I’d start the same as Rotherham, except switch out Markanday for Hedges. Bring Markanday and Ennis on later, against tired legs, assuming we’ve worked Hull hard through the game. Dolan, Szmodics and Leonard press effectively and anything close to nerves that Hull might have, we should capitalise on. Travis could be switched for Tronstad, but I don’t think Travis has lost the shirt just yet (I was critical of his captaincy in the Rotherham game, but he’s still of great use in the channels and the middle). Tronstad to either help shore up a lead or allow A Wharton/Buckley via sub to push on for a goal. I think Rosenior has the makings of an intelligent manager and I wouldn’t be surprised to see them sit off us and see what we make of having the ball. Tight affair, but we looked excellent at Ewood against West Brom, so I’ll go for 3-2: Leonard, Szmodics (pen, redemption) & Ennis late.

I hear what you’re saying, I just think he leads by example and he’s vocal and has visibly high standards. He holds people accountable on the pitch and I think that’s the role. He’s also amongst the action all the time. I like JRC a lot, but he just strikes me as a bit of a mard-arse, sometimes.

A word on Travis: he started out really bright and was grafting well, finding space in the channels to stretch them and caused a lot of problems. He put himself about well and was unlucky not to have got their #3 sent off, which was a clear and blatant elbow, out of frustration. VAR sends him off. Having said that, he was too casual with Szmodics after his penalty miss (needed something more than “it’s alright, mate, chin up,”) and went missing after the first goal. This is where the issue is for me. He’s got the armband, but he’s not the captain. I think Hyam would be a steady shout for it, but clearly JDT saw something in Szmodics at half time that made him comfortable keeping him on and whatever that is is what helped him come out and score two goals in the second half - two good goals - after one of the worst first-half performances I’ve seen in a Rovers shirt (and I was there for all of Corrado Grabbi.) It must be hard to change captain mid-season, but if there is a change for whatever reason, I think Szmodics looks the right choice, from what we see on the pitch.

Still looks less than sharp, so a few more cameos like this and I think he’ll be something really good for Rovers. Added a lot of things we don’t have a lot of.

I think adjusted with today’s inflation rates, you were bang-on.

We’ve at least looked like we have enough in us to take advantage of a numerical advantage, which is different from last season. We’ve done enough to win this, more than enough, but we’ve let ourselves down with the first half performance. We should’ve been battering these really, but from where we were at half time, a point isn’t that disappointing.

This man is living in the future.

Well, leaving Szmodics on is vindicated, all of a sudden.

Can’t help but think Ben Benson looks like a really aggy bar manager/McDonalds manager when he’s stood doing the subs. Worked for so many of them and they were proper wet, brownnoser grasses.

Madness.

Ah, I see. This is not a football match anymore, it’s performance art, to protest the new rules/regulations. I suppose we just have to applaud.

This is a very weird game.

Cannot believe how poorly we defended that free kick. There were gaps for every Rotherham player to run through.

Save for Fulham/Louis Saha battering us that one afternoon, I loved pretty much every minute. What a season for a second season with a ticket.

11-year-old me was there, going bananas in N05.

I don’t think pace is 100% of the equation out wide anymore. I think Markanday is getting near to making better decisions when taking a man on, more often than not. Making the right decision can beat a man as often as being just a bit faster than your opposing number, if not more often. Dolan needs a lot of work to help him along on that front, agreed. Looked very right early on and was trusting his instincts more. You can see him get worked up trying to find the right thing, rather than being instinctive and committing.

Szmodics on a yellow would tempt me to sub him, he’s got “second yellow” written all over him. Just look at the kit!

I think his effective play is around the edge of the area, where he can cause panic but I think receiving the ball in there, he’d get pressed and bullied. On the break, running at the defence, he could do a lot but we evidently don’t play that way.

I would like to see it tried, but I think he’d get bullied by centre halves.

Three mistakes have happened when we’re trying to force it and all three times it’s lead to a chance. Twice with Szmodics and once with Wharton. Our good work getting forward is through patient build up. That goal is a symptom of the forwards being frustrated, but they’ve had at least two good chances to one in the onion bag. They need to remain structured and trust the process of getting up the field. Don’t give a shit about the opposition players and fans getting frustrated, let them get frustrated and play the system. Very poor from Szmodics, the captain needs to have a word with everyone here.

Shame about the penalty miss, but we’re playing very well. Some really nice stuff.

Is it fucking Opposite Day for the officials?!

Salford, Port Vale, Bradford City would do for me. A league up, a further test for the youngsters. Or Wrexham for the absolute mindfuck of seeing Mac from Always Sunny and/or Van Wilder on Ewood.

Yeesh, first two of theirs were horrorshows at the back. Hilton positioning poor for the first one, Brittain getting out-jumped for it, as well. Second one is poor from Batty. Buckley is a bit selfish for his and he just barges past Ennis in the aftermath. Sulking or unfriendly? He’s a few places down the pecking-order, he can’t afford to do/be either. Ennis’ finish is really smart. Leonard’s pressing almost reaps rewards, I like him more every time I see him. Letting the kids have a run out and the experience of a lot of goals/shifts in momentum is excellent for them. Pleasing stuff!

Lemme know how that works!