7 hours ago, chaddyrovers said:

Has he? 

Well they are rumours Leicester manager Puel will be sack at the end of the season. So is Appleton looking to move. 

No chance of Leicester job.

Understand he's Sunderland's number 1 target.  Lumped on him at 12/1.  Now down to 6/1 but still good value.

2 hours ago, chaddyrovers said:

Hasnt Cook been offered the Sunderland job and accept it?

Cook shows no loyalty does he?

No but think Appleton has !

3 hours ago, arbitro said:

 

3 hours ago, arbitro said:

Horrible people who have got their comeuppance. The feeling of Blackpool fans this morning will be one of euphoria and give them a boost.

I'm feeling envious.

If I was a Blackpool fan, I would hardly be feeling euphoric this morning. 

Think this could all get really nasty and I am not sure where the football club will end up.

Think it's strange that this injury still hasn't been reported on properly on either Rovers' website or LT.  Feels like there's some worse news than expected coming our way.

Just now, blueboy3333 said:

...and the good news, Doctor?

Think many would concur with the first two points.

As for third point, there is medical expertise in the family and also a friend's son did his hamstring playing cricket which required a surgical repair.  So I am not whistling in the dark!

IMV, we've just lost our most potent attacking threat for a considerable amount of time.  Don't think there's any good news at all in that.

Horrendous news 

Firstly, if Chapman had started the game, as most fans hoped, it's very possible this injury would not have happened as his state of game readiness would have been that much better and higher.

Secondly, at the hint of any hamstring distress (and I think he does have a history of hamstring trouble), he should have been hooked off.  Agree with Arbitro that there's shades of Lenihan here.  Have been saying for a while now, I think our medical team has regressed as a unit just like the club generally.

Thirdly, and it's not possible to be too prescriptive without knowing the detail of Chapman's injury, recovery from this type of surgery is generally in the 4 to 6 month range for even athletes (2 months sounds optimistic to me - look how long Nelson was out although that was a real bad one).  Generally speaking surgery in athletes is carried out if the muscle rupture is greater than 2 inches and on occasions if greater than 1 inch.  Needless to say, it's very likely that this will always be a vulnerable area for Chapman (remember Michael Owen's issues) and hamstring surgery, as with cruciate ligament surgery, is highly likely to take the edge off an athlete's pace (Michael Owen and Alan Shearer being cases in point).

It's a hammer blow for the lad in particular as well as Rovers.  We can only wish him well 

Looks very snazzy!

Well done and thanks to those concerned.

15 hours ago, Dreams of 1995 said:

Are either solely to blame? I know who ultimately is to blame for this.

Simply put the manager isn't good enough; the players aren't good enough; the coaches aren't good enough; the club isn't good enough. Yet whilst they share a portion of blame to as why we are in the position we are in ultimately they aren't to blame. It isn't their fault they aren't good enough but it is the clubs fault that it has sunk to the levels that we employ mediocrity. We are undoubtedly one of the laughing stocks of English football right now - I know who is to blame for that.

I grew up watching Tugay, Duff, Dunn, Friedel and Nelsen. I saw players come and go like Bellamy, Santa Cruz, McCarthy. We had cult heroes like the Axe, Kuqi, Big Andy Todd and co. Before that my dad had Shearer, Garner, Hendry & co. Before that my grandad saw Douglas & Clayton. My younger nephews and brother have seen Stokes, Murphy, Lowe, Hanley and Duffy. I know who is to blame for that.

I saw us win the League Cup in Cardiff. I did see us get relegated (prior to Venkys, I've seen three now) but I saw a team that wanted to bounce back. Before that my dad saw us win the league, was there for the famous Full Members Cup day. My younger nephews and brother have seen three relegations and a nearly win vs Liverpool in the cup. I know who is to blame for that.

