Could’ve said the same about Cantwell. It only happens if it’s a loan. It seems unlikely but there’s a few reasons that he might want to come back. Family haven’t settled? Not adjusting?

Mcburnie would be a good addition. Seems to have the right character too.

I think people are reading too much into Hedges. He’s 100% the easiest one to do…that doesn’t make him the priority, just the first one to get over the line. Think about signings when the transfer window opens. The east ones get done first and the hardest (best) usually get done late! I would let Dolan slope off and take a nominal fee. He owes us nothing. Trav, Sonny, Brittain and Hyam are hugely important.

I didn’t read it like that. Though I think it’s always prudent not to read too much into articles which quote interviews as the way written form is constructed, including the words used to contextualise quotes can often be read 10x different ways. FYI - I read it as - the club know what they need, quality over quantity to improve a couple of key positions, rabbits outta the hat stuff (think Cantwell) it’s upto them whether they do loans, or buy and that will come down to budget. Then it looks like JE was asked about Park, his job role and replacement, to which he’s answered honestly. When you put ot all together into a few hundred words, it sounds anxious.. I would like to watch the full interview.

I think Bamford is the type of player who could do great at Rovers. Has obvious talent, and pedigree. Has scored lots of goals in the past and at 31, still has a couple of good years in him if he gets back on track. If JE can put an arm round him then who knows…

Patrick Bamford looking for a new challenge. 31yrs old, PL and Championship goals…6 month loan to supplement Gueye, Ohashi and Leonard? I would…👍🏼

Cantwell and Brittain (both undoubtedly the best in their respective poitions) back in. 👍🏼 I don’t see any reason why that team would lose at the Den, other than a severely off day, and I’m not expecting an off day, in spite of the fact we’re probably due one!

Millwall 0 - 2 Rovers - Gueye and Cantwell Brittain back in for JRC, and Cantwell in for Ohashi. Gueye keeps his place with assists and a goal in his last two games. Plenty of options off the bench. Pears Brittain. Hyam. Batth. Pickering Trav. Sonny ACD. Cantwell. Beck Gueye Subs - Hilton, Mcfadz, JRC, Buckley, Baker, Hedges, Dolan, Weimann, Ohashi, Leonard Attack as a 3421 Pears Hyam. Batth. Pickering Brittain Trav. Sonny. Beck ACD. Cantwell Gueye Come on lads!!!

Really? You think Baker can do what Trav and Sonny do?

And if Travis or Sonny are out for a month, who out of Baker and Buckley do you see being able to do 50% of what they do?

Yeah…maybe I didn’t articulate my point well enough. I understand and agree with the current narrative that forward reinforcements ‘could’ fire us to promotion. I hope we sign forwards too. My point is that the team is built on being resolute and together, with the sum of the parts being greater than the individuals. The greatest threat to THAT, is injuries to Hyam, Batth, Trav and Sonny for any prolonged length of time. The players who would replace them, Baker, Buckley, Litherland and Mcfadz imo would weaken that part of the team (our foundation) considerably. Oppositely, we seem to be able to rotate and cope with injuries and suspensions across those forward positions and at fullback.

Mate, you get a lot of grief on here at times, but genuinely, this is brilliant. Absolutely bang on re the tactical set up of JE and a solution for Luton. Re our situation, I am beginning to think we need CB and CM cover even more than forwards. (Reaches for tin hat)….hear me out. If you look at our squad, the positions we are most vulnerable in are those at the back and Midfield. If we lost one of Batth, Hyam, Trav or Sonny to anything long term, it would have the potential to derail us. If we could loan, for example James Hill and someone in midfield (think back to Ipswich loaning Trav off us), then I think O’hashi, Gueye, Cantwell, ACD, Dolan, Weimann, Hedges, Leonard, Gilsenan and Baker provide good forward options… Dont get me wrong, I would love Hill, Trav mk2, a young winger and a PL striker on loan but I’m beginning to think the first two are more important than the latter. Plus, we’ve won all these games without our two main strikers firing. IF JE can get Gueye and O’hashi firing in the new year, we will be flying! 🤞🏽

Never in doubt. We look completely in control. What I love about this team is that we don’t need to be playing well to score a great goal, and / or win. For long periods in that first half, we weren’t great. Then, it seems he has the ability to flick a switch, he tells them to jump and they all ask, “How high, gaffa!?” It feels like he warned them that Luton would come at them in the 2nd half and we came out of 100% confident of stifling any attack. I believe that even if Luton scored, we could’ve just gone up a gear and got another goal or two. This is a better equipped team than Mowbrays was, or JDT’s because honestly of the manager. JE has them all eating out of the palm of his hand. 7 or 8/10 across the board. Stand outs, ACD, Trav and Sonny. Special mention for Gueye who his best game for us and Yuki who played well as the second striker. 10/10 to the manager and coaching staff.

Potential banana skin - An interesting game as it’s the first in a while where the onus will be on us to attack them and win. So, Luton could come and sit with a ‘Low block’. I’d be tempted to start with a 442, put Dolan on the right, and play Yuki and Gueye as a two up against their three cb’s. Get on the front foot and in attack, we could match them up as a 343, with Brittain pushing on down the right and Dolan drifting in. Lets see if Yuki and Gueye can play together!!! Pears . Hyam. Bath. Pickering Brittain. Trav. Sonny. Beck . Dolan . Gueye. Yuki Subs - Hilton, Mcfadz, Litherland, JRC, Buckley, Baker, ACD, Hedges, Leonard

Great post - my feeling is that he will keep it simple and play Buckley, who has been first change in that position. If he doesn’t trust him to play on Saturday then JB is done with us. Baker has to be next in line and I wouldn’t be against him starting. He probably deserves a chance. JRC is a weird one. He’s a top player but can’t seem to nail down a position, and worryingly for him, he has now become capable of having absolute howlers.

