of the fee, something in his head or anything else but clearly the lad has a big problem. I'm not attaching any blame to him for the debacle of the last 25 minutes but in the bigger picture Brereton is becoming a real worry and potentially an Albatross around Mowbrays neck.

For the life in me I just can't fathom out why he went for the ball with his feet rather than diving to punch the ball away. Two massively wrong decisions by Raya who, despite his excellent reflexes and shot stopping shows more frailties than strengths in my opinion.

At the risk of going over old ground mate I see nothing in him that gives me any optimism that he has anything to offer. Today he looked cumbersome and his touch was poor. I watched some of his movement off the ball and his runs invariably didn't give us many options to bring him into the game. He was one of a triumvirate of Rovers players who had Jota trapped near the corner but still allowed him to pass the ball through them. This lead to the penalty.

Players need games for a variety of reasons and Brereton has has very little game time this season. His sharpness, match fitness and probably confidence will inevitably suffer as a result. I don't see any harm at all in giving him a few midweek outings along with several others who just aren't getting enough minutes on the pitch.

I really can't make my mind up - is he an artist or a soldier? ?

I've just seen the Birmingham penalty on Sky and it looks worse than when I saw it in real time. Raya's kicking was poor today also and he was embarrassingly nearly deceived by a bouncing ball in the first half. His performance should give Mowbray a decision to make for next Saturday.

In the cold light of day Jack a point was decent because I was convinced we would lose after their equaliser. I think the majority of level headed fans realise what we need in respect of new players but maybe it's time Mowbray looked at bringing in players with the right mentality along with ability. How many of his signings would you want in the trenches with you?