Rovers has been in my family for generations and each generation has something to shout about. We had bad times like anyone but the good times were never out of reach. My family has been on the terraces of Rovers since the Great War. However, my nephews and brother, they have known nothing but bad. It is horrible to not see them have the same love as I had for the club at their age and, whilst it may also be a symptom of a change in attitudes, I can't see them ever sticking with Rovers the way in which I have.

And I certainly know who is to blame for that.

Spot on.

To Dougie and Clayton, you can add illustrious names such as Fred Pickering, Mike England and Keith Newton - the three were class acts and it was a privilege to see them in the blue and white halves.

5 hours ago, arbitro said:

I don't doubt his passion but when it came to hard hitting and searching questions of managers I thought he was very weak. Too many managers got off lightly in my opinion.

Think he was pretty clueless really.

His views on Reading when they played down here were embarrassing.  They reached the play off final!  Very disparaging about Barnsley as well prior to us going there.

Burnley have sold Keane and Gray and I think it's pretty certain it's with the blessing of Dyche otherwise he would have walked and into a very good club within weeks.  He knew it was time for Keane to move on and the offer was just too good for Gray.  How many seasons have Southampton sold their 'star' men yet seem to improve year on year.  I think Burnley will be fine this season although I think the next few weeks are going to be very interesting for the club and their supporters in more ways than one !!!

Didn't realise this match is to be played so soon (w.c. 21 Aug.).  If it's on tv, a friend (Burnley fan) is putting on a bit of a bash at his house so looking forward to some friendly rivalry and banter which is just as it should be.

2 hours ago, Biz said:

Holy moley, it's a football game. Much more important things in life, and if you can't take the winding up after the trophies, cup runs, players, European excersions and unbeaten runs we've had over them, what can you take!?

This fixture spices up football, it makes it interesting and for once it's a nice distraction from the league, we are the under dogs and they have a lot more to lose.

Life's too short for hating people for choice of club they support. Mental.

Very good post.

As you get older, the fixture means less and less to you.

Kendall was a real gentleman.  Always had time for a word.  Bumped into him and his 'sidekick' (Mick Heaton) on a number of occasions in the Bulls Head, Wilpshire which in those days was a thriving Duttons Grill Room Restaurant managed by a larger than life character (Harry D).  It was some party there when Rovers won promotion.

6 minutes ago, Waggy76 said:

Administration is what is needed to get the Venkys Out !

Venkys have to go , anything will continue our decline !

When Venky's go, I feel certain they will want to max out on their recoveries.  Administration wont do that, liquidation would.................

Just now, frosty said:

Zola resigns....bad news.

Says it all about him.

They need a miracle worker to save them with their fixtures.

Still think they've gone.

7 hours ago, JohnD said:

This is football topic please take religion elsewhere

Davalsuker should learn that when you are in a hole, it's best to stop digging!

Just now, davulsukur said:

If you believe in that miracle (i.e one that never happened), then I'm starting to see where your relentless, baseless optimism comes from.

This board will be a proper grim place to be come this evening.

Presumably, you do not participate in Christmas at all then ?  If you do, is that not just gross hypocrisy ?

Just now, AllRoverAsia said:

The Barnsley keeper and Ref are pie eaters.

Seriously the Ref is a 9 bob note after giving that penalty. What for? I have watched it over and over in slomo to and there is nothing to give. Nothing. So why give it? TwoHat.

They say you make your own luck in football! 

The harder you work the luckier you get!

We've had some bad decisions go against us this season, conversely, we've had the rub of the green a fair few times.  It's only the costly ones that go against you that you seem to remember and not the fortunate decisions that give you a point or points.  The bellyaching of managers when something goes against them is a pet hate of mine.  Take the rough with the smooth and get on with it.

Just now, philipl said:

Wigan have a nice run in in terms of playing teams which almost certainly don't absolutely have to beat them in the games they play against Wigan in the order in which they come.

Whereas our next two opponents will be totally wound up in life or death struggles against us.

 

Brighton and Reading away, Cardiff and Leeds at home.  If Wigan get three points from those four games, I'd be very, very surprised.  They are done for.

