I find the topic of expectations an interesting one, there has been lots of post-Sunday talk about us being third as if we are doing exceptional things. This is an example of media conversation: https://www.lancs.live/sport/football/football-news/blackburn-rovers-transfer-needs-opportunity-25520157 I took exception to the following: "Whilst a top-ten finish would have been a fantastic achievement at the start of the season." Why are our expectations so low? A fantastic achievement would be promotion, admittedly not one we could align with our budget, but equally we are not a minnow. We finished 8th under Mowbray and whilst I appreciate the position we was in and the time he spent in situ etc, he was rounded out towards the end, so how can 2 places below ever be "fantastic." A top 6 finish would be a good achievement, bordering on very good, but it is not this unfathomable prospect, many teams with similar and even less money have got into the play offs.

Does it even suit Brereton? It often leaves him isolated, he is at his best when we counter quickly.

Of course he needs to be jettisoned now for undermining the manager but a lot of what he says will be true about the direction of the club, agenda or not.

Who has said that "JDT is as bad as Coyle?" They may have done and if so my apologies, but like the stuff about sacking Tomasson, they seem to be baseless allegations with the intention of making our fans seem unreasonable. Should we be able to compete over a season? For the top 2, maybe not although you can reel off the names of recent top 6 finishers with less resources than us. But this was about one game, and I don't get how anyone (this isnt aimed at you) can react to such a beating in the first local derby in years with a shrug of the shoulders. We didn't compete and some of those factors were as a result of choice rather than selection, we had more experienced alternatives on the bench and Tomasson's supposed number 1 striking target left at home. If we can't expect to be competitive against a Burnley side in the same league as us and one that we would have overtaken with a win, whats the point?

It could be argued that moreso than the playing squad that is now packed full of graduates, some ready, some less so, with a stadium falling apart etc, that the biggest thing that Venkys have stripped down is expectation. We speak as if being 3rd in a shocking standard of league is us on top of a mountain.

We finished 8th so "shit show" is probably a bit unfair. 4 of the starters yesterday were not here under Mowbray with a 5th from my recollection making minimal if any contribution under him. I just think it's a stretch to still be putting blame to any performances with a much changed side months following his departure. We have moved on or I thought we had.

Its easy to continue blaming Mowbray especially considering how sour it got towards the end, but he was not a virus eating away at an otherwise healthy club, the virus is Venkys but that is another story. This season we have already put in close to as many uncompetitive performances as in the entirety of last season. But this is no longer Mowbray's team. Our main centre back who also played yesterday was signed post Mowbray. The left centre back was also signed under Tomasson as did one of the wing backs and central midfielders. Another central midfielder and the sub striker have only been brought through this season. I am glad he has gone but I am not having this idea that his ghost continues to haunt us.

He can't just go on taking the flak indefinitely months after leaving.

I don't get how flippant you can be about getting battered by our local rivals, but I suspect that it is with the intention to provoke.

The social media thing yes, surely have the common sense as individuals, if not a briefing by the club. But it makes sense to give them a week off now, then to build up back to the restart of the season.

I don't get why it always has to develop into a Mowbray v Tomasson debate. The one last season was at a time when qualifiers were being played, so he would have been suspended anyway, ergo we had little choice. Now, there are no league nor qualifying games so both parties have agreed that he needs a rest.

But that implies that Tomasson and Broughton have impeccable judgement. Plus there is more to it, maybe they are trying to generate some value. You seem to struggle to not align your opinion directly with that of those in the club.

You mention being on the break but we appeared to have no attacking game plan, therefore no matter how long it took, I suspect that first goal was inevitable. I don't join the calls purely for aggression unless its channelled correctly and coupled with other parts to his game. Garrett is full of aggression, not sure what else.

Not that I am aware of, may be wrong? He could have played as a number 10 had we gone for the 5 at the back, or Hedges could have played there. With the Gallagher situation, it says a lot that our number 1 striking target can't get off the bench, a failure in recruitment.

I don't understand why footballers use social media in general, what he is doing makes sense, a week rest before a mini pre-season and back again. But surely he realises that it just rubs people up the wrong way. I remember back in the Shane Duffy days when his "unlucky lads, we go again next week" tweets became a matter of parody, same with Elliott Bennett, better off without it.

Again you seem reluctant to blame Tomasson SPECIFICALLY REGARDING YESTERDAYS MATCH. Tomasson will sort it and we are 3rd in the league are your 2 standard lines, without showing any accountability. You also are now implying that players should or indeed were going away from the gameplan, a football team is an embodiment of its manager hence why so much stock is placed into their importance. Your comment about my view of the academy players is not only incorrect but childish. Garrett was ok v Sunderland although never man of the match worthy, but in general I have not been overly impressed. Ashley Barnes is a tosser but it was a perfectly valid goal, momentum took him into Kaminski albeit there was certainly some intention to leave one on him, but the ball had long since crossed the line. I dont even think that it is about being cleverer, Cancelo initially moved to left back to cover a lack of that position in City's squad, and is obviously so talented and both footed that as you imply, incomparable. You mention Belik, do you mean Bielik (on loan at Birmingham for the season) or Helik? (former Barnley centre back, recently moved to Huddersfield) Neither would be unobtainable but Bielek is more of a technical midfielder anyway. But I dont see why we just need a brute and why it has to be one extreme or the other. We need someone with the ability to help in blocking those spaces that teams often get between our defence and attack and also who can play the game at their pace, ie Cullen.

But this thread IS about the bloody match in isolation! Do you agree/disagree with my comments regarding the mistakes that Tomasson made, or are you simply choosing to ignore them? Your last comment is a particularly petulant one, even for you. Are you implying that I have no faith in youth graduates/younger players? In which case, someone must have misinformed me as to where Adam Wharton is from, who is a class above Garrett and who I do very highly rate.

I don't know anything about the situation, nor do I profess to.

Especially when even if you try and get past the raw emotion a day on. There are a number of terrible decisions that Tomasson made which directly led to the defeat.

If he does, then I do worry. Not only out of his depth quality wise, but lazy too.

Clearly not otherwise it wouldn't conflict so much!

You are specifically in the Burnley thread within the following hours of a quite frankly embarrassing battering at the home of our local rivals, when it is still raw, not as much as the place to eulogise over the project. People aren't saying that the defeat was bad enough that it means that 3rd isn't good enough, but as ever and as posted, elsewhere, there is no accountability. The manager messed up and if you are keen to avoid such criticism then is this the thread for you? We didn't lay a glove on them, 3 nil flattered us. Blame the ref all you want, we had one shot and they were sadly far better. Garrett isn't up to it at this present moment.

Or because Nixon is covering all bases linking him to every club possible in each weekend prior to the Summer Window.

The manager chose to select Clinton Mola over Scott Wharton. The manager chose to select Callum Brittain on the wrong side. The manager chose to select Ryan Hedges as a wing back. The manager chose to select Jake Garrett over Adam Wharton/Bradley Dack/Harry Pickering. The manager chose to bring on Jack Vale for Sam Gallagher. How about some bloody accountability, just as he gets rightfully praised when we win for decisions made, he fucked up yesterday.

He said "we." Who pushed, was it Broughton was it Tomasson. The signing of Hirst and the pushing of Vale into regular first team minutes could suggest that playing ability as a striker does not necessarily translate to utilising one as a manager. He also said "Rovers fans should look forward to seeing a striker with a goal threat, good link-up play, the ability to press from the front and an ideal mentality for our environment."