Perhaps because Arsenal are the holders?

Yesterday we had no tactics or strategy going forward or defending. Every combination of players on the park looked like complete strangers to each other. Were any passes played blind knowing that a Rovers player would be there to receive it? I cannot remember any. Instead it was all either ponderous stop and look or play it backwards to try to retain possession. As Rich Sharpe pointed out, at one point we had 4 defenders and 6 attackers and no instructions from the touchline about who was supposed to be doing what where. And yes the players looked mighty pissed at Mowbray. We are seeing real anger consistently when they are subbed off.

I am increasingly feeling from his body language that he will walk of his own volition.

Go. Out of arguments to keep him. Which of the current 92 League Managers would have made a bigger mess against Doncaster? I am struggling to name any who would have messed up more than Mowbray did.

Mowbray has achieved not only making the team much less than the sum of its parts but he is clearly diminishing the parts as well. At least half the 16 players used had horrible games way below their capabilities. From Mowbray's gurning, Venus looking lost and the angry/detached glances from the players towards the management, I'd say Mowbray is now losing the dressing room.

Derby couldn't even put the good kids out because the ones training with the first team squad were also in the first team bubble. The average age of their side was just over 19.

It has reached the point where watching Rovers yesterday, I concluded I could fix that based on the tiny bit of football coaching I did 35 years ago.

At least there will be nobody saying Mowbray shouldn't go after that.

Abysmal keeping. Rovers look like they have never seen a coach. Just a bunch of individuals.

ifollow gone audio only

Would have preferred to see Pike and Davenport starting but otherwise OK. Hopefully Pears doesn't treat the ball like a bar of soap again...

108 was numerically the first of the 12 Leyland PD1As delivered in 1948 and was withdrawn from service in 1970. Hiding behind the X66 bus stop is the roof of a Ribble Marshall bodied Leopard which means the picture cannot be any earlier than 1963. The road signage also dates it in the '60s.

That bus was new in late 78/early 79.

Richard Guy the Wimbledon goalkeeper who produced heroics that day. I met him cleaning his car in the Constituency I was fighting a few years later. I shook him warmly by the hand and told him I didn't mind in the least that he was a lifelong Tory...

My ifollow is showing this afternoon's match as being available to watch. I am actually really looking forward to seeing whatever emerges from the tombola this afternoon in blue and white. I think I am right in saying Mowbray has never won an FA Cup third round tie with Rovers..

Chorley warmed up with a 4-0 thrashing by Fylde.

My Everton supporting stepson is convinced Branthwaite is coming to us and that we are getting an absolute gem. Let's see...

Two weeks after Doncaster Rovers covid diagnoses so it will go ahead provided other players haven't gone down with it in the meantime.

Last I heard was that was going to trial.

Great listen. Thanks.

Weird at first. Got used to it now. In fact it will seem strange watching again without the pitch side microphones picking up the yelled instructions and the screams when players are wanting free kicks awarded. I much prefer the games without the piped crowd sounds. Some grounds have people who are really good at selecting the sounds but others are rubbish.

Sitting outside the UK, PL games have become much more accessible and the league and teams vastly more interesting this season. Staggered kick off times means football fits around me and not vice versa and very few games are abysmal switch offs. What's not to like? Except for Sheffield United...

Spell checker automatically inserted the name of the great painter.

We have signed central defenders in the past who have taken a grip and organised without being supreme athletes themselves. Reducing goals let in by 1 in 4 in the second half of the season lifts us into the top 6 and by a half could even bring automatic promotion in range in the second half of the season. I was going to write all other things being equal but fingers crossed we keep Kandinsky,Dack Travis and Armstrong fit and average only 6 absences per game in the rest of the squad as opposed to the 8 we clocked up in the first half of the season.

Have to ask. Is Kipre the man if Sam sees no place for him at Baggies after leaking 9 in 180 minutes... ?