This bit cracked me up... “It feels brilliant to sign here. I’ve obviously had a bit of time off"... Aye mate... It's been 6 years!!! ?

OK so I'm going to try and stay optimistic... (I can almost hear the Mackems laughing) If Rodwell has been brought in as cover for CB then it could turn out OK. Given the length and possible terms of his contract it's possible he could be out the door before he can blink if he messes around. Also, if he tries to act the big one around this group of players, he'll get put in his place. Best case scenario, he comes in, gets his head down, learns from Mulgrew, does the simple things well and becomes a decent option for us. Considering his age, the fact that he's 6.2, can use both feet and is decent in the air... As a CB option he could turn out alright. If people think we're going to get Rodwell of Everton then I'd recommend adjusting your expectations, years have passed and much water under the bridge since then. Best to lower your expectations to hoping he'll be good CB cover and if he turns out to be better than that then happy days. After all, he has no option other than to give everything he has in these next 9 months to earn a place and a better deal or its pretty much career over. We hold all the cards on this one... So prove us wrong Jack!

By sounds of it, he is CB cover.

Typically after a new signing announced you want to believe they're going to be a good signing but that review from the Mackem is sobering to say the least. I hope this one doesn't do more damage than good. This one is all on Mowbray now, I know he can pass it off as "cheap" punt but it's down to him to show off his man management skills and get something back in return. Uneasy about this one but hopefully the mood here, the manager will inspire him. Good luck to him. Good luck to Sunderland. Good fans, deserve better.

Perhaps that's because neither side really knows what sort of valuation to put on him? We could agree to a fee but then decide he's worth less than we originally agreed to, so then it's worth bringing him in and seeing whats what first. We're stocked in midfield, think where the option to buy clauses really need to be is in the attacking players because they tend to command more of a premium.

I'm lost... Is "baller" the definition of someone who chases a ball around but doesn't know what it's for? Be an ideal name for a dog.

I think it's a horses for courses one with him. He might not be the answer to TM's long term vision of how he wants us to play but I think there will be games or moments within games where we'll be saying "could have done with a Smallwood type in there".

I'm not saying he should play every week for him to find his feet, we can't afford to carry players in this league. What I am saying is he should be allowed the opportunity to take his chances to make an impression and earn his place rather than just write him off after 4 games.

Not a direct dig at you but more a comment about the message board opinions in general. I think some of the comments on Smallwood have been very unfair... Alright, he is a limited player but for the most part last season he was a good player for us. When he last played at this level it was for a team with less quality than we have, more is expected of him this time, let's afford him some time to grow into this league before we just write him off, he surely earned enough respect from us to afford him that. I've seen Smallwood make more tackles in one game than I have in all of Jason Lowe's time here, there will be games or times within a game where we will need players like him. Lad has a great attitude, I just feel he's suffering because Evans is very similar, if he was playing along side more of a ball player like Cairney where he could win it and give it you'd probably see the best of him. Let me be clear, I'm all for giving criticism and praise where its due, if he plays poorly and he gets criticised then people are just saying what they're seeing, that's fair enough. What I don't want to see is him be the scapegoat, let him try and find his feet first and if he hasn't been good enough come January or next summer then at least he's had a fair crack and we move on.

Already has against Ipswich... Does need a another. Agreed on the 2nd one.

Top class this lad. Kept speaking about him all the way home from Hull and he only played about 20 mins there! You can definitely see why United wanted to keep him. A very modern centre midfielder, based on that performance he seems to have everything. His touch and technique when striking the ball is top class. Certainly not out of place in this league. Tony must be chuffed to its at pulling that signing off... Just shows that massive fee's don't always guarantee quality.

TM said we're not interested after game didn't he?

JOE ROTHWELL... CLASS. Impressed me at the weekend but tonight, wow, played everywhere in midfield, as I said after Hull... We've got ourselves a gem there. When we got relegated against Brentford, Ryan Nyambe was the best player on the pitch, I saw enough from that performance to know he could be a great player for us. Class against Hull and class tonight again, got forward better than Bell, such a strong lad. I've given Evans stick recently, apart from one frustrating ball at the end, he was outstanding tonight. I never fancied us for a win tonight, one of those that you're almost certain of but given our chances and how we fought back, I think we probably deserved to win it. Although Brentford are a tougher side, I somehow think it might suit us a bit better. This group of players really do have a lot of spirit, thanks to super TM. Tony Mowbrays barmy army!

Defending and stopping crosses coming in seems to be real problem for this side, its just panic stations every single time. Before the goal we looked really tidy but this team has a really weak jaw... Doesn't help gifting them that first goal. We've had chances in this game but just like Hull and Ipswich... We aren't taking our chances. Raya should have palmed that shot away from goal for me. Looking like game over for me, no one on the bench to change this.

Totally different test for us tonight than last weekend. Hull forwards weren't particularly mobile and Reading will have lots more pace in Barrow, Sims and Aluko... Which worries me against Evans, Smallwood and Mulgrew who aren't particularly quick. Can see a score draw here.

When discussing Armstrong and Chapman I'm sure he said they were "in the mix"... Which would imply he has interest in him, unless some can correct me otherwise.

Fair comment but although Bennett did set up Dack at the weekend I feel he's as limited going forward as Chapman is defensively... Depending on who we're playing either could be a better option. Although Chapman might not be quite as good in the tackle, he'll be quicker to press defenders higher up the pitch and force mistakes than Bennett IMO. Either way, as a starter or as an impact sub whilst he develops... I'd still like us to bring him in.

Bennett is playing attacking mid still... Would personally prefer Chapman in there and move Bennett into DM personally. Chapman is a potential match winner. Him, Dacky and Palmer behind Armstrong would frighten the life out of teams.

Come on mate... League wins was what I was discussing.

Can see us dropping points tonight, they will be desperate to get a win and I think a nice pitch with a flat atmosphere will suit them. I know coming off the back of a good away win confidence should be high but if a team is struggling for points or performance you can usually bank on Rovers to help out with that. Back to back wins always feels like asking too much of us.

Don't understand this one at all... How does a guy who scored that many goals for them last season sit on the bench? Apparently changed fame for them when he came on.

I know Rich Sharpe isn't as in the loop as we thought but he seems to think we haven't gone as high as 8 million for Brereton.

Surely. If he can't get minutes on the bench he's probably not even going to be in the squad when Bolasie signs for them. I'm pretty convinced this could be one of the deals Mowbray was referring to about edging closer, I bet they were reluctant to let him leave until they had a replacement.

Billy bullshit at it again.

10 million??? We'd have been robbed if they sold him for that, nowhere near what we should be asking. Maddison went to Leicester for 20 million quid, scored 14 goals last season from midfield, Dacky already has 2 in the league. I think TM will be well aware of that if we get any calls about him.