arbitro

All tickets go off sale at 5 pm.

It was bitterly cold at Leyland today and the game didn't really do a lot to take my mind off the cold. We were the better team in the first half but it was a particularly low bar with Newcastle looking poor. We should have had more than the one goal we had as we created some decent chances. Newcastle made a couple of changes at half time and it was a role reversal from them as they were the better side and caused us problems. They deservedly equalised and at that point you would have said there was only going to be one winner and it wasn't us. We made a couple of changes and started to get back into the game and the winner came from a Gilsenan near post corner headed home smartly by Nsangou. It was pleasing to see Isaac Whitehall back on the pitch although clearly it's going to take him some time to get up to speed after such a lengthy period out. Joe Hilton made some really good saves in the second half to keep us in the game. Another highlight was Gilsenan almost scoring from forty yards as he saw the keeper off his line and tried to chip it over him but it just drifted narrowly wide.

The under 21 team to be announced soon for today's game will give a strong indication of who will be on the bench tomorrow.

I don't think that conceding in open play irrespective of how we play is the problem. Defensive set pieces has been the real Achilles Heel for me. Wahlstadt has been exposed more by crosses than any other aspect of his game, in fact in general his shot stopping is decent. I do believe though that the players are more jittery knowing that the opposition are going to exploit this and that his failings have a detrimental effect their confidence too.

To a lesser degree that is what happened in the Summer as we didn't build on what we had. We'd had our best season for a decade, did really well in both cups and the sensible fans felt we could really kick on under Tomasson. A couple of good signings would have done it for me. Then the errant ones, once again pull the rug from underneath us and destabilise the whole club by slashing budgets and once again we have to scratch around for the scraps others don't want.

Rovers fans flying the flag at Zwolle yesterday.

It's only digital for away fans which is Wrexham's own decision. As a Rovers fan you could have digital, a paper ticket or even your season card upgraded so you can use that.

I agree Gav and to me it represents proper history. I wasn't interested in the Battle of Hastings and the like when I was at school but reliving some of those stories from the 80's fascinates me. Early in my Football League refereeing days I refereed Rotherham against Chesterfield (1996 I think) and I keep hearing the chant 'scab, scab, scab' and didn't really understand the connotation behind it. I asked some Rotherham fans in the bar after the game and was told in no uncertain terms why they were still vitriolic towards anything from Derbyshire.

We made quite a significant amount of money in the FA Cup matches last season along with the plethora of live league games. Sadly none of it was given to improve the squad but instead it went to reduce the owners financial input (as per Waggott's confirmation to the FF).

I watched the first episode on Thursday and found it compelling - I can't wait for the next episode. It was pretty much warts and all as it focussed on Shirebrook but next week is about Orgreave.

I have just listed what I think is the strongest starting eleven in no particular order. With those available it would be 4-2-3-1.

Pears, JRC, Hyam, Wharton S, Chrisene, Tronstad, Wharton A, Garrett, Dolan, Gallagher, Szmodics.

Of course they should be up for it, any player should. It's just that they wouldn't figure in my starting eleven as I believe we have better. I'm certain that Tomasson won't be taking Wrexham lightly irrespective of what league they are in.

Sorry I can't agree. This represents a chance of progressing in the FA Cup and gives us all something to get behind and if we get through another chance to make some money. I will be hugely surprised and disappointed of Tomasson doesn't go with his strongest available team.

I wouldn't have described his performance as poor but he lacks a lot of awareness particularly defensively. We have better options I think.

Rovers have miraculously found more tickets for Wrexham. I wonder now if this lessens the chance of marauding Welshmen buying home tickets the club will allow home fans to buy tickets up to kick off. Somehow I doubt it 🤔. https://www.wrexhamafc.co.uk/news/2024/january/ticket-update---additional-blackburn-rovers-a-allocation-on-sale-from-12pm-tomorrow/

I agree with the first four games but Sigurdsson and Ayari simply haven't done enough recently to warrant a place in my opinion. I thought Atcheson had his best game that I have seen him have and the watching Tomasson can't fail to have been impressed. We only have two first team centre halves available for Monday so Atcheson would be my first back up player to those two.

I pretty much echo Parsonblue's comments. Alongside Atcheson at centre half was Charlie Olson who I thought had a really good game and was made captain. Dolans energy was excellent considering the length of time he has been out - he should start on Monday in my opinion.

I think we are still a football club so here is tonight's under 21 team. After all the grim recent news it will be good to watch a game involving a Rovers team tonight.

Based on the previous 13 years and the fact we are at the whim and mercy of an Indian judge to simply get through the next few months I'm afraid anyone who is expecting a whole raft of signings with the Wharton fee is going to be disappointed. I honestly don't think it's the right move at all for him but the errant ones won't give a toss. He is seen by them as a temporary saviour to the whole mess that is Rovers.

I wonder if Connor O'Riordan will be eligible to play against Sparta Prague tonight.

Some smart almost predatory finishes there. Hopefully we put in a few more corners and free kicks for him to get on the end of.

Whatever happened to the poster of a few years ago who said he was going somewhere in Asia (Bahrain I think) to find a buyer for Rovers. He even copied some pictures from an airport and posted them to try and prove he was in that particular country. Some sleuths on here sussed out his deceit and challenged him on his fantasy. He seemed to be a Walter Mitty type, did he resurface and change his name to Waggott? 😂😂

That's the first I've seen about any interest recently - is this public knowledge?

The perverse logic I guess is that no Wrexham fans would arrive that early. As demonstrated against that lot last season and Leeds this season if away fans want to go in the home ends they will. Even if it did happen surely the club can deal with it rather than turn down an opportunity to make more revenue. It's easier for the people in power down there to try and avoid any hassle by taking a sledgehammer to a walnut.