[Archived] Final Position Predictions

[Craigman]

If we replace Bowyer with an experienced manager (Pearson would do ) keep Gestede and Rhodes and add a few clever loans then Rovers will mount a challenge for the top 6.

If we do the above but lose Gestede , I still think we will mount a challenge for the top 6.

If we keep Bowyer , regardless of the squad at his disposal , we won't mount any promotion challenge and with the current squad will be around 12th.

If we lose Rhodes and Gestede then Rovers will go down , simples . Bowyer is tactically poor and cannot set the team up to be tight at the back , He has no plan B when the match is in progress .The squad he had last season , should of done better and imo would of done with a proper Manager .

Replace Shaw, Replace Bowyer try and hold onto Rhodes and bring in astute management and that may just be that extra 10% this club needs to get the place buzzing again within the stands

I agree Glen, but we know this is not going to happen, Bowyer is here to stay and we will lose at least Gestede,

I predict 12th.

[1864roverite]

5th

[roverandout]

I predict a riot

[Blue blood]

If we replace Bowyer with an experienced manager (Pearson would do ) keep Gestede and Rhodes and add a few clever loans then Rovers will mount a challenge for the top 6.

If we do the above but lose Gestede , I still think we will mount a challenge for the top 6.

If we keep Bowyer , regardless of the squad at his disposal , we won't mount any promotion challenge and with the current squad will be around 12th.

If we lose Rhodes and Gestede then Rovers will go down , simples . Bowyer is tactically poor and cannot set the team up to be tight at the back , He has no plan B when the match is in progress .The squad he had last season , should of done better and imo would of done with a proper Manager .

Replace Shaw, Replace Bowyer try and hold onto Rhodes and bring in astute management and that may just be that extra 10% this club needs to get the place buzzing again within the stands

Was going to type all of what is posted then tracked back. Glad I did as Glen imo got it spot on.

Two things to add:

is that a couple of shrewd additions could really make a huge difference. Imagine a player in the hole who could link Rhodes to the midfield, or a box to box midfielder who'd allow WIlliamson to just sit back and defend, or a winger with pace that allows Marshall to move inside or... Anyhow, a good shrew addition under a competent manager, and even with squad size restrictions and ffp (otherwise known as the mugs embargo) and we'd still have a dangerous team. Heck even Brown (who I think is useless) has the occasional report of linking up well with Rhodes. If in the right system he allowed the midfielders and Rhodes all to chip in with a few more goals things could still work well. As other teams have shown, quality is not as important as having the right system, tactics and attitude.

Secondly, keeping Rhodes if we lose many other star performers is not going to be enough. Get rid of Killa at the back (probably to an injury) or lose Marshall and Gestede and even the goals he provides won't be enough. As it is with current tactics and personnel only the strikers and wide players get to score. Given we're losing these at an alarming rate, Rhodes goals may well not be enough to keep us up.

[joey_big_nose]

Bowyer is not going anywhere so it seems daft to even mention it.

last year we finished 9th. Knock one place off for losing Cairney, one place off for losing King. If Gestede or Rhodes go knock 3 places off for each. If Marshall goes knock off one place.

Sign a proper captain and central midfielder add three places. Sign a pacy winger/striker add one place.

7th best case scenario. 18th worst case.

[LDRover]

Anyhow, a good shrew addition under a competent manager,

Agree blue blood, could be in with a squeak if that happens.

[chaddyrovers]

far too early to predict anything at the minute cos there is lot of signings to be made for all teams. (but will have a little go)

Rovers need to add around 3 or 4 players. a ball winning/box to box midfielder, pacey winger, striker or 2

I would like to see Marshall in the number 10 role behind Rhodes unless we sign a very good loan striker to replace Gestede if or when he goes.

on other teams looking at the their squads ATM(so this could all change depending on signings made between now and the end of Transfer window)

Derby look very strong as do Wolves.

Boro look short of quality striker, Hull needs some strikers in if they are going to even challenge for top 6.

then I think there is around 12 teams who can challenge for the playoffs spots this coming season(Not including Derby or Wolves cos I think they will top 2 come May 2106) and I think Rovers will be 1 of those teams.

Surprise team:- MK Dons

team to struggle big time:- Sheffield Wednesday

3 teams for relegation:- Rotherham, Bristol City and Charlton

[AggyBlue]

Too many ins/outs to happen yet for an guestimate prediction.

So I'll go for top two

or

bottom two

[Stuart]

Reading this thread it's clear that, barring the odd person, expectations have well and truly been set - and they are very low.

The only slim hope seems to be that Bowyer might be replaced for a manager worthy of the title. Whilst that guarantees nothing on the pitch what is does do is bring some hope and anticipation back to the fans, and suggests that the club does have a tiny bit of ambition left. Whilst the embargo prevents marquee signings, it does not prevent a manager being brought in. Look at the players the club is looking at (not the newspaper speculation): it's players without any experience or gravitas in the game to be able to undermine the manager. Bowyer is top dog and as long as it stays that way then we shouldn't expect more.

An inadequate squad, likely to be further shorn of quality and an injury or two short of a crisis. But there's nothing but apathy because there's nothing we can do about it.

