I’d stick with the team / shape from Boxing Day and replace Bell with Downing and Bennet with Travis.

Preaching to the converted here buddy. Prob on a grand a week at the mo I reckon. Which is nowhere near first team level. Give him a new contract and play him. Then try to satisfy fFP some other way. The problem is if a Champions League club comes knocking...

Tbh I haven’t seen a lot of him as I don’t watch the 23’s. But everyone I speak to who is involved has been raving about him for 12 months. They’re all talking and now watching. From what I saw on Boxing Day alone (which I’m assured is about 70% of how good he is now). Once he physically becomes a man this lad will play every week in the PL.

Great post. The deft touch and half turn thing is bang on the money and what they’re always raving about him. Are you involved in football mate? His relationship with TM and DJ plus a new contract will be pivotal to keeping him. I’m not suggesting this is all about money but when the potential wages on offer are 20x what you’re currently on then your current employer needs to step up...

I’d love him to stay too Chaddy. But top teams are willing to pay 7 or 8 figures for potential. As well as big wages. I don’t think the club or Buckley could turn them down. I don’t have any transfer news. But I’m 100% sure that any WBA deal for Dack was not known or sanctioned by Rovers. And as far as they know there’s no pressure from Venky to sell our best players. Obviously ffp is a different matter but that’s an external pressure to generate money.

A bit inflammatory?

I agree with you. He needs to develop physically. But surprisingly (or not) top level football people can see past that. My guess is that we’ll never get to see him at his peak in a Rovers shirt.

Bucko is a different class of person to Connor tbf. Those sniffing round are a different class of club to Bournmouth too. I’d love for us to keep him for 12 months but barring a minor miracle (like a torn ACL) I can’t see us keeping him past the summer now. So my guess is that we’ll play him a lot and try to get a kings ransom for him in the summer.

I wouldn’t. 12 games, 1 goal and 0 assists...

Well I suggest you get used to seeing this ‘little boy lost’ play most weeks in our first team. Assuming he’s not snapped up by a top Premier League club next month ??

Let’s see...?

100% sure that Rovers knew nothing of Dack’s agreement with WBA. If there was one at all... Also those who slaughtered Buckley a few weeks ago might feel a little silly in January. Big clubs circling. Expect him to be offered a bumper new deal.

Interesting circumstances around Dack. I didn’t take from the manager that we have no money full stop. But that we didn’t have the millions lying around to replace our star man. I do think it means we may have to sell someone else in the summer to balance the books. I also didn’t know we had a deal for Cunningham agreed...when did that happen?

Is Lansbury a 10? I always thought he was an up and down’er?

When were there any noises that we would lose ALL of our better players should we not get promotion? The closest I’ve seen is TM admitting that teams can sell their best player, reinvest and get stronger. Example James Maddison.

Awww you upset now? ?

I can completely see why Dack would want to join them in January. They’re a foot in the PL, more money and closer to home. BUT I cannot see how the injury is a bad thing for us in that respect. Regardless of whether or not his value would’ve depreciated 20% by waiting until the summer, we (the fans) would’ve demanded that he stay and give Us the best chance of promotion. January is the WORST time to sell your best player. Because no one else is selling theirs. Unless you’re paying double! Chances are he’ll sign a new contract because I can’t see WBA coming back in for him after that injury and promotion. As I said. Terrible news for Dack. Genuinely do feel for him. But if the rumours are true, this is the best possible outcome for Blackburn Rovers. Who are my only concern.

You do know there’s no benefit selling in an inflated market, when you have to replace that player in the same market though right? I would’ve been furious had we sold him in January. Absolutely livid. As far as I can see. If the deal was to go ahead then for sure the injury has crushed his dream, but it’s done us and Tony a BIG favour.

Gutted for us!!? Give your head a wobble pal...we’d have been mortified if A fully fit and firing Dack had been sold in January. IF this story is true, and I doubt it, then the injury has saved our outrage and potentially Tony’s job. There’s no simple replacing Dack in January. Even with £20m in your pocket

My point is that With Dack potentially out for the foreseeable, I Think it provides an opportunity for the likes of Holtby, Gallagher, Buckley and Brereton etc to step forward out of the shadows. None of them have had an extended period in those top two positions and the team has been historically set up for Dack. With respect, the people who signed them know a lot more about footballers than you or I. The only thing ridiculous here is you thinking otherwise. There’s lots of reasons why Brereton and Gally haven’t scored. Not being good enough, Time on the pitch, injury, settling in periods, formations, confidence, opportunities Etc etc. I don’t think it’s any one persons fault. I just feel like if I were one of them now I’d see This as a huge opportunity to make the position my own over an extended run. We’ll know whether the manager thinks they’re ready to step in if he trusts them to do so.

Great point! Add Bellamy, Roque Santa Cruz and Benny McCarthy to that list... Holtby has all the tools to succeed Dack. Maybe the time has come for Gallagher and Brereton to live up to their price tags and deliver. A chance for Buckley and / or JRC to step up?

We’re not devoid of pace if Rothwell plays...

Haha - That’s weird, I originally typed your team out, agonised over it and switched Holtby and Rothwell round. I think I’d go with your version actually

Thanks Chris. ps - my kids wake up at the crack of dawn every day and yet my wife and I are currently lay awake waiting for them to get up this morning! Sod’s law!! ??

I wonder if we’ll move to a 433 with Dack out...its a formation the staff wanted to play but he never fit into... Walton Nyambe Lenihan Tosin Downing Holtby Travis Johnson Arma Graham Rothwell Im personally unsure that we can sustain any top 6 Chase without Dack. He’s our best and most effective player. Holtby is our only current hope and has the tools and goal threat to challenge. I don’t think Rothwells ability to assist or score goals is good enough to fill that position. My feeling is that should the injury be season ending they will bring in an attacking option on loan in Jan. So sad for Dacky. Will make for an interesting few weeks. Also believe Tosins late injury and realisation that Williams is nowhere near his quality may have been a glimpse of Christmas future for Mowbray. Might just trigger a bit of a spending spree you know guys. ... Merry Christmas everyone ????