I work in a company (industry) where they have a "Gold Week" so to speak after there is a bit of a gap in expected revenue. i.e. Big offers, not expecting short-term profit, to get customers back onto your product after a time your industry has lapsed. We will have a few weeks gap with nobody coming to Ewood and the first game back should be one we target for a big offer to drive a huge crowd to avoid churn of customers (thousands of fans are going to have a few weeks spending Saturday differently and you have to be proactive to reengage them). Without over-exaggerating, the PNE game and Christmas period is not far behind the build up to start of season in terms of engaging our fan base, and avoiding a churn of customers.

Assume it’s mentioned somewhere but with Sheffield Uniteds defeat tonight it means the winner on Sunday will be top of the table for the ‘winter break’. Boy will that feel good

Don't know much about Ebiowei but yeah Archer would be ideal, depends how much Emery has planned for him. He's already done it a bit at this level with PNE...... compared to Hirst.

I’d probably go for that team but Hedges LWB and Brittain RWB Kaminski Hyam Ayala Wharton Brittain Hedges Morton Travis Wharton Gallagher Brereton-Diaz I don’t rate Travis and would rather see Dack (even Szmodics) in there but it’s never going to happen with JDT so kept it realistic

Opening prices of 5/1 Rovers (17% chance)

In fairness now Tony hadn’t had his death spiral by this stage of the season (Feb usually). Plenty of time to go on that front….

Yeah very much this, these two teams are pretty clear of the field for me. Hopefully we’re taking a few clues though. Their defence is pretty average and can’t win a header and the keeper couldn’t hold a pint

Gudmundsson marking big Anel! 😂😂😂

Glad to hear you got there okay. Saved my trip over for next weekend 💪 Fox and Hounds best bet I think

Their keeper is an absolute calamity. *performance of the season next week no doubt*

I thought this myself - but just noticed Sheffield United and QPR both have their games in hand whilst we play West Ham….unfortunately I think it’s more likely we’ll be clinging onto the playoffs instead!

Those crying for 442…who would you play as the two wingers? I assume Hedges as one, who as the other? Or are we setting up like 00s England with a Scholes on the wing to weirdly accommodate 442 I think I saw one line up with Morton and Wharton on the wings. Beggars belief

@BigBar looks like the train strikes have been suspended on Saturday now so you should be okay now with a change in Preston/Bolton. Not sure when apps will update with times though

Saturday is a strike day - judging by trainline there are no trains running. If that's the case then either: 1) Taxi 2) Get into Manchester City Centre (Tram or maybe a train will run there) then get a Bus from Manchester to Blackburn. The Witchway bus runs around there. Might have to find your way from Rawtenstall though.

We’re lighter on loans than previous seasons and have space there (before even returning Hirst). Similar to what Forest did with Davis last year in January.

Only a moron would say otherwise

Jesus! Lottery numbers please

First half was actually worse so you got lucky there!

Shocker, up there with Wigan, Sheffield Utd and Reading performances. I don’t want to see Hirst in the shirt again, he isn’t our player and he isn’t Championship standard. Start your full backs on the correct side Make your changes in time when they can actually affect the game 0/10 from JDT - he’s ridden his luck a lot in games we’ve been battered but this is fully on him, wrong selection and too late to correct it (which he didn’t with original subs)

Ref was right in front of it as well. Poor decision, their players didn’t even expect it

Lunged a bit but didn’t look like a red to me

30 seconds and he’s got in a position that Hirst/Vale never would

Far too late these subs

Crazy isn’t it, Brittain is a better attacking outlet

Add Szmodics to the Vale/Hirst list of “How do they get in ahead of Dack?”