Mercer

Firstly, I think you are right in that our expectations have dropped though the floor in recent seasons and we are in danger of getting a tad over excited when we see an average player following some of the dross we have seen (sadly I think De Neve falls into the dross category). Did okay yesterday but do wonder if he could have been stronger in the moments just before the ball ran loose for their goal as he fluffed his clearance. He isn't going to lose many one on ones, as evident yesterday, given his pace. Technically, I'm not too sure - looks clumsy with the ball at times.

Mafoumbi - I think Dave Whelan's words on the Raos' purchase of Rovers are similarly applicable to this lad's signing "doesn't sound right, and it doesn't look right". Myles Anderson Mk 2!? Travis - there's so much noise around his departure it seems inevitable. Not a world beater but feck me, Rovers are a far different proposition when Travis plays. Again, his replacement will be a virtually unknown, unproven and relatively cheap foreign import who may well not even be fit to play for weeks with his foot injury! Tronstad - another worry, doesn't look the same player as last season and at 30, are those legs going or already gone? Yesterday showed the importance of Championship experience when signing new players - McLaughin was steady without being spectacular but having two centre backs who are so slow is a huge worry. Needless to say - when a team is ripped apart and replacements brought in, it takes time to gel - when the bulk of those replacements are from overseas and unproven with little pedigree, it is even more highly problematical. Lose against Brum and we will already be in crisis and come the end of September, may well find ourselves already adrift at the bottom of the table. The warning signs are already there.

Against a bang average WBA that was as bad as I envisaged. Punchless with no creativity and the only way we were going to score was through a lucky bounce. Any employee or fan of Rovers who thinks a strike force of Ohashi, Gueye and Leonard will be enough need to give their head a serious, serious wobble. Our set piece delivery was appalling - what do they do in training1? We had no control in that game and Travis and Tronstad were not at the races today - Travis both last Saturday and today looked like a player who knows he's on his way. Special mention for Hedges - just what the feck! Thought generally defensively we looked vulnerable and better teams will punish us - not sure how we will cope with Kyogo and Stansfield next week. Of the new players (and the expectation bar isn't see that high!): Alebiosu - decent but not the most technically gifted McLoughlon - steady but lack of pace a concern Henriksson - tough debut circumstances but looked 'lost' (expected him to show a bit more) and potentially a loose cannon De Neve - can't see anything the lad has to offer; criminal not to start Kargbo who terrorises defences (we need to be on the front foot trying to get our noses in front) Miller - might not be fully fit but looks a tad slow. Inexplicably dived in when he first came on and could have proved costly leaving our right flank completely open. Throw could prove fruitful. A useful signing. Today just underlined that at the very minimum we need a quality right winger and a quality striker. Alarm bells are ringing already - would be foolish not to heed them.

Only a goal down so anything can happen if we can keep it that way. Should have had a penalty but that shouldn't disguise how poor we have been. Barely a positive. Overall defensively we look very vulnerable. In midfield - Travis (mind elsewhere?) and Tronstad not at the races, Henriksson looks lost and potentially a loose canon, Hedges totally anonymous and De Neve way, way out of his depth. Yuki not equipped for sole striker role. Will be luck to get a point. Second WBA goal kills it.

Only positive is we are ony 1 goal down.

Grim and disjointed.

Sadly, I think we'll feel battered, bruised and depressed after today's game so If I was on holiday I'd be making the most of it and wouldn't bother trying to find a stream. If it's your first time in Tenerife, pretty sure it wont be your last! One of our favoured places for a winter break. Enjoy!

So true! Barrie Ratcliffe obviously fell short of the other three but a lovely bloke and we used to buy our meat from him on his 3 day Blackburn Market stall.

From photo of a Cantwell flying acrobatic volley in training 8/9 days ago to 'a knock' excluding him from the NEC game last Saturday to an Ismael statement "he's fit but he won't be ready for the game" doesn't smell right to me. Wouldn't surprise me to see him back at Norwich.

Thought it was a decent game. Impressed with Brum - great intensity and played some good stuff. Big mistake was they scored and then sat back instead of going for killer second. Top 6 finish for them - Davies spoke well and clearly has them well drilled, thought Neumann and Osayi-Samuel were outstanding at the back and free transfer signings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ipswich were Ipswich, so resilient - McKenna is a terrific manager and still lining his ducks up in a row. A point tonight given where they are (in transition) is a great result. Will get promoted in 1st or 2nd. Brum will stuff us at Ewood next week - far better quality of player and so well coached.

Saw pre match interview with Wagner and very impressed. Spoke with clarity, passion and purpose and emphasised importance of relationships with fans and community. In another league to our owners and executive management.

