Rather than depress myself and anybody reading this report with a resume of the ‘match’, I think it’s more telling to look at the Blues matchday squad under both Rooney and John Eustace.

RUDDY: Under Eustace, a good solid keeper who commanded his area and cleared his lines in a no-nonsense style whilst under Rooney, he is as nervous as a kitten and his air of dominating his area has gone.
BUCHANAN: Thankfully, even under Rooney, he looks one of our better players.
AIWU: Should be renamed AWOL given his sketchy defensive work and illustrates why Eustace, unlike Rooney, kept him well away from the starting XI.
SANDERSEN: Still a decent player, particularly under Eustace, but questionable as an influential captain when playing for Rooney.
LONGELO: Half-decent, if predictable, going forward but lamentable defensively under both managers. That’s why Eustace rarely played him even when we were down to the bare bones.
JAMES: Mediocre against Leeds but the one thing that Eustace got wrong and Rooney has got right.
SUNJIC: Reborn under Eustace but now plays like he is waiting to be hooked by an unimpressed Rooney.
BACUNA: Inconsistent under both managers so no real change there.
DEMBELE: Mercurial under Eustace, who gave him confidence, but only glimpses under a Rooney who Dembele knows isn’t his biggest fan.
BURKE: Under both managers it’s all in the name. That’s why Eustace sensibly gave him little game time.
STANSFIELD: Becoming a lonely figure of frustration under Rooney when under Eustace he was supported by the formation played and not left to his own devices.

SUBS:
TYLER ROBERTS: The jury is still out but he looks lightweight.
GARY GARDNER: Looks slower than the honey monster under Rooney and rarely played under Eustace even on the rare occasions he was fit.