Couldn't agree more

Personally disagree, I think both will be decent Championship players in a year or 3 (I think some of us think the average Championship player is much better than the reality... Despite many stating Hedges, Pickering, Dolan etc are "not good enough", the reality is that they have been regulars in Championship sides which have been challenging for the play offs more often than not), but we shall have to see what the future holds

I agree with a lot of what you have written. But specifically relating to the bold part, what I will add is that many of us thought a League 2 loan was below Markanday's level (and it probably was), but it did benefit him nonetheless, playing every week as the main man has done wonders for his form and confidence. I hope that the same will apply to Garrett (who is a couple of years younger than Markanday) by the end of the season

Starts this weekend for Markanday - lost 1-0 - Markanday subbed off after an hour with the score at 1-0 Batty - lost 2-1 Duru - lost 1-0 went off 20 minutes before full time, after receiving treatment, unsure of injury O'Riordan - drew 1-1 Olson - won 1-0 Eastham - won 2-1 Honor - won 4-2 On the bench Garrett - lost 3-1 - came on for the last 15 with the score at 3-1, got booked 5 minutes later - Hopefully he was only on the bench as he only signed yesterday. Wood - drew 1-1 - came on after 65 mins with the score at 1-1 Not involved in match day squad Goddard - lost 2-0 - injured Bell - won 2-0 Play on Sunday Saadi - score/update Vale - score/update - Live on "Sky Sports Football" Motherwell signed 2 strikers on loan on Saturday (Plange from Palace & Dickson from Man City), which may impact Jack Vale

Eustace said this week he is 3/4 weeks away https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/24897713.blackburn-rovers-injury-latest-todd-cantwell-update/ "I think it will be more three or four weeks (for anyone else). Hopefully Sonny, he was on the grass today, which is a great boost. He's still a couple of weeks away, but if we can get him back in three or four weeks, that would be great."

U18s beat Wolves 2-1, Boggan & S.Edmondson

He was

Another short sighted side, using an incoming transfer fee all at once to strengthen instead of using it to keep the meter running. Do they not realise that they will only receive the money for Esse in installments FFS! Glad we are not run by such reckless individuals 😉

He gets a rough ride by some. but he has his uses, and is valuable in Eustace's system In an ideal world, Hedges would be someone to bring on for the last 20 mins to help our full back double up on a tricky wide player to see out games rather than being our fist choice, but we like in Venkys world, which is far from ideal

Vare is 17, Atcheson 18, Dunn 16, think Eustace was just exaggerating for effect (a "get me some players" plea) Vare has only played 2 games at U21 level, totalling little over 100 minutes, and didn't stand out as being first team ready when I saw him in the National League Cup game. so seemed a strange choice to make the first team bench (especially in the absence of any strikers), unless he was just being rewarded for a good week and he was never going to get off the bench anyway?

It seems a move borne out of necessity. His loan to Bristol was a disaster (personally I would lay most of the blame at the feet of Bristol Rovers former manager, but that hardly matters now). After that Garrett needed to get games, and so another League 1 move was probably viewed as too risky, and him sitting on our bench was not going to help his future development. If Travis was still injured I would have kept him with he squad as for me he is the closest replacement for Trav that we have, but assuming he had to go out on loan, I would have liked Garrett to get a loan to a team chasing promotion rather than battling relegation, but at least Nigel Adkins is known for giving younger players a chance. At this stage, we just have to hope he has a similar half season at this level to what Markanday had, I just hope that they use him as a box to box player (or even in the Szmodics role) rather than trying to use him as a sitting midfielder which is simply not his game at all

I do wonder if that was another "Waggott special", Offer a 3 or 4 year contract on £X/week, and then once he is over here, done medical etc, offer a lower amount, and end up doing a deal on a lower wage but shorter contract. Waggott then brags to his bosses about all the money he has saved, completely disregarding that if Kargbo hits the ground running and has a good year, by the time Rovers get around to tying him down to a longer contract, he will only have a year left, and will sit it out and walk on a free to a club with deeper pockets

Its because of the Sierra Leone flag (posted before the Kargbo signing)

From the reverse angle it looked like it took a very slight deflection off the Preston defender (which didn't really change the flight of the ball) before Gueye got the final touch

Injured apparently Harry Leonard misses out on the squad after picking up a knock in training in the week.

no where near yet (neither is Vare in my opinion, which shows how stretched the squad is), Mafoumbi is quite quick though

Tyjon is injured https://www.rovers.co.uk/news/2025/january/30/preview--rovers-under-21s-v-queens-park-rangers-under-21s/ However, surprised that an attacking midfielder (Vare) was on the bench rather than a forward (Mafoumbi etc) Also, after Litherland, Edmondson & O'Grady-Macken being on the bench recently, none were part of todays squad, maybe they are off out on loan this weekend?

JDT liked his full backs to come inside and overload central midfield (hence JRC looked great at right back under him), Eustace likes at least one to overlap wide (which benefits Brittain)

Assistant manager is a set piece coach https://www.rovers.co.uk/news/2024/february/10/in-profile--matt-gardiner/

Has Big Mak turned into a Brazilian?

yes https://x.com/Rovers/status/1885402667825926539

Only until 2027 (no mention yet of an option). seems a very short deal. It seems that the only players contracted beyond 2027 are currently Atcheson & O'Riordan (although Pickering, Gueye and Ohashi do have options that would take them to 2028)

Played a couple for the U21s, big jump up though as has played mostly for U18s https://www.playmakerstats.com/player/frank-vare/1043052

Are you sure that you are not watching a free stream and you found the Preston commentary?