Both observations valid and why it's a difficult one to call. Will be very interested in team selection as may well provide insight into who's really calling the shots. Feel, sadly, Cardiff will want it a bit more and will edge it.

Ismael is paid some £600k per annum to get results the buck stops with him. To me, this appointment is reminiscent of other disastrous appointments such as Jim Iley and Owen Coyle where things unraveled at an alarming speed just as they are doing now. Unless you were around in the 1960's / early 1970's I don't think you will understand the meaning of 'seriously toxic' - in those days, you had fans on the pitch, massed in front of the directors' box in the Nuttall Street enclosure and outside the main entrance after the match. Those protests were very vocal and very aggressive. If Waggott had been the subject of such protests he would have crapped himself and Caley would have been as useful as a penis at a feminist convention. You are right. Our players don't seem fit and are very injury prone with inordinately lengthy recoveries. As with all aspects of the club, I think our sports' science and medical departments have been seriously dumbed down and the consequences are self evident.

In reality, think our squad lacks any real quality and depth. Out of our starting 11 last night, IMO, Pears, Sanderson, Forshaw, Dolan and Cantwell are simply not fit to wear the shirt - that's half the team! Eustace did a terrific job in getting us into the top 6 with this motley bunch. He is an organiser, tactically astute and an excellent motivator/man manager as his last two wins with Derby have shown - he is turning the ship and will keep them up. IMO, Ismael and his side kick Whitehead haven't a feckin clue as evidenced by our performances and their lost at sea looks as they stand there dispassionately in the technical area. Folk like @chaddyroverscan keep picking their own starting 11's until the cows come home but if the head coach/manager is a dud then all is lost. Think we now look clueless and even worse, disinterested. Can only envisage a mass exodus of our better players at the season's end (who can blame them!?) and I think it's almost certain we will be relegated next season.

Our club is an utter shambles. Indefensible. Anyone who thinks otherwise is deluded.

Feckin shite - simple as.

Think we've picked a total wrong one - IMO, a devisive figure full of bullsh1t; can you imagine the outcry if Coyley or Keano had put the loss down to us 'wanting it too much'.

They are but think our season is done already. Lose at Stoke, and not many are giving us a chance, then goodness knows what will happen on Saturday - lose again and I suspect the fans will turn. Yet to meet anyone not underwhelmed by Ismael's appointment.

Think we all know what's coming from this mid week fixture. Play off hopes already gone and the spineless Derby performance suggests there is no new manager bounce, in fact quite the contrary. Stoke desperate for points after only 1 point from last 4 games. Robins is smart and Pears will be physically targeted and even Gallagher will be salivating at the thought and opportunity! Stoke by 3 or 4 goals to 1 with Gallagher and Moran being made to look like Isak and Messi and bagging 2 or 3 goals between them. Stoke win at 7/4 is very good value.

Think you are dong Fred a great disservice there! Didn't Fred amass over 400 appearances for PNE and Rovers in Division 1 (now the PL) - and PNE nearly won it one year? Think we signed Fred for a fee of circa £20/30k which at the beginning of the 1960's was 'biggish dosh'. Pears will never ever come close to matching Fred's record as a First Division / PL goalie. I seem to recall an Alf Thornton article where Fred was described as one of the best English goalkeepers never to be capped though if my memory is correct, he did play for England B? The same article mentioned a bad neck/shoulder injury Fred suffered with Rovers which kept him out for some time - don't think he was ever the same after that injury.

Not a snowball's chance in hell that Pears will end up at Manchester United. I've seen some utter dross in Rovers' goal, and I date back to the Fred Else era, and I think Pears is right up there with the very worse. I can only think Nixon has an ulterior motive for scribbling what I think is such garbage.

A certain MB member on his return from Derby will post words to the effect: 'A bad day at the office. Ismael needs time, let's see where we are at the end of the season. Let's be ready for Stoke and take the points there - COYB' Thankfully, I live in the real world. That performance was a total feckin embarrassment. IMO, the writing is already on the wall - the players are not on board with Ismael. I think this is all going to end in both tears and disaster as the club is about to plumb new depths. IMO, an utterly spineless performance and for starters Pears and Dolan should never wear the shirt again. I back Eustace to keep Derby up. He is not a snake. How many broken promises were made to him? He deserved to be backed but was treated disgracefully. Good luck John. Something needs to happen quickly at Rovers and if it means rising from the ashes of insolvency then so be it. Our club needs real passion and integrity like never before.

