Warner 335*. Couldn’t buy a run here. Plus Paine declared before could have a crack at Lara’s record. ??

The happiest and luckiest man tonight will be calamity Walton. He needs replacing ASAP

Just now, Proudtobeblue&white said:

Excellent result. I knew as soon as TM started reading this board, things would improve!

Sometimes people just need steering in the right direction. 

Brentford thrashing Luton 7-0. On the one hand we duffed them but on the other how they fuck did Luton beat us at home.

Eeyore has scored. Blimey  

Calamity Walton AGAIN. 

Just now, simongarnerisgod said:

you can imagine mowbray in the dressing room at moment,shaking and sweating like an alcy on the wagon,having withdrawals from this usual negativity

Part of me thinks he would accept a big defeat just to give him carte blanch to revert to type. 

Just now, K-Hod said:

Unchanged team. Now that is what I like to see.

(For the avoidance of doubt, that is me praising our manager, for a decision he has made, as apparently nobody ever does that on here).

I’m delighted we’re picking an unchanged side. Feeling more content with things. But I personally will stop short of praising a bloke for doing what every Tom, dick and Harry has been saying needs to happen for months. But at least the penny seems to have dropped 

3 hours ago, Silas said:

Archer 1 wicket of the 10.

What's happened to the golden boy @matt83?

I know he's still young and all that, but he doesn't seem to have kicked on much.

Haven't watched much but did switch on last night to see them putting up stats of how much slower he is now compared to when he burst on the scene at the Ashes.

I thought Darren Gough had gone over to help the young bowlers get better. 

It is a tad worrying when he is only bowling 80mph for long spells when he’s in for his pace. This series he’s been bowling on roads and a kookaburra ball neither he’ll have seen in a test environment. So like every other Englishman bowling in non English conditions without a duke ball he’ll have to learn.

Also I’m not sure whether he’s one of these players who only turns up if he fancies it. Certainly at an admittedly chilly old Trafford he stood there with 2 jumpers and hands in pockets which wasn’t a good look.

I still see him as our brightest prospect to replace the ageing jimmy and broad but 2 wickets at 91 isn’t great. 

Sibley missed a leg stump half volley then. Early days, but he ducked into a bouncer, got hit in the bollocks then missed a ball on leg stump which is supposed to be his strength. Rabada and Philander aren’t losing too much sleep at the minute.

I also assumed stokes was injured but as he bowled 2 yesterday and 11 today it was clearly a bizarre 5 seamer attack plan from the offset. Root is to cricket captaincy what Mowbray is to management. 

49 minutes ago, tomphil said:

3 points is good but squad harmony is more important. Better to keep rotating around to keep the cherubs happy. Every now and then we win a few and keep fans and owners happy.

Happy days Tony ain't as daft as he often sounds.

Tonebola was a professional footballer for 18 years and he’s been a manager on and off for another 18 years. So at 56 he’s been involved in professional football his whole adult life. Therefore, it would be utterly ridiculous to think we as fans know more than him about football. However, I don’t know whether it’s a case of he can’t see the wood for the trees but he does seem really really really consistently slow on the uptake for things that seem bloody obvious no brainer decisions. 

Brentford was a great example of this. Things that have been said on here, up and down the terraces, in pubs, in homes are finally tried and we look imperious. Even little things like last season we’d lost 9 from 11 everyone was saying play Travis and Reed together and he couldn’t bring himself to do it. Finally, tries it vs play off Derby and we smash them off the park. Go figure.

Hes an enigma. 

Through accident or design Tonebola managed to stumble on a team and formation that clicked.

It was hardly groundbreaking stuff in fact us mere enthusiastic amateur plebs have been saying it for months. That’s to say drop Bennett, drop Gallagher, don’t play Armstrong up front (preferably not at all), play Rothwell and where possible play people in their favoured positions.

I hope he’s seen the light. But I expect to see wingers up front, strikers on the wing and bennett to return. 

