Best Of

Regarding Dodds comments on Kone - there’s a little problem in Kone coming back into the side and that’s called Danial Udoh that’s now scored two in two.

I personally think that’s what he was hinting at when he said Kones got to get himself back into the team.

Would I drop Udoh for Kone? Absolutely. But I wouldn’t say it that quickly and easily when I have another striker on an, albeit it small, goal scoring run and likely need to be in that frame of mind in the next game.

If he keeps the lads playing like this. .. we can Christen him

"The Dodd Father"

On the pronunciation of Simons, Phil admitted that one of the players had done him up like a kipper by telling him the correct pronunciation was Eck-zayvea Simmonns.

Was Dodds a little prickly over the question about Kone? “He’s back in training so he’s got to get himself back into the team…”. Seemed very short with Sam Avery despite the perfectly reasonable question. Or maybe I misinterpreted it?

Really impressed with our performance last night. Simons looks exactly the kind of midfielder we need. Composed on the ball, strong in the tackle, and frees up Scowen and Humphreys to do what they do best. It's exactly what our team has been missing since Morley left, and I'm pretty confident is the primary reason for our slip in form. If he starts most games, I'd be much more confident of our chances of holding on.

I thought Back looked superb for a debut. Positive going forward and good enough defensively (though rarely tested in truth) and as others have said, it allows Harvie to do what he does best.

What those signings have done is improved the balance of the team. Other posters didn't like it when I said it, but Skura at right back is not an ideal substitute whilst Grimmer and Pattenden are out as it affects our shape and style of play, in the same way that Leahy in midfield for someone like Simons / Morley does. A natural right back comes in, and we look much better.

A word for the Rovers manager changing to a back 5 at half time. What was that all about?! Yes, we were by far the stronger side at half time, but that just invited us on even more and eliminated any potential threats they had out wide from Thomas and Sinclair. Strange decision.

On to Wigan - another 3 points set us up nicely for Birmingham away.

Really positive performance, albeit against a very poor Bristol side. Good to see Low and Taylor back together, and a great save by Norris in the first half.

Back looked excellent I thought - felt more similar in play style to Pattenden but he really good stuck in which is good to see.

Xavi I think has surely cemented a full time role next to Scowen with that performance. Having Josh in the middle is enough of a tough ask for the opposition, but adding Xavi next to him gives us one of the best midfield pairings in the league (if not the best).

I think Dodds gave pretty good answers to the questions on the Danes and Kone. The Danes are coming into the side in a different place from a match fitness perspective and on top of that, they’ve got to adjust to a new culture and environment. I think it’ll be next season before we start seeing the fruits of their signings.

Kone I’m sure will be back in as soon as possible. As much as I like Bez and Udoh, they don’t offer what Richard does.

I kind of jumped on the Simons bandwagon last night, who was excellent, but having slept on it I think Low and Taylor totally dominated the opposition

Yep I don't take the overreading into manager's comments that some do.

There's nothing in anything Dodds said that suggests he feels he's been "saddled" with the Danes.

Simply they've come from a league where the season finished months ago and are naturally off the pace. What most reasonable posters had surmised anyway

Some fans are so obsessed with attendances aren't they.

But how Rovers fans can call another team that usually beat them, pointless is a bit comedy. Being the tiny relation of a club in their own City.

I’d play Udoh on the left with Kone down the middle.

Bristols appear to have an average attendance of just under 8,000 in a city of almost 500,000 people.

We have just under 5,000 in a town of 75,000.

So....if around 6% of the locals come to our games and 1.5% go to theirs then I think darkbluegas should have a lie down.