If he does I dont think he will be looking at many offers. Hes absolutely shredding his own reputation at the moment. Our goal conceded record is mad, who would take that on?

Its interesting watching us commit so many players forward when the games gone and we concede a gilt edge chance on the break every time. Sort of suicidal

To be honest squad wise I dont think we are particularly stronger or weaker than last few years. Weve had a ridiculous number of injuries but I wonder how much that comes from the style we play. For me I think ultimately we are pursuing a style we can't sustain week after week. Mowbray had the same thing. Its high risk high reward, and when its going against us the wheels come off.

When you boil it down we take so many touches of the ball to craft a chance, for the opposition just a long punt down field can open us up. I admire JDTs philosophy but equally you have to live in the real world. In terms of second half get Garrett and Travis on, go back go the diamond thing, see what happens. Dont think we have many other cards to play.

Back to 4231. I quite liked the diamond thing. Wonder if we'll see Travis and Garrett come on later in the game and we'll revert to it? Anyway good team selection today. Looking forward to see how Ennis and Szmodics work together.

Feel like we will get a result. I think Id play the same team and setup, just swapping Moran for Szmodics. Thought it looked very good for most of the game. What we need is a plan for around 65 mins when we run out of steam. I think Id try and keep Hyam on and bring Hill on as a second DM to sweep up in front of defence and avoid the running clean through we saw. If we had Gallagher to come on for Ennis and keep the press for the last quarter that would really help too.

To me looks very similar to Brereton - when hes off it hes a total passenger. When hes on it he scores goals and looks a class above. My working assumption is every now and again he'll go on a run where he'll look a premier league player then go off the boil again. One to coax into some real form and sell at his peak.

Yeah agreed. Quite looking forward to seeing how he links up with Szmodics. Reckon they could compliment each other quite well.

I thought last night was a pretty good tactical evolution imo with the diamond, very different to how we have played recently, and you could see Watford couldn't get to grips with it at all. We were very compact and solid. So feels like a step in the right direction. What we shouldn't have done imo is once Ennis and Hyam went off kept committing so many players forward. Watfords goals and series of chances in the final quarter from the ganecame from them breaking on us and our midfield being out on its legs so couldnt track back. JDT and coaching teams homework is to figure out how to tighten up and see out games . I guess the key issue is without pace up front sitting back means we cant get out. But equally we cant be as open as we were in the last quarter of games when we are dead on our feet.

I actually thought we did have two up top today - we played a diamond 442 I think with Sigurdsson alongside Ennis as forwards, with Moran the tip of the diamond in behind. In terms of getting into goal scoring positions it worked very well... But often we would have multiple touches close to or inside the opposition box but not actually get a shot away and then lose the ball.... We need someone who will just take the shot on.

He won the ball several times off two centre halves and laid the ball off. When he went off Leonard just couldnt do anything like that. We need a proven striker desperately, but my guess is Ennis will start the games when fit until Gallagher gets back.

I thought Ennis did well personally? I thought our control on the game started to slip once he went off as we couldn't hold onto the ball up front.

All those things I agree with but no club a step up from us is going to take him based on his stats over the last 12 months. While he does a lot of things well theres a lot of room for improvement. Closing out games is obviously one of them.

I dont think given his record im 2023 he will... I like JDT but his career is sinking with his ship at the moment. Thought we were tactically very well setup today, new diamond formation and we controlled the game till we tired towards the end. But once you get to 80 mins ahead you have to see it out. Why didnt we batten down the hatches?

Ended up were playing a diamond with Travis left back, and Ennis and Sigurdsson up fronti. Its looked pretty good tbh. Dont think Ive seen us play a diamond since Souness?

Prerty mad selection, I think it must be 343 with Travis and Garrett playing wing backs? Leo Carter. Hyam. S Wharton Travis. Tronstad. Wharton. Garrett Moran. Ennis. Sigurdsson

Yeah without Szmodics we could go for a proper 433 which will suit Travis. I guess team could be Leo Hill. Carter. Hyam. Pickering Travis. Tronstad. Wharton Markanday Ennis. Sigurdsson Not the most fearsome forward line...

Had a listen - really liked it! The watford guys seem like a nice bunch. One of the best things in recent years imo are the growth of fan podcasts. Great way of feeling connected to fans across the game. Any plans for BRFCS or other Rovers fan podcasts to do a similar sort preview with opposition fans?

Thinking about the shopping list I would just go all in on a striker. We can just about cover every other position. Full backs are light but we can get away with JRC, Hill, Carter, Travis or Garrett filling in if needed. We have 4 CBs which is doable for half a season. Quite a few centre mid options, though I do worry if either Tronstad or Wharton get injured as we lack on the ball quality without them. But I cant see how we pick up a good technical mid for the money we would be willing to spend on a non-starter. Maybe get one on loan? Probs bring back Buckley of his injury isn't a season ender. Sigurdsson, Moran, Szmodics, JRC, and Hedges are decent attacking mids. Getting a winger is pointless without any strikers. If we have any money for Raya or elsewhere we have to spend it all on a striker with at least a 1 in 3 scoring record in the top two divisions of the five big football nations (England, France, Germany, Italy, Spain), or the top division of the Netherlands, Sweden etc. Also with a minimal injury record... Cant be hard right?? Sign that one player and I will be happy. Think we can loan two more players too so get some bodies in where necessary.

2002 - we had three players who could have graced the Champions League final in Duff, Fredel and Tugay. And two who, though past their best, had recently won it in Yorke and Cole. Feels like a long time ago now, even if Hughes brought in some top players a bit later. Wonder when we will next see a player of the quality of Shearer, Duff , Tugay, Freidel, Cole, Bellamy, Santa Cruz. Since we've got relegated I think the only player who has played at Rovers and gone on to play CL football is I think Raya, and then just since he joined Arsenal this season. Adam Wharton is a fabulous player at our level, and will go on to have a great career. But I think it will be a bit more Tom Cairney than Paul Scholes.

Think how we setup will be interesting. Given the state of our squad this run of four games in nine days is a big stretch. Travis, Garrett, Markanday, Ennis and Telelovic are all going to have to major role to play. For what it's worth I would maybe go \; Leo Hill Carter Wharton Pickering Tronstad Wharton Garrett Szmodics Sigurdsson Ennis

Yeah.. we're playing in a high risk high reward sort of way... When it pays off it looks great. When things start going against you very quickly starts looking like the wheels have come off. A very minor plus is every one of these results puts the notion that anyone is going to take JDT off us further away. These frequent losses and high number of goals conceded is going to drive suitors (and I dont think there are many to be honest) away. JDT needs Rovers to be successful if he wants to push on with his career.

I've got a vague feeling Sigurdsson may play number 9. Hes got the physicality for it.

Met up with some friends in Covent Garden last week in a standard Nicholson's pub - so nice but not somewhere particularly premium or anything. £7.50 a pint!

Interesting call... we do have a full weeks rest next week so I think it's likely Szmodics will be play this one. Moran might be dropped as he had such a bad game. Despite everyone being knackered I will be quite surprised if we make any changes except maybe Hill coming into the side and Brittain playing right wing to make us a bit more solid. Once we get into the mad run from Watford until Rotherham New Years day (4 games in 11 days!) I think we could be moving more towards more unsual setups. An issue for us is the mids on the subs bench (Travis and Garrett) JDT obviously does not want to play as pivots picking up the ball from defence, presumably as he is concerned their control is too poor to hold onto the ball. It seems if they play they need to either fit in further up the pitch or at full back. Which basically means there is no cover for Wharton or Tronstad. So Adam and Sondre are going to be playing a lot of football.