Buckley plays best in a deep role. He receives the ball from his defenders much better than Travis is able to. He can play on the half turn and dictate the game from deep. My worry about his performances this season are that he seems to be turning into a stats man. He plays the short, unadventurous ball too often rather than the risk/reward style that I prefer to see from gifted players such as him. This easy option, short ball stats builder is something that Jason Lowe used to do. I find it cynical and unhelpful to the team effort. It slows play down and irritates spectators. Buckley is one of the very few really good passers of the ball in the squad. Our style this season seems to be wanting to get the ball forward quickly which is great. I would much rather see Buckley doing the 40 yard diagonals than Lenihan. Moving him about isn't helping him. He can be a timid lad and can play within himself if feeling anxious. Put him deep and central, give him lots of the ball and allow him to be creative. Free up Rothwell from the defensive side which Buckley is much better at anyway. This looks to be a poor division and I now believe we have a fair chance to be contenders with the right formation.

Kaminski Nyambe Lenihan Ayala Pickering Travis Buckley Dolan Rothwell Khadra Brereton

Agreed. Buckley is at his best centrally in a deep midfield role, receiving the ball from defence with the game in front of him. He can spray his passes around from there and pull the strings. I would personally pair him with Travis and allow Rothwell to play higher, but also centrally.

Butterworth has been out of the game for a long, long time with that bad injury. Once he gets properly up to speed he will really kick on in my view. I've seen him play for the U23s countless times and he can be a regular in the number 10 role when fit. He has that Speedie/Bellamy aggressive, angry side to him which we generally lack in the squad. Bad loser Butterworth. I like him.

It's a main game on Sky Sports Arena but it's also on the red button as normal on Sky Sports football

I think it may well be a similar situation to the Ben Marshall one a few years back. Fabulously talented player with a huge amount of natural ability but a terrible attitude, so you bend over backwards and try everything you can but ultimately you can only be let down by them so often before cutting them loose.

There was always a whiff of the bully about Keane; both as a player and latterly a manager. Footballers in the last decade have become even more snowflakey and entitled. I can't imagine young players wanting to work for a man like that and I can't see Keane adapting sufficiently to avoid upsetting the precious little darlings.

I could only envisage a couple of hundred or so fans at Ewood wanting to stand. Anyone under the age of about forty has probably never been on a terrace so might not understand its appeal. Most people in their forties, fifties and upwards probably prefer to sit these days and I can't see it as a generally popular option for the vast majority of our female supporters. Ten or fifteen years ago might have been the time to do this but it may be too late now, once the novelty has worn off.

The Beatles track 'A day in the life' from their 1967 Sgt Pepper album was inspired by this Daily Mail article. Not a Rovers reference but a Blackburn one

Ossie's Dream, Chas and Dave

In the final analysis, two Managers watched the 1st half and then delivered a team talk at half time, followed by tactical substitutions in an attempt to win the 2nd half. Morecambe's Manager proved himself much better tactically than our Manager, and therein lies the problem. We need a better Manager, and quite clearly there are a plenty of them about.

Yes, apparently so.

I love this lad. He's the real deal.

Armstrong might just find himself back as a Championship player in 12 months in any case. I can see Palace coming down this season. Norwich too.

Should definitely win with all those players!

I agree with you. I just think Mowbray's desire not to lose will cause him to be unnecessarily cautious.

Probably right but I wonder if Mowbray might want a more defensive midfield: Kaminski Nyambe Lenihan Carter Pickering Travis Davenport Rothwell Buckley Gallagher Brereton-Diaz

Just been down to move our season ticket seats for the season. I was surprised to get three together in the Jack Walker Upper, fairly central. In previous years these seats would have been taken. This surely suggests an historically low number sold unfortunately. The shop is open but only one staff member is serving in the Ticket office with a large queue forming. They are still on paper tickets for season ticket holders this weekend.

I think, in his heart of hearts, Mowbray would like to start with five at the back with Travis and Davenport sitting; keep it nice and tight and don't lose the game. The Leeds game showed some promise but that was spectacularly unpicked at Bolton. It would be a brave manager to start that again, particularly if Ayala is missing and Magloire is needed. I think he will find a compromise with a 433 type formation with both Travis and Davenport alongside Rothwell, and Buckley missing out. I'm certain Dolan will also miss out with Gallagher starting. Mowbray must feel under enormous pressure not to lose this game because the excitement in the crowd post pandemic could turn very ugly very quickly if we take a battering.

Five at the back was disastrous at Bolton. Really dreadful. Still leaky but no threat going forward. Very hard to win like that. By dropping the 3rd centre half (Magloire) and bringing Rothwell into a midfield three (for Travis or Davenport)with Gallagher in a front three we look much better to me.

If we set up like that on the opening day of the season, at home to Swansea, we are asking to be relegated. Over to you Tony...

I've just been down and renewed for me, my dad and my son. I didn't get a season ticket last year but I am to use the card from the previous year. For the Swansea game, they printed a match ticket for us to use as the season ticket system may not be set up in time for Saturday. There was quite a steady number of people there to renew.

Carter isn't ready for Championship football just yet. He needs more time to remove the rawness. Ideally a loan would be good but we don't have enough depth for that so he will just have to learn on the job. Magloire is even less polished and is nowhere near the required standard. He looked way out of his depth in the first half. This five at the back malarkey has to stop now. We still concede goals and don't score them with that formation. The 4 3 3 in the second half was better in every respect. As a basic 11, that team should survive in the division but the inevitable injuries will test us massively. Rothwell and Buckley were excellent and must start next week. Gallagher too played well and keeping him fit is going to be crucial.

Set up far too defensively against poor opposition. Davenport our best player so far so I would replace Travis with Buckley. Need some creativity.