Going 4-1-4-1 with Smallwood holding midfield and Brereton up front. Sheffield Utd unchanged for 4th consecutive game.

I don't know if this is prophetic for the result but on my phone the Rovers team sheet is showing as a large featureless black rectangle.. Dack and Graham both rested- wow!

We have seen how Brum and QPR rocketed up the table with a sequence of wins and how close we have come to gaining more points than we have collected. I expect two more defeats in the coming two games but not ruling out a run into 7th at season end.

Big game for Mowbray. Looking for a performance more than a win- thankfully we have that comfort zone from our good start. 1) Will we get a Sheffield Wednesday or a Wigan approach after a morale sapping beating in front of a big away following? 2) Never mind the balance of play, we conceded four stupid goals against the top two. Can we force the opposition to score their goals rather than give them away? 3) Sheffield United are in effect a superior Rovers. Core of a League 1 side that punishes lesser teams but from results so far have collapsed against sides with Premier League pretensions. Can we not cave into them today?

This is hilarious. The copyright on a tattoo belongs to the tattooist. The guy who did Messi is sueing for payment for using his design in a FIFA football game. Apparently happening to NBA in the States also. Advice to sports people is to take a licensing release legal agreement with you to the tattooist.

And plenty of dross

I don't know what Bielsa is being paid but he is worth it for getting a bang average side to the top of the Championship. Seeing Leeds where you all gives the rest of us hope.

Low- Doncaster at home. I really thought we were headed for League 2. (OK in 2017 but oh my God I felt really LOW) High- not even Rovers playing on the day but Shrewsbury's home defeat to Rotherham on 17 February after we had got that win at Pompey three days previously and had a run of 3 winnable games (we won all 3) coming up starting with Bury at home. That result was the first clear indication the Shrews were going to blow it and we could look forward to a relatively drama free run into automatic promotion.

Great preview. Did you sink the houseboat? I have already foolishly said I wouldn't be surprised if we win this one. OK Mogga, I have defended you on these boards so please don't let us get played off the park like we were at Ewood. Their record to date is W12 D5 L7 so they obviously include a few off days in their bag of fancy tricks. And they have only scored two more than we have let in....

Evening Standard 8 August 2018 Answers two questions above: Blackburn have ended their pursuit of Charlton defender Patrick Bauer. Bauer has been pushing for a move away from Charlton but Blackburn manager Tony Mowbray says Rovers have “moved on” after being told the German was not for sale. Charlton have rejected several bids for Bauer from Blackburn, with the latest thought to be £500,000. Bauer issued a statement on Twitter on Sunday to say he will not sign an extension to his contract which expires at the end of the season. But Charlton manager Lee Bowyer has blocked his exit from The Valley and Blackburn boss Mowbray said: “I have spoken to Lee and if he [Bauer] is not for sale then he is not for sale. “That is fine, we did a similar thing when other clubs tried to sign some of our players last season. That is football. You are allowed to bid for players and they are allowed to say no. We have to move on and that is what we have done.”

In other words, you would firmly stick with Mowbray in the circumstances and no you wouldn't fancy being a Barnsley or Burton supporter. Let's see if Sunderland make it.

Crazy stuff on this thread. Boy you guys were slow to get going when there was real shit at this club but once goaded you never stop. Yes PNE and Wigan were awful and cost Mowbray a huge amount of goodwill he needed for the rest of this run. But to be debating whether he should get sacked after what he has achieved at Rovers is just bonkers. Especially when you look at the recent list of managers: Kean Berg Appleton Bowyer Lambert Coyle (displacing a good as appointed Warnock let's not forget) Questions for you guys: - be serious, is anybody going to chose any of the above as better than Mowbray? - you are treating promotion from League 1 as an easy peasy splash in a toddler's paddle pool. Swap places with any of Barnsley, Burton or Sunderland just now? - Between 0 and 100%, your level of confidence, Venky's to select a significantly better manager than Mowbray?

The advantage Mowbray has is the problems are obvious and fixable. The disadvantage is he is clearly culpable if not sorted.

Seems to be a consensus we need a tall commanding centre half. Probably need a fitness coach too. But it has to be an organising centre half. After we had scored the free kick there was no talking or geeing up between the team to hold we had- yesterday. Incidentally Dack was easily the most skillful player on the park yesterday. If he goes we are in deep trouble because teams against us currently have to be ready for him beating two or three players on the odd occasion we actually pass the ball to him. As for the sack cloth and ashes stuff- all clubs usually go through a bad spell. It was the Preston and Wigan defeats which mark this spell out as particularly bad. We are no going to play 1st and 2nd in consecutive games again.

Definitely a legitimate goal for Ben there- every time I see it

We need an animal of a centre half in January. Won't be surprised if we now go and win at Bramall Lane.

To concede 50% of all goals in the last 20 minutes points to serious character and fitness flaws in the squad.

Leeds very very lucky

Fantastic to get the equaliser. Brilliant Mulgrew. Evans please get to the pace of the game.

That Williams OG is horribly bad.

Won't work on the Mac again. Having to watch on the mobile.

Don't see us winning any of the next four games and see a high probability of letting in at least four in at least one of them (probably WBA at home). BUT We beat Leeds by taking the game to them in front of a large Leeds following at Ewood. Elland Road crowds can be silenced. Here's hoping.

Merry Christmas all!

Of course Mowbray is going to say that. If his confidence is through the floor (anybody any good at body language?) the boss is going to either big him up or send him to The Priory .

I always believe in getting your best eleven players on the field. On that basis, you would transform the side by simply starting with Rodwell, Rothwell and Davenport (when fit). Imagining a side including those players then you would need a giant beast of a centre half and a winger who can terrify and Rovers would be serious promotion contenders. Bauer and Chapman have massive ??? over fitness and ability at this level. I know Ipswich are total rubbish but I would be looking at Edwards again come the summer.