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[Archived] Pre-season


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Not having Dunn playing v Sheffield Wednesday was an odd one- didn't see him limping or anything after the Leeds game. The total disappearance of Grella is even more peculiar.

I find this bizarre too. Anyone got concrete info on the state of Grella and Dunn?

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But the alleged heart of our midfield - Dunn, Grella, Emerton and Reid - are not stretching their legs at this stage, and our major signings aren't here yet with 13 days to go.

How many times have we heard players say, "I didn't get a good pre-season and was always playing catch up after that"? Well, here we are again.

Pretty much nailed on mate. From Allardyce's comments regarding strikers, it sounds as if he's starting to get a little edgy too.

As for our midfield - where the hell do we start? I've commented before - we will be lucky if Dunn and Reid start a total of 15 games between them this season. And as for Grella?...it appears as though he's done his usual dissapearing act again. Funny, seeing as he made comments about how a good pre-season would set him up for the season. Ince's worst signing minus Fowler IMO.

Emerton should be exempt from any critisism seeing as though he's never been injured for us before. We need him to be back fit though as he's got the best engine at the club by some distance.

Too many 'if's' going into the season for me.

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As for our midfield - where the hell do we start?

The midfield starts and ends with Keith Andrews, who is becoming an important player by virtue of the fact that he is the only one who is fit and healthy.

Help.

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Surprised we semingly haven't been able to get Reid, Dunn and Emerton fit in time for preseason with an entire summer to do it in.

What are their respective injury situations?

Don't forget Grella has been missing again Rev.

We had the poorest midfield in the Prem last season. Since then we have lost Tugay and 4 of the others still can't find their way to playing 90 minutes in a friendly. Frightening is the right word.

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I find this bizarre too. Anyone got concrete info on the state of Grella and Dunn?

Grella got a tweak in Croatia. McDonald said it was a minor injury and would only require the leeds game to go (as he said for Samba).

Maybe Sam's team are just taking it slowly with these players - I have far more faith in them keeping them fitter for longer than under Ince.

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We had the poorest midfield in the Prem last season. Since then we have lost Tugay and 4 of the others still can't find their way to playing 90 minutes in a friendly. Frightening is the right word.

Not sure I agree with this, other teams had poorer midfields - Newcastle, Hull, Boro, Stoke, Sunderland etc. especially after we signed Diouf.

Grella got a tweak in Croatia. McDonald said it was a minor injury and would only require the leeds game to go (as he said for Samba).

Maybe Sam's team are just taking it slowly with these players - I have far more faith in them keeping them fitter for longer than under Ince.

True, but we need a couple of them back or we are really looking threadbare. Only on epre season game left!

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As for our midfield - where the hell do we start? I've commented before - we will be lucky if Dunn and Reid start a total of 15 games between them this season. And as for Grella?...it appears as though he's done his usual dissapearing act again. Funny, seeing as he made comments about how a good pre-season would set him up for the season. Ince's worst signing minus Fowler IMO.

Emerton should be exempt from any critisism seeing as though he's never been injured for us before. We need him to be back fit though as he's got the best engine at the club by some distance.

Agree whole heartedly with this. Emerton got a bad injury, his first serious one in a fair few years at the club. Don't think people can really have a go at him for taking a while to come back. As for the others...

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I do not know what to make of this season. However pre-season is a bit of a con in judging form of the team. Mixed teams and a flood of substitutes. Players not yet signed and one or two still in recovery.

Robinson has improved considerably. He played very well at Sheff W. Bunn, Brown. I have faith in both those two as well.

Jackobson looked poor in both games. Lack of anything. I was trying to ignore how little ability, speed, reading of the game he has in the hope that come the first game it will all be somewhat different. In fact he is so poor, considering age, wages, free transfer is he in fact 2nd choice when Emerton returns?

Nelsen is in form. Samba is improving fast. Givet an able 3rd choice but at £4million, you have to think he will start. Warnock had a decent season but not at full back where he continues to have aberations. How long before he goes? Especially as Ollson has pace and is maturing. An Ollson without too many mistakes is a first choice left back and Warnock funding Sam's winter spending or playing midfield.

Grella needs to improve. Dunn is vice-captain and a certainty if fit. Reid is an athlete. Pedersen for all his faults a top Pro-Zone player who covers Warnock well. Judge is pushing. Gallagher is pushing. Andrews great cover. Nzonzi looks like with 12 months in the reserves could be a good player. The up side is this Rovers team with a new midfield signing will be good enough to be midtable. The flip side is it could be the downfall of the team. If we have to rely on 'no pace, no end product' Diouf we are doomed.

Roberts is pants. McCarthy finished. However two new strikers, goals and movement and Rovers could be firing.

The new wide players are quickish. Neat and tidy and give BFS options, cheap options, from the bench.

I believe, much against my perceived view, BFS KNOWS... for his own career... he has to play quite a bit of attacking football. Or face being forever described as a manager who can save you from relegation, workmanlike. Can't manage a big club or big players. He knows this is a big job.

I am by default ANTI-ALLARDYCE. Maybe, just maybe he understands what BRFC is all about and how we can have a good season.

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And do not forget we still have Cruz........ Julio Santa Cruz is down as a first teamer...

He has a first team number, but so do Haworth and Bjorn Bussman.

I wonder about Cruz, he hasn't featured at all in the reserves so far and to my mind he'd be behind....

Kalinic

Di Santo

McCarthy

Roberts

Gallagher

Ellington (if he comes in)

Hoilett

Blackman

Marshall

That's a fair way down the pecking order. Do we loan him out? Does anybody know if he's decent?

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Hearts certainly and possibly Aberdeen too are bigger clubs than Hibs.

Disappointed to hear Emerton won't be ready for the season, and Dunn too. Having missed 2 years' and more of his career, I doubt if Reid will play for Rovers again and will be sold if he ever regains fitness.

The Man City match with their glittering array of expensive signings could be embarrassing.

Would be just like Rovers to win it.

The only reason you say Hearts is because they finished 2nd recently in the SPL and have consistently been 3rd in the league, having been funded by a Lithuanian Bank that just went bust. They funded their team on borrowed money and are soon going into admin. Any team can borrow enough money to mount a challenge to some degree, but at what risk? The term 'living beyond your means' comes to mind, and thats when a sound management system is critical,like we have here. It's like if Rovers borrowed 20m from the bank and spent the 21m for from the derbyshire and Rsc sales, 41m to spend we could mount a european challenge for a few years then we'd go bust. Hibs owners have sold there best assests for years and spent very little during a critical time for football, they recently decided to invest in a state of the art training facility for 5m pound rather than reinvest in the playing squad. Hibs are a bigger club then Hearts, as Hearts ain't gonna be around for much longer. trust me.

Aberdeen is debatable as far as supporters go, but a shocking team.

GGTTH

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. Hibs are a bigger club then Hearts, as Hearts ain't gonna be around for much longer. trust me.

Irrelevant. Hearts are a bigger football club than Hibs in terms of status, size and support.

Always have been.

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