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.

Really pleasing first half. It’s not always about flowing football and dominating teams - to be successful you have to be tactically savvy and alter your approach for the situation. Big credit to Hedges (2 assists in 2 games for him), he makes that goal, well finished also. Back four look solid, let’s hope same again in the second half.

Having been at the game and watched it with my own eyes, I can’t believe the ‘Pickering lost the ball 20 times in 90 minutes’ stat. He had a decent game without being as impressive as Brittain down the other flank. I do agree with the scapegoating comment - Rovers fans always have to have someone to negatively focus on. I like Pickering and whilst he clearly has areas to in, he’s shown us that he’s got some quality and he’s still young enough to improve a lot.

If the premise of imminent first team Championship football at his young age isn’t enough for Phillips to sign a contract with us, I’d question whether he has the faith in his own ability. I’m hoping that the Spurs thing is all rumours, he signs his contract here and proves his worth. But the odds are currently in his favour to get some game time here, if he wants to stick around…

I think it's premature to suggest that. All of the signings so far made mention of 'it's been in the pipeline for a while now...' and I'm sure that's the case for the CB situation as well. You'd like to expect some progress in the next week or so, but let's work on the presumption that the work is going on in the background and hope we see some results in the near future.