roversfan99

It is a clear weakness in the team, Maguire has been shocking for ages and bas been dropped to 4th choice at United and Dier has always been a poor defender IMO.

A defence with Dier and Maguire in it will likely be a huge weak point against any good forwards, if we did end up against France then Mbappe would be licking his lips. I think you struggle to not be overly biased towards England to the point whereby an injury to a totally different team in a different group instantly is spun back in your head to England. When you watch games in other groups, do you do so purely to watch those 2 teams or simply to weigh up the competition for England?

Iran have Taremi at Porto but also Azmoun at Leverkusen, Ghoddos at Brentford and Jahanbaksh at Feyeenord who was previously at Brighton. Plus a few other players in more minor European leagues. Probably the weakest team in the group though. I feel like America have some really good young talent.

The World cup is interesting for the spread of the best players and interesting teams across all groups. As ever, I am sure that 95% of all coverage will be pointless regurgitated interviews with Southgate etc rather than discussion about the different teams.

Lots of big players pulling out injured, the latest 2 being Mane and Benzema. France now dont have Benzema, Pogba, Kante, Nkunku and Kimpembe.

He didnt seem to upset many senior defenders in League 2.

Of course, but I don't think that requires targets that guarantee graduates x minutes.

But it wouldn't be a fluke in that no team uses its resources totally efficiently. It wouldn't in anyway reduce the scope of the achievement if it meant that for example teams with parachute payments missed out.

It wouldn't be a fluke, but it would be a very good achievement. Our revenue may (partially self inflicted) not be top 3 or top 6 in the league but it isn't lower than the "majority" of the league though. A project in which specific targets are put on playing academy graduates does not really scream an underlying desperation to go up.

What is our style? People banged on about the high press and the fluid front 4 all summer but neither has materialised, and although we do pass it out more, it is certainly not a consistent, defined style.

The first team squad are all on holiday.

I find the topic of expectations an interesting one, there has been lots of post-Sunday talk about us being third as if we are doing exceptional things. This is an example of media conversation: https://www.lancs.live/sport/football/football-news/blackburn-rovers-transfer-needs-opportunity-25520157 I took exception to the following: "Whilst a top-ten finish would have been a fantastic achievement at the start of the season." Why are our expectations so low? A fantastic achievement would be promotion, admittedly not one we could align with our budget, but equally we are not a minnow. We finished 8th under Mowbray and whilst I appreciate the position we was in and the time he spent in situ etc, he was rounded out towards the end, so how can 2 places below ever be "fantastic." A top 6 finish would be a good achievement, bordering on very good, but it is not this unfathomable prospect, many teams with similar and even less money have got into the play offs.

Does it even suit Brereton? It often leaves him isolated, he is at his best when we counter quickly.

Of course he needs to be jettisoned now for undermining the manager but a lot of what he says will be true about the direction of the club, agenda or not.

Who has said that "JDT is as bad as Coyle?" They may have done and if so my apologies, but like the stuff about sacking Tomasson, they seem to be baseless allegations with the intention of making our fans seem unreasonable. Should we be able to compete over a season? For the top 2, maybe not although you can reel off the names of recent top 6 finishers with less resources than us. But this was about one game, and I don't get how anyone (this isnt aimed at you) can react to such a beating in the first local derby in years with a shrug of the shoulders. We didn't compete and some of those factors were as a result of choice rather than selection, we had more experienced alternatives on the bench and Tomasson's supposed number 1 striking target left at home. If we can't expect to be competitive against a Burnley side in the same league as us and one that we would have overtaken with a win, whats the point?

It could be argued that moreso than the playing squad that is now packed full of graduates, some ready, some less so, with a stadium falling apart etc, that the biggest thing that Venkys have stripped down is expectation. We speak as if being 3rd in a shocking standard of league is us on top of a mountain.

We finished 8th so "shit show" is probably a bit unfair. 4 of the starters yesterday were not here under Mowbray with a 5th from my recollection making minimal if any contribution under him. I just think it's a stretch to still be putting blame to any performances with a much changed side months following his departure. We have moved on or I thought we had.

Its easy to continue blaming Mowbray especially considering how sour it got towards the end, but he was not a virus eating away at an otherwise healthy club, the virus is Venkys but that is another story. This season we have already put in close to as many uncompetitive performances as in the entirety of last season. But this is no longer Mowbray's team. Our main centre back who also played yesterday was signed post Mowbray. The left centre back was also signed under Tomasson as did one of the wing backs and central midfielders. Another central midfielder and the sub striker have only been brought through this season. I am glad he has gone but I am not having this idea that his ghost continues to haunt us.

He can't just go on taking the flak indefinitely months after leaving.

I don't get how flippant you can be about getting battered by our local rivals, but I suspect that it is with the intention to provoke.

The social media thing yes, surely have the common sense as individuals, if not a briefing by the club. But it makes sense to give them a week off now, then to build up back to the restart of the season.

I don't get why it always has to develop into a Mowbray v Tomasson debate. The one last season was at a time when qualifiers were being played, so he would have been suspended anyway, ergo we had little choice. Now, there are no league nor qualifying games so both parties have agreed that he needs a rest.

But that implies that Tomasson and Broughton have impeccable judgement. Plus there is more to it, maybe they are trying to generate some value. You seem to struggle to not align your opinion directly with that of those in the club.

You mention being on the break but we appeared to have no attacking game plan, therefore no matter how long it took, I suspect that first goal was inevitable. I don't join the calls purely for aggression unless its channelled correctly and coupled with other parts to his game. Garrett is full of aggression, not sure what else.

Not that I am aware of, may be wrong? He could have played as a number 10 had we gone for the 5 at the back, or Hedges could have played there. With the Gallagher situation, it says a lot that our number 1 striking target can't get off the bench, a failure in recruitment.