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Reply | Stephan
at 11:38 1 Mar 2026
There is very little chance that Stephan wants to pick Esquerdinha at left back- who has shown himself to be completely out of his depth on several occasions….and Saito at left wing, who plays like he has won a raffle. Yet cost the club millions.
If anyone thinks Stephan is 100% behind these two players continuing to get opportunity after opportunity - with no supporting evidence, and everything to the contrary, then it’s more than just a little bit naive. Very obvious Stephan has his arms tied behind his back and has marching orders from above. |
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Reply | Esquerdinha
at 11:26 1 Mar 2026
It’s not only pretty clear that Nourry has a lot of direction in players’ playing time. (Look no further than Saito endlessly playing and unbelievably lasting 80+ minutes - every game - because he cost the club millions…. Yet has been utterly dreadful for months)
But it’s also the stated club model being born out. Stephan is given a squad, and extended squad. And he must use it.
Stephan has little choice in giving opportunities to the likes of Esquerdinha and Bennie, especially when he is down the the bare bones. To not pick them, is doing a “Mark Warburton” - and that quickly gets you the sack.
Whether they are any good or not is a different topic. And that is on who is ultimately in charge of the squad-building. [Post edited 1 Mar 11:29]
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Reply | Esquerdinha
at 11:17 1 Mar 2026
Nearly all the Eze money..
Didn’t pull up any trees last year. 1 good game in 4 last season.
The permanent signing was not justified on last seasons form, and far less so at multiple millions outlay . Nothing in this transfer makes any sense, especially because it has blown our once in a blue moon Eze budget. He’s 25 soon and not a baby. His maximum value is already topping out at this age, per market dynamics, and currently he’s worth far less than we paid for him.
This one is really going to haunt us. [Post edited 1 Mar 11:27]
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Reply | Stephan
at 09:31 1 Mar 2026
Hoos has been at the club years and years - where we have gone absolutely nowhere - and is not only the common denominator, but STILL has executive decision-making power. He’s like a cockroach that somehow survives everything. |
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Reply | Positive takes from the day only THREAD
at 22:50 28 Feb 2026
Dunne is the elephant in the room. He doesn’t fit the intended passing style one bit, and is one of a few players who contribute heavily to our inability to keep possession. But was made club captain, and mostly playing well.
However, if we truly are to implement a more possession-based style - rather than just saying it - the club need to get a lot more ruthless with who they keep and who they move on.
Assuming both are fit, Edwards at RCB and JCS at LCB is the first choice pairing, not only in overall quality, but also because it directly fits the alleged club model. |
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Reply | Stephan
at 22:36 28 Feb 2026
I’d love to see Rubens face when you try explaining to him that his money being put into QPR is a “tax write off”. |
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Reply | Pony Up: Dunne's a Pro, Blades for show Fred
at 22:28 28 Feb 2026
Vale was in front of Edwards first half in the usual 4-4-2. It changed in the second half as Vale went left back. But still looked a 4-4-2 to me with saito in front of him. |
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Reply | Walsh
at 13:40 25 Feb 2026
Dunne is actually 6”5. He said so recently in an interview. |
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Reply | Madsen hamstring
at 00:53 25 Feb 2026
Get someone in there who knows what they are doing indeed.
Cycling fitness expertise is not football fitness expertise . Different sport, different dynamics, different conditioning, different everything.
Too many chancers at the club, learning (badly) on the job. [Post edited 25 Feb 0:55]
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Reply | I've not started a match thread before, but I thought f*ck it, why not? v Saints
at 00:34 25 Feb 2026
Personally thought Kolli did nothing wrong in the first half, and connected things well. Didn’t lose the ball, and worked hard to close down. Possibly changed up at HT with Bennie due to recent injury history and playing 80 mins at the weekend.
Kone - I saw a total non-performance tonight. Great at the weekend, did absolutely nothing tonight, might as well have not been playing.
Saito, don’t even get me started.
Vale hit and miss.
Hayden mostly poor.
Edwards decent.
Mbengue erratic. [Post edited 25 Feb 0:35]
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Reply | Club Accounts
at 18:35 18 Feb 2026
This is spot on.
But Nourry is also accountable, as if they are not playing, they should have been loaned out to continue developing and maturing. Not getting splinters on a bench. Or worse, not even making the bench. |
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Reply | Next season’s squad
at 19:11 16 Feb 2026
They don’t get consistent game time, which is what they need to develop. Not fits and spurts.
As a supposed development club, there should be an enquiry as to why none of the major dev squad talents and fringe first team players have been sent out of loan, apart from Sutton.
