[Archived] Transfer Talk

[mustard]

I understand ARA - You're very much the Roy of the Rovers type, 'the only role of a striker is to score goals'.

Bit in bold - it looks like we agree then - he's not done too badly but he's not been worth the ridiculous fee and wages we paid, and certainly isn't worth £12m.

If Rhodes is so bad at everything other than scoring goals, why has he assisted more than the majority in our squad? Only Marshall, Cairney and Conway are ahead of him in this department, with Marshall on 6, the other two on 5 and Rhodes on 4.

I think you and some other fans have made up your mind that Rhodes can't do anything but score and thus look for every mistake.

Brown is big and strong but what does he achieve that Rhodes doesn't? The occasional flick-on to no one? Yippeee!

What about Gestede? He ain't quicker than Rhodes. Yes, he's big and strong but our hoofball football doesn't return better results when Gestede is playing, except a few more flick-ons are won, which again go to no one. Gestede just looks more involved because our play revolves around lumping it up-field to the attacker and being 6'5 does help in this way!!!

I'd even argue Gestede's hold-up play isn't brilliant. He doesn't have the footballing intelligence to collect the ball, play it wide and move, something which Rhodes is accomplished at (when the ball is actually played to feet). There is a reason why Rhodes's pass completion is higher than the rest of our attackers.

What about work rate? JR certainly had a better workrate than Rudy and harries defenders, often when he doesn't need to, putting the opposition under pressure. On quite a number of occasions this has won him the ball and he has scored from it. Rhodes is also very clever at receiving the ball, getting between the defender and the ball and drawing a foul, often in a dangerous area.

I'm very aware Rhodes has his weaknesses, his lack of pace and strength is of course a hindrance to his all-round game, but if he had those he'd be lining up for Arsenal and not Blackburn Rovers. The suggestion however that we play with ten men when he is on the field is complete and utter hogwash. The problem is with Bowyer's tactics, not with Rhodes. You might argue we can't afford to build our play around him by looking to create chances within ten yards of goal, I'd argue that's EXACTLY what we, and any other team, should be doing for their strikers. It's where a forward is most effective and in any of the top teams in the Championship, that's what their manager would be doing.

And if Rhodes was lining up for one of the better teams in this league, banging in goals, their fans wouldnt be saying "yeah he's really good at scoring goals but he's not good at anything else".

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

TBF you make some valid points.. I for one think we overpaid but his record his second to none but with better service or in a side what suits him better how many more would he get?

Watch his Huddersfield dvds it shows how he was played to his strengths

12 million is a lot but as I understand we still owe a chunk to Huddersfield plus a sell on clause so in all fairness can see the owners point.. But you're right the money wouldn't go to the side.. FFP and all which everyone knew was coming

As for that playing with 10 men tbh Rhodes puts more of a shift in than Gestede.. Also go back through history and lot of goalscorers did little else except put the ball in the net even Jimmy greaves didnt do any grafting but guess what he was prolific in the box

I think to be fair - Rhodes has missed more chances this season than previously - indeed as a team our goals to chances ratio is quite poor.

[ABBEY]

Aye he's crap

Name ANY striker that doesn't miss chances .. Just one will do.

[K-Hod]

I've said it before and I'll say it again, we'll miss Rhodes a lot more than he misses us if and when he does depart.

[Amo]

You only have to watch that sublime lay-off for Taylor's goal (vs. Brentford) to see that Rhodes brings more than just goals.

[mustard]

I think to be fair - Rhodes has missed more chances this season than previously - indeed as a team our goals to chances ratio is quite poor.

Personally I think he has been lacking in confidence for a lot of the season. So would I if I had been top goalscorer for two seasons running and then found myself dropped on a regular basis, sometimes for the likes of Brown. Rhodes has had arguably the worst season of his career (not incl when he was a youngster) and still has had a decent return.

[EgyptianPete]

Bottom line for me is that we simply can't afford to pay any player £40,000 a week on gates of 10,000 to 12,000.

Rubbish, it is obvious to a blind man on a galloping horse that the owners are paying Jordan's wages, if anyone has to go please let it be shelfy and Bowyer, get a manager in who will play to the strengths of the team, not hoof-ball we see now. If we ever want to get out of the championship you need players who score goals, and Jordan has done that consistently despite Bowyer's tactics.

Oh and to add i don't think we paid peanuts for Ardilles and McKenzie back in the old third division days with gates of 5-6k.