'One more signing unless there is an unexpected departure'. Wow, think we will need to batten down the hatches. Frightening. Out - all proven Championship performers: Batth, Beck, Brittain, Dolan, JRC and Weimann (and 20+ goals between them!!!) In - with Championship experience: Forshaw (washed-up, we didn't want him at end of season and possibly only re-signed him out of desperation, looks like wont be fit until almost September) McLoughin (signed as a centre back but only played half his games for Hull in that position last season, strange if he's good - what we've seen so far, looks painfully slow) In - with no Championship experience: Alebiosu (strong and athletic but is he a footballer? Looks clumsy with little technical ability) De Neve (even the locals in Belgium expressed their surprise at this signing. Can run all day, as could Jason Lowe, but haven't seen much else) Henriksson (Could prove to be well worth the punt - scores goals, aggressive and wants to win) Miller (Aggressive and wants to win - a good start. Should be okay defensively but another Nyambe going forward?) Tavares (only started half the games for his previous club and actual completed 90 minute games could be counted on one hand - unconvincing and unproven) I think, unarguably, we start the season with a considerably weaker team/squad than we finished last season with. We might have names on paper that make a squad of 24 or 25 but a good number of them are simply not good enough or ready for the hurly-burly of Championship football. IMO, we are at least 3 players short - a quality striker, a quality right winger and an experienced goalie (if Pears goes, as seems likely, it would be folly to run with a young inexperienced Michalski as only back-up for Toth). All in all, an underwhelming window IMO - you simply can't replace proven Championship players of a good ability with, in the main, cheap and unproven foreign imports and supplement them with Academy lads who are either not good enough or not ready. ATM, feels like it will be difficult to keep out the bottom six.

What would Ken be worth today? A complete midfielder. Had the lot in his locker including a cannonball shot - think he averaged something like a goal every 5 or 6 games for us. Would have eaten Travis for breakfast - twice the player Travis ever will be.

IMO, it's just to hide the true cost so the club through the media can then over-egg and over-hype the transfer fees so the gullible in our fan base think we are really splashing the cash.

Think you are right leading to an almost inevitable opening day loss.

If the ultimate goal is to get Rovers back to the PL then I think it's pretty clear there is no plan: Do Rovers have direction: No Do Rovers have a focus: No Do Rovers have a clear path to achieve its ultimate goal: No Without a clear plan, players, coaching staff and other employees can become demotivated, disillusioned and morale suffers - what better examples than JDT and Eustace and how long before Ismael snaps !? All I see is a club failing to protect and secure its playing assets and an ongoing degradation of the club as a whole. 'Wing Commanders' Pasha and Gestede - IMO, just versed in the art of 'winging it', and 'winging it' poorly!

Cambridge weren't pretty but feck me, what Beck achieved with them on a shoe string budget was quite remarkable - making the most of what you have!

He was never prolific though - his best spell was with Rovers where I think he had a dozen goals in 30+ games. Think he spent over 10 years at Grimsby where he was a 1 in 5 or 6 man.

Glad you got through it! Hope things have settled down for you.

A huge task ahead - opening games in the Championship don't come much more difficult than this. Not impressed with any of our new signings so far and I think we go into this game far weaker than we were last season. We needed quality additions in early and it hasn't happened. Momentum and confidence is everything in the Championship and a bad result on the opening day can set the tone for the rest of the season. Sadly, I think WBA will win by at least 2 goals.

A footballer is not 'Joe Average' and there is considerable 'stress' on the feet so if rest and immobolization haven't solved the original issue then surgery is the only alternative but can be problematical - didn't we have another player not too long ago who had at least two operations and he missed most of the season?

To gather at Brockhall by 6AM means those same players were climbing out of their beds as early as 4.30AM dependent upon where they live!

Sadly, Chaddy, too many in our squad, as you see our squad, are simply not good enough and shouldn't be in the 25. Not one of our new signings has impressed. We looked disillusioned today and the season hasn't even started! Defensively we were shocking - no cohesion and too slow. Midfield no spark or creativity. - rarely seen Travis and Tronstad so disinterested. Up front - punchless. Only bright sparks for me were Toth (who looks a good goalie) and Kargbo for 20 minutes (though not sure he's 90 minutes in his locker). Montgomery and Mullarkey-Matthews aren't ready. Tyjon has undoubted talent but needs to be managed carefully (based on today, doubtful he's ready to start a game). It's not just one defeat it's the warning signs that need heeding. I think we need a minimum of 4 quality additions that go straight into the starting 11 - without those, I think it's going to be a long, long season with Rovers in the bottom 6.

Agree - thought Travis was 'out of it' today, possibly pondering his future. Tronstad not his usual self either.

Totally agree. Has been far too much hype about the lad. From Marine and Chorley to commanding a place in a Championship team in 6 months doesn't add up. Think he needs some regular football in League One and let's see how he fares there. Sadly, our wafer thin squad probably wont allow it. Most of us, given the players we've lost, thought we needed 7, 8 or even 9 new additions.