Rarely has the first goal been so important as it will be on Saturday. Think whoever scores first will win the match. Rovers lose and our season is over, Derby lose and they are gone. It's that simple - forget all the rhetoric. High stakes - let's see who has the cajones. Sadly, I don't see it being Rovers.

You can do both! Final Sat 24 May, holiday Sun 25 May to Sun 1 Jun.

Sadly, Rovers are one of the most unusual business 'models' you are likely to encounter. If you had an ounce of nous, you would realise Venky's were highly unlikely to continue funding losses of circa £20million per annum (and evidence over the last two years or so suggests they have now made that decision) and therefore the only way for the club to stay afloat was/is through the sale of players and given the 'big money' stars have all been sold the cupboard is almost bare so would you care to explain how the Rovers avoid insolvency!?!?

I think there are many of our era and beyond who now feel so ambivalent about Rovers. Pre Venkys, a Rovers' defeat really, really hurt - now it's more of a shrug of the shoulders. I think it's very much unlikely I will ever see Rovers back in the PL which is so sad. Think an insolvency scenario within the next 3 years is the most likely and almost inevitable outcome.

To me, the match just confirmed what a very god job Eustace did with what was available. We will do well to get back into the top 6 let alone win promotion. Our lack of quality is obvious. Negatives - Hyam's madness which will probably get him a 3 match ban, Dolan yet again - get him out of the building asap, Cantwell who is not going to be the mercurial talent we all hoped for, Forshaw who I don't think should be playing professional football and Dennis who I think is proving to be one almighty expensive mistake (to me, he could have got a straight red for his first offence). Positives - good news we have Carter and Tronstad back and Kargbo who might develop into a decent player over the next 12 months. As many of us thought, Ismael has a right job on his hands and I think it will get even worse next Saturday with Eustace getting his first win as Derby boss with Nyambe possibly being their surprise matchwinner - you couldn't script it!

Dolan has to be hooked. Can Tronstad be any less effective than Forshaw

Only positive is we are still level. We look very, very poor.

Awful. Our midfield is woeful though what would anyone expect with Forshaw. Lucky not to be 2 down. Ismael needs to change this.

A signing that defies logic to me, I'll say no more. As to the game, this is a season defining game and a MUST WIN for me. Win and we can all continue to dream, lose and it's very likely season over. I think the new man WILL get a response and fancy a Rovers' win by 2 clear goals. Ploughed on Rovers' win at 8/5.

Wolves were a very decent outfit but my recollection is the 1970's were dominated by Liverpool, Arsenal and Leeds with only Derby, Forest and Ipswich enjoying some top 3 success.

Waggy had a wand of a left foot to go with his football intelligence - just a bit of a mystery why he never played for one of the 'big boys'. To think Jim Iley jettisoned him for a washed-up Johnny Aston. Great pity Harrison didn't have Fergie's heart and aggression otherwise he would have been a world beater - what a penalty taker!!! Hope this is not the kiss of death - Iley was an honest lad but totally incompetent (in the Ince / Kean 'class'). Never forgave him for losing Waggy. Nothing would surprise me with our, IMO, shambolic club and management. Too many cooks spoil the broth and too many egos and legends in their own minds.

Good luck Valerien! I wish you well and hope you can miraculously get us to the PL this season. Wouldn't have been my choice - just hope it proves to be an inspired appointment but not holding my breath.

I was challenged about how many folk I'd hired with the strong inference being I knew naff all about recruitment. In response, I merely outlined what I had done with some success. My response was not 'falling over myself boasting about recruitment'. If I had wanted to boast, there are a lot more success stories I could have added.

Really, really really!?!? A journalist told me he even applied for the Plymouth job when Rooney left! Given the journalist who told me, I have little doubt that it is not correct. That's how desperate Eustace seemed to be to get away so you can also forget all the 'closer to family' guff. It can't have been any clearer to Waggott, Gestede and Suhail than if someone had slapped a custard pie in their face that Eustace wanted out. There can can be no excuses for what, IMO, has been an absolutely shambolic process to replace Eustace and you should stop making them.