7 hours ago, Gavlar Somerset Rover! said:

Mercer - you will be one deflated guy at 4.50pm tomorrow - it's going to open your eyes. Our boys don't have the cajones that Forest/City do.

You live in hope.

We could lose both this Easter and even win our last three to stay up!  There is always a club in a relegation battle somewhere that defies the odds and produces some stonking results to come through.

It's Easter celebrating THE biggest miracle of all time - anything is possible.

7 hours ago, jim mk2 said:

I'm not. Looking forward to you leaving this board if we go down.

Improvement in outlook there Jim. 

Now IF not WHEN.

Keep it up!

46 minutes ago, TAFKAP said:

Have you seen Wigan's run in? It's a bridge too far if ever I saw one. I honestly think Blackburn will scrape through by overcoming the other two strugglers in NFFC & Bristol. 

I'm with you.

Just now, Stuart said:

Did you go yesterday, Merce?

We dominated possession but didn't look in the game at all.

I thought with playing Brown, we would be looking to invite Barnsley on to us and then play on the break - hence Mahoney. But two goals in the first 10 minutes and that game plan - if it was - was over. Barnsley could let us have the play and just get players behind the ball. Something they did very well, by the way. Mowbray underestimated how prone Brown was: no legs but no legs around him either. 

Why was Ward on the bench? If fit, surely he should start in the absence of Mulgrew (our best midfielder) and Lenihan. Also made further mockery of sending Wharton out.

Mowbray needs to wield the axe and freshen things up. Sticking with shower from yesterday (Mahoney aside) is sentimental and foolish. If we are going to rely on "young, hungry" players to survive as a club next season then we need that kind of hunger now.

Thankfully, no.  The weather won and we had a great day out.

Spoke with a couple of friends who went and they were shocked, truly shocked.  Your comments therefore don't surprise me.

You are absolutely right - the axe needs wielding.  If we go down, let's at least show some fight and not go with a whimper.

My team for Forest:

Raya / Nyambe, Hoban, Ward, Williams / Mahoney, Guthrie, Akpan, Feeney / Bennett / Gallagher

KEEP LOWE OUT - about as useful as a chocolate teapot.

Just now, Bigdoggsteel said:

It was the manner of defeat, coupled with good performances from our rivals and next 2 opponents. I can't see us beating them. 

Understand but how many Bristol City fans thought they'd beat a rampant Wolves' team yesterday after being annihilated by 5 goals, and according to some Preston friends who were there it could have been 7, 8 or even 9, at Preston midweek?

Hopefully, there are one or two twists and turns to come yet.

Just now, Blue blood said:

Clutching at straws now as am shocked by the implosion under TM in the last few weeks. Thought with a bit of organisation we could stay up but we've really not helped ourselves of late. Reading were vulnerable, Barnsley had nothing to play for, and even a couple of draws would have kept us well in the race.

As it is it's no longer in our hands which is even more frightening. The only faint positives I can see is that IF we can beat Bristol City then we're back in it, which with some other winnable games coming up is not out of the question at all. Problem is that we've fluffed one very winnable game, and injuries are mounting up. Add in most players won't be here next season and you feel motivation is somewhat lacking. It's still doable Imo but one more bad set of results against us and that would probably change.

I'm with you.

I've seen so many strange and unexpected things happen in football over the years.  Teams simply implode and lose many consecutive games on the trot, conversely, from nowhere, teams find it in themselves to reel off a handful of consecutive wins.  Football is so unpredictable otherwise the bookies would be out of business.

Yesterday was a horrendous day with our defeat and other results but we are not dead and buried yet.

Our task is now that much harder but you just have to hope.

Good luck Tony Mowbray.

Show passion, integrity and respect and the fans will back you to the hilt.

We almost need a miracle worker.  It could be you and you might just become a legend.

Looking forward to our first win under your management at Burton on Friday.