[ABBEY]

or we'll take more care of you Archibald Archibald

[mustard]

Rubbish, it is obvious to a blind man on a galloping horse that the owners are paying Jordan's wages, if anyone has to go please let it be shelfy and Bowyer, get a manager in who will play to the strengths of the team, not hoof-ball we see now. If we ever want to get out of the championship you need players who score goals, and Jordan has done that consistently despite Bowyer's tactics.

Oh and to add i don't think we paid peanuts for Ardilles and McKenzie back in the old third division days with gates of 5-6k.

Agreed.

Also, where did this £40k figure come from? The papers? Likely an inflated figure. Fact is, no one outside of the club knows the true wages of each individual player. Sports Interactive (FM developers) use official sources, prozone and no doubt a variety of data capture methods so that most of their figures will be accurate and they suppose he's on £35k a week. Not a huge difference but I'd be more inclined to believe that over what the papers say. Most of our players are on around £10k a week anyway, with Hanley supposed to be on £18k a week. I'd rather keep Rhodes, get rid of a couple of our lesser players and give some of the youth a chance than us sell Rhodes, sign a lesser striker on like £15k a week and stick with some of the passengers that steal a living.

[Rover_Shaun]

£40k

Fat controllers cut - Dedgsy's Cut - Kean's finders fee (incorporated into every players contract whoever they are) = £6k a week for Jordan

[perthblue02]

Signed striker Paul Taylor on a emergency loan from Ipswich

http://www.rovers.co.uk/news/article/paul-taylor-blackburn-rovers-ipswich-town-2359464.aspx

Edit. In the above say's not eligible for FA cup , but on the Ipswich Town website story say's he has been granted permission to play in FA cup but not in the final game of the season against Ipswich

http://www.itfc.co.uk/news/article/paul-taylor-joins-blackburn-rovers-on-loan-2360293.aspx

[tomphil]

Paul Taylor signed on loan rest of season.

As if he wasn't already. He's been training with us an unusually long time, wouldn't be surprised if there is a permanent deal already in place. Another strange one this is, hope he surprises everyone but I doubt it.

[chaddyrovers]

He has been training with Rovers for around a month.

Plus he out of contract this summer. So its could sign him permanent if he does well.

[Rover_Shaun]

Gary Bower is Hyperbole Man !!!!!!!!!!!

"He's got fantastic ability on the ball, he can score and create goals so we are hoping that he comes and adds that to our attacking force (and Browney)."

[No Nay Never]

You only have to watch that sublime lay-off for Taylor's goal (vs. Brentford) to see that Rhodes brings more than just goals.

Sublime? Good bit of play but id be worried if he couldn't lay a ball off 5 yards to be honest.

[McClarky]

Hope to goodness this isn't costing us anything, otherwise it's more money down the drain. Surely when the faint play off hopes died the only plus for the rest of the season would be a chance to give a couple of youngsters a game. Presumably this fella comes in ahead of the likes if Mahoney so we can forget that. Sometimes think GB is like a fat kid in a sweet shop.

[T J Hooker]

I cant even be arsed complaining anymore, I'm going to sleep, wake me when bowyers gone.

[stpbrown]

According to wiki had been banned from football for 6 months previously for cocaine traces found in a random drugs test. In fact his wiki page makes shocking reading, sounds like his whole career has been on the @#/?.

As Jordan Rhodes is the most unlikely vodka/charlie user in the Western Hemisphere then maybe we could transfer this brain dead dirge of a song to Paul?

Welcome to Ewood!

[Athlete]

I think to be fair - Rhodes has missed more chances this season than previously - indeed as a team our goals to chances ratio is quite poor.

He's the best we have by a long way... Granted he's missed a couple like the one at Wigan btbf which striker doesn't miss a few

[thenodrog]

....... He is the best striker we will see in a long time,

Unfortunately he's not the best we have seen in the last 20 years.... and by an absolute country mile. I know those days won't ever come again but I guess I've been spoilt by the likes of Shearer, Cole, Bellamy, RSC and Benny Mac. Even those maybe a rung down like Sutton, Yorke and Jansen leave JR in the shade.

[thenodrog]

If you want to see a hard working striker we can all look forward to seeing more of Chris Brown next season

I don't think I'd call Brown a striker. He's a target man. On the other hand Rhodes is a striker but useless as a target man.

People who could do both are called Alan Shearer.

