[Archived] Poll? Assuming we still have GB as manager next season and we could keep one, who would you keep. Rhodes or Rudy

[Stuart]

Last time I checked Gestede had scored very few goals when Rhodes wasn't alongside him. (And believe me I did my research). Anyone got the latest stats?

Gestede gets more space and looks a better player when Rhodes is occupying a couple of defenders for him.

[RevidgeBlue]

Rhodes without a doubt. 110% every game and hardly ever injured whereas we saw last season that Gestede's attitude can be slightly questionable at times and his fitness became more and more of a problem as the season went on. Who's to say he wouldn't be spending most of the season in the treatment room with King and their glass hamstrings next season? Plus Rhodes is a year younger. Gestede is nearly 27 and his value is currently as high as it's ever likely to be.

In reality of course though we're likely to lose them both. If I was either of them I wouldn't be wanting to play in front of what passes for our midfield much longer.

A much better hypothetical question would be:

"Keep Rhodes and Gestede, replace the manager, and (if we need to cut costs) everyone else up for sale"

Discuss.

That's actually the route I'd go down if they could both be persuaded to stay.

[Jimmy612]

Last time I checked Gestede had scored very few goals when Rhodes wasn't alongside him. (And believe me I did my research). Anyone got the latest stats?

Gestede gets more space and looks a better player when Rhodes is occupying a couple of defenders for him.

What about the other way round Stuart? Be interesting to see how many Rhodes has scored without Gestede, if you can be arsed to research. I know I can't.

[tomphil]

I would imagine it's plenty.

[RevidgeBlue]

What about the other way round Stuart? Be interesting to see how many Rhodes has scored without Gestede, if you can be arsed to research. I know I can't.

The first bit of that is easy to look up. 27 in 2012-13.

It stands to reason that JR will score more on his own rather than with them both sharing the goals out. I would maintain that we're still better off with them both though or would be with a better manager who could get them linking up slightly better and the team playing to playing to their individual strengths in each case.

[West Yorks Rover]

doesn't matter if we had Messi ,boreya would be scared to try and win.

wonder how many he'd score from RB ?

[Athlete]

Rhodes his record here and at huddersfield speaks for itself....not played all the time , poor tactics little service whatever and still manages a reasonable tally yet again

[Jimmy612]

Rhodes his record here and at huddersfield speaks for itself....not played all the time , poor tactics little service whatever and still manages a reasonable tally yet again

Interestingly he's actually started more than Gestede this season.

[Jimmy612]

The first bit of that is easy to look up. 27 in 2012-13.

It stands to reason that JR will score more on his own rather than with them both sharing the goals out. I would maintain that we're still better off with them both though or would be with a better manager who could get them linking up slightly better and the team playing to playing to their individual strengths in each case.

Due to the transfer embargo I'd be inclined to agree because we simply won't be able to replace Rhodes with 3 or 4 decent players equating to less than his transfer fee i.e. sell for £14m, spend 7 or 8m to bring in 3 or 4 good players.

It looks like we'll be dealing in loans or frees during the summer so how can we replace him by working in that awful predicament. At a normal functioning club I'd most likely piggy back him to Boro if they offered the past-mooted £15m. It would be an offer we simply couldn't turn down for a limited striker like Rhodes - as good as he is in and around the box.

I'm wondering if Rhodes might actually be starting to get found out? Defenders are realising that he lacks pace and thus play a high line to combat him - I don't accept that just because Gestede has been playing, this has in turn made Rhodes a worse player - for a long time people were campaigning for us to play two up top to help him out.

This is a genuine topic for debate not a dig at Rhodes before I get pounced on from the usual suspects

[JBiz]

A question that's impossible to answer.

Both quality players, both offer different characteristics. JR is obviously deadly in front of goal, a consummate professional and a good personality to have. Rudy is deadly in the air, a physical presence yet good with feet and showing progression.

On the flip side, JR lacks some other facets for example; Pace, and Rudy has shown a few signs of being under motivated on occassions.

It's very difficult- for the style of play I feel we'd likely improve if we sold one. I don't think Jordan has the pace to play off a straight up physical presence- it's been discussed that he's better with a number 10. I also think Rudy will improve having quicker strikers to benefit from the number of second ball chances created from his target man play.

If we are to keep both, the midfield needs improving to make up for the 2 up top style. I don't think they've had chance to form a proper strike partnership due to the gap between them and the central players.

If I was forced at gun point to choose- I'd have to go down the financial route - sell Rhodes. Simply due to wages/price and the improvement in our finances that would create.

Like Stuart says- If you can keep one, keep him fit and he keeps it up- your almost guaranteed 30 goals.

If we sell both, we will need to pull another "Rudy" out of the bag on loan or for free.

[RevidgeBlue]

Due to the transfer embargo I'd be inclined to agree because we simply won't be able to replace Rhodes with 3 or 4 decent players equating to less than his transfer fee i.e. sell for £14m, spend 7 or 8m to bring in 3 or 4 good players.

It looks like we'll be dealing in loans or frees during the summer so how can we replace him by working in that awful predicament. At a normal functioning club I'd most likely piggy back him to Boro if they offered the past-mooted £15m. It would be an offer we simply couldn't turn down for a limited striker like Rhodes - as good as he is in and around the box.

I'm wondering if Rhodes might actually be starting to get found out? Defenders are realising that he lacks pace and thus play a high line to combat him - I don't accept that just because Gestede has been playing, this has in turn made Rhodes a worse player - for a long time people were campaigning for us to play two up top to help him out.

