So potentially from 6 to 4 signings will do?

Because he was anonymous, yes.

All very nice in theory and diagrams with arrows and talk of possession based pressing tactics seems to be in vogue at the moment, but didn't really produce much going forward at the weekend. Gallagher was as out of place out wide as he ever was, Hedges didn't suit the number 10 role and Vale couldn't bring others into play. Lots of improvement required and hopefully will come with a mixture of time under the new manager, a realisation of what our current players can and can't do and an introduction of fresh faces, whether totally new or in Dack's case, a hopefully resurgent old favourite.

We definitely need a new striker, it is a signing of critical importance. Long season with Gallagher and Vale as the only options.

Kaminski Brittain Ayala Wharton Pickering Travis Buckley Hedges Dack Brereton Dolan The keeper, central midfield and back 4 pick itself, I am in a minority it seems in thinking that Pickering was fine on Saturday and equal to Brittain on the other side. Maybe a bit of confirmation bias? The front 4 didn't work very well so the potential for various changes. Dack to start for me, plus Dolan who was bright at the weekend, him and Brereton could swap positions too if necessary. Vale was anonymous, Gallagher poor too and Hedges isn't suited as a number 10. Hopefully we will have some new faces for the bench at least too.

How are you so sure that Tomasson can "adapt his system to the teams strengths instead of the square pegs round holes mentality" that Mowbray apparently had? He played Gallagher out wide at the weekend and for all the talk of "fluid systems" that had been mentioned, he was as ineffective as he ever has been prior. You also mention Vale out wide, can he do that? He struggled in his natural position. @Paul Mani implied that he had heard that Ayala and Dack were really struggling in training following Tomasson's appointment. I haven't had it clarified whether it came directly from a member of the coaching staff (which would be grossly unprofessional) or passed on. Definitely agree about reading too much in to it. As a side note though, Dack is excellent at game management when leading so he would have been a useful sub. The usage of subs was chalk and cheese, they just made loads and failed to generate any momentum, I was surprised to see only 1 made in comparison but ultimately it worked. What does that even mean? If he had scored and led the line well, would I have still been "negative" and said he was poor regardless?

He was our best player prior to the injuries, he showed signs of being back to his best after the first but has not started since the 2nd. As a senior player he wont be affordable for teams in lower divisions even if he wanted to go. The aim has to be to get a tune out of him. If we can he is still our biggest goal threat especially assuming that Brereton will soon depart.

It may well turn out that Dack doesn't return to his old self and establish himself but it certainly cannot be concluded from yesterday. He got a slight set back in pre season leaving him without a full game's worth of fitness, so rightly or wrongly was not considered to start. We were then holding on to a lead, had we been chasing then he would have come on. If he did have a bit of a sulk on which is conjecture, he wouldnt be the first to do so having not played. The Wharton comment was to a specific question about either the need for strengthening or the young make up of our squad in general, you have taken it out of context. The last sentence implies a lack of application on his part. The only question as far as I am concerned is whether he returns to a similar level after 2 serious knee injuries. If not then it isnt symbolic of an exciting new dawn, it is a crying shame that one of our 2 goal threats will not be back to his best especially with the other 1 set to leave. Has any context been added to these supposed whispers about training? Where (even if you cant name the individual) did they come from, are they direct from source and if someone is saying such things purely to appease curious fans, I do wonder if Tomasson will cut him away should he ever find out?

My mistake. Even then, I wouldn't say it was anything we didn't see numerous times at Ewood last season. Results are the important thing though, so a great start on that front. Totally agree on attacking replacements. A key priority is to sign a striker regardless of Brereton's future as he plays from the left although it becomes heightened if a key attacking goal threat leaves. We need more than Gallagher and Vale as central strikers, im sure we strongly agree on that.

Surely the benchmark is the 8th placed finish last season?

How has Vale kept his place? Just an ineffective as Gallagher.

There seems to be an overreaction to Dack not coming on yesterday with conclusions about his future. I would have started him but he seemingly was never like to, but it is a different proposition in terms of whether to bring him on as a sub. He was smiling at the end when the whistle went, he probably was pissed off that he didn't come on but is that abnormal? I struggle to strongly believe that coaches actively working at the club are telling randomers that Dack has been struggling in training, it would be totally unprofessional plus we saw the accuracy of Rothwell's dad mouthing off on a train... It is braindead of any partner or relative posting anything on a player's future/opinion though and totally unproductive, we also have a weird thing of our fans spamming Carter and Phillip's mums! I would be pissed off if I was Dack and his girlfriend has put that. The one thing I am sure of is that our best player is Dack if he is anything like his old self, and if we can't get him working and firing in our team then we will be much worse off. I suppose that you could argue that the selection is correct if we win and incorrect if we lose, so to an extent I would agree. And his inclusion was understandable having scored a couple in pre season. But I wouldn't agree that he looked "fine," he really struggled and looked out of his depth. Nothing against the lad, either he will get more chances or go out on loan, but we need a new striker 100%. Deserves it how? He struggled and had no impact, why would he deserve to keep his place? Lets not pretend that we were a different attacking proposition just because you hate Mowbray, to clarify it is a work in progress and only results matter. But aside from a Travis goal from nowhere and a couple of half chances, we struggled to create. When was Armstrong's head not right? He didn't play a competitive game did he last season prior to his move, and he ended the previous season scoring for fun.

