As expected. Confidence, tactics, shape, leadership, hope... AWOL. Grim.

Just completed my first season on FM21, managed to get Rovers up as runners up to Norwich. Good start to the Premier League, sitting 7th coming into November. No real money to spend, but a good set of younger players (JRC, Dolan, Buckley, Vale etc) give options for the squad. Shipped high wage fringe players (Gallagher, Bennett, Evans etc) which gives room to sort new contracts for Armstrong etc.

The reverse fixture we were desperately unlucky to lose, this time there will be no luck in the defeat. Only hope is Watford aren’t too hot away from home, but we are generous hosts. Many years ago I went to Vicarage Road where we won 1-0, Marcus Bent. I had a 50p / £1 bet on that so won £33. As a student that was a real bonus. Not massively relevant but at a stretch the only positive thought I could come up with for this match.

It’s really, really hard to judge. The older players are injured so often we can’t judge them. The younger players are rotated, dropped, mislaid so often we can’t judge them. (Key reason why the confidence has drained away) If TM could settle on a team / formation / tactic - he and us could judge.

Billy Barr / Damian Johnson caretakers - if immediate upturn, carry on until the end of the season then review. Otherwise the Cowley brothers, young, ambitious, great job at Lincoln and started to turn the ship at Huddersfield who were a right mess.

My issue with TM is the constant changing of players, formation, tactics etc. This is why the team isn’t clicking, making errors that lead to the goals conceded and have lost the instinct / confidence to score. In a break of play in the 2nd half they were showing one of the players a new set of tactics / formation and he looked bewildered. Yes we have injuries, but what other clubs don’t? (It doesn’t help matters by signing players like Ayala who was always injured at Middlesbrough etc - hardly a shock it’s now happened for us.) We have lost our way and as the season peters out, we will lose key players in the summer. Another poor Saturday.

Dismal. The tea-lady probably is too good for the team.

Enthusiasm, excitement... hope? It’s telling when I am needed to start the match thread! With settled teams often the most successful, TM will be reaching for his selection lottery machine. Heaven knows what the starting XI will be. Tea-lady might be in with a shout for right back, if they haven’t been furloughed. We tend to nick a result when it’s all doom and gloom, but I can’t see past a draw which TM will be brimming with pride over, despite the calamitous late equaliser. My one hope is that Dolan gets a run, our young ‘stars’ need game time to kick on. Presume the match will be on the red button, though iFollow gets the nod on quality.

Yes. Did I know it would be Rovers not Burnley relegated during our time, no.

My Burnley supporting wife has a spring in her step this morning. I attempted to explain that our squad is more than good enough to challenge for promotion, but TM delegates the starting XI and crucially formation to our 18 month old daughter. On reflection I might actually be onto something. Hopeless. I’d be less bothered if we didn’t have such a good squad. When we were relegated the squad was poor, but we could and should be doing better.

So with Dolan or Elliott to choose from in the right, TM goes for Gallagher - sigh.

I only use the PS for CoD as well. If there is a difference on the PS5 version of CoD on the next release I’ll probably upgrade then.

Is this on red button? To be fair I find the screen resolution and commentary better on iFollow. Another random selection tonight and we will need some luck. That said we are due a decent performance and I expect Swansea to not sit back, which might help us.

This is a tricky one... I live in Swindon now, so would only normally watch one or two home games (family visits), but during lockdown I’ve paid £10 for every matches the club has gained. However would that be overwhelmed by those who would normally attend switching to £10 online? In which case they would need to cut admission prices or increase iFollow costs? Also, what about families - multiple tickets versus a single £10. Also, I like live football so I normally would choose watching Swindon Supermarine live Sat 3pm, that TV - but would smaller clubs (Accrington, Chorley, hey us to Man Utd, Liverpool etc) lose fans with 3pm TV/Digital matches. Personally I’d like to see admission prices reduced, with TV income making up the shortfall.

Ha! I see your point... it was a Rovers email, plus presumed there were some fixtures not included?

Apologies if I have missed this. I keep getting emailed about a half season pass for £70, but when I go on the Rovers website I can only see Audio season passes?

We have a finite wage budget. What worries me is how much has been wasted. Pears, Downing, Ayala (glass ankle) etc. Our form is grim, we are seemingly going backwards.

Poor, poor... poor. Poor.

Our FA Cup adventure begins... Will we take it seriously? Will fringe players get a run out, whilst key players are rested? Pre-season and in the League Cup were dealt with lower league teams fairly easily, can that continue? For me, I’d hope we take it seriously. A cup run generates interest, builds confidence and gives an opportunity for a few players to get some game time. Starting places for Dolan, Davenport, Buckley and Carter - I suspect he will also start Dack and Downing. I’d rest Armstrong, Johnson, Travis and Gallagher - on the bench. Pike, Lyons etc also on the bench. I believe the game is shown via the FA website.

Good win. Yes we will face stronger opponents, but you can only beat what’s put in front of you. 3 points are 3 points. Positives... Clean sheet, Dack scoring, Armstrong scoring, Travis back, Dolan lively and Davenport worthy of the chance. Good win.

Yes, the match engine is much improved - but the new interface and removal of condition rating, and press gestures takes some getting used to. Ive just won the Premier League and Champions League with Rovers on FM20 in season 2027/28!

Well where do we even start? Birmingham took a thumping midweek off Derby and they are midst a poor run with precious few goals. Surely even our defence will not crumble again? Starting XI - I’d bring in Dolan, at least to mix it up on the right and swap Davenport for Johnson to give him a rest (looked off the pace against Huddersfield). Both managers under real pressure.

Cowley brothers. Mark Hughes. Matt Jansen.

Grim. This is what happens when you continuously play people out of position, combined with seemingly random substitutions. Mowbry is wasting the squads decent potential - you can see confidence has drained away. We should be doing better.

That’s harsh... Whilst the results are mixed (which is a valid different debate), it has rained goals, chances, errors, fine margins etc. That is entertainment and I’ve looked forward to each match on iFollow/Red Button.