This is a genuine topic for debate not a dig at Rhodes before I get pounced on from the usual suspects

Disagree completely with that, didn't help Millwall much when JR caught them out from the half way line did it? If he times his runs right on the shoulders of the defenders there's nothing they can do about it, he doesn't need lightning pace. What he does need is the ball threading through correctly.

I actually think that it suits Rhodes when the defence is pushing up leaving more space in behind. Or it would if we could thread the ball through correctly. Whereas if the opposition are camped in and around their own area that is meat and drink to Gestede, he is still capable of bullying the opposition with his physical presence.

[Doug]

Gestede for me, as our squad is far more suited to his strengths than Rhodes. Also, I feel he causes the opposition more problems than Rhodes can.

Sell Rhodes, retain Rudy and King if possible.

[glen9mullan]

Would keep Rhodes every day of the week and twice on Sunday's .

A model professional who despite nearly being sold by the club has never chucked toys out of the pram .

He's a role model , loves being a footballer and had to go backwards to come forwards in his career after he left Ipswich .

He's not hit his peak yet , has a penominal goal scoring record over a number of seasons .

Won't suddenly lose his pace, (he hasn't got any )

Got a good record of not being injured too much .

Will score goals whoever the manager is and despite what tactics are deployed .

Is popular with the players and staff

In his own words , will be a rovers player until rovers decide he is not .

Gestede has been great , but first sniff of a transfer and his head was not right . He's also not come out and said he'd like to stay , quite the opposite.

Should Rhodes go , then the first sniff of a bid for Gestede and he'd be angling a move away ,

If it was the other way around , Rhodes would be more likely to respect rovers decision .

Now taking my selfish hat off , both players deserve better than what's on offer in terms of prospects at Ewood , I.e promotion .

A football career can come and go , both deserve a step up the ladder and neither look like realising that dream at Ewood as we are simply not good enough under the current administration and manager

[Waggy76]

Rhodes , scores goals and has done consistently ....

[EgyptianPete]

JR for me as well

[rhodie]

Would keep Rhodes every day of the week and twice on Sunday's .

A model professional who despite nearly being sold by the club has never chucked toys out of the pram .

He's a role model , loves being a footballer and had to go backwards to come forwards in his career after he left Ipswich .

He's not hit his peak yet , has a penominal goal scoring record over a number of seasons .

Won't suddenly lose his pace, (he hasn't got any )

Got a good record of not being injured too much .

Will score goals whoever the manager is and despite what tactics are deployed .

Is popular with the players and staff

In his own words , will be a rovers player until rovers decide he is not .

Gestede has been great , but first sniff of a transfer and his head was not right . He's also not come out and said he'd like to stay , quite the opposite.

Should Rhodes go , then the first sniff of a bid for Gestede and he'd be angling a move away ,

If it was the other way around , Rhodes would be more likely to respect rovers decision .

Now taking my selfish hat off , both players deserve better than what's on offer in terms of prospects at Ewood , I.e promotion .

A football career can come and go , both deserve a step up the ladder and neither look like realising that dream at Ewood as we are simply not good enough under the current administration and manager

You are right there Glen, especially the injury perspective. If you can get a decent scoring player that doesn`t often get inured, he should be worth twice as much. How many times have we had decent players that spend half the season in the treatment room. I know it is worth the risk if he is a Shearer, but inevitably the club will have to buy twice to maintain standards.

[West Yorks Rover]

Rhodes for me, bring in a quality young loanee midfielder from the PL, keep the ball on the floor and he'll score even more next season.

Not even considering Gestede, because I think it's 99% certain he'll be gone in the summer, probably

to Palace, I'm guessing he fancies living ' the London life ' loads of Frenchies down yonder.

[andyroversmad]

I would keep Rhodes as he's got a great scoring record and seems a good professional. Gestede is not committed to rovers at all and refused to play a while ago when he thought he was getting a move to the premier league.

[had.e.nuff]

Rhodes for me on his record a goal beter than every 2 games

[Jimbobololo]

Rude every day of the week. Not yet reached his potential and difficult to plan/play against. We need players with that little bit of sparkle and he provides this, Rhodes does not.

[Stuart]

What about the other way round Stuart? Be interesting to see how many Rhodes has scored without Gestede, if you can be arsed to research. I know I can't.

I've done it before mate. It favoured Rhodes.

I honestly think that Gestede and Rhodes are a good partnership. The trouble is, as they share the goals more evenly people don't seem to praise the partnership, they criticise Rhodes. With absurd nonsense about him not being a footballer - even with Brown and Varney as direct comparisons!

Asking whether to keep Rhodes OR Gestede is like choosing between keeping both arms OR both legs.

Great thread though, it really shows that there is a large but fairly even difference of opinion.

[Mike Graham]

Jockie Rhodes every time.

I would however ditch that pillock GB.

[Husky]

Gestede is our top scorer with 20 (1 penalty). Rhodes just behind on 19 (2 penalties).

They've already both left in my mind.

R.I.P. Blackburn Rovers 2015-16 Champiosnhip season/

[LewisF]

I think that Gestede will almost definitely go, but I do think that Rhodes will stay for at least another season, maybe two.

[joey_big_nose]

I think that Gestede will almost definitely go, but I do think that Rhodes will stay for at least another season, maybe two.

The manager doesn't fancy him, premier league clubs are interested, we need the transfer money and we can't afford his wages.

If he stays I will be gobsmacked.