When do we judge the position we’re in though, after 1 game, 5 games? 23 games? End of season? We could have said ‘we’re sat in X position’ multiple times over the years but it doesn’t mean anything. I’m willing to give a bit of time and patience (Jesus the last bloke got enough!), but I’m yet to be convinced with anything he’s said about our style, with any in game decisions, or with any quality on show.

It’s exactly that - mega variance. I don’t think anybody has won more than us, but only 5 teams have lost more (or something like that). A sample of 23 games is small (in the grand scheme of simulating a season) and variance either way could have us even higher or down at the bottom….it’s just that our eyes, all the stats and anybody paying attention can see we’re more likely to regress to the latter. You always see teams like this up there. Reading were in the playoffs one year with a negative goal difference I think. Huddersfield similar the year they got promoted I’d loving nothing more than us to continue to blag our way to the top 6, get promoted and milk the cash cow for at least year, so here’s hoping!

17 year old athlete for a club with our set-up and he can’t get through 90 minutes without some glucose shot. Shambles if true

Who thought he’d be anything? Chaddy maybe? He was a great footballer, as manager he won a Scandy league with the most famous/best team, and he smiles and is chirpy in interviews? Means absolutely nothing. At least with ex-prem players you get some good loan options (see Lampard at Derby and Kompany at Burnley) He has a lot to prove in my eyes. I don’t see a squad, I don’t see a team, I don’t see a captain, I don’t see a ‘style’, I don’t see ‘high press’, I don’t see good in-game management/subs. *awaiting the ‘but we’re 3rd in the league’ lot*

Jesus, all that nonsense in the build up but that’s a decent turn out for a mid-round cup game against a team we’ve played 20 odd times in the last 10 seasons (or something like that). Well done lads and lasses. Shame they all paid to see our reserve 11, everyone with half a brain knew Forest would go strong (see all 4 prem teams yesterday). Would have liked to see a stronger team from ourselves but hopefully the intent means Trav and Smod are now in the 2nd 11 in the managers thoughts.

Some strong 11s from the Prem teams last night and I expect the same from Forest tonight. I think the only reason for this is the WC break though,. The majority of these clubs players didn't go to the WC so they have affectively had over a month with no competitive match. This round will allow those clubs to get some match practice in ahead of the league restarting. Leicester, Newcastle, Southampton & Wolves were all full strength last night. Unfortunately due to that I think it'll be the end of our run, it's a shame how the last draw panned out as it's likely an all top-tier quarter final line up.

I can justify it to myself a bit more when the TV deal is worth £150m or whatever it is these days. For moving a game to Sky in the Chammo we get about £75k apparently! Covers about 5 players wages that week. Having said that the bigger issue for me is what Matty was saying with the EFL scheduling these types of matches. Sunderland and Cardiff as the festive fixtures, it’s a joke. We have a pool of Burnley, Wigan, PNE, Blackpool in Lancashire, with Huddersfield not much further. The 6 of us should be playing each other in those fixtures. Unbelievably the Prem has pretty much got that as correct as it could this year (London games, South coast games, then North/Midlands games) across Boxing Day and New Year - although I hate that there are matches on 27th and 28th.

Very bizarre ratings and just a copy of flash scores formation. 50/50 this journo even watched the match id imagine

Let’s just pray the next 23 are better than last years!!

It’s probably already been mentioned in this thread as we’re all talking about it but Sky flicked up some stat last night about giving possession away in your own third. I can’t remember how it was worded. To the surprise of no one, Rovers were #1 and by a huge difference. Edit: It was on the message below mine… I should have read on

Forgot to add, I’ve gone for a Passimiento Red from Sicily, one of our favourites. Have a great evening everyone.

Enjoy the long journey home lads and lasses. Get a few cans for the coach! You’ve done the club proud making that journey a week before Christmas in the cold after two derby thumpings! Positives - 3 points and clean sheet - Showing some real fight and grit, especially Dolan on multiple occasions. Makes a world of difference - Fluidity in midfield, showing we are a team without Travis slowing it down / giving it away in the middle - Dack oozing class, especially the 15 minutes in the 2nd half - Buckley having a strong game - JRC pretty solid, he’s not superb but he can do a job in the squad Negatives - Injuries: Ayala and Gallagher and hopefully nobody else. Not ideal at all, especially as Ayala was one of the best players on the pitch. - Diaz looking more like Brereton - Only a sub so won’t judge too harshly but I’m not sure Szmodics is the one. Has to be seen as a squad player now rather than starting 11 Next up I’d be starting same team but Wharton for Morton (assuming Ayala is okay) Have a good Christmas everyone and see you all on Boxing Day!

Pukki should already be on a yellow for pulling Diaz down

I’d be hooking Morton now

Gallagher and Ayala are proper sick notes.

The bloke who never makes a change when we’re getting battered is suddenly mixing it up here? Assume it has to be injuries

Better team 2nd half. Fans on the managers back. Come on Rovers let’s have a 2nd!

The pass through to Morton was pure quality then. He is still a difference maker at this level. A run of games and no injuries please. Jesus and he just opened it up for Buckley there. Pure class

Missed the first 30. Good to see Travis dropped and a bit of a statement from JDT there but disappointed no Adam Wharton in the squad at all (despite the last two dire performances from the team).

Kaminski Carter Hyam Ayala Pickering Morton/Buckley Wharton Hedges Dack Brereton Gallagher Actually play some Football for a change

I would normally feel the same and agree. But knockout World Cup football vs plodding along with no hope of promotion in the Championship for another season there is only one winner for emotions. We lost to PNE and I was embarrassed and angry. We lost to France and I was gutted and devastated.

Anything up with Diaz? Did seem a really strange choice of subs. Originally it was going to be 3 (Hedges was sent back to the bench) and it was going to be Dack. I’d find it strange he was going to replace BBD and Dack, obviously the goal made him change his mind on one of them. Diaz looked a bit dodgy (ill?) when he came off, but he often looks shattered, just his body language, and it was freezing cold.

Kane had a one on one that was a few inches from chipping Lloris

Or small sample size, variance and knockout football?

Guardiola hasn’t won the Champions League in his last 11 attempts, not many finals even, he’s only won 1 FA cup since being at City….. yet I don’t hear people calling for his head (despite his team being superior and favourites every single year) It’s knockout football, it’s cup football, one off games, reading nonsense about ‘a much needed inquest’ from clowns like Henry Winter makes me want to pull my hair out. Low % 30 yard screamer through our legs and a deflected header, the dinosaur journalists need to get in the bin. People have short memories….I was in France 6 years ago under Hodgson, or what about McClaren, or the failed foreign lads! There’s no shame in last night. Build the team around James, Rice, Foden, Bellingham, Saka going forward - maybe even our fan favourite Harvey Elliott have a role to play next time as he develops at Liverpool. It’s only 18 months until the Euros.