In terms of where we are in the league, we are well ahead of where I thought we would be. In terms of creating a team identity and style that looks likely to bring long term success, we are way behind where I thought we would be. A death spiral feels imminent, if not already in progress.

I actually think last season was a better chance. Not only were we higher in the league, but we were playing better and looked more likely to continue doing so.

Ooh Rangers. The temptation of a pisspot 2 league team.

The alternative though is we get half the threads clogged by Chaddy posts.

Lol yep, we must remember though that the club aren't the ones who pick the headline, the LT do. Which quote they take from the article to run with for the headline has a psychological effect on how people read it (or they don't read it and just run with the headline sentiment).

Mowbray can go and fuck himself. The way he celebrated their second goal against us, I don't think I ever saw him celebrate like that when he was our manager.

You're very glad that one of our signings has been an awful failure?

Gotta be Millwall surely, having visited their forum.

Bollocks, with respect Gav. The wider city of Sunderland has a population double the size of Blackburn with Darwen. When you factor in the uncontested further catchment area as well, why is anybody impressed they get double our attendances? And almost the entire north is a deprived area of the country. Since we are in one ourselves, it's redundant to even point out that theirs is deprived too. I also don't really give a fuck about the size of a fan base when considering if a club is big or not. It accounts for about 10-20% of that consideration as far as I'm concerned. Not that I'm having that argument again.

Having a large fan base in a poorly-contested catchment area isn't loyalty, and it isn't impressive either.

"The lemon drizzle cakes were THIS big in my time there."

Having been at the last Blackpool vs Rovers match and walked home afterwards, I can confirm there was a shitload of trouble both in and outside the ground. At half time, chairs and beers were being thrown over the wall en masse by Blackpool and Rovers fans (I believe 2 or 3 fans received bans as a result) and outside afterwards there were gangs of youths trying to kick off with each other, police riot vans and horses interceding. The most trouble I've personally witnessed at a game in a long time. I remarked to my friend at the time, if it's like this with us then what will it be like when Preston rock up.

Ryan Hedges, Sam Gallagher, Dolan and Kaminski are all playing better than last season. Although in a keeper's case it doesn't really come down to tactics.

It won't stay grass for much longer if he keeps training on it.

Even if he got 50 mill to spend, it would only mean we failed FFP as soon as it was on the yearly accounts. Also you don't just get good players by spending money. You get them by having an eye for a good player and a bargain.

We made something like 2 million after selling our training ground and a 15 million playing asset. Neither is the case this season, so you would think losses this season will be substantial, and the 2 mill profit will hardly make a dent in that and previous season's losses.

I'm seeing plenty of complaining about fielding a weaker team in the cup...which was the exact approach that got us this far in the cup. Sometimes your fringe players are hungry, less tired than the first draft, and put in a West Ham performance. Sometimes they show why they're the fringe players.

I suspect we would accept around 10-12. It's a lot for us for someone we could lose for nowt in the summer, but we also don't want to be taken for mugs, sets a bad precedent, then there's the question of how likely we are to get promoted with him vs without him. On the other side of the market, he is certainly worth that kind of money, but clubs will be conscious of him being free in the summer. However only one of the linked clubs can possibly sign him and all the rest will miss out. He's still a good bargain at 10-12 mill so it's a question of get a good bargain now, or risk getting nothing in the summer and having to pay top dollar for someone else. Similar dilemma to ours in a way. Likely that Ben and his agent will suck up a lot of the savings on a freebie in wages and fees too (which is why they're unlikely to force a Jan move, though I suspect they'd agree to one if they're not lowballed).

I actually think you could be about right there. The whole complexion of it will change if we do sell BBD though.

At this club.

Just a lil observation. Tyrhys Dolan has played 881 minutes this season in the league, which is less than 10 games worth of football. With that, he has 3 goals and 4 assists. So 7 goal contributions, in less than 10 full games worth. That really isn't bad going for a lad who takes a lot of stick from some quarters on here.

Football is crazy. Capitulate pathetically at home to bang average Preston, then casually beat one of the best sides in the league away.

...but those three ARE players he paid fees for...

So Modric can't pass like him?

I was talking about the possession first mentality. The rest of my post already talked about the difference in the specific approaches, but it's variations on the same disease, the notion that holding the ball is more important than actually attacking. We don't really have the personnel for either approach, but I think it's hard to argue against the fact JDT's one has been more effective so far than TM's, regardless of how much anyone likes it. I definitely did see a fair bit of passing at the back under TM too, just less.