There's a reason why I want that dud out. It's not just pointless ranting. I saw through that waffler a long time ago. An absolutely shit appointment who will set us back years.

You're right, but that shouldn't justify going with kids in there now. Evans, Smallwood, Akpan, Williamson, Johnson, Trybull. All had more of a presence than these youngsters and could fight fire with fire, at times. Not saying those players were quality, but we need men in there, with Wharton being eased in.

No, he is a Boro fan. As an aside, there was a Honeyman who used to play for Sunderland not too long ago.

No real chances created. Huffed and puffed a bit in the second half, but never looked like scoring. Campbell powering through the midfield past Wharton and Morton who couldn't get near him is a sign of things to come. Men against boys. Wharton did ok, overall, he has something about him, but it's unfair to expect him to play a big role at this stage. JDT looked lost on the touchline. Just sad to see that at full time. The reality is the club will never move forward while these owners remain incharge.

That defence is abysmal. Bradford in the cup is one thing, but this... Got to hope to Dack or BBD can come up with something.

It looks like we're at the 'Dack, Hedges and Markanday are like new signings' stage with some. Add to that a wishful thought that the youngsters can step up and there you have it. We're actually stronger than last season, most of the 12 that left were crap anyway, and we don't need that many signings. The club's PR done for them, the owners and their middlemen smiling from ear to ear. See you all in January for more of the same.

I thought so too, as it was available to buy from within the Stadium last season. Maybe the extended menu makes it easier or better to have a stall type setup outside. I saw Yasir tweet something before the season started about the biryani not being available for the QPR game, but that it would be 'back soon' along with a variety of other options. It sounds like he wanted to improve on last season's offering, so fair play.

I'd like to see Mowbray try and talk Sunderland down and tell their fans they don't have Quinn and Phillips anymore, when they go through a bad run of form. That would be entertaining. Who am I kidding, he wouldn't dare, would he?

As a big fan of samosas, I think it's brilliant these will now be available right outside Ewood. Those and the biryani are on the must try list for me. Good variety on the menu too. Fair play to Yasir and the club for sorting this out.

I think SVDB being able to provide cover at RB/RWB might come into the club's thinking. Also makes it easier to go with 3 at the back. Think that one could still happen, but let's see. I don't rate Carter and Phillips isn't ready yet, so Hyam and Caulker would be upgrades on them. It's underwhelming as we were linked with quality defenders which haven't come off, but I think set A would be more reassuring than set B, IMO, in terms of CB options: Set A: Ayala, Wharton, SVDB, Hyam, Caulker Set B: Ayala, Wharton, Phillips, Carter, Pickering (at a push).

I'm actually pleased about the Caulker signing in isolation. The one thing I've been calling for is for us to bring in some experience. I've never been comfortable with the thought of us having to rely on young centre backs. Caulker has bags of experience and has played to a decent level in this country before. Could be a shrewd move, as he will be relatively cheap. It has a Ryan Nelsen feel about it to me, only Caulker is more well known than Nelsen was when he arrived. If it is the case that they have settled for Caulker as the main signing, because he's cheap, especially after being linked with quality defenders who would cost a bit, then that's a different matter altogether. I can't help but feel that might be the case here. Caulker can't be our main defensive signing, but as an experienced option, I'm fine with it. Personally, I think SVB on loan might well be the last defender we bring in. Can't see them spending £2.5m on Hyam.

There would be no complaints if these were quality players, like people are telling us to be patient and wait for. These are not quality players. Spending these potential amounts on the likes of Szmodics and Hyam is actually alarming, in my view, anyway.

A serious Football Club with a proper DoF makes one of Anel, Davies or Van Hecke happen. A club with a setup like ours wastes £2.5m on an average centre back from Coventry. If reports are to be believed, that's potentially £5m on Szmodics and Hyam combined. That's £5m down the pan, IMO.

Spot on and no amount of utterances referring to "healthy budgets" and a "sustainable Premier League club" will convince me otherwise. New employees have come in, a fancy sounding new structure looks to be in place, but ultimately, nothing has changed. No ambition, no urgency, let's make do with what we have. "For Blackburn Rovers to be back in the Premier League we have to overachieve". He's the perfect Venky appointment, is Broughton.

