I just think he needs space to play, he can't bundle the ball past players who get tight on him and stand him up - he popped up with two goals when the game started to stretch. He keeps trying to score the same goal each time, but I suppose that's down to him coming in from the left. He must be so easy to play against. I really do wish him well and I don't think he's actively been playing within himself, maybe there is a psychological aspect to it with not wanting to get injured, I don't know, it's hard for us as fans to not assume you can give 110% in every challenge, every moment. He still tracks back and works hard, he's in a rut and other teams have worked him out. Against a solid, pressing team who work hard, he has little choice but to spend the game in his own half with his back to goal. He's not a target man, he offers little out ball unless it's play over the top diagonally. Anyway, onwards and upwards, let's find a new striker to get behind. Like I said before, he's paid Mowbray back handsomely, just not us...

We got back into that as Millwall totally fell apart, and JRC moving into midfield and the addition of Dolan finally got the opposition turned around facing their own goal. One of the better JDT substitutions this season. It was like watching us at times in certain second halves these season, Rovers are one of those teams that look more vulnerable 2-0 up than we do at 0-0 - and Millwall felt similar. They allowed us space in behind, which is perfect for the way we play, and the more they tired the more it opened up. Some of their lads were dead on their feet. As soon as you put pressure on us and surpass our effort, we don't have a chance. See Luton 2nd half, B*rnley away, Rotherham etc. Give us space and it's a different story.

I wish he'd won that header at the front post for the Coventry equaliser, instead of turning his back on it. I'm fed up of watching opposition forwards bust a gut to fly through the air and out jump and muscle their opponents.

If ever there was a season to repeatedly slap Rovers in the face this was it, like having a carrot dangled in front of you, enough to keep the hope going to kill us all off - some of the best times and some of the certain worst times. Seeing Burnleh and Mowbray laud it over us is a bitter pill to swallow. Did I read it's the lowest points tally for entry to the playoffs since '88? We're literally a coat of paint, a Hedges brain-fart, the length of Hyam's stud, or a qualified fax machine operator from being in the playoffs, then we view it all so differently.

He was good, can't fault his workrate as always. But those two goals he scored were down to the fact he finally had space to get a shot away, how many times has he tried to hit his trademark edge of the box curler and either spooned it out for a throw in or rushed it and had it blocked. The run-in against Hull, Cov, PNE, B*rnley, Luton he's been closed down and taken out of the game. Then lo and behold, Millwall get tired, push on, start to struggle to close him down and he scores. He needs to do it against defenders who have now worked him out.

In the end, the irony is we've literally spent £7 million on getting Tony Mowbray's Sunderland promoted. Diaz came through for Big Tone the Lemon Drizzle King in the end. Can they chuck us a few million as a tip when they win the playoffs?

I know he's been mentioned above but our striker woes have got me looking back at Jason Roberts all misty eyed. I know he'd have one great game, then sulk for 5, but what we'd give for someone who could do this: ...and whoever "Rovers 95" is on Youtube, thanks for uploading all these clips, great to see.

I can't take it if Mowbray gets Sunderland into the playoffs. They're bound to beat Preston. Gelhardt will score probably. Burnley champions at Ewood, a keeper scores to take points off us, Mowbray and Sunderland, this season is a real fucker - yet I've enjoyed it, I don't understand.

No I agree, and those seasons go down as terrible wasted opportunities. Can you remember what it was like having someone like Rudy? Insane now, it feels an alien concept. I was more referring to us vs Boro, stick Akpom at Rovers and we may have beaten Preston and Coventry 2-1. But it's a total moot point anyway as we couldn't attract that kind of player anyway, but just in terms of how we as fans view JDT.

We had the arse end of nowt to aim at yesterday. Diaz is just waiting on the touchline for the diagonal or inside ball that he can bundle forward. How many times did he over/under hit passes? I really dislike that overhit ball inside the defender that goes straight out for a goal kick too, him and Dack did it a couple of times and it's so hard to watch. JRC was getting visibly frustrated. I've never know a forward line with so little movement. But then it isn't a forward line is it so I can't really compare. Leonard comes on, does the normal thing of running the channel and wins a corner, we score.

I've been thinking this too - I think it's pretty accurate, the similarities are eerie. On another note, has anyone watched Boro recently? I've no idea how he's doing as a manager really, must be doing OK obviously, but any failings with Carrick are masked by having a 28 goal striker. All JDT's tactical decisions, post-match, his subs, etc are all under the microscope without goals. It's all about bloody goals, that's it - with goals the fine, fine margins in the Preston, Coventry, Hull and Wigan games are gone and we're 8 points better off, same as Boro. With more goals SS's shot against Luton is to make it 3-1 not 2-1. Swap our managers around and are we frustrated with him and looking enviously at JDT?

Exactofuckingmundo Travis, Wharton and Buckley as a 3, JPvH and Hyam in the back, Undav up front, Nisbett running his socks off EASY Then I woke up

I do remember him dropping in form, but to be expected with the nature of his experience and the state of the team and the fact that early on this season I think they were suffering from being "over coached" (did you hear about that 4-5 second rule in training they do?). I also remember other midfielders dropping in form too, again I think the job of midfielder has been the most thankless task this season. Definitely, but cannot bring myself to criticise Travis. Get O'Brien and watch Buckley and AW thrive. I'll give the award for "most obvious statement ever made on the forum" to myself.