Buttler in doubt with a back strain. So that leaves Ollie pope with the gloves and a decision between Crawley as a batsman or Woakes to beef up the feeble bowling attack. 

Just now, DE. said:

By ratio 4 shots on target out of 7 might be the best we've had all season.

That’s 3 games worth of shots by usual standards. 

???

I really hope we put in a decent performance with the first sensible team Tony picked in memory. Otherwise it’ll be back to bennett, strikers on the wing and wingers up front. 

Not going well at all.

No idea why burns played that shot with 3 overs left. Or why leach didn’t review one he didn’t hit.

England have conceded 600+ 5 times in 3 years away. 3 7th wicket stands of 200+ in 2 years

Just watched the highlights. Another calamity Walton special 

Was on a hospitality do at Stanley today so missed what sounds like a total shambles. It was very Phoenix nights and Stanley are tin pot by comparison but they’re a proper club. That’s a lot more than I can say about rovers currently. 

Andy Holt came over to the table thanked us all for coming and how much he appreciated it. Every game Stanley win he makes the bar a pound a pint. Then had Coleman pre match giving a few words. Not fluent in Scouse but there was a few digs at the bolton fans there which were funny.

Can you imagine it at rovers. The owners don’t know we’re playing but if they did I’m fairly sure they’d want us to win. I remember a united fan saying to me once we’re a much better club than rovers. At the time I said no you’re not you have a better team but don’t make the mistake in thinking you’re a better club. Can’t say that anymore to anyone. 

Ps. In a nuclear holocaust the only 2 things that would survive are cockroaches and Jason Lowe. Jesus wept. How did that guy survive the cull. He gave the ball away 5 times in the first half. 

2 hours ago, Alejandro Tapia said:

To change a gaffer who is happy here os not good not yet at least let's wait andbif it's necesary by the end of the seassonwould be a better option i guess pal.

 

The problem with that is people just make excuses. The guy has overseen the worst post war run was it. Over a seasons worth of games it’s been relegation form. Wasted millions we don’t have on donkeys. He shouldn’t be here.

But you’ll hear can’t sack a guy before the Xmas run give him January to fix problems. Nothing happens. Well January is a tough window can’t sack him now at the business end of a season. Then at the end of the season it’ll be let’s see who he can buy in the summer. Then got to give him at least 

2 months with the new players (all of whom need to learn how to play the Tony way).

My personal favourite well who would come here as if we’re some team that’s sprung up  yesterday.

ps. Mowbrays happiness is zero concern. 

New Barnsley manager. Hoped it would be ours. If we fail to win I hope Mowbray does the decent thing. When you have the luxury of appointing your own boss a sacking isn’t on the cards.

My enthusiasm has totally drained. I’m sick of mogadon Mowbray and his big book of excuses. Sick of terrible football dressed up as some feeble sort of progression. Sick of useless owners. Yes men running the club. Fed up before a ball is kicked. 

Tough day for England. New Zealand starting to get the upper hand now. 

15 hours ago, Mattyblue said:

Outside London I forsee empty grounds.

That could kill it off more than anything as it won't be a good look for free to air TV...

I really hope so. The fact this sideshow McCricket has been given prime summer slots is an outrage in itself.

From my friendship group and family I know probably 10-15 people who regularly watch Lancs and or England only 1 would consider going to this.

The ECB seem to think there are swathes of untapped cricket fans. I just don’t see it. If you’re not going to cricket now why would a bizarre format of mostly the same county players with 40 balls less suddenly get the punters in

So far so good. But with England even at 241/4 it could still be 280 or hopefully Buttler/Stokes can take the game away from them quite quickly.
 

Not seen roots wicket but he’s horribly our of form. I’m guessing lbw or 22nd slip. 

Test match starts at 10pm tonight. Will try for one session before conk out.

If was going to New Zealand playing a weakened team I’d be a little miffed. That said that bay oval looks great 360 degrees of grass banks. Must admit never heard of it before. Apparently pitch is green but meant to be flat.