Don't underestimate Mowbray playing mind games with his comments. He has asked for patience then sent a team out on the front foot from the kick off. Perversely looking forward to this one. Both managers amongst the best at assessing the opposition. Both clubs arguably in higher positions than their first XIs merit. Could be a classic for football technicians if not for the up and at them punter.

Gordon Taylor signed for us from Brum.

Depends on the questions asked. I would want to know what could tempt fans back with a multiple answers allowed tick box.

Lack of football brain is sadly almost incurable.

Lowe doesn't point enough to be the new Keith Andrews.

Injured at Boro.

Brum seem to go in stops and starts and seem to be in stop mode at present. If we play as we can and attack from the off, of course we can win this. Would be nice to win without drama but we all know that is not going to happen. Would like to see Rothwell and Brereton get decent amounts of game time. Nice preview!

Indeed, a remarkable sequence of results last night.

This is smart by Rovers. With regards to overall average attendances, I doubt we will make the 15,500 target but wouldn't be surprised to see it around 15,000 at season end.

Forest under Clough went on to win the European Cup twice after an equally meteoric rise.

We are talking January window which is exceptionally difficult to pick up good players in, can be used to prevent relegation but other than a "last piece in the jigsaw" signing, never clinches promotion. And Rovers are several pieces short of a Premier League jigsaw. Recall of Reed (probable) and sale of Dack (possible) will leave us hugely relieved we have a 12 point buffer over 22nd place going into the second half of the season. If I were Venky's, I'd be saying: "you have got a strategy for signings so stick to it, you have our number if something exceptional is possible."

Just watched the highlights- the goals came from incredible strikes; both of them stunners.

Sorry to pick on Armstrong but every decision he made today was a wrong one. Evans was slowing the game down when it needed a bit more zip from Rovers. Dack looked very frustrated by the players around him which is ominous.

Very good point unfortunately!

On the stats we are totally dominating this.

Ifollow now saying there is no stream for this game after I logged out and logged back in. Have checked and they have not taken payment and not emailed a receipt after having indicated on screen they had.

Somebody sent off, somebody scored?

Now the website is saying there isn't a match pass available for this game but is also showing: Blackburn at Middlesbrough on Dec 8, 2018 €6.00 8-Dec-2018 14:55 Yes

I can see they have taken payment.

Anyone else just getting a black screen and no audio?

Do we know how close to fitness Davenport is?

Had to check the thread title- yep his is about welcoming Venky's. Completely split. Seven years of hell morphing into a year of eminent good sense with a backdrop of funding in a way that Rovers are unlikely to face administration or any more FFP trouble. Got a feeling we will discover we are in a division where it is hell to get out in the right direction but all too easy to crash out of through the trap door. With the passage of time anger at the way our secure Premier League status was frittered will only mount regardless of model guardianship now.

Agreed Saxton did an excellent job in increasingly challenging circumstances.

Great preview. I resisted jumping in to fulfil the void as I jinx the result whenever I do! We have had some great results up there (thinking of an out of the blue 5-1 win) but the Riverside stadium has not been a particularly happy hunting ground. Saw extended highlights of Boro 0 Villa 3 and Boro got very lucky not to lose by more- a lot more. Which is astonishing considering they had only let in 12 all season before that game. They don't score many either. Boro got to be favourites but Rovers certainly have a decent chance. One thing we can be confident of is Mowbray's preparation will be thorough. We will have to see if the team are on the same page.

I remember this. The only reason Jim Iley was displaced by Kean as my all time worst Manager of Rovers is that Iley was demonstrably not corrupt.