Getting points on the board early has the added psychological benefit, it gives our group of players that feeling of being close enough to touch playoffs, while it demoralises the players and fanbases of those chasing us

All the games between Rovers, B*rnley and Preston this season have been very close, cagey affairs and low on quality. Very much the local derby stereotype and this is shaping up similarly

Got to be aggressive from the first minute today, really put it on them early. We tend to start well at home and often dominate the first 20-30 minutes, but then what happens next usually depends on whether we score in that time or not. If we score first today then make it awkward we might take the wind out of their sails. If they somehow get the first goal we'll be in serious bother. Crowd will turn and they will shut up shop.

Be great if QPR go on and get 4 or 5 tonight, will make for a good 'togetherness' presser at FT

It will probably end up being Kenny Dalglish Senior from Phoenix Nights

Are they bringing King Kenny out on Sat to distract/placate the fans? Or am I being too cynical and it has been planned for weeks? 👀

Agree with the above posts, there is no way the club would want the scrutiny brought by the travelling media circus which would follow someone like Gerrard

Venkys would love that, as when he walks out we could have Beale for a bit, then Critchley when he walks. Buy one get two free on managers.

Worrying how many people seem to be talking themselves round to Gary O'Neil at this point.

The way Dolan and Trav have spoken about him speaks to him being almost like a father figure to them and they're clearly distraught he has gone and feel some loyalty to him. Chances are, they have a much better idea of what has gone on than we do. I wonder what they think about the way the club is being run...

Wondering how many points will be needed to finish 6th this season and how many more wins we would need. At the current rate it will be only 68 (67.56) based on what WBA have after 32 matches. That would be quite low based on previous seasons going back a fair few years, it tends to be mid-70s. But there is a long way to go just yet and I suppose anything can happen. Targeting matches against Plymouth, Derby, Luton, they really need to be 3 points against the cannon fodder of this season (never that simple).

I agree, I'm certain I'm going to be underwhelmed with the appointment. My other response was nothing personal, I just think Wellens would be a rubbish appointment, would send the wrong signal to the squad and the fanbase about our short term and long term ambitions. He has been around the block in the lower leagues so to speak and has had a purple patch at Orient who seem a well resourced and organised club at L1/L2 recently. I think he would be a short-lived disaster at Brockhall (I always want to be proved wrong with my pessimism)

I have to disagree on this. We have 14 games and a massive opportunity which we might not get again for years. We need someone who would hit the ground running, not an up and comer, an experiment or a project. Edit - the ideal scenario would be someone who has been in this position recently and knows what buttons to press at the right time. So for me that would be a Steve Cooper or someone similar, but we know he's probably beyond budget

Gary O'Neil is well supported at Ewood Park? Who has he asked? Dick. And yes, managing Doncaster, Oldham and Salford before 'having a good go' against Man City in a game on TV last week automatically qualifies a lower league manager to manage England's 10th most successful football club, do one Nixon you absolute prat

Might be getting carried away as I'm not over the excitement of the game but I thought Cantwell was alright tonight. ACD I'm just not sure about still though.

Sat reflecting in my car, eating a celebratory takeaway in West Bromwich town centre, which incidentally makes Blackburn look like Monaco. What a night that has been. Think I have lost my voice from singing for 90 minutes. For them to produce that performance after everything that has happened since the weekend was phenomenal. The first time I've felt really connected to the players at FT since the draw at B*rnley or Leicester last May. Roll on Saturday, we don't need a manager, clearly 👀

Just arrived at The Hawthorns. It's freezing as usual, p*ssing down... Seen the line-up, wondering what info Hedges must have on the Venks to keep getting in the team Seen this sticker in the bog, ready for anything now... Here we go

For me, he's probably the best candidate out there currently except Steve Cooper who we can't afford. I'll be disappointed whoever we get because I didn't want Eustace to leave and it's going to derail the season even further. But at least if it was Carsley its better than some of the other has-beens, patsies and chancers.

I just cannot see Carsley taking our job. Regardless of how well he did or how long he did it for, his most recent job was "manager of England" and I think that means that his stock is too high to risk at a basket case championship club. He can bide his time. Also, if he came in, his style of play is quite different isn't it? It would take a while I imagine for us to adjust. We don't have time to adjust if we have any sort of ambition this season. Though I cannot see us getting into the playoffs regardless - the team work hard but will lack the quality over 46 games I think. Too many questions and doubts for me over Carsley being appointed can't see it.

It's quite a small betting market, so a few small bets here and there can distort the odds very quickly because bookies try and prevent ITKs from rinsing them. If a few of us on here went and put a few hundred quid each on someone at long odds like Rooney their odds would plummet, even if we know there's no chance they're coming.

Carvalhal, Currently in Portuguese top flight, so why would he bother, how could we afford? Also more clubs than Tiger Woods, he'd be off in no time. Karanka, please god no, it rhymes with Karanka. Shite. O'Neil - I would be so, so underwhelmed. He doesn't have the experience of doing what we want a manager to do in our position.

I personally think he's sh*te and will be gutted if we appoint him. He's a Sky and TalkSport darling which is why he's always so bigged up in the media. Just read that after his permanent appointment at Bournemouth they went 8 games without a win and then just about stayed up - sh*te. Edit - I think he was a bit unlucky at wolves, not financially backed, best players sold and some crap VAR decisions, but I am still highly unconvinced he knows anything about how to get a Championship club promoted. He was technically on the coaching staff when Bournemouth went up, but that was putting bibs and cones out, not managing.

Because at the time he took the job we were hurtling in one specific direction. When he took over, only Rotherham had conceded more goals than we had and they were relegated by about March, I think we were the only team last season who didn't beat them. There was some poor performances incl Bristol away and Sheff Weds at home, but on the whole him coming in made a big difference, it passed the eye test for me as I was at almost all those matches (Bristol City excepted actually)