I'm not totally sure about this you know, I think with a midfielder able to defend and turn quickly to attack ( on the transition as JDT has spoken about repeatedly) I think we'd look a different team

I wonder what sort of timescales exist around the appeal? You'd think rovers would be submitting a lengthy enough document that the efl would have to take a couple days to at least pretend it's given consideration to. The flipside being, LOB is effectively clubless and Rovers presumably can't make any free agent decisions without knowing what the wage bill looks like. Piecing together what's come out I assume we're saying the efl wasted half an hour asking about the impact relegation would have. We then messed up on the spelling of a surname which took it past 11pm and our argument will be we could have rectified that had the half hr not been wasted. If that sums up the appeal I think it's got no chance.

For me, the problem last night was a lack of cutting edge but more than anything this is a rovers team short on confidence. I can see it any time SG considers shooting, same with BBD and Morton. We need a bit of luck, couple goals to come in and let these players have a bit of freedom. One point that I know won't go down well but needs to be said - the booing was embarrassing and can only compound the issue. Dack and Thomas needed to come off, that wasn't a tactical switch it was needed because they were clearly knackered. To an extent I get the booing at full time which was more frustration than anger but again, this is only going to create an atmosphere where players hesitate before acting. I'm not saying we should be deliriously happy at all times but creating an atmosphere players feel comfortable in is massive and we are going the opposite way at Ewood right now.

We don't realistically need another cebtre back but I always thought Jones could be converted to defensive mid, before he left I'm sure he played there a couple of times. Stranger things have happened I guess although I've no idea how we'd get round the wages issue

Does anyone know what Nickos patreon actually says beyond the headline?

You'll get some grief for featuring Nixon I've no doubt but considering this is a free website I think you've done really well to negotiate it, well done JB and co

Yea I agree, putting something out along the lines of "don't worry, this'll be worth it Rovers fans" would help

If there was a late issue with O Brien we'd know by now. This is the club sorting the media bits ahead of a decent launch in an attempt to soften the blow of BBD signing a pre contract.

Got to be BBD on his way with Hedges switching to the left?

My thoughts on the game: As others have pointed out, a decent first half. We doubled up othe right to combat Giles - Hedges was key here and took a lot away from JRC so I thought an odd decision to give motm the other way. Gallery never stopped working but that first half miss when he skewed it 10 yards wide was criminal Dack ran a lot and switched with BBD which worked well to give us space but neither seemed to be able to get much creativity going on Hyam is superb, calm, solid, just excellent Ayala worries me in possession and too slow out of it. Pickering reads the game well and I thought was decent when keeping things simple. Buckley played some gorgeous passes but if we want him as a deep lying playmaker he needs to be alongside someone strong to break up play. This is where we lost the game for me, Buckley and Morton don't work well together. The red card was onviously ridiculous all round but i have a feeling last season Buckley kept getting bookings through silliness? Should Kaminski have done better for Boros first? I can see the benefits of drawing the press and then beating it with longer passes, that worked for the first goal and could have led to more but we have to have another option, especially when behind with 5 mins to go. Finally, when did we get a drum in the jack walker? First time I've heard it last night although i dont get to go as much as I'd like

This is absolutely abysmal leadership. You cannot talk about the players being young, inexperienced and struggling with the pressure of being a top 4 side whilst also simultaneously saying they don't want to win enough! TM said something a couple weeks ago that's stuck with me, it was along the lines of "who motivates the motivator after that?" In the context of a late loss (maybe Bristol city). Again, it felt like a complete absence of leadership, playing the "poor me" card is not going to motivate the team in any way, it'll just leave them floundering and questioning your decision making.

I'll echo some of the comments in here. If there's one thing needed from a manager in this position its energy - TM looks like he sucks the life out of any room at the moment. We need a different voice in the dressing room, someone positive. It's such fine margins in the league that we genuinely do still have a chance of playoffs, get someone new in now with 2 weeks to bed in. Who knows where that might end.

It's time now. Sad to say it but the dressing room needs a new voice. We still have a chance of the playoffs but it's clear that won't happen as things stand. His contract ends in the summer so it's not a huge financial issue, the players heads are down so we don't risk knocking their confidence, I don't think there's a downside.

