jim mk2

Only fools bet - you win hands down.

Bell's been one of my favourite players in the past. There's a clear case for recalling him based on form and ability but I doubt it would happen.

Elgar and Smith are ugly batsmen but their techniques are/were sound. I've said the county cupboard appears to be bare but that doesn't mean Jennings should go on tour this winter as he looks to be no better than any of the others they've tried. England still need a 1, 2 and 3 and they'd better find them quickly or we can forget winning back the Ashes next summer. I'm afraid your knowledge of cricket matches your knowledge of football and politics - a big fat zero. If you''d ever played cricket (which you clearly haven't because you wouldn't spout such nonsense), you'd be a walking wicket.

To repeat and spell it out in words of one syllable, in my opinion we don't have a Test-class standard 1, 2 or 3. Now that Cook has quit there doesn't appear to be any good enough in the county game to come in to replace him; Burns has been mentioned but he's got an odd technique and even if he comes off we still need 2 more quality players at the top of the order from somewhere. Playing makeshift players like Moeen in the top 3 won't work against the best bowlers. I saw Hales make an excellent 100 in a Lord's Test against Sri Lanka a few years back; no one has done any better since he was dropped so he might be worth a sustained run in the side - can't be any worse than Roy, Jennings and all the other useless players they've tried. It wasn't me who made silly clueless references in the first place.

There's no one in that team to hold the ball up. You can't leave Graham out of any Rovers side at present..

Good point but we were so lucky, especially in the first half. The players really battled for the fans and the club but we were lacking in quality all over the field. Mowbray really needs to shake the team up. He made some decent signings in the summer and they need to get game time now.

Mr Caution says the team that got promoted deserves to start until proven otherwise. Tonight might make him change his mind.

For the first time this season we look way out of our depth. We don't deserve a point from this game and Derby will be wondering why they aren't at least 2 ahead

This could a few ways - we remain awful and get a tonking or we improve and nick a win. Or we play much better and concede 4. Or it could stay 0-0. The ever cautious Mowbray needs to give his old boys XI needs a big shake-up for the next game - is he brave enough to do it ?

Looks like a second division team playing a third division team at Pride Park. West Brom mullering Brizzle who put us to the sword

It's a Championship starting line-up according to the experts

Feel sorry for Conway as I've always liked him but he should not have started

Mowbray overthinking it again. How to be a manager: pick your best players at all times.

Raya's a big part of our defensive problems

This is like the first 45 mins v Reading all over again. We haven't turned up so far

Message to the clueless one. Same answer as before. With Cook's retirement, England don't have any decent 1, 2 or 3 and will be forced to play substandard players such as Jennings or a team or No 6s out of position, such as Mooen, who is a natural No 8.

Stand still in football and you lose. The teams needs to evolve and improve. He's signed the players and he needs to start playing them

Tonight's team is a Third Division line-up .....Mowbray's loyalty to last year's side is wearing a bit thin

No Mulgrew? Revised my forecast from 1-1 draw to 2-1 defeat.

Burnley now withdrawn that Tweet I think. Even Burnley Express is outraged https://www.burnleyexpress.net/news/shameful-burnley-football-club-slammed-by-fans-for-unpaid-work-ad-1-9354550 Spectacular own goal really, and describing football club helpers as "heroes" is an insult to genuine heroes who give their lives on the battlefield

What are these "heroes" being asked to do - help serve the half time teas or save lives?

Liverpool and Manchester and Southport, Barrow and Widnes were in Lancashire when I was a lad. Amazingly, I received a letter last week from "Manchester, Lancashire". Good thread. Like to see the town teams doing well - even Burnley

Feel sorry for them both. I know what it's like missing the game you love through long term injury and it's much worse for them because it's their livelihood and their career. Samuel knew it was a make or break season for him and worked very hard on his own in the summer to improve his fitness and was showing distinct signs of improvement before his injury. Gladwin has ability but needs to play regularly, which is very unlikely at Ewood now; I doubt we'll see him in a Rovers shirt again.

What do you think sells newspapers - Brexit or Rovers' best player in court ? Stick to the day job and don't contemplate a career in journalism !

Moeen is not a 3. He's an 8 Jennings has proved already he's not Test quality, with a poor technique. The only virtue is he's young and might get better, but the best players look at home from the start, and he's a bag of nerves. Apart from Root, who is a 4, England basically have a team of No 6s and 7s - Bairstow, Stokes, Buttler, Curran etc shouldn't be any higher.