Looking down the fixture list Im feeling we should be absolutely fine. Only two near definite losses in there (Leeds and Leicester away) everyone else we have a good shout with. Think weve got a plan B with this 352 setup with JRC on the right of the three CBs. Any more injuries could do us but we're through the mad bit of the season now - broadly one game a week till May now. Critical that Pears (cant believe I said that) and Szmodics stay fit.

Pears, Dolan, Gallagher and JRC back is huge for us. We'll be a lot better I am sure. Just need no more injuries.

Yeah hes a 10, but I think Id play Szmodics, Dolan, Moran, Garett, ahead of him. Sigurdsson has some quality and can find a bit of space in the box. But he doesnt do anywhere near enough without the ball. Doesnt make any runs or press.

LWB. Think we are Pears JRC. Hyam. Wharton Dolan. Garret. Moran. Tronstad. Sigurdsson Gallagher. Szmodics 352 with Dolan and Sigurdsson playing wing back is pretty punchy. But its working!

Only thing not working for me is Sigurdsson on the left. Id take him off for Adam Wharton, and move Garret to LWB. Shame Batty isnt on the bench - would be perfect for him. Chrisene could come on too as an alternative but he looked a bit poor on the ball to me against WBA. We should go for a big score.

I do like JRC at RCB. Its mad but it works. Hes strong enough, competes enough, and it gives him loads of time on the ball and the space to get forward. Is there anything he cant do?

Szmodics what a legend. Nice work by Garrett and Gallagher.

He looks good in forward areas but like Travis struggles picking it up on the turn.

Anyone got a clue whose playing LWB? Is it Sigurdsson? JDT is so attacking. Hope it pays off!

I reckon it 352 with JRC at RCB from the first couple of mins. Garrett is at CM.

Yeah, youd think given definite game time, and our relationship with Liverpool we should be in the driving seat?

I don't think it does really. Attendances have dwindled but Venkys have not been fussed. Their issue is they are not engaged, and reduced attendances don't catch their attention until there is a financial review, and then all it will lead to is reduction of the budget. Whatever is done needs to be something they will hear about and have to pay attention to.

Good point... !

Fun fact - until the industrial revolution Norwich was the second biggest city in England outside London as the economy revolved around the wool textile trade with Europe. Then the population growth moved west to staff the factories that exported out to the empire.... Blackburn is in a very unusual position that there are just so many clubs nearby. Only other part of the country with so many professional clubs so close to one another is London and obviously there is a lot higher population density and it is a lot richer. I think there are 12 pro clubs within 30 miles of Ewood - Rovers, Burnley, Liverpool, Everton, man Utd, man City, accrington, Preston, WIgan, Bolton, Blackpool, Fleetwood Way more density of clubs that Leeds (3 pro clubs within 30 miles) Sheffield (5 clubs), Birmingham (5 clubs), Newcastle (2 clubs), Bristol (2 clubs). There was a period of time around 2010 where I think 5 Lancashire town clubs were in the premier division at the same time (Rovers, Burnley, Blackpool, Wigan and Bolton). Then of course you had both Liverpool and both Manchester clubs. So pretty much half the division was Lancashire. Map that shows this density pretty well : https://www.myfootygrounds.co.uk/AreaMap.asp?view=ENGLAND

Undav who we just missed out on in the summer because of Brightons injuries has scored 12 goals in 16 matches for Stuttgart on loan in the Bundesliga.... 😳😳

Seems mad that Ipswich want to pay £2M for a player whose been injured so much and close to end of contract . But gives us options. I guess question is who we bring in. If Gally goes we need two established proven strikers. Yates and McGuire would maybe do it? Yates obviously solid record at this level and McGuire had about a 1 in 2 in the MLS and recently got capped by US so id be intrigued by that. MLS is a decent standard these days.

Really surprised Gilesenan isn't getting a crack tomorrow... Thought it would be ideal for him. Based on the players available i think we're looking at Pears Jrc. Hyam. Wharton. Chrisene Tronstad. Wharton Dolan. Szmodics. Sigurdsson Gallagher Should be enough to win surely? Carter and Pickering are big losses but I think having Pears, JRC, Dolan and Gallagher back outweighs them considerably. Hopeful that Chrisene shows a bit more on the ball than he did at WBA.

Yeah, i see Szmodics as an ideal half of a classic little man big man combo. Dont know much about Yates but hes 5ft 9 so would he be a bit too similar to Szmodics?

I hate reality TV generally but have to say the traitors has absolutely perfected the art form.

Top six clubs maybe, but Palace certainly need something given their current predicament!

He plays a lot of quality forward balls but he also has given the ball away quite frequently in the centre of the pitch that kick off very dangerous opponent counter attacks. His on the ball quality is obvious but I wouldnt say overall he is playing that well atm (as the rest of the team isnt either). Id actually argue that he hasn't yet really had a run where he has been consistently our best performer for a decent run of games - unlike say Szmodics or Tronstad. To be honest he seems a bit of a strange signing for Palace given their defensive woes... Not exactly what you would say they need right now, but maybe its more for the long term? Edit - had a look at palace's results this season and actually the spanking by Arsenal last weekend was a one off. Generally they've been pretty tight. THeir issue is they have only scored 22 goals all season. So maybe Wharton is being bought with a view to create more goal scoring opportunities immediately?

Surely will get a crack in the cup?

Very well thought out post. We will definitely sell though in my view... once a premier league club comes in for a Championship player with no hopes of promotion the clock is ticking. We won't be able to hold onto him for more than six months, absolutely no chance. So it's all about playing our cards right for the maximum fee. I guess the question really boils down to sell now or sell in summer. In my view if someone hits £20M then we need to strike while the iron is hot. We have seen with Brereton that the valuations can drop off significantly. It's quite plausible that Wharton's relatively poor form at the moment for will continue to the summer. Personally now Crystal Palace have made such a big offer I will be absolutely amazed if he's still with us on 1st Feb, much as it pains me to say it.

Yeah - if I was him going to somewhere where he knows he will play is better than a bigger club where hes lucky to make the bench and finds himself back on loan in the Championship in a couple of seasons.

Sure 50% is the absolute minimum?? 20% wouldn't be a model, it would be self sabotage!