ianofcleveleys

This. I've just said the same to my Rovers supporting workmate, who has yet to report him having anything other than a good game for them

Was like watching one of Warnock's sides of old, or a Mourinho side minus any talent. Looked exactly that game plan to me, Lennon knew it, ref was oblivious. We are lightweight for this League atm but no excuse for teams being allowed to shove, push, grab and kick and otherwise cheat their way to a point as they were last night

That referee should be banished from any form of professional football after that, gave nothing when McNaughton was clogged and went downhill from that. Every dark art in the book from them, he had absolutely no idea how to spot it or what to do if he did. Definitely up there in the Barry Knight class. BUT, we should have seen it out again. Switched off from throw, let Blackman turn, put ball in and still had chance to prevent the shooting chance but couldn't. Massively frustrating as that'd have been one heroic win in the circumstances. Bannan class, his retention and use of the ball under severe pressure at times was superb. Clarke and his sidekicks were every bit as up for giving the 4th official an ear warming as Lenny was, especially when they were getting desperate last five-ten mins. When will our appalling luck with injuries end? First priority signing for the summer should be an exorcist

It is, got a link to it off Twatter earlier. Know it's been done to death on here, but we didn't half see some players wear our shirt in that time. Some donkeys also for certain, but as the article says, vagaries of the recruitment policy of the time.

Our defence was shipping goals in shedloads under Freedman with one or even two holding midfielders in front of them. We've been effectively playing without any for the last month, so no surprise that we're shipping them even more. Where a lot of teams have improved over the time we've been back in the Championship has been the pace in their teams, particularly going forward. We have a bit more going forward than we had, but we're chronically short at the back and, for me, until we re-model the defence to remedy that, it needs the protection of a holding midfielder and to have two proper full backs in it. At the moment, we look lightweight, weak and naive

I'm sure he'll be on the training ground early enough tomorrow morning

There weren't, but I watched Blackpool on FLS this morning. If there were 11,712 in there I'll join you.

Like that one, very good

I'll stick with having the same view of it as our manager thanks.

Sorry, I was, and I don't think I was alone, see some other posters from earlier. It was a fantastic game, but we should have taken the least we deserved from it, a point.

He's also being asked to play far deeper thsn he's used to and he's best at, for the greater good of the team, in a difficult situation. He's lacking the support of another defensively minded player and has consistently been put in difficult situations in games by risky passes from Vela and Clough in particular, or by those players losing the ball when running with it in midfield. The other thing is that, apart from the enforced one game rest for the red card re Liverpool he's had a far longer unbroken run of 90 minute games than at any time under DF, who often used to take him off or not start him in consecutive games

Very well put sir

I suspected he'd have been trying to get the message across but it went unheeded. Problem was it was what the crowd (or at least some)wanted, and a few got a bit carried away with the excitement and adrenalin of it all. But, not moaning, was fantastic fare, and as Gonzo said, probably the best game since we left the Prem. 39 shots by the two teams, 19 from us, unimaginable not so long ago.

Lets see how Freedman gets on 'managing the game without the ball' against us next week, not too hot at it today by the sound of it

Too gung ho and naïve at 3-3, once we'd got back to getting something we richly deserved out of the game we should have kept the door shut. Fantastic game though, they completely went for it after half time, all their attackers on for over half an hour. Golden chances to make it 3-1, but even then no guarantees we'd have seen it out. We went toe to toe with a tremendous attacking team, played some great football and scored some brilliant goals. They'd only one way of playing, but, at the moment, with the players available, so have we by the looks of it. It would have been enough to have blown away plenty of other teams in this League today. Wasn't sure about the switch of Janko and Vela, didn't work, but not many other options on the bench. Danns has got a really tough job at the moment, gets a lot of risky balls to deal with, gets ambushed by the opposition and has no other deeper midfielder to help him out. Pratley was a big miss in that second half and for me is a big reason why we're exciting going forward but miles too open when we lose it. Not too despondent though, brilliant entertainment and a pleasure to watch us now, not the mind-numbing chore of the Freedman 'era'

Neither will get out of it, but Wigan for me. Blackpool to stay for the awayday. If Bristol C and Swindon get automatic spots, would be good to get Preston or Sheff U up through play-offs.

Not sure anyone in a job will fancy it till Lerner flogs the club and some other crowd comes in. Lenny is destined for a top job at some point but, for me, he still needs to allow enough time with us to have some tangible evidence to put on the table at an interview. Hopefully he sees it that way

Got it on, it certainly is, good programme and he's a good listen. Swatted off Chappers little try at getting a reaction out of the Villa odds!

It was, especially 2nd half, when we got a bit of a head of steam up there was plenty of noise from not so many. It was one of those games where you were willing them on and hoping they got their just rewards in the end. We're still in a precarious position if you look at how ridiculously tight the league is, couple of good results and we'll be happily camped in the top ten for the run-in, a couple of losses and it'll be twitchy again. Till we get a few more of the more senior cavalry back we're asking a lot of a mix of young kids, loanees and others who must be getting a bit knackered but can't be rested. We need to keep backing these lads, be patient and help them along. Great entertainment last night, ran off to the car with an extra yard of pace on!

Really enjoyed that second half, couldn't see it coming after half an hour, in the end we thoroughly deserved an important win. Some little players and some young 'uns with big hearts and no little talent.

Great stuff that, happy memories indeed!

You're right, it should be same for all, though I'd challenge fans of any other club to come up with as long a list of bad injuries to critical players as we've had over the past three years or so. Given it spans the time of three managers maybe it's something else. I remember Newcastle a while back having a load of soft tissue injuries they reckoned were down to the training pitches. Or maybe we just need a visit from an exorcist?

Must have been dragging a bit that game, seemed like much further on!

Pace of the game is much faster, and players are having to perform explosive movements using muscles under greater stress. Pratley's strain was hardly due to a warm-up issue, it happened half way through the second half

I know ALF's mother-in-law, their family are stalwarts at our athletics club. Once served Nat Lofthouse his drinks all night at a Sportsman's Dinner at Rochdale FC Also saw Kenneth Williams (ooh Matron!) walking out of his house one day in London a while back