Pears Brittain. Hyam. Batth. Pickering Buckley. Sonny Dolan. Cantwell. Beck Ohashi Subs - Hilton, Mcfadz, JRC, Baker, Hedges, ACD, Gueye, Leonard, Gilsenan Hull 0-2 Rovers

Fantastic performance and week. The best thing about both results is that we deserved them. We were the best coached team and created the best chances in both. Leeds positives - Sonny and Travis are top class with Cantwell dropping in to get moves started, it’s hard to think of a better blend that we’ve had. We defended as a 5 with Beck dropping in and attacked in a 424 and Dolan had his 1 in 5 good game, thank god! The credit goes to the manager. We are now the best coached, and set up team in most matches. Based on what I’ve seen, if we had a remotely potent striker, we’d be a shoe in for the playoffs.

Sonny is the modern day Mark Atkins. Nothing flashy, sound technically, great engine, plays the simple pass and has a habit of being where he needs to be. To the masses, he doesn’t stand out. But to those with a keen eye, those who’ve played and his team mates, he’s fuckin gold dust! Atkins played more games in our title winning season than Batty. He was the reason Sherwood was able to drift forwards, he covered the wingers, Ripley and Wilcox and shielded the defence. I’ll guarantee that the majority of our players rate Sonny as one of the most important cogs in the wheel. He, like Atkins before him, does all the things others don’t want to do. Then having done it he passes to a Cantwell or a Travis etc and lets them take the glory. Batty was a good player, fwiw. But he never hit his straps at Rovers and us winning the league added a polish to his stint that in reality never was.

I think Beck will start, allowing us to defend as a back 5 with Trav and Sonny sat in front. Designed to frustrate Leeds. The front three are a personal choice. My gut feeling is that he’ll play Hedges as he seems almost ‘undroppable’ under JE. But I feel it’s time to give our two strikers a chance to play as a pair. They have the obvious big man, little man vibes, along with the fact that Yuki seems to like dropping deep and linking play whilst Mak is the epitome of a target man. Both are looking for some form and a goal, and so why not change it up, let them combine for once with TC in behind and Beck and Brittain creating the width and plenty of crosses into the box. Pears Hyam. Batth. Pickering Brittain. Beck Travis. Sonny Cantwell. Ohashi Gueye Subs - Hilton, JRC, Mcfadz, Hedges, Buckley, Baker, Dolan, ACD, Leonard Rovers 2-1 Leeds - A resolute performance with goals from both strikers, who finally find their scoring boots, TOGETHER!

He’s shite. I’ve been really patient because he works SOOOO hard, but he’s just not good enough. His end product is poor 9/10 times and the worst part is that because he believes in himself, he always takes a touch or three too many, so when he’s not ballsing the final pass up, he’s slowing down / stopping counter attacks. The other thing to note is that he’s the slowest “fast looking” player ever. Meaning he looks, to all intents and purposes to be nippy, but he literally NEVER wins a foot race. At this stage, I really hope he doesn’t sign a new contract. Give ACD, Beck and Gilsenan a chance in those two ide forward positions. Give Hedges and Dolan the month off. Then see how the land lies for a couple of loans come January.

Fantastic away performance to completely nullify the form team in the league on a cold Wednesday night in Teeside. We were the better team, created the best chances and defended our box resolutely. The goal was off side, but well deserved. There can be no complaints from Boro, the best team won. Positives - the keeper, defence, plus Trav and Sonny are an excellent base. Cantwell wasn’t on top form but is only player who looks like he can create anything in those front four positions. Hedges and in particular Dolan are ‘done’ for me. Hardworking but nowhere near the quality we need. The forwards, Yuki and Mak look ineffective, but honestly, we don’t create anything for them. I’d be really tempted to give Beck a run on the left wing in front of Pickering. He did more in 20 mins than Hedges and Dolan have done for weeks. Hopefully get to see ACD soon, too. Top marks go to the manager. Wine out of water, stuff!

Great win, fully deserved. Honestly though, we played better against Stoke, we just didn’t convert any of the 25 chances we had on goal in midweek. We’re not world beaters, but based On performance, we should’ve beaten West Brom, Watford and Stoke where we dominated and missed guilt edged chances. With those 8 points we’d be sat in 2nd, a point off top! it’s small margins. Well done lads. Trav my standout player. Credit to Pears and Pickering who played well and of course, Weimann. I wouldn’t be against giving Baker a chance to start a couple after the international break.

I reckon there’s a chance JE could go to Coventry. He was upset with the lies this summer and offered his resignation early on. Was sold the narrative that he’d have significant cash to spend and then they pulled back. Knows now that he’s on a hiding to nothing. At Coventry, who he knows well, he’ll get backed with whatever he sells, closer to home etc. My feeling, if they want him, they’ll get him.

Nah, I 100% disagree. It’d have been really hard to change that tonight. We were literally creating chances at will. The manger can’t do anymore than to put a team out that is effecting the game….we missed the Leonard chance and Johannson made two great saves AFTER the second goal went in!! The manager has got games wrong this season. Today wasn’t one of them.

I’m happy to castigate the manager. We were poor against Sheff United, but honestly, the manger can’t do more than he’s done tonight. Put players on the pitch in positions to play their game. The number of absolute sitters weve missed in the last three games (I’ve counted 7) is unbelievable. Hyam and Weimann at Watford. Hedges at the back post vs West Brom and Hedges, Ohashi, Gueye and Leonard tonight. Then when we actually smashed the ball goalwards, Johannson was unbeatable. Not our day… I fuckin hate football. 🤣🤣