Gestede: 'the fans don't actually understand the situation, you have to speak to them in a certain way' Au contraire Rudy, we're not a set of dribbling idiots. We understand the past, present and have a better idea of the club's future than you ever will. With any luck, the court case actually goes ahead tomorrow, rules against the Venky's and we maybe get to finally lance the boil.

I'm actually not sure of his name - had white hair and pink boots, I think. And agreed on O'Hashi, one of his better games for us but just lacks that strength to play as a lone striker for me.

I think that's generous - the defence is a lot more organised and well drilled and he's benefited from that. Even the Swedish lad we had last season would have kept clean sheets in those matches. He remains a liability and isn't good enough to be a top-half Championship number 1 - see Viktor Johansson for an example of what is. But, again, he did well today.

Delighted with 3 points, 2 very good team goals (and Baker's wasn't bad either). Thought Trav was excellent today. JRC didn't need to make that challenge and gave them a foot back in the game, but made up for it with the assist for the 3rd. Pears is dogshit, but he's had a good game today. Thought their number 27 up top was exactly what our side is missing. Held the ball well, intelligent distribution and brought play in around him.

Seems the death spiral has started a couple of months earlier this season; can't see us taking anything from any of the upcoming few games, if I'm completely honest. We need a different approach or we'll continue to see the same results.

He's been the fortunate beneficiary of a more organised back line this season. But make no mistake, he is a liability and will continue to be a liability. I have no idea if Toth is actually any good, but working on the basis that he's not Pears, I'm willing to give him a go. As for the other end, just play Leonard and Tyjon. Both are kids, but already streets ahead of Gay and Ohashi.

Have no words. Well, except to agree with the comment that if we'd swapped GKs at kick off, we'd be 4-0 up now.

And this is the difference between having a proper GK and having the likes of Pears.

Not just that, but being beaten at home by them.

Get Tyjon on - he's still young and a bit raw, but he's a genuine talent and knows where the goal is. As much as I like Ohashi, he could play 250 minutes tonight and he's still not scoring. (Cue him sticking one into the top corner...) Edit: alternatively, he might get played in, trip over his own feet and Stoke will go up the other end and score.

I think that's been a really good first 30 minutes, with the other 15 not being too shabby either. Ironically, Stoke should be a goal up with the one attack they've had. Cantwell is superb and he's not even fully match fit yet. Some of the football in that first 30 reminded me of the best stuff under JDT, particularly with the fullbacks taking up the wide positions. We do need to win this though if we have any ambitions of achieving anything this season.

Horrible performance today. Not a single shot on target in a home game is criminal. Cantwell looked a clear class above anyone else on the pitch, but what's the point in trying to soar like an eagle when you're surrounded by pigeons? Dolan does have some positive attributes, but his decision making and overplaying is more a hindrance than any benefit he offers the team.

If you go back far enough, it was 62,500.

I agree - I didn't intend for it to be a defence in any way, just an explanation of what happened. When he was all-in, we were greater than the sum of our parts and some of the football we played was the best I've seen in my 30-odd years of being a Rover. But yeah, as a character trait, it's certainly not a desirable and does take a bit of credit away from the otherwise very good job he did here.

Yeah, I'm not a fan of this rewriting history. JDT did an excellent job here for the majority of his time, certainly that first season. Yes, it went to shit towards the end, but he'd mentally signed off long before that point.

Point is fine, somehow managed another clean sheet in spite of having Pears in goal. I think JE's backed himself into a 'look, we're still undefeated at home' corner and now looks too scared to try and win the game. But a draw is fine tonight, particularly if we follow it up with a win at the weekend now.

Dull half, but we just about did enough. Getting 3 points today is the priority, no matter how we achieve it. Swansea like possession, but it's almost exclusively pointless possession. Thought Dolan started really well today, but ended up too far away from Mak to support him every time he was holding up the ball. Seems that JE likes his 60-minute subs, so lets hope we don't leave it too late and we're still leading at that point.

Yeah, the England > Germany thing seems a bit like the Scotland > England thing, or Preston > Rovers. Means a lot more to one set of fans/people than the others. I go to Berlin a couple of times a year with work and I really like Germany, the people and the culture. The idea of animosity being passed down generations is fanciful at best.

Yeah, this. Lets just pick our strongest 11 and go with that - let them get some cohesion together. From there, form / injuries / suspensions will give the other players chance to impress.

Tuchel would be a decent appointment - streets ahead of any English candidates, possibly barring Eddie Howe (who is unlikely to leave Newcastle). Nationality doesn’t matter one iota if he’s the best man for the job and most likely to bring any level of success. Bit insular to think otherwise.

My first game was in the Walkersteel, I guess you get the best view of the rest of the stadium (sitting in and looking out from the shed), but I'd suggest taking him to the JW Stand. Better views and you have all of the Family Stand stuff inside as well (consoles / face painting / etc). But he'll be fine and will enjoy it wherever you go. Fair play for bringing him. I live up on the hill behind the Fernhurst pub (about half a mile from the stadium) and we don't make it to every home game.

Embarrassing. I'm actually quite chuffed for Greece, I thought they fully deserved that. But that's what you get when you appoint an absolute nobody.

Greece should be 3-0 or 4-0 up - and deserved so, this is absolutely horrific. Even Lee Carsley surely didn't believe that Lee Carsley was the right man for this job.

Agreed - change is inevitable, so you can either get upset by it or adapt. Things like this are at least partly driven by environmental/sustainability targets that all clubs will be held accountable to.

Win your home games, draw your away games and you finish in the top 2. Obviously it's highly unlikely we'll be able to maintain this form over a season, but we are 7 games in now and averaging just over 2 points a game. 3 consecutive clean sheets and both ACD and Cantwell starting to get up to speed. Hard not to be a little bit optimistic at the moment. Well done JE, he has us well organised.