Pretty sure he played as a CF at Villa and Bristol City and for Austria? In most articles he's described as a striker. If not playing there every week certainly enough. Whether he still can is another matter.

Is it that shocking that our 2nd top scorer (low bar) and the player who has more Championship goals than the rest of our forwards added up and multiplied is starting up top? It's not Bradley Johnson.

I think your being a bit unfair to be putting so much expectation and pressure on Leonard. In a functioning club he wouldn't be here and starting as he's not a starting Championship quality forward...yet. It's only because we haven't invested. He's only 21 and may well develop, he should be given that chance to develop, instead he's being asked to play as a play off chasing teams main forward because the players brought in are not good enough or unavailable. In a team that's creating so little , it's not ideal for his self belief. Some time playing 90 minutes every week and scoring is what he needs now. Would he be a starter at any other Championship side? It's kind of moot anyway, he probably has to start as the other options are equally as poor/knackered tomorrow. We all hope he does well and scores a bagful starting tommorrow. I just think we'll be lucky to get 5 goals out of him between now and May. *Cue a shearer-esque performance tomorrow.

On Leonard, he needs a run of games in League 1 to learn some nous and to develop. A striker his age needs to be starting games week in week out. He's not ready to lead the line in the Championship and without games and goals under his belt, he never will.

To this day never been able to watch the game highlights back due to that miss.

That feeling from 14 years ago when Sky gave him a platform to lie has never gone away when I see his name. Remember his agency threatening me with legal action on twitter back in the day, told them to bring it on. Hate him passionately and wish nothing but ill on him.

It's a good idea. Probably a much better idea than a half season ticket for picking up potential future season ticket holders. Can't quibble with the price. Certainly a start.

Tronstad is exceptional. Very rarely takes more then 2-3 touches too, always aware of what's going on around him to play the simple out ball. A real class act.

This derby still means everything, your Prem derbies cant hold a torch to it. We hugely missed Travis' and Ohashis energy. Burnley were very solid. They have conceded 9 goals! It's no fluke and a sign of how they set up , everyone knows how to do the ugly stuff and if they go up it'll stand them in good stead more than last time, more Dychy. Having an unlimited budget for this division helps of course ! Plenty of stronger squads have also failed to break them down. For a team managed by Scott Parker and with the moaning their entitled fanbase want I expected some weaknesses we could exploit only really felt that either pressing high or just dropping balls on top of their keeper would do anything. Which we did neither. I wouldn't have started Gueye, in order to attempt the former and would have brought him on for the latter, but our approach seemed muddled. Eustace has no more juice to get out of this lemon, he needs backing now, 1 look at that bench and their is nothing. He set us up to not lose and we nearly managed it, he knows this team running on fumes. This game coming when it did , with this squad killed us. As for Burnley, time wasting etc, not nice but we do it ,can't get worked up about it, up to a ref to be on top of it. I despise seeing them and that really included their players celebrating. Really small time and inciting behaviour again, don't recall our teams ever doing that. The prick with the corner flag 🤬. It's their time now, but the natural order will be restored and in spectacular fashion if they dont go up this year.

I think United are too far gone for that now. The club are absolutely rotten to the core , as clear an example as any of how it's impossible to separate owners and what goes on, on the pitch (like us). I actually think they need to strip all back and need a personality manager, who has the most power and control (klopp-esque) and just let him get on with it rather than trying to be too clever just because it's the done thing now. It'll take years and hopefully they have further to sink in the meantime.

All this tempting fate is making me uneasy. They aren't great this year on the eye but are hard to beat and have the officials sympathy. Big expectant Ewood crowd..... Can we beat them yes! Is it harder than it was , absolutely. Brain says a hard fought typical East Lancs Derby, 0-0 with us playing 12 men.. Heart 1-0, off someone's arse, hopefully while 2 foot offside. Its going to be a battle. Whatever happens , like the 1st game, we'll get fight, effort and won't be pushed over now. Let's hope we find some quality from somewhere to get us over the line.

Get in! Justice !

Ref wasn't interested until that Leeds player put his hands on him. Absolute bottle job.

Pears Brittain Hyam McFadz Batth Beck Trondstad JRC Baker Cantwell Ohashi Can't score, might as well batten down the hatches

Hull were awful until they scored. It's just the symptoms of a small underfunded squad, we can't afford to drop below 100% each game as we don't have the quality. The Christmas period was always going to test us and it's shown up our shortcomings. Today just like Boxing day, not having the composure to finish off chances has bitten us. But if ACD scores in the 1st half , I think we get a comfortable win, it was an awful finish, like the others , then a slip for us and they are in, fine margins. We'll struggle come the meat of a season because we don't back managers with a proper transfer window to have options off the bench. Cozier-Duberry flattered to deceive, seems to lack belief in his own ability and the tendency to come inside kills off any momentum to get round teams, but he seems to be prepared to graft unlike some of the other loanees we've had. Gueye is frustrating, not a starter. Dolan reminded me of a fly trying to get through a window. Loads of effort and persistence , but ultimately it's stupid and futile. I don't think we will death spiral this year, as we are more solid, but it will take a monumental effort to not fade away.

Yes !! What a good win, 5 wins in a row, 4 clean sheets. Unbelievable. Clean sheets get you up. Such grit in these lads this year.

Sickening

You'd think a peppercorn rent would be appropriate. Do we still charge our own Community Trust to use the Darwen End? That's low.

Think you're right Mashed Potatoes, took a little look on social media. Think it's a bit of a JDT style falling out with the executives based in what their fans say

Great result. You can't say that was a poor performance, in those conditions, we did what we needed too, we played against the wind for 45 minutes against a side chasing the game and saw the game out, sort of performance we've missed loads over the years. A couple of better passes and we'd probably got another on the break.

At last though, we have a manager and squad who I believe have the grit between their teeth to out battle our opponent on a day like today in most areas. Although, despite everything, I don't fancy Hyam under a swirling high ball. Pears needs to be decisive today...

Which exec decided Aston Villa reserves v West Ham reserves is Friday night TV fayre

I'm not too far away and it's intensified since the early hours. I expected it to be off. The game would have been a farce to the point of being completely unplayable and plenty of trees coming down this morning.

Thanks

Anyone seen anything about refunds ? I know the club will fight me tooth and nail for the cash, but I can't make the rearranged date.