I never said you did, but my point was that Rhodes gets criticism for his lack of all round game (which is perfectly valid by the way), but Rudy seems to get a free pass when he has looked disinterested for a while (barring the Liverpool away game where he died on his feet around 60 minutes in) imo.

I don't give him a free pass thats for sure. Nothing worse than a sulking footballer who doesn't put a proper shift in imo.

[Stuart]

Hmmm 65 Championship goals in 123 games suggests our 'inept management' have actually done very well in utilising him. Rhodes staunchest defenders tell me he's valuable because he scores goals - he has done that under Bowyer. Or are you telling me that under 'competent management' he'd have scored 100 goals in 123 games?

I've read some revisionist statements on here but that is the funniest.

Let's be absolutely clear. Rhodes scores goals in spite of and not because of Bowyer. He has never had the luxury of having a team set up to get the best out of him and, if anything, has been asked to do less being in position to score and just work harder.

He is not a PL striker, no. But we don't need one, what we need is a damned good Championship striker, and that he is.

He's not a £12m striker, no. He wasn't an £8m striker either, certainly wasn't when we bought him. But he is an asset that we should be maximising the use of or selling. You don't buy a sports car for the commute to work - not unless you have more money than sense. (A bit like Venkys ironically).

It would be very interesting to see him at a PL club though just to see if he can do it. Maybe, maybe not. But we are spoiled as fans and we will definitely miss him when he is gone.

[thenodrog]

CHRIS BROWN HE SCORES WHEN HE WANTS

"Jordan Rhodes scores when he wants"

Really? I'd be much happier if he scored when WE want! Last Saturday would have been nice, if only he'd wanted to score then Abbey we might still be in with an outside chance of the play offs? I suppose the only possible explanation is that he must have had it down for an away win on his coupon.

[Hasta]

"Jordan Rhodes scores when he wants"

Really? I'd be much happier if he scored when WE want! Last Saturday would have been nice, if only he'd wanted to score then Abbey we might still be in with an outside chance of the play offs? I suppose the only possible explanation is that he must have had it down for an away win on his coupon.

In other news, King Kenny wasn't actually magic and Burnley fans actually eat bananas with their hands.

[thenodrog]

Selling Rhodes will be, as far as i'm concerned, letting the last true professional leave before this club goes under.

We haven't had that many top pro's at this club in recent years, I think you could argue the last one to leave was John Williams/Tom Finn?

One thing is for sure, we don't have any professionals left. Whilst we have some talented, useful players (Cairney, Marshall, Rudy etc), rest assured they will all kick up a fuss and become every single thing that you hate about modern day football the second it doesn't suit to be here anymore. We've already seen Rudy do it once.

And slowly but surely, the top players will go. The professionals that we've seen running this club, managing this club, owning this club and playing for this club will not be replaced. We may see more good players come and go, but the true idols, the relatable professional, heroes of the pitch will never return. And as we slip further down the league, the media will care less. We will become a story in one national paper, once a year.

We'll see more Chris Brown's, who are technically poor and a hero to none. These Chris Brown's won't be enough and as we continue slipping down slowly but surely, until the financial cost will become even too much of a burden for the unthinkably rich Venkys. As Venkys leave, the club will be given a new lease of life. But the reality will soon strike that actually, we have too many Chris Browns, and not enough Jordan Rhodes'. We'll continue to slip, until... poof. No more.

The fans have already started leaving. The 'care' and passion that John Williams spent so long trying to create, practically giving away season tickets at prices unheard of in the Premier League never mind League One, has begin to disappear from thousands of fans. Thousands of fans have gone and will never return. They now play Golf on a Sunday, or watch the Rugby, or watch the cricket. That is their new passion. The Blackburn End lower tier, which as I grew up you could always guarantee would be full, has huge gaps of blue seats.

And we'll all reminisce about Jordan Rhodes, the striker that did very little... apart from score. That we sold for a fortune, to give us one more season being run by chancers and no-hopers.

Exactly J*B. And very similar to the opinions I posted circa 2011 even before we were relegated! Our predicament was entirely predictable and as far as I can see we are still on a steep downward curve.

With FFP in place the only answer as far as I can see is merging the local town clubs. Even if Jack Walker came back to life he couldn't help us now as he did 25 years ago. Why should people in what is a real hot bed of football Lancashire have a future of 2nd and 3rd rate football to look forward to?