I dont think he would ever become a player who would suddenly start regularly getting into those positions.

But if you can get a player who is better than all 3, surely you dont say no to an upgrade?

He quite clearly is not a "rank bad full back" hence why he was a regular part of us finishing 8th last season. Brittain has been good and Rankin Costello has been outstanding since he came back, an unexpected turn because he never played anything like this before. Seems like an attempt at saying "I told you so" by massively exaggerating, including adding a supposed insider view.

Really good win and a performance that was far more dominant than recent weeks which made it doubly enjoyable to watch. QPR are woeful hence a record of is it 1 in 19 but there were bits of play from us on another level. Rankin Costello the star of the show, that bit of skill and then composure for the cross for the third was brilliant. All of the defence were good and protected Pears aside from a poor clearance from Carter for their goal. Travis again very good and his pass to set up Szmodics was outstanding, and a good finish by Szmodics who was bright. Buckley played pretty well too aside from dawdling again once or twice, plenty of good work. Gallagher wasnt outstanding in terms of general striking play but he did the most important part of a strikers game by getting into positions for 2 tap ins. Dolan is better wide, Thomas the least effective player on show for us.

Or most likely new owners and a total change of thinking at the top.

You are assuming that there must a hidden reason why Adam Wharton doesnt play. It hasnt crossed your mind that Tomasson may not always judge selections correctly as it is obviously subjective. Whereas when people say that we may get financial penalties for not including Morton in squads, that is a "conspiracy." Morton or Adam Wharton for the squad? Buckley's performances have dropped this season and IMO he isnt suited to playing so deep. Adam Wharton has not played that often but more often than not has stood out.

How was it the best he could do?! It might be for Morton specifically but he was through on goal and missed the target, how is that the best anyone could do? Our overall goals conceded per game this season is actually higher than last season, and we lost one game 7 nil last season. But we are keeping more clean sheets in general so its more jekyll and hyde.

Yeah must have done, it cant possibly be that Tomasson doesnt have perfect judgement! Would you have Wharton over either Morton over Buckley? (I expect a cryptic retort about form and fitness but how would you rank them in terms of how much you rate them at this present moment?)

I wouldn't get any pleasure from showing up the EFL or causing a change in any processes. It won't cause any consolation to me if it means that we only get the player for not far off half of the games we wanted him for and we have even acknowledged some internal issues so we have still been partly responsible for this fiasco following a move so late in the window. It also from our point of view overshadows a transfer window that was a failure for reasons beyond the O'Brien mess.

I do get that and I do think that even if he signs, we carry an element of responsibility regarding the failure to sign him from Feb onwards. That being said, he would be a massive improvement on our current midfielders and we are 4th in the mix for the play offs so still worth pursuing.

I can't see Adam Wharton playing much this season, he has put in a number of good performances (not just Blackpool, think Boro away, Birmingham home, Hull away, Stoke home off the top of my head) and more than Buckley or Morton but Tomasson doesn't seem to like him. That being said, @roverandout O'Brien was arguably the best midfielder in the league last season. Think you implied before that you hadn't seen much of him but they are incomparable.

I looked the other day and we have actually conceded more per game this season than last season, so we haven't actually improved defensively. That being said, we have conceded 17 amidst 5 games which is obviously worrying in itself but that also means that only Coventry (surprisingly) have more clean sheets than us. Our main strength up until late December was our organisation when holding on to leads which was exemplary. Then suddenly within a month or two, I can think of 10 points (Sunderland away, Boro home, Bristol City away and Watford away) where we have thrown away points. Hopefully we are back on track defensively which has been our strength under Tomasson in general, and hopefully he can fix the other end where we have struggled to create chances all season. No problem with the type of finish? An unconvincing prod spinning slowly away from goal. Either way, Morton as an attacking midfielder was a strange choice I felt.

His first touch took the ball too far left and the technique he went with was poor in that it was always spinning away from goal. The sub and utilisation of Morton was strange. I get that we have limited options but surely Hedges was a better option, or even if Morton comes on, you push Buckley on where he has played most of his Rovers career.