Frankly a good season will mean finishing 21st. Maybe a relegation battle might at least bring some excitement to proceedings. Albeit the wrong sort.

[imy9]

9th

[blueboy3333]

25th,immediate liquidation and the total destruction of Ewood by the Indian Air Force.

Or 8th

[LewisF]

Imo I can't see us finishing worse than in 12/13, so I'd say about 17th at the minimum if Rhodes and/or Gestede leave. If either or both stay and GB brings in some good quality PL loans or the like them I think we could challenge for the play-offs, if GB learns from his mistakes and manages us decently, and picks the right starting 11.

[donnermeat]

12th-15th

[Mercer]

I think:

• V's will flog our 'notables' before 31 August and recoup £20m+ of their investment through part repayment of 'loans' to VLL thereby bailing out
• We will then be at the mercy of our creditors with BOI exercising their option to take a debenture over Rovers
• Administration will follow together with a hefty points' deduction
• Relegation will be inevitable

[Waggy76]

<p>

I think:

• V's will flog our 'notables' before 31 August and recoup £20m+ of their investment through part repayment of 'loans' to VLL thereby bailing out
• We will then be at the mercy of our creditors with BOI exercising their option to take a debenture over Rovers
• Administration will follow together with a hefty points' deduction
• Relegation will be inevitable

If it means the end of the Venkys , bring it on !

[JAL]

If your not in it to Win it.........what is the point ?

Where is the sport.

[chaddyrovers]

<p>

I think:

• V's will flog our 'notables' before 31 August and recoup £20m+ of their investment through part repayment of 'loans' to VLL thereby bailing out

So you keep saying this?

But we had bids/euquires in for Gestede/Marshall/Rhodes and all have been rejected.

[JBiz]

Nice dig at me there jizz lad. Cmon it wasn't me getting out of anything it was genuinely light hearted taking some mick . Nothing motRe nowt less .leave it for the other thread Ffs

Don't be so paranoid - the smiley means you can't take that personally by the way! Also, I thought you might have more of a problem with my prediction that Burnley will walk the league.

I hate to say it, but looks like stone cold Shaun Dyche is staying. Maybe they will suffer under expectation - whereas we saw them get promoted without the same pressure.

That brings me nicely back to us- maybe we will do better this season if the expectations of the fan base being lower! Less pressure at home, more freedom from above without the spotlight that the end of 13/14 put on the beginning of 14/15. That's not an excuse for anything either.

Being a "cup half full" person (which doesn't apply to everything I do, but definitely for rovers) I think we could suprise a few of our own fans this season and really push on. From flashes I've seen in the past 24 months.

You could put that down to sheer obliviance but whilst I'm still extremely concerned about the direction of the club as a whole, I can still see a more "Marcus Olssons" this season aka a few could push on and make a difference; Steele, Hanley, Henley, Lowe, Evans, Brown, Taylor, Lenihan, O'Sullivan etc.

You just never know. Some may question the faith I have in GB at times, but I will continue to question the blind faith some posters have in the owners making correct, well educated and proactive decisions. If they'd done more than stumble on one decent appointment in their tenure (GB), I wouldn't refer to this as "blind faith".

[ABBEY]

NOT arsed to much over dingles (i am really but...)but as long as we finish above the nobbers then at least my life will be tolerable.

[arbitro]

I firmly believe we will in the bottom six with the threat of relegation being there all season. There are several reasons why I believe this but primarily losing the goals of Gestede, the subsequent over reliability on Rhodes and our defensive fallibility will make us easy to beat.

[Mercer]

So you keep saying this?

But we had bids/euquires in for Gestede/Marshall/Rhodes and all have been rejected.

My thoughts !

Rovers spouting macho stuff - dread to think where we'll be come 1 Sept..

Think all the signs are ominous in the extreme.

[JBiz]

My thoughts !

Rovers spouting macho stuff - dread to think where we'll be come 1 Sept..

Think all the signs are ominous in the extreme.

How would you describe the level of "ominous" when compared to pre March 2013? I think it was suggested that we'd go into admin at this point by yourself- if I'm wrong I apologise.

NOT arsed to much over dingles (i am really but...)but as long as we finish above the nobbers then at least my life will be tolerable.

I think PNE will go back down or just stay up. I think they've had a year or two too many at that level and many of the teams in this league will be superior in quality!

[Mercer]

How would you describe the level of "ominous" when compared to pre March 2013? I think it was suggested that we'd go into admin at this point by yourself- if I'm wrong I apologise.

I think PNE will go back down or just stay up. I think they've had a year or two too many at that level and many of the teams in this league will be superior in quality!

A rudderless ship will inevitably crash upon the rocks.

I would suggest that there is no operational relationship between Rovers UK and Pune.

[Athlete]

Lose Gestede keep JR I'll go for 14th due to JR's goal scoring again

[JBiz]

A rudderless ship will inevitably crash upon the rocks.

I would suggest that there is no operational relationship between Rovers UK and Pune.

That's not answering the question

Could you go into more detail on your new point about the operational relationship?

We all know the main issue is communication between Pune and Ewood- what's happened or different now to last season, to cause this ominous outlook?

Is it lack of parachute payments? A dull realisation of the money they've burned?