Agreed 100% - the main issue this season with the new way of playing from JDT is no outball, basically asking inexperienced lads who play on confidence to get the ball from the back 4 who have spent 20mins passing it back and forth, then play a killer Hollywood pass up front. AW is an anomaly, the only lad who can come short, collect the ball under pressure from Hyam, drop the shoulder, beat his man and get the team moving forward. Morton can't do that, Buckley is somewhere inbetween, they need some movement. As much as I detest players like B*rnes and Russell Martin, having someone who can hold the ball up and chest down a lay off to buy some breathing space is worth its weight in gold. You can just fire the ball at them. Buckley got much better, stats are meaningless in this case for any of our midfield, they're playing with nothing up front to aim at. If we don't get a striker and a decent attacking mid or winger Wharton's stats won't look any better either. Seems to be the argument with Burnley fans after Tuesday, they appreciate AW looked good but he couldn't affect the game as we are so blunt in attack, SS offering the only movement. AW played some amazing first time through balls but Diaz and Thomas always strayed offside. That pass for Hedges attempt chip on 94mins against PNE comes to mind too.

Yeah our set plays are shocking, if we win a free kick in a dangerous position we might as well just give them the ball back, can't remember the last time I felt excitement for a set piece.

I've got that feeling that we're totally down and out, but we're not are we, and it's still on - that game last night could be the making of them, you can't get any lower than that (OK yeah you can but..) COYB

I want to forget last night but had to rewatch some of the game to see what JRC was up too in the first half as couldn't see from the BE side of the Walkersteel - love the guy even more, the bit from 20mins onward where he's getting stuck into Barnes and having a laugh at him, Barnes the self declared Mr Shithouse not being able to take it, brilliant to see. The two tackles he made to regain possession and lead an attack are what he's all about. He's got that extra something on top of being skilful.

Shocker

I'm regret posting that fans who reckon he should have played every game as "armchair supporters" earlier, I just get frustrated at people using it as a stick to to beat JDT with, I wanted him to play more too, but it's a hypothetical situation, who knows what went on, maybe he did need a word and him being out of the team sorted him out. His interview in the past week is an interesting watch. JDT recognises his ability, but AW is a unique position where he's a fan and an academy graduate, he needs to be phased in carefully - otherwise he's almost playing with no pressure he can do no wrong in the fans eyes. The real frustration is that the only reason I think Morton was picked ahead of him was down to fitness, he could last a full game compared to others, OR some contract issue. Couldn't see from where I was sat so have had to rewatch, the tackles on him by Cork and Brownhill last night were both proper nasty, and indicative of AW's class and growing stature - love watching him laugh on the floor as Brownhill goes through him. All they could was to kick him. At times, think there was one moment where he sent two of them out of the ground with a drop of the shoulder, one of them bouncing off him, had everyone on their feet, he's only going to get stronger next season.

Rewatching the melee at the end, nice to see JDT getting stuck in. I enjoy his passion and he's a winner, he might be calm and charismatic but I'd love to know what he's like behind the scenes. That comment about Hedges v PNE "I'd have put it in" - class. Bankrupt Bellamy can feck right off an 'all, nice to see a security guard giving him some stick back too. JDT needs to drop mentioning the referees though, still going on about the Coventry equaliser, unless he's just taking the attention away from the players. Those incidents don't matter if we put the ball in the net.

WTF? I can get wound up by what I want - lads slagging the team off who gave everything as we suffer one of our worst nights at Ewood is pretty high up on the list. But I agree on the whole the support was excellent and the rendition of Rovers Til I Die at the end brought a tear to my eye. If anything hardens supporters and brings them together, it's stuff like that.

Felt for Sammie here, we all felt that frustration. Woeful performance, back to his Bambi on ice days. He's got the one move out on the wing, that's it.

Daft kids running amock wanting selfies in the centre circle, got mistaken for Burnley fans outside as they were shouting "we got in". Lad at the end running on with his hand in his pocket, who knows what he's carrying. Does your head in. Special mention to the lad near me who had to ask where the bogs where and then spent the second half shouting obscenities at his own team about how bad they were in his eyes, absolute tool. Kids throwing chips at my Dad. Hate part time supporters. Where were you when we were a little bit shitter than we are/were?

Some fair, some pretty obscene - and they say we lack in "class". Can't have their precious Barnesy getting wound up can they?

I remember the Bristol City 45 too, it was always going to happen, but everything happens for a reason and I'll say it again, the reason we're seeing the AW we see now is down to the decisions made this season. We're just assuming we would take the lad now and put him back in all our league games and be second in the table. Against Blackpool he was up against nowt, against Pearson's side he got outmuscled. He would still be playing next to Morton or Travis and he'd still have nothing up front to pass too. JDT may have dropped the ball, who knows. But I do trust JDT, someone who's been in many, many high profile dressing rooms all over Europe, to know what needs to happen with certain players over what we think. Anyway, we shouldn't be squabbling over Wharton, he's the one ray of light in these dark times and we should all unite around him and be proud he's ours.