Aargh 2-2

If all the other scores stay as they are, we will be feeling safer from the relegation threat. Buckley for Rothwell so no BB

Out of the blue Downing!

Downing replaces Holtby. So we have our stars of the future on the pitch now...

Sorry guys but if there is going to be a winner in this game it will be Barnsley registering only their second 3 points all season.

I thought all that talk of going on a run of wins was inviting disaster...

Damn 1-1

Barnsley double substitution. TM's brain hurting probably...

If I were the Barnsley boss, I'd be fancying turning this one around. Rovers likely to disintegrate if they equalise.

Dack you beauty

Armstrong going for a world record number of offsides.

Barnsley having the better of possession and this is dire.

blatant penalty not given for foul on Holtby

Armstrong up top and Gallagher right wing. He's just sent Rothwell to the chippy and Walton is starting in McDonald's

Happy birthday Garns- legend!

Watched some of Tranmere v Wycombe yesterday while eating lunch (wife is away on business). Ainsworth has melded a team of little talent into League 1 leaders- certainly looks like a boss with quiet authority who knows exactly what he is doing. Otherwise the game screamed at the gap in quality between League 1 and the Championship. Rose coloured glasses but I don't recall any Rovers games in League 1 where both sides were as lacking in talent as on display at Prenton Park. "Highlight" was the clash between 16 stone 37 year old (check his Wiki entry) Wycombe centre forward Ade Akinfenwa and the Tranmere Rovers number 6 Monthe who must be the biggest unit playing in the football league- as broad as Akinfenwa but because he is 4 inches taller doesn't look as heavy. As you would imagine, this was a battle of plodders. That said, in a game destined for 0-0, Akinfenwa scored Wycombe's first with a beautifully taken poacher's header and Monthe has a very decent eye for a pass.

I have no doubt Simon Smith has always written as a Rovers supporter through and through. The club needs to look at itself for the footballing reasons opinions are so divided. Picking up on JH Rovers' fabulous post, in terms of financial support and infrastructure, Rovers "natural" position if we have to play in the Championship is at the top challenging for automatic promotion. We are significantly under-performing that which is dividing the fans and editorially putting the LT into a no win position. Especially as Tony Mowbray's pronouncements have become increasingly befuddling and the paper has to report them with a straight face..

Oh dear, 4-0 win is a 4-0 win but the scoreline hides a multitude of sins.

I am between the two of you and feel reasonably optimistic PROVIDED we get the succession from Mowbray correct

Absolutely delighted Mowbray has picked the right formation, tactics and subs for today's game.

https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/politics/quicktest/18037967.rovers-must-have-plan-not-simply-chase-golden-egg/ Howard still loves us. Strategy right, execution wrong is probably the best summation of where we are today.

Stick this here as it will appeal to the people who read about the Academy. Fascinating read https://dtai.cs.kuleuven.be/sports/blog/player-vectors-characterizing-soccer-players-playing-style

Rovers ranked 9th, quite probably 7th only 12 months ago.

Getting worried about this one. Do or die for the Tykes and meh for us. Barnsley were ok against Stoke if you ignore three ludicrous gift goals. Stoke didn't paste them the way the score might have suggested.

The squad is good enough to achieve top half comfortably. The majority of our defeats have been caused by the dug out getting it wrong.