Rovers started well. Leicester came back. Chances few and far between but if we can make our pace count we should score here.

It is one of the best days of my life Kean out day- I was that happy.

Eastwood seems to have the u-23s berth (and looks the better prospect) so I guess Fisher will be going out on loan again as soon as we have an experienced back up for Thomas.

NOOO Take your Championship Manager and place it where the sun don't shine. He won't be a Rovers player for his entire career but I really want to enjoy this lad playing in the greatest shirt on earth.

We have seven unavailable currently including Dack and Travis- the heart of the team. So let's see what Reading are made of.

He played in the game Duff made his debut for Rovers. Duff was obviously a phenomenal talent but Rovers couldn't do anything about Heskey who destroyed us. Leicester won 4-2 and Heskey scored 2 if not a hattriick. I remember the Leicester fans chanting their nickname for him - Bruno Bruno

We have signed him.

I misread Transfermarkt- apologies. Agreed about Ejaria.

Ovie Ejaria Left Winger 22 Liverpool Premier League €3.90m Josh Laurent Central Midfield 25 Shrewsbury League One Free transfer Lewis Gibson Centre-Back 20 Everton U23 Premier League 2 Loan - Adrian Popa Right Winger 31 FCSB Liga 1 - Championship group End of loan Jun 30, 2020 Jordan Holsgrove Central Midfield 20 Atl. Baleares Segunda División B - Grupo I End of loan Jun 30, 2020 Vito Mannone Goalkeeper 32 Esbjerg fB NordicBet LIGA End of loan Jul 31, 2020 So Reading's transfer business was to convert three successful loanees to permanent add a decent squad midfielder, spend money to get a winger from Liverpool and bring in a hugely promising PL central defender loanee from Everton. From what I have seen of them Reading look the business this year. Much more so than Bristol City, the other 100% club.

I think we need a sense of perspective in this Rhodes v Armstrong exchange. Rhodes signed for Rovers for a record non-Premier League UK fee with 99 goals already scored. He was only a few months younger than Arma is now when he joined Rovers. Rhodes rattled in 85 goals in 169 appearances for Rovers in just 3.5 seasons. It is quite amazing that he has since he left he has only managed another 26 goals in 121 appearances over 4.5 seasons. Jordan is still only 30 years old! Looking at Adam, I find it astonishing he made 21 appearances over 5 seasons for Newcastle and scored 0. For Rovers, Armstrong has now scored 41 goals in 122 appearances for Rovers and his career total is now 71 goals in 241 appearances. There is plenty of time for Arma to get the equal of Rhodes for Rovers although he has to go some to match Rhodes goal per game ratio. Having said that, if Arma keeps this season's 6 in 5 ratio going, he will have 98 goals for Rovers when he gets to equal Rhodes' 169 appearances and Rovers will be comfortably mid-table in the Premier League around Christmas 2021!

This is the "let's chat among ourselves this week" thread. Pretty certain we will see activity next week and possibly Sunday/Monday the week after.

I know it is early days but Reading are looking extremely useful. Having hit the top with 9 points in the bag already I expect them to stay in the hunt. From what I have seen so far, I think we have already played the best team in the league- Bournemouth. I don't have the feeling about any club this time out I had from the get go about Leeds- they were always going to take one promotion slot while Fulham were always the class outfit in the Championship 2019/20. Places 1 to 6 are very open this season. One point I will add, feeling very grateful about Sheffield Wednesday's -12 start. They are looking a strong outfit and were extremely unfortunate to lose at Bristol City.

We will have at least a week as our Summer window closes 7 days after the PL window.

Important to keep the momentum going. I suspect this will be high scoring with both teams getting on the score sheet. Sooner or later if we repeat the slow starts like we had against both Wycombe and Derby we will let in the first goal and make the afternoon significantly more difficult for ourselves. However, no panicking when it is still 0-0 after 20 minutes please. Saying it will be the same team as last time except Nyambe in for JRC is a pretty safe bet.

Just glanced at October's six fixtures. They will really give us a sense of how strong (or not) we are in the Championship this season. Cardiff H Forest H Watford A Coventry A Reading H Swansea A Throw in an international break and those last five games are two per week.

Terrible thing to say but the injuries are sufficiently long term that Mowbray's options are limited for the next two games which hopefully will bed this brilliant 4-3-3 system in with current personnel more firmly. The other silver lining is Mowbray tends (not always) not to change a winning team- so carry on winning lads. Looking at other teams in the division, perhaps Bournemouth are the only club with individuals you absolutely have to account for when setting up a team to play against them. So hopefully Mowbray won't over think the opposition and cripple Rovers in the process which he did in several matches last season.

If Sheffield United come in for Lenihan I would take it. Don't get me wrong, I admire Lenihan but we have Ayala, Wharton, Carter and the two under 23 central defenders look very promising. On current performances Williams would be a bigger loss to replace. It would give us the necessary to cover our left back and back up keeper weaknesses.

Apparently Ancelotti is trying to sign him. You have to wonder if Man City need him most after today' s defensive debacle

This millennium started on 1 January 2000.

That record of scoring more goals than any other English league club in the first three games of a season this millennium lasted all of 26 hours. Leicester have got 12

Yes Reading as a club have the aggressive mentality which could make them an unexpected package. Their away wins at Cardiff and Derby aren't too shabby and while Barnsley were reduced to 9, they still needed beating. The loan of Gibson from Everton could be very handy and Joao always has goals in him.

Wouldn't disagree but which clubs in this division have the personnel to play that way effectively and counter the gegenpressing we are now using?

Go to the gear icon and select the Away commentary.

When Mowbray says he hasn't the budget of previous seasons, it is worth remembering £7m went on slow burner Brereton two years ago and £5m on no burner Gallagher last season. Doesn't mean he can do absolutely nothing this season. Back up keeper and left back are essential. Tricky to impossible to get loanees who bench warm though so I would absolutely go flat out to get a loan left back from PL or top flight league abroad and see if we can pick up an established keeper abroad too. Make the most of the EU transition arrangements before that door closes. Beyond that, how when fit will JRC, Ayala, Evans, Travis, Dack and Gallagher ( let's not forget Butterworth) get back into this team if it keeps clicking like this plus consider Buckley could blossom to be as good as any of them? Plus Chapman. And that is before the possibility of any of the current crops of under 23 and under 18 really kicking on. I know it won't happen but if everyone is fit, established first teamers will not even make the subs bench. No chance then for Wharton, Magliore, Mols, Carter, Brennan et Al..

Too many Championship Manager players!