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... ?

Not sure about this. Isn't Chapman under 23 so isn't counted in the 25 senior slots? Genuine question.

So many ways of reading that. It means Arma gets/makes nearly 1.5 big chances per game and takes close to two thirds of them. Could also mean opposition managers see him as sufficiently flawed to allow him to run in behind them as they prefer to commit resources further up field. Or Armstrong is so quick at this level there is no point countering him one on one. I would tell Armstrong to stick in the centre circle when Rovers are defending and train at hitting balls blind to land centrally 10 to 20 yards inside the opposition half...

On reflection, Kaminsky's save was stunning. Loved the fluidity and tenacity of Travis and Davenport- I'd give them a run together with the other midfielders contesting the third spot. Brilliant goal from Dack but again no indication of how Mowbray sees him fitting in, let alone making the most out of him. I thought Dolan was fantastic when he came on. It was needing 3 from Brum to stop/disrupt him. I'd really like Dolan to get more game time. The level of technical proficiency from Rovers when he and Dack were on the park soared.

Superb hold up play by Dolan and such a sweet strike by Dack. Really pleased for Travis and Davenport in midfield. Douglas put in a great shift at right back.

Gavin Ward gavin warding the game- total rubbish. Rovers looking rusty and out of confidence have persuaded a totally rubbish Brum they are a football team after all. Travis rusty, Johnson no centre half, Bell dozy, Brereton going backwards, Elliott not at the races, Gallagher showing moments, Armstrong couldn't have so many gilt opportunities without scoring. Made for Dack but I am afraid Mowbray won't be in their ears enough and Brum will come out charged up. Not won by any means when we should be well ahead.

No idea what we will be seeing this afternoon. I will watch because it is Rovers playing. Beyond that it feels like sitting in the dentist's chair with a numb mouth. I know it is probably going to be unpleasant but I am hoping it's not too bad.

Derby 0 Rovers 4 Brum 0 Derby 4 So BIG Club 8 Rovers 0 We love a bit of balance...

Here's wishing every one of you and your families a wonderful healthy happy and successful 2021. We've been through a lot together as Rovers fans and 2020 has had its own particular twists and challenges to say the least. But I am very upbeat about the coming year even though the first quarter promises to be the worst part of Covid. We even have a bit of a Rolls Royce of a Rovers squad albeit the tires at the back are bald, there's no spare and we have found out what we suspected all along, the long serving chauffeur doesn't know how to drive... Here's my 30,000th post- what the heck have I been doing with my time since this MB started all those years ago? What a ride it has been and what incredible avenues just being a Rovers supporter has taken me down. I can't imagine addiction to sex, drugs, booze and rock 'n roll could be any more distracting/time consuming/giver of coruscating lows or ecstatic highs than the accident of birth and upbringing within easy walking distance of Ewood.. COYB

Glad to see this thread. This is my gut feeling so not an in the know before anyone wants sources... 1) Venky's inherited well but for a pretty diverse set of siblings to say the least, they have turned a fortune into a very big fortune irrespective of a mix of deep religiosity, Bollywood, Akron and a football club. Most families with that set of characters would have blown the lot so there is some deep business acumen there. 2) I would imagine the large surround screen cinema in the Pune compound watching Mowbray with his finger in his ear trying to find something for what felt like at least a minute wouldn't have gone down well- even I felt repulsed watching it. Petty but silly things like that can really count. 3) Mrs D, husband and siblings have seen enough football and definitely are experienced enough in judging management to read body language. Everybody - players and touchline - was terrible all evening at Huddersfield. Mowbray looked dejected and defeated and the players displayed a mix of resignation and disgust. 4) I bet even Pune was wondering why Rothwell was so deep when he has twice run through teams on his own in recent games and what the chuff was Dack brought on to do? 5) So not a big chance of it happening but Tony might be persuadable he has had enough. Looking at his past record he has walked with dignity in the past. The unanimity of the 4 required to make big decisions might suddenly be discovered after watching such a shambles. Remember how we were all convinced Kean and Coyle would never depart? OK who next? 1) This is going to bring the message board down on me. If it comes available, the Manager's desk at Brockhall and Ewood is one of the best jobs in British football in 2021. - I'd love to see a real Manager work with the squad we have got and a decent roladex solves the defence; central defenders and left backs are out there - Seriously is there a squad anywhere in the Championship under performing as badly as our's is? Rovers are as close to a one way bet as an incoming manager could get - The facilities and set-up including a Cat A Academy and an under 23s at serious risk of winning PL2 - The mad crazy days of Venky's SEEM to be in the past. Management SEEM to have a tolerance zone to get on with it - within the limits of FFP, Venky's are making Rovers financially secure. 2) I would expect therefore a significant number of top quality to be finding Waggott's number and email address one way or another 3) We have two really excellent candidates right on our doorstep Damian Johnson (give him the balance of the season to see if he can hit top 6) and Gareth Ainsworth (profiles perfectly) if Pune wants to play it safe. In summary, the low risk high opportunity option would be change manager today.

We are 5 points behind Barnsley.

We have today and tomorrow if we want to bring in a Manager from Europe.

Maybe I am being optimistic but Mowbray had a really haunted look all second half.

The difference is when Hudderfield are in possession, they immediately know where their team mates are. Commentary back.

I wrote about the crisis of management before those subs. As clueless as the non-existent commentary.

This is a crisis of management. The players don't know what the system is, where they should be

Yes Its like Mowbray has only told half the team they are playing a different way tonight.

Rovers making too many bad decisions when we do have possession- even in deciding when to close players down and make runs. The whole side apart from Kaminsky look desperately short on confidence. Calling out for Dack.

No commentary tonight

Got a horrible feeling the Trybull/Johnson combination will be like black hole. The ball will never emerge from it in a forward direction.

Elliott has been worth his starting position but it is increasingly clear Mowbray doesn't know what to do with him. Playing him forward of Armstrong isn't working. The kid is 17 so doesn't yet have the physical strength to out muscle Championship defenders in tight areas.

People go to horror movies...