Miller11

There was an initial plan to actually do something quite interesting with this idea, but it seems like it was too much effort. my best guess is Old Etonians were promised something ages ago and we are obligated to make a game happen, so very recently David Dunn has been tasked with cobbling a team together. Shoehorning it on to the end of the Derby game means none of the staff at Ewood have to work an extra day. Suits them, suits Suhail. They are all delighted they don’t have to do Sundays as the women’s team has been bombed off to Clitheroe, and that we only had one pesky league cup game.

That point papers over a few cracks. The biggest worry is that it took us ripping up Ismael’s “tactical plan” and throwing the kitchen sink at them for us to look remotely competent. 12 minutes in and I could see what Stoke’s game plan was. 9 games in and I’m still struggling to see what Ismael’s is. I don’t think we really contained them, they were pretty wasteful with their final ball. Alebiosu had his toughest test but also pulled off an unbelievable bit of defending. Miller a good shout for MOTM. Midfield bypassed too often, Gudjohnsen mostly anonymous then fluffed his lines. Impressed with De Neve and Kargbo responded to recent criticism in the best possible way. Also worth mentioning that Ash Phillips looks like he’s developing into an absolute monster of a centre back.

Signing an injured player does look as though it was the plan. Obviously it’s an absolutely shit plan though. The plan has contributed to us being in the relegation zone by the beginning of October, was that the plan?

Well… I’ve never looked forward to reading an Elliott Jackson match report until today! That was absolutely dreadful. 3-0 flattered us. Charlton squandered loads of really good chances. They absolutely bullied us, particularly second half. No positives to be taken out of that shit show. Hopefully Forshaw is fit soon as I genuinely think he makes our strongest 11. What a testament to Gestede’s recruitment.

There’s enough (unfounded) optimism in that interview to last a lifetime.

So it was a complete and utter waste of time asking that question then wasn’t it. You don’t necessarily qualify as a fan just by following a Facebook page or a Twitter account. The issue is the club have made putting out surveys on these platforms their entire “engagement” strategy and are dodging all the recommend and mandated forums for fans to ask meaningful questions of ownership and senior management. The questions “selected” weren’t even close to middle of the road.

Owen also eventually stated in the fans forum fiasco that he didn’t believe it was possible to become a sustainable club and remain in the Championship. Not sure he’s 100% “aligned”.

It’s even worse than that. All 3 of them refused to answer one of the incredible soft ball questions - they wouldn’t commit to which signing they were most excited by. Although Ismael did trot out the Scott Wharton is like a new signing cobblers.

They really do think we are stupid. A completely transparent unsubtle propaganda piece that will appease a good chunk of the social media masses, but you don’t have to scratch very deep to see much of what the more observant fans were thinking was bang on the money. Wage bill cut, wage structure problematic, all about “sustainability”.

In the latest episode of Jobs For The Boys… Jordan Rhodes has been appointed our new Loans Manager

His full name is Suhail Anwar Pasha Shaikh. He was regularly referred to as Suhail Pasha in the early days, then more commonly Suhail Shaikh. The former seems to have stuck with fans.

Pasha definitely is.

Might ask when he is serving his ban from the training ground for refusing to play while a contracted Rovers player.

This implies that the players aren’t backed on the pitch, which I think is an incredibly lazy false narrative, usually peddled by fans on social media who rarely (if ever) attend games at Ewood. The team gets 100% backing and support from the crowd (the crowds aren’t big enough, but that’s the fault of Venky’s, Pasha and the brain trust), and the crowd is what matters. Criticising the regime causes no detriment to on pitch performances, just as delusional positivity towards them does no good.

Don’t underestimate how aligned things are behind the scenes right now. There is very little point trying to differentiate between Suhail and Gestede - they are both very much on the same page. They are extremely close, holiday together, socialise etc. They might have different roles and responsibilities, but they are working towards the same goal. Same applies to the senior people still employed and recently promoted at Ewood. I was told just after Eustace left that Rudy had decided that there was no need to pay more than 10k per week in wages and that would be the policy this summer, and Suhail was right behind it. Waggott was trying to push back on this - going as far as calling it a “suicidal strategy”, look how that worked out for him. Nobody in the “senior management team” is remotely interested in doing anything that might rock the apple cart. Everyone who did has gone… Waggott, Fraser Read, Eustace, LOADS more whose names aren’t so well known but were frustrated/bullied out of the door. I have absolutely no reason to doubt @glen9mullan’s info on what’s happening on the playing side, and I’ve got plenty of first hand accounts to suggest it’s just as toxic on the off pitch side of things.