As good as the first few games have been, that first half was worse than anything that a TM side ever produced. We haven't coped with their pressing, we look disorganised at set pieces and the front 3 have been absolutely dire. If scouts are here to watch BB, he isn't getting a move this window. MUST be better second half...

Strange comment, based on how they've both started this season - Hedges in particular.

I did feel that a lot of people were jumping to early conclusions on this - as I said days ago, JDT is no fool and won’t play AP if he’s on the verge of walking away, injury crisis or not. Deal still needs to be signed, but if AP has decided himself that staying with us for a couple of years and earning his big move is preferable to playing for Spurs U23s (with the money that comes with that), then fair fucks to him. Shows that he does indeed have a sensible head on his very young shoulders.

One thing that would be (slightly) interesting to know is whether we had to pay Forest on the 'international honours' clause on the deal? Believe it was intended (possibly written) as 'England caps', so not sure if we would have paid out on this, with the whole Chile thing. If we're promoted - and he's still here - we will owe them a couple of million. But as things stand, we've not paid anywhere near the £7m/£8m that seems to get bandied about a lot for him.

If he's got anything about him (and any confidence in his fitness/injury status), he would jump at the chance of a 'pay as you play' initial contract. I'd have him, if the terms were right for us, absolutely.

Brittain was heat exhaustion and Philips was cramp, so I’d be very surprised if they don’t make Weds. However, we do need numbers in defence pretty sharpish.

You’d like to think that he’ll be far too good to play for Wales, when England is the alternative. I think it depends on how much confidence the lad, his family and his representative have in his ability. If they’re worried that he may only get this one opportunity for a bigger move, he’ll go and play for Spurs reserves. But if they think he’ll be the player we suspect he’ll become, the sensible thing to do would be to star for Rovers for a couple of years before earning his big move. One thing I will say, JDT is no fool and, even with the injury crisis, if he felt that the player didn’t want to be here or was about to move, he wouldn’t be starting games for us.

You're right, but legally at least, we have to do the right thing. And besides, as a professional sportsman, a pint should be the last thing on his mind!

I did think this in the first half. Brittain did things in the first half than Nyambe never will. Also fully agree with the above point on how many people we’re committing to attack phases and also the sharp, concise build up play.

Good bit of play by Pickering at CB then. If we can hold onto this now…

Can’t finish, that lad, apparently. Superb so far, a dull match but we’ve been solid and clinical. Let’s keep it going.

Pretty sure he set at least one up (for Gallagher?) when we smashed Wednesday at Hillsborough. Top of my head, there might be more. He is shit at RB, but there is a player somewhere in there, in a different position.

It’s one I’m really looking forward to, somebody above mentioned a good barometer to measure JDT’s progress with the squad he has available to him. I’d prefer to see the same side that beat Swansea, but we’ll be playing a much more positive, high pressing game on Sunday. Wouldn’t be surprised to see us play 5 at the back, with Pickering tucked in and Edun getting up and down the flank. Would be very surprised to see Gallagher dropped; no other forward in the squad offers the same work ethic. Heart says 2-1 win, head says draw.

Doesn't make it any less true, though.

I chucked a fiver on (hence why I was keeping an eye on it), combined with Dack to score and Rovers to win - voided the horse, but I'll make a few quid on the second bit.

That horse you backed was a non-runner though 😄

He’s kept clean sheets and had good performances in the Championship for both us and Boro. He had an unbelievably bad game against Wigan last season - as in, I’d have legitimately done better - but one game defines the rest of his career?

He's highly rated and tipped to be a future star - would have been a very good move for us, if legit. However, if we've pulled out, it should mean that we've identified a better option...

I was coming on to say the same thing. Yes, the Wigan match was beyond awful, but it’s only fair to recognise that he’d had a few good games prior to that.

Were Valencia not one of the clubs linked with BBD? The money from this deal might bring them back to the table...

Sure I read someone trying to downplay Hedges' second assist yesterday, so I went back and looked at it again. Absolute peach of a ball, perfectly weighted - defender had no chance intercepting it. Said defender will be disappointed to have been muscled out by BBD, but the ball was sublime. To suggest otherwise, you're either trolling or have something against giving Hedges praise.

Not really related to anything of interest, but the buggers drawing cost me £300 on my accumulator yesterday. All other teams (including Rovers, of course) did the job 🤮

And this has been the benefit of us persevering with him cutting in from the left. Not 'playing left wing', like some folk state, but playing as a wide forward who cuts in. He can play central, but I think he's better (and more likely to get game time for a team in the Prem) on the left side of attack. Lovely goal today, including the sublime ball for the assist.

3 times - the most recent being in March 2020.

Near enough perfect away performance. Hedges outstanding.