The backing of the supporters has never been in doubt and there would be more if the tickets were priced appropriately.

How much have you seen of him play? The reason I ask is I have always seen him play as a number 10, I am curious to know how often in the past he has played either from the wing or as a striker to see if he could fit in the same team as Dack.

Football is all about results so great to be back at Ewood and great to see us win. The performance was a mixed bag, the right side of an attritional game in not far off the most favourable game we could have wished for to start against an average side without their best player. Kaminski was untested really aside from one great save and a few wobbles, and I felt that the whole back 4 was very good. The centre backs stood out, Brittain was tidy on debut and I feel that Pickering's reputation is preceding him, he was really steady with an excellent block towards the end. The midfield 2 were also very good, Travis obviously scored a screamer but also was a leader. Buckley was excellent on the ball on the half turn but he needs to keep a lid on his immaturity, he should have been sent off and QPR had fair grievance that we got lucky with that, he won't be far from a red card if he cannot keep his discipline if he picks up a yellow card. The front 4 were in the main pretty poor and there is a lot of work to do there. Brereton was good and offered our only goal threat. Hedges was the best of the other 3 although he isn't a number 10 and he was quite clumsy and loose at times. Gallagher out wide was as poor as usual and Tomasson should scrap that. And I that Vale looks a million miles off being a Championship starter, he looked like a boy lost in a mans game. We need a central striker in the window 100%. The use of subs was interesting, there is a balance to be had now you can make 5 and it was quite brave to only make 1 especially on the opening day but it worked. Looking to Swansea, the keeper, back 4 and midfield 2 pick themselves as well as Brereton. I would suggest that Dack, Dolan, Markanday and if signed Szmodics could all justifiably expect to start. We need some recruits ASAP as we look very thin at the moment, if we had got a defensive injury we would have struggled.

Why? Firstly we will never truly know the fee. But does the owners allowing a small portion of two big sales (Brereton counted) to be invested remove any justification for potential criticism? What if a signing turns out to be crap, which will at some stage happen, hopefully infrequently? You once said that people need to only ask and a cheque would be written, why did this not happen when funding for a new pitch was revoked? Is that proof? We have always had a style of play and presumably a plan, Tomasson is not a trend setter. Mowbray had a team that played a back 3 and counter attacked, he had a team that played deep and went long to Graham and played off the second balls and he had a team that played out from the back in a 4-3-3 to varying degrees of success. Coyle had a consistent 4-4-2 with 2 wingers with plenty of crosses. Every manager has a plan, ultimately what is important is the results that follow.

If that is how low your benchmark is then perhaps.

Still piss poor and could be rectified with reasonable pricing.

Because its in a similar location and shows a huge difference in sales which isnt a coincedence considering the much cheaper prices. Do you think 8k season tickets is good or bad?

I'm not the biggest advocate of many of the stats on here, progressive passing, smart passing, second passes, and so many of the others which are dependant on so many factors that they become almost obsolete, but for the data nerds amongst us, it doesn't reflect too kindly on him. From what I have seen of him, he very much prefers to play as a number 10 so I somewhat hope if he signs that he struggles to get a game because Dack is back fit and firing. Clinging on to something, he is a bundle of energy so he might suit a pressing style and he runs in behind more than anyone we have bar Brereton who will soon leave. He has twice struggled to step up to the Championship (once in a new and established team and one having himself been key in a promotion) but Khadra (who you could indirectly argue he is replacing) and in fact basically all of our attacking players scored less last season.

The 7 games are certainly not "to see if the youth players can play a part," they aren't a dress rehearsal and indeed are as important as any of the 39 games that follow! Fair play. You said you wanted Brown to stay, he hasn't and you have stuck with your opinion even though it goes against the managers opinion. Out of interest, assuming you still think we needed 6 signings and with Brittain signed and lets assume that Morton and Szmodics also sign. Where would you add the other 3? I'm not sure he is suited to being an impact sub, I know he was unfit last season but it is so hard regularly being expected to perform miracles from the bench. I think when Brereton goes, our best chance in getting goals is still more likely to come from Dack factoring in the likelihood of making anything like a full recovery than any of the supporting cast, Gallagher included.

Not saying this is final by any means, but would those 2 be given a game against the likes of Porto and Spurs if they were at Liverpool?

Surely the barometer isn't just to get anyone in, that has been the key point of those dismissing worries that we haven't got players in before the season? If people have genuine concerns about the potential value of a player or indeed of the ability, being worried about not getting most of our business done before the season doesn't eliminate those issues. It isn't quality OR timeliness.

Szmodics increasingly likely apparently, whereas the Bowler fake rumour grows more momentum.

Absolutely no chance.