[Archived] Nicko's January Rumour Mill

[No Nay Never]

Right back is my biggest worry at the moment. Dunn and Grella if both fit will be a good combination in central midfield.

We can't rely on Dunn to stay fit though.

[roversnick]

We can't rely on Dunn to stay fit though.

or grella

[almuncle]

This is not me saying Vogel is wonderful but Vogel comes back into the equation surely?

Nobody is denying that the guy played a blinder against Man U at Ewood last season. OK one game but you have to be one heck of a good player to run midfield in a game which came within three minutes of costing Man U the Premier League title.

Turning it around at what point don't you want Vogel in midfield?

When the alternative is Mokoena, Grella and Andrews trying to play together, when it means Treacy playing, etc etc?

If Sam things he can control Diouf, surely he can get inside Vogel's head as well?

If rumours over here in Switzerland are to be believed... it"s big enough !

[CAPT KAYOS]

any chance we could see dunn on the right. with tugay and grella in the middle.

Don't worry novella , your wish may come true

The way things have gone you might even see anyone of them playing out there

[CAPT KAYOS]

The lack of investment in the midfield was the main reason we dropped in 1999, and it will be touch and go this season for exactly the same reason. It's unbelieveable that haven't brought in two more players.

Agree wholeheartedly here and with Rev's comments.

Think the club are playing with fire considering the problem has not been with us just for this transfer window.

Only time will tell whether the correct decision was made but lets just hope we are lucky on the injury side. Don't believe in spending for spending sake on players but think we have been a little neglectful in addressing the situation of the midfield even before the injury to Bert MKIII (I also think we will be in a better position than most clubs if we manage to stay up - however we will also have a more than normal shopping list)

Don't give a flying moonpig what other clubs have done as at the end of the day it was about sealing up the obvious gaping holes we have in the team and squad. The club are gambling on our experience as a Premier League Club and Allardyce's nous - and although understandable the spin the club are putting on keeping hold of Roque is hiding the the nerves and worries and I can't think of a better term that the russian roulette scenario to describe it.

We where labelled as too good to go down last time but we all know what happened and unless we start turning the draws into victories we will end up in the same scenario - regardless - luckily it looks like other clubs are in the same boat.

No matter what I or anybody else thinks ( unless by some miracle a star appears from the mist of the loan avaialbility) the fans need to back the team more than anything when they are out there on the pitch - because as the old cliche goes -it could more than at any other time, make all the difference.

[donis1410]

Like everyone else has said, thanks Nicko, for making the transfer window at least a little bit exciting!!!! Shame rovers couldn't match your enthusiasm for trying to find deals hey?

[philipl]

LT take on the final day.

Rovers resisted offers for Mokoena and Bunn as well.

[Hughesy]

Sensible to keep Mokoena with our injury prone midfielders. Is the guy out of contract in the summer with Ooijer too?

Griffiths & Clarke both gone from the youth ranks. Strange - surely we attached sell-on clauses though?

Not suprised we kept Bunn, I think if the offers had been for Brown then he would of gone.

Personally - I dont think our midfield is as weak as some people make out. We now have two wingers to give us some balance again, and then Andrews, Dunn, Tugay, Grella & Mokoena fighting it out for 2 midfield slots/ and possibly 1 slot if we go 4-3-3.

[PAFELL]

I take it we are not allowed to call Gally back from Plymouth now?

With Derbs gone, Emerton out, Dunn and Grella fragile, we could have done with him back as cover.

LEFT

Pedersen

Treacy

RIGHT

Diouf

Judge

CENTRE

Mokoena

Vogel

Andrews

Grella

Dunn

Tugay

Carlos?

Looking at it puts the frighteners up me.

RSC can also play on the right hand side in needed - He has done so in the past. Sam had Kevin Davies playing there and could do the same with RSC - with bennie & roberts up front.

It's been an exciting month about nothing...what a great line that was from somebody.

And what a fitting end to it all.

Keep you posted on any news for the rest of the season.

But thankfully the madness is over.

Now back to the search for loan players to help out a mate...

All the best.

Thanks for the updates on the crazy life of football and Rovers in general.

All the best

[LeChuck]

RSC can also play on the right hand side in needed - He has done so in the past. Sam had Kevin Davies playing there and could do the same with RSC - with bennie & roberts up front.

