Players at Rovers seem to enjoy their football and being part of the club. I would imagine that for Rodwell, the previous two years have been a living hell in football. If he is motivated by football I would be amazed if he doesn't stay at Ewood. The risk is him getting back to speed by Christmas and a bottom half Premier League club seeing the opportunity.

Yesterday I thought he showed a huge amount of footballing intelligence and positional sense. Put another game changer on the park with him and watch him blossom. We might have that in Rodwell. Stick a Chapman on who needs two opponents to cover his pace and just watch Dack use the extra bit of space that will give him.

Great post. Let's not forget Davenport when he is fit. Got the feeling that yesterday's win is massive in the context of this season and Rovers growth and development. We should believe in ourselves more and our ability to close out games. Bolton coming back into it was down to our failings, particularly our passing fell to pieces after we had scored letting them back into it. But we were always comfortably the better team and I never felt they carried the threat to draw level let alone beat us after the two saves from Raya in the first half. In a league where any club can beat any club (you missed off Millwall beating Villa), having a manager who really studies the opposition and picks an eleven to beat the club we are facing is going to be worth perhaps ten points over the season. I really liked him putting Rothwell and Rodwell together then swapping them out together for Evans and Smallwood. Clubs which go up have players who are different class in their side or are brilliant as a unit. Rovers are progressing towards both goals far faster than we could ever have imagined. Different class now: Raya, Dack and different class dulled by age: Mulgrew and Graham. Could get to different class very soon: Nyambe and Rodwell. All the way through the game I kept thinking I'd love to see Harry Chapman running at Bolton and tieing up two of their players on him. Yes we need a beast at the back but having a Chapman whose pace terrifies the opposition is needed as well.

The linesman

promising performance today- I expect he will be a big player for us by he end of the season

Picture as broken as Rovers play at times but both made it through to the final whistle.

Who'd have thunk it. Second international break and we are level on points with 6th place.

You have to say Bolton have done extremely well to get to 15 points at this stage including the win against Derby. They were way worse than Ipswich, Millwall and Reading against us and must be odds on a relegation fight.

PS we won

Topsy turvy table- Sheffield United top WBA second. Winners at the bottom. Rovers could get themselves into 6th with a stonking win.

Just read we have lost our last five away games against the Trotters. Time to set that record straight then. Today will be all about who wants it more. On paper, I'd take the Rovers squad over Bolton Wanderers' marginally but the difference is not enough to produce a result.

Still hanging fire on this one. Pushing Graham out of his position is a tough ask of any player in this league.

Twelve matches in and it could go in any direction except relegation (he said crossing everything) and automatic promotion (because there are probably five teams unarguably better than us from what I have seen thus far). I will up my forecast of finishing 18th to falling short of the play-offs in 10th. Going for team spirit to lift us above our "natural" position in the final rankings.

Bennett's energy means he pops up anywhere harrying the opposition, rushing them out of their rhythm. This makes him an effective disruptor when he's in midfield. Didn't see the match but it sounds like we let the Blades play their own game without challenging them enough.

Add Bolton where in recent years we have a terrible record and we could be on for five defeats on the trot. Knowing Rovers, we will do something perverse and upset at least one apple cart!

I have never had a Sky subscription. In fact have lived without a TV for 17 years. Also have to factor in that I am often busy or travelling when games are on so I miss a proportion of the iFollow covered matches. Of the 46 games, probably 12 get Sky coverage so that leaves 34. So need to watch more than two thirds of the other games which for me makes it break even at best.

This midweek and televised games lark means I buy game by game on ifollow. It killed any value for money from a season subscription.

So 12 games in. Been comprehensively outplayed for 90 minutes in 2 (Derby and Sheffield United) and taken apart in a bad half by Bristol City. Not demolished anybody ourselves yet outside the Caribou Cup. Huge change from the relegation season when we were second best in most matches including both wins against Newcastle. Question is now- has last season's promotion bounce run out or can we kick on? Oh and how is Davenport? Avoiding defeat at Bolton is going to be important for avoiding looking like a decidedly bottom half team. Last night's draws in all the other fixtures did us a favour and we are remarkably only 2 points off a play-off slot and 8 points clear of relegation.

Great preview. Table will be looking distinctly unappealing if we lose this one.

At least Mowbray was trying to change it around. His two predecessors would have done nothing.

Stanley up to 5th after a very late winner against Doncaster last night. Cannot argue with w5, d5, l1 and three wins in their last three games.

Huge amount resting on Mulgrew being back for this one. Just watched some Sheffield United match highlights- they really mix up their forward play and have several different corner routines. We are going to have to concentrate the whole match because they have won at least one match scoring in added time at the end. That said, they also switch off at the back and give the opposition chances. A bit nervous by the way Mowbray really bigged them up in his press interview- almost as though he expects to lose tonight.

Three times if I read his profile correctly including a Hull City yo-yo. And he has been most identified with his tenure at Brum over seven seasons which makes him as toxic for several Villa supporters for equivalent local rivalry reasons as Coyle was for us. All pretty toxic at Villa whether Bruce is there or not but I stick with my view he is unlikely to get them up.

I have never rated Steve Bruce except as a player. Will be very happy to see him stay at Villa because I very much doubt if he would ever get them promoted.

I understand the player had his heart set on a big city club and immediate promotion.