So frustrating! As others have alluded to, I honestly don't think we were that bad but we just never looked like scoring. I remember thinking during the purple patch that we weren't actually playing that well, PNE comes to mind as a game that could easily have gone the other way so perhaps this is just a levelling up as we find our true position of upper mid table. What a depressing thought. On a personal level, my little lad is really starting to get into football so we've gone to ewood a couple times in recent weeks and I've let him watch the first half of a few sky games but he's yet to see a goal! if it keeps going like this he'll end up wanting to watch someone else and to be fair, I can't blame him. I wonder how many other potential rovers have been lost over the last 10 years.

I'm a little worried about Tony's comments around "some personal issues that won't be aired". Not sure exactly what he means but I hope it doesn't allude to arguing amongst themselves

Has he been linked to West Brom? Must have missed that? Can't see venkys letting him go unless they are royally peed off with him after the Rothwell saga

Can't see the team being anything other than this unless there's a covid issue lurking and the worrying part is that I feel like TM has hinted about exactly that. As we saw with Trav, there's a couple of positions that we just can't cover. Still, I'm looking forward to this one which no doubt means we'll be awful! I've been a rivers fan long enough to know not to rely on any result, I just want to feel like we're having a go and that there is a clear gameplay.

This worries me too. I've always thought that since it appears confidence has made such a difference to him in the first half of rhe season, it wouldn't take much to knock that and put him back to last years performances. I just really hope we're not seeing the start of that.

I'd be tempted by £20m, especially if Brighton would consider turning one of the loans into a permanent deal. I worry BBD is a confidence payer and that it won't take much to shake that leaving us with the player we had for the first 2 years

My first game at Ewood for a while and my goodness have I missed it! Spent a fortune in the club shop obviously, attempted to get my 6yo a taste for bovril (broken hot drinks machine in JW put pay to that tragically) and jumped up and down like a maniac when BBD scored a just fabulous goal. I had Van Hecke down as mom, thought he was immense (although a couple of his clearances could have been a little more agricultural given the conditions!). BBD never stops running does he! Not a classic match but there was some grit and desire that we've been missing in maybe the last 11/12 years. At the whistle I could feel the team spirit and looking at the table...well, who knows, stranger things have happened

Ah, pretty much what Ben said!

I realise this is an unpopular viewpoint but I actually think TM in an executive role of some sort might not be the worst thing. He clearly holds the trust of the owners and its clear that lines of communication back to India are flawed to say the least. I've never met him but his reputation seems based around honesty so would it be such a bad thing having him on the ground with a new manager in place? Obviously it would depend on exactly what his role might be, a new manager needs autonomy and what's seen as a traditional DOF role might not be the best fit but considering we're an unusual club maybe theres room for an unusual role. I'm envisaging someone who understands the game in this country and can present clearly to the owners what's happening and what it means whilst leaving the decision making to the new manager.

The feeling from the coaches in the club is "I'm not sure how long he'll last". That's a direct quote so read into it what you will!

This might have been picked up on elsewhere but is anyone getting the feel TM is having a dig at Rothwell with his "10 days sat on the sofa" comments?

Morning all! First time I've logged in to the forum in 13 years I believe but for some reason this year has got me excited to be a rovers fan again. What a frustrating game last night, I agree with those suggesting JRC shouldn't be right back, seems to me TM rates him and wants him in the game but can't find the right position for him beyond realising he should be somewhere wide. Nyambe for me next game. It's probably unfair to judge Pears from last night, conceding after 9 seconds is bound to knock anyone's confidence, especially if he's being asked to play the keeper/sweeper role as appears and this is alien to him. Incidentally, can anyone find a keeper who's conceded faster on debut?! Not sure whats happening at centre back but I think playing with 2 full backs expected to attack is playing a part. Let's maybe let the defenders defend, especially with 5 attack minded mid/fwds ahead of them. Finally, I worry about the balance of the team, we seem to have a lot of players who are realistically attacking midfielders but no further defined roles? I don't know, its good to watch sometimes, we'll see how it works out. So, first post in over a decade! I still have faith in TM, we're never boring to watch at the moment and the seasons only just started... I think it's going to be a fun ride