Morgan, Kolli, Bennie, Equerdinha from first team fringes.
Tylon Smyth - already 20 years old - with 1 men’s first team appearance to his name. Alemayahu, Pearman, etc. from the Dev Squad. |
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Reply | Blackburn Reflection
at 15:15 15 Feb 2026
Competent is an interesting word. 6/10 hold up yes. But no more and no less. It’s why Dykes is not here any longer because competent hold up doesn’t cut it. Losing the ball 5 out of 10 or 6 out of 10 - which both Dykes and Kone do - is a big difference from 8/9-10 like Gallen and Furlong. Helguson another one excellent at it.
That is what this team badly needs and has been crying out for for years now. Most teams play one up top, so it’s not an excuse to require a striking partner to help you hold onto it.
Would be interested to see how many clubs think 6 goals in 30 league games (1 goal in 5 games) is of interest, given other weaknesses in his game. Not sure there would be many takers above what we paid for him. |
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Reply | Transfer expenditure v League position
at 14:59 15 Feb 2026
Fans are rightly comparing us to Millwall - a club of similar size, transfer outlay, and London profile - not the likes of Ipswich. In the last two seasons, we have spent more than Millwall, but find ourselves behind them, whilst they consolidate top 6.
If you are being kind, we are averaging out on transfers and league position. Trouble is, we’ll go nowhere with that, as seen with Les. What we need is significant outperformance compared to our competitive peers. And that’s exactly the job Nourry has taken on and needs to deliver on if we are to progress. |
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Reply | Blackburn Reflection
at 14:43 15 Feb 2026
It often comes straight back become Kone is not good enough at holding the ball up, despite the fact that’s exactly what we need from him, and exactly what we bought him for.
He is far from alone in failing to retain the ball, but given that is his main role in the team, along with scoring goals - which he is also light on - it is an increasing concern.
Contrary to popular opinion, he is not better at the hold up part of the game than his predecessor, Lyndon Dykes - who was also hit and miss with it, and mostly poor at it.
The jury is still out as far as I am concerned. But at 22 he has time on his side. Even Dykes scored 12 goals in his first season.
Only Burrell has been a striking success this season. Our forward line still lacks someone who can hold onto the ball, lay it off, and get the team up the pitch, ala Furlong and Gallen. |
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Reply | Transfer expenditure v League position
at 13:22 15 Feb 2026
We spent at least 8m last season as well. Transfer spend is pushing nearly 25m over two seasons - a massive outlay for this club, not seen at any level in recent seasons. So these are the right questions to be asking.
Also the idea that we are bedding in young players is somewhat driven by the club PR. It was true last season (out of necessity) and was it was true in the first game line up. But hasn’t really been seen since. Looking at our average age line up, it’s middling championship fare. Most clubs have gone a bit younger in recent years to the 24-26 range as it’s the only way to drive a player trading model and build. So it’s all relative.
Additionally, on this subject, Morgan and Kolli hardly ever play. Which is a big question in its own right for a supposed development club. And if they aren’t going to play, why arent they racking up games and maturing whilst on loan? |
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Reply | Blackburn Reflection
at 22:25 14 Feb 2026
I’m reviewing him based on his hold up / target man play, because that is meant to be the type of striker he is. And his back to goal game doesnt change much in the 10 or 9, based on his profile and what the team needs from him, and he is being asked to do.
You still need the ability to take the ball out of the air, hold off defenders, beat your man to the ball, and lay it off more often than not.
And it’s been pretty clear for some time, that he is weak at it. He loses the ball or fails to retain the ball with alarming regularity. It’s extremely frustrating, as he has shown he can do it. But then so could Lyndon Dykes in fits and spurts, too. |
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Reply | Blackburn Reflection
at 21:46 14 Feb 2026
Nope. Been pretty consistent with my thoughts on Kone. He’s been poor. And yes, that particular home game he was excellent. So it does appear to be there, but it’s extremely infrequent, and his hold up play is very poor. Like Saito, he loses it for fun, and does not get under control frequently enough. One of the big reasons this team cannot retain possession. |
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Reply | Blackburn Reflection
at 20:04 14 Feb 2026
“Kone seems to be getting worse”.
Not sure I’ve ever seen it. He must be living off those early goals with the fan base, because overall, he’s been poor ever since. Lyndon Dykes was a better hold up striker, and that’s saying something.
All I see is a half-arsed jog to close defenders down, a regular token jump with defenders - with little-to-no attempt to win the ball- and a supposed hold-up game that rarely sticks. I’m not sure what he’s actually good at. |
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