It was more than he isnt really much if any better this season specifically under Tomasson who like Mowbray has had him in and out of the side. I quoted the poster who mentioned Elliott because I feel that the 3 that regularly played that season merited a place in the side more than him. I don't think that Mowbray mis managed him as has been suggested. He finished his second of 2 seasons under Mowbray as a better player albeit not one who warrants a place week in week out. I also thought his general game last night was poor aside from his fantastic finish. Some of the tendencies that have improved since his debut (too many stepovers, poor decision making etc) were back on show yesterday but if you get the winner then it understandably overshadows it. It wasnt a massive criticism of him, I just think that the reason throughout his Rovers career that he hasnt been a total regular is because he hasnt made himself undroppable due to inconsistent performance levels. But he definitely has something to offer and I have been calling for him to be played wide for weeks rather than up top which doesnt suit him. Hopefully he will become more consistent over time and start to justify a place every game.

I don't think that Dolan has merited a regular spot throughout his time here, in that first season we had Armstrong, Brereton and Elliott as our front 3. I do think that he did develop somewhat under Mowbray and he was handled well, and he hasn't personally kicked on really under Tomasson. Last night saw most of his poor tendencies as I mentioned but in general he doesn't do as many needless skills as previously.

I think it was because it fell on his right foot, shocking decision though.

And if you read my posts over the last 24 hours, I have said numerous times that it is about results and I have praised Tomasson for that. His football can be effective over the course of a season AND not often entertaining, and I have made it clear which is more important.

Of course, totally agree that entertainment is subjective. We have struggled to create chances and offer a sustained goal threat throughout the season, and the tempo has been slow for the majority of games. Take many managers who are tarred with the brush of playing boring football ie Allardyce/Dyche etc, they might not pass it out from the back (which to me isn't necessarily entertaining anyway) but their teams do focus on having the ball in dangerous areas so that is more entertaining than watching Rovers this season. Ultimately, results are the important thing so I much prefer the satisfaction of a win over the potential excitement of lots of chances when we don't win.

It was the owners that decided against the full pitch revamp, it was in the fans forum minutes that they had asked them for the funding and they declined. So the blame lies in India. Probably not aiding the numerous muscular injuries we are picking up, 4 hamstrings in 2 games.

I seem to be in a minority in thinking that Dolan was generally poor last night and below his usual performance levels. His negative traits were particularly prevalent, constantly over-doing stepovers, poor decision making and even a dive. He lost the ball on a number of occasions and was predictable when facing up the full back. That being said, his goal was a fantastic finish and it won us the game. That outweighs the rest and you would take that any day of the week.

Passion, effort and commitment should be a minimum expectation. Always been consistent in my stance that it is about points, but that doesn't mean that I can't also comment on performances. As I have put in the other thread but it is more relevant here: In isolation, I can say that Tomasson's style of football is terrible to watch. That doesn't mean that I don't appreciate the recent run of 4 games, the general organisation of the team or the fact that Tomasson can clearly build a solid base, or that the home form is strong. It also doesn't mean that I have changed on my stance that it all comes down to results nor that I am anything other than happy that we are sat in 4th, I will happily watch a boring game as I have done twice within the last week at Ewood if I get the satisfaction of 3 points once that whistle goes and beyond. If you replaced Rovers with another random side and had watched the 2 games we have seen at Ewood, you would not have been remotely entertained.

Again, none of those impressive stats are relevant to my comment about the aesthetics of our performance. In isolation, I can say that Tomasson's style of football is terrible to watch. That doesn't mean that I don't appreciate the recent run of 4 games, the general organisation of the team or the fact that Tomasson can clearly build a solid base, or that the home form is strong. It also doesn't mean that I have changed on my stance that it all comes down to results nor that I am anything other than happy that we are sat in 4th, I will happily watch a boring game as I have done twice within the last week at Ewood if I get the satisfaction of 3 points once that whistle goes and beyond. If you replaced Rovers with another random side and had watched the 2 games we have seen at Ewood, you would not have been remotely entertained.

That Gallagher shot was a half chance at best. Well drilled? Well organised? Effort on show? Wouldn't disagree with any of that. And all of these help to get us a win which is the most important thing. But Tomasson's football is so dull IMO, as I've said before I think it is as bad entertainment wise since Appleton. But result wise as it stands at the moment, it is effective.

Would have to disagree. A stark lack of quality on show and only the goal and Morton's poor finish were good chances. The entertainment of the game not helped by a truly dismal opposition. Its a poor quality league in general so tonight wasnt out of the ordinary. Don't get me wrong, I went home very happy as we won and you can't argue with a win or the league position so thats the main thing. But not an entertaining watch.

Dolan took his chance well but aside from the Morton chance there was nothing really close to being clear cut. Good result, very impressive league position, very impressive defensive solidity, as dull a style since the Appleton days and a total dearth of chances created and excitement. Still, tonight and Saturday were both snooze fests yet if we go home with a win im happy.