I really can't see that myself, if Sam had any plans to play Roque on the right then I'm pretty sure he would have been happy to take the money for him. If anyone is going to be play a 'Davies' role on the right then I'd guess Roberts, due to his pace and crap finishing.

People seem to be forgetting about Warnock being able to play midfield, something which seems even more likely following the arrival of Givet.

[OJRovers]

any chance we could see dunn on the right. with tugay and grella in the middle.

Hopefully!

Depends on whether any of them are fit - IF they are then our midfield looks good.

If not we'll have a midfield pairing of Big KA and The Axe to look forward to...

[donis1410]

Are there any decent free agents about, missed the boat on lovenkrandz (or however it is spelt), i rate him as a winger

Also I take it dioufy is cup tied for tomorrow?

[magicalmortensleftpeg]

People complaining about our lack of activity - Who exactly could we have bought? You are assuming that there are players out there who are decent enough to play at this level and cheap enough to afford.

Dont come on here complaining about not signing anyone when it is clear that there were no players to be had. Everyone wanted to see us buy a decent midfielder as cover but there was nobody to buy.

Its frustrating yes but thats the January transfer window for you. DONT blame the board for that.

The only semi decent midfielder who moved in this window was Bullard, a player in his 30's and as injury prone as Dunn, not to mention transfer fee and wages.

[Sir Ranulf Westwood]

I heard a rumour that Burnley are going up?

[Gav]

I heard a rumour that Burnley are going up?

Wrong thread, clearly you're still as stupid as ever

[Ray-Von]

I heard a rumour that Burnley are going up?

I heard a rumour there were some fairies in the bottom of the Bob Lord Stand.

[lockers]

Are there any decent free agents about, missed the boat on lovenkrandz (or however it is spelt), i rate him as a winger

When he was at Rangers, he was rubbish on the wing, his best performances came when he was played in a front two.

[ABBEY]

I heard a rumour that Burnley are going up?

a dingle in london....??? be careful i do believe tube stations have steep moving stairs and stuff,i would hate for you to get tangled up with your cloven hooves.

[BiggusLaddus]

People complaining about our lack of activity - Who exactly could we have bought? You are assuming that there are players out there who are decent enough to play at this level and cheap enough to afford.

Dont come on here complaining about not signing anyone when it is clear that there were no players to be had. Everyone wanted to see us buy a decent midfielder as cover but there was nobody to buy.

Its frustrating yes but thats the January transfer window for you. DONT blame the board for that.

The only semi decent midfielder who moved in this window was Bullard, a player in his 30's and as injury prone as Dunn, not to mention transfer fee and wages.

We didn't need to sign a world beater. All we needed (need!) is a central midfielder who gets forward, is better than Andrews and fitter than Dunny. There are always players out there who can fit that criteria. We either did not have the inclination or the money (or the inclination to find the money) to bring one in.

We were scouring Europe for a replacement striker that would have allowed us to sell Roque, but I can't remember any reports linking us with any midfielders. Except possibly Bullard, who Sam may have been blocked from trying to bring in.

We are gambling ~£40m on Dunny and Grella staying fit because we were not prepared to gamble ~£5m on a Bullard or a Perdo Mendes or even a Jermaine Jenas.

The Emerton injury was very bad luck and too late to do anything about, but that is a position that we could cover much more easily if we were more solid in the centre.

[Sparky Marky]

I heard a rumour that Burnley are going up?

Is that you Alistair?

[nicko]

For any needing to know a bit of background on two that should have happened but went down, there is more here:

http://www.teamtalk.com/football/story/0,1...4891109,00.html http://www.teamtalk.com/football/story/0,1...4891229,00.html

[67splitscreen]

Does anyone know if spuds signed Appiah.

I know he is struggling a bit with fitness, much like the rest of our MF.

Thought as he is a free agent and nobody seems willing to take him on, maybe he would take a drop in wages for some game time.

[Torgeir]

Does anyone know if spuds signed Appiah.

I know he is struggling a bit with fitness, much like the rest of our MF.

Thought as he is a free agent and nobody seems willing to take him on, maybe he would take a drop in wages for some game time.

He can still sign for them as he's a free agent though, they're probably still assessing him...?

[67splitscreen]

Harry said he was giving him a decision after last weeks midweek game, but I never heard anything.

[67splitscreen]

Seems the boy did well after all, but still no offer from Harry.

Stephen Appiah