I remember at the time it seemed to be a case of "why didn't we sign Berkovic" and "who is Tugay?". Boy, did we soon find out. It was an honour, Toogs, an honour. It's never going to happen, I know, but I'd love to hear Tugay's honest views on what this lot have done to our club. Morten was pretty scathing in relation to the Spiv and it felt like he had a lot more to say on the matter. Duffer, a few years back, talked about it being sad seeing the state that the club was in. I'd like to think there's more. Back to Tugay though...that lofted through ball to Andy Cole at Loftus Road, which Cole buried past Van der Sar 👏. I've watched that goal back so many times and the pass gets better each time.

Rough draw is that. Likely to be televised as there is a chance of West Ham causing an upset. They'll rotate, but that probably means the likes of Scamacca and Cornet start. Not good, but it will be interesting to see how we approach it.

Pleased to see Andy Cole in a Rovers shirt as part of Sky's promo of the Carabao Cup. A nice reminder of the good times. Draw coming up in 5/10 minutes on Sky Sports Football. Personally, I'm hoping we avoid a 'glamour' tie.

That's an impressive win. A result that I was not expecting when the lineups came out. Credit to the lads for getting us into the next round. Looking forward to seeing the draw. Another lower league side hopefully, I want the cup run to go on.

That looks frightening on paper. Their big forward, Cook, will batter those two at CB. Chapman and Smallwood will be fired up, and Harratt is a good player too. Just give 'em a game lads.

If Brighton are happy with £2.25m for Clarke, I find it hard to believe they want £7m for Van Hecke. The latter figure has been suggested on here over the past couple of days. It doesn't make much sense, unless they have sensed desperation from Rovers' end. I would like him to come back, but it seems unlikely. The £10m figure mentioned above appears to be everything all in. That doesn't sound as promising as it first did to me. We aren't getting a Van Hecke or a standout signing unless a "special request" is made, I feel.

Expecting a comfortable Bradford win, with us likely to rotate. As we know, Hughes is the man when it comes to roughing up the opposition. Plus he is fond of this competition. He might not have the quality of player he once had, but I expect his physical players to make this another embarrassing night to add to the long collection of them under these owners. It's literally men v boys looking at the likely line ups. 2-0 Bradford.

Good post. Yes, absolutely. If the window ends like this. Spotlight. On a similar note, I was waiting for an opportunity to share the following for the puzzle players among us, and I know you like this game, Shirley. A nameless dot to dot character was spotted: a) At the Hartlepool v Rovers game in pre season. b) Tweeting about Lucas Joao being one of the Championship's best strikers, minutes after he had scored against Rovers last Wednesday. Thus suggesting he was keeping an eye on the Rovers game. c) At the Hartlepool v Bradford game on Saturday. Days before Rovers play Bradford in the cup. Hmm. Might just be a football lover and watching a local side or whatever, I guess. The Rovers link is what got the radar going. Stay alert, the game might not be over yet.

You haven't read what I said. I'm not saying I want a takeover (yes, I want Venky's out). I was giving you an example of what Vinjay used to say in relation to Rovers needing a takeover pre Venky's turning up. As for Murtough, that backs up my point! He's an Academy man, just like Broughton, and look at how shambolic United's transfer window has been. Just like ours!

Chaddy, do you remember when Vinjay kept going on and on about wanting a takeover? We need a takeover. We need a takeover. Look at the farce that has followed for 12 years as he got his wish. I have a feeling it's going to be similar case with your wish for a Director of Football model. This is currently the wrong club, under the wrong ownership model within which to try such a strategy. They bloody need to get the basics right before trying to be smart arses, IMO. It might work under ambitious, interested owners, with skilled operators behind the scenes, but not this shambolic operation, IMO. Are you not disappointed? Having wanted a Director of Football to come in for years, only for an underwhelming Academy waffler like Broughton to turn up? That would be seriously disappointing to me.

Based on that, he will have no qualms about walking. He didn't at Malmo and he tasted real success there. "The club has to provide that" I.e signings. If Broughton screws this up, as I expect he might, he's gone, IMO. JDT doesn't need to put up with this crap. Good questions from Andy Bayes there I thought. Direct and to the point, fair play to him for that. Maybe JDT didn't want to go into too much detail, but him saying "the club has to provide that" when he was specifically asked how it works between him and Gregg isn't encouraging to hear. In my opinion, we can't have somebody like Broughton, who has no experience in this role and no eye for a player, provide players for JDT to pick from. Szmodics alone should be enough of a signal for JDT to tell him to shove it. Another crap appointment (GB) from owners who seem to be a magnet for them.