A win on Saturday puts us within 3 points of the playoffs whatever the other results are (mainly as Bristol City play Reading). We really need the 3 points given the 4 games that follow, an early goal and another clean sheet please. Millwall (H), Brentford (A), Bristol City (A), Norwich (H) follow - I'd imagine we'll have a good idea of where we are as a team by mid-December. 6 points vs Barnsley and Millwall will go a long way to cushion the following 3 matches. It certainly feels more congested than normal at the top, Reading are dropping like a stone and won't be near the playoffs at the end, and I can see Bristol City dropping too. The thing is with Boro and Stoke looking improved and Brentford all outside the top 6 currently we're not the only ones with expectations to push on.

https://www.rovers.co.uk/news/2018/december/christmas-jumper-day-at-ewood/ I'd like to see these, or similar in stock - they sold out really quickly in 2018. The one they're selling on the rovers site currently is awful!

Adam Henley too apparently

Elliott, Holtby and Trybull have all done okay. Elliott probably the only one to properly hold his head high. By far our best player today. Armstrong and Brereton both poor, Gallagher and Dolan did little to improve that. The less about the defensive unit the better. Whiteman scores again in another big game for Doncaster, buy out less than £2m and we’ve still got Evans plodding around the middle. As someone said earlier, we’re far too easy to beat. No spine, no passion.

I’ll have to dig out the message after Derby where someone told me we’d finish above Brentford.

Stinks to the high heavens.

Potentially yeah, though I don’t think Williams has done too much wrong this season, whereas Lenihan has been at fault for numerous goals.

Armstrongs finishing is frustrating. We create so many chances, so his top level numbers are bound to look impressive. He does seem to have the nack to be in the right place for these chances though, never really see Brereton or Elliott having an attempt at goal. The back 4 is the concern though (as it has been for years). Has to be Ayala and Williams when all are fully fit.

For all the nice football we play in the middle of the pitch...we look so shaky every time we have to defend in any form. No excuses.

I think this is the way I would have gone. Dolan for Evans with Elliott playing in the middle.

Apparently Rothwell was Covid clear to play today, had a bad back so missed out. Hopefully nothing serious and he’s okay for Saturday.

I’d doubt Mowbray would drop Lenihan, but on performances alone he needs to give Ayala and Williams a run together. No positives to take from tonight, apart from maybe Arma keeping his run going.

Both Reading full backs look very good.

Gallagher isn’t suited to our quick tempo at all, he cannot keep hold of the ball.

Great worked goal, top cross from JRC and great finish from Arma.

Wow, was it a 4 year deal? Jesus, who’s his agent? Makes no sense given he was signed as a reserve and isn’t even proven.

Nail on the head, I think that was midweek evening game too. Certainly a lot stronger.

Douglas has looked out of position on a few occasions defensively. More promising going forward. Lenihan seems to be lunging in for every challenge, like he’s always a few seconds behind. 1st 25 mins were dire, probably worst of the season or at least up there with the Forest game.

Cannot believe Evans has got a starting place here. Regardless of Johnson’s fitness he shouldn’t be next in line.

Yes the table is specific to individual games. e.g. i think one model i saw had us drawing with Bournemouth, beating Watford and Cardiff and losing to Forest. The 2nd sentence would be relating to the goal difference and xG actually has us 1 goal fewer than we've scored through the 7 games so far. So we can be top of overall xG table which takes into account game by game and also xG goals scored.

It's not a definite science by any measure, but allows you to see where positions may be false and gives you a guide to under/over performance vs luck essentially. For example a poster here assuming Reading were the bookies favourites, probably from just purely looking at the league table. Bookmakers and pro's would incorporate it into their pricing, especially for outright modelling, if we remain as dominant as we have been in the last few matches over the next week or two expect us to be one of the favourites for the league. It's not solely based on the quality of chances, it also takes into account the location of the chance and the type of chance e.g. penalty, 1 on 1, header etc. Different companies have different models though and some may not take this into account in lower leagues. It's obviously not the be all and end all, but it offers a bit of perspective on what is currently a small sample size (6 games) EDIT: what Joe said ?

You can try on the Sky Sports app (although i think that has to be Sky subscribers too). Otherwise it's free on the Sky Bet app if you happen to have an account with them. EDIT: noticed plenty of others have suggested this too now.

Rovers sitting top of the xG table, with Reading mid-table. It's unsustainable for them to continue as they are (1 shot on target at home vs Wycombe). I'm expecting us to dominate possession and with Holtby playing I think we will create the chances to win this comfortably

Couldn’t care less if Brereton doesn’t score all season if he continues with these assists. He’ll prob be a 5-10 a season guy but that’s fine in the role he now plays and as a non-setpiece taker. He was brilliant again today, as was Elliott and I think this will continue to be our starting front 3 for the time being.

Fantastic from Brereton again today. The thing about today that I’m happiest about is the fact Tony saw the players who needed replacing and did so. Glad it’s been rewarded with a win and long may it continue.