[Archived] Transfer Talk Part 3

[JBiz]

If Marshall is number 10 in the centre, who do we have for left wing bar Conway? I mean a proven winger with delivery, not Koita or Delfo as a modified striker.

Olsson would be my thought but I think he's number one left back at the moment so who else is there?

[Damien]

NOTHING Nixon says is gospel, nothing !

Unless of course you understand that the gospels are all made up nonsense stories...

In which case everything Nixon says is gospel!

[tomphil]

Unless of course you understand that the gospels are all made up nonsense stories...

In which case everything Nixon says is gospel!

Heathen

....but yes I agree.

[donnermeat]

Just really throwing this out here, I haven't read anything on it, but if United are willing to let Jesse Lingard go out on loan again this season, that's a player we should be all over. Although I remember seeing that Newcastle were interested so it doesn't really seem likely

I honestly can't see why this guy is so highly rated. Premier League interest? Crazy.

[windymiller7]

The goals never bothered me anyway.

There's probably only ones with young kids on here who actually get that (or anyone with a fetish for Disney films). Good work.

[mustard]

If Marshall is number 10 in the centre, who do we have for left wing bar Conway? I mean a proven winger with delivery, not Koita or Delfo as a modified striker.

Olsson would be my thought but I think he's number one left back at the moment so who else is there?

I wouldn't want us to play Olsson in midfield as I'm not a fan of having Spurr starting. Don't think he's good enough.

[bluebruce]

If Marshall is number 10 in the centre, who do we have for left wing bar Conway? I mean a proven winger with delivery, not Koita or Delfo as a modified striker.

Olsson would be my thought but I think he's number one left back at the moment so who else is there?

Olsson. Who has backup at left back in Spurr and, if Nyambe comes through nicely, Henley.And why 'bar' Conway? We can't expect to fill the team with 'proven' players in every position under our current circumstances. We need to be reserving our options for first team starters (or at least genuine competition) where we are weak. We can't expect to carry six backup wingers, which is basically what we would be expecting to do if we signed another.

[windymiller7]

Just looked at the FIFA rankings - Korea Republic (Formerly North & South Korea) have dropped a couple of places and are now 54th, so it looks like any hope of this resurrecting the Kim deal is off.

Ridiculously though, if anyone knows of any good Albanian or Iranian players, their permits shouldn't be a problem!

[briansol]

Ok sure. Here is how we are covered in each position.

Forwards: Rhodes, Koita, Brown (ugh), Delfouneso (Four for one or two positions depending on formation, and at least one of them is garbage)

Attacking centre mids (if we play one in the hole): Marshall, Conway, (Koita?) (Two/three for one position if we play it)

Central or defensive mids: Guthrie, Lowe, Williamson, Evans, Lenihan, Taylor, Petschi (Seven for two positions)

Wingers (interchangeable on the flanks under Gary's approach): Marshall, Conway, Taylor, Koita, Delfouneso, Mahoney, O'Sullivan, Olsson (Eight for two positions)

Centre halves: Hanley, Duffy, Kilgallon, Spurr, Lenihan (five for two positions, two are distinctly not specialists here)

Left back: Olsson, Spurr, Henley (Three for one position, but Henley is first choice RB)

Right back: Henley, Nyambe, Marshall (Three for one position, but Marshall should really be playing in midfield and Nyambe is untested)

Goalkeepers: Raya, Steele, Eastwood

Also left O'Sullivan out on the centre and attacking mid spots as I don't know enough about him to know where he fits best there.

So the position Gary thinks we need more players for is the wings, where we have more options than anywhere else on the pitch? And where we have two of the best wingers in the league. Why did we get O'Sullivan and Taylor to sign new deals if we are going to saturate their positions? Granted, one of Conway or Marshall may play in the hole if we go 4-2-3-1, or they could get an injury, but that's what all the other deluge of players are there for. Delfouneso and Koita may not primarily be wingers, but we're unlikely to go far enough down to the bones to need to find out anyway. We are operating under a tight budget. We can't afford to be bringing in any more wingers just to be good back up.

Our squad is fairly covered for numbers and versatility IMO. What we need to sign is quality that can genuinely compete for first team places. If we can't sign that, we are best waiting for the embargo to be lifted so we can do so. Especially when Bowyer is talking about how he isn't afraid to blood the youngsters. If we are going to sign any more for the sake of backup, it has to be in defence, as you said yourself. Arguably we could use a better standard of striker as backup to Rhodes. I would also say we haven't really replaced Cairney, as Guthrie seems to be a completely different type of player.

Wingers? Absolutely the last priority we could have.

Thanks for a serious answer. I agree with not bloating the squad and only bringing in players to challenge for a starting place. However you contradict yourself by saying we haven't replaced Cairney (who played right wing) and saying wingers are our last priority. My argument isn't that is should be the highest priority but I don't think it's such a far fetched thought bringing in a specialist winger when Conway and maybe Marshall are the only ones that fit that category. Mahoney cannot be counted

[Stuart]

Just looked at the FIFA rankings - Korea Republic (Formerly North & South Korea) have dropped a couple of places and are now 54th, so it looks like any hope of this resurrecting the Kim deal is off.

Ridiculously though, if anyone knows of any good Albanian or Iranian players, their permits shouldn't be a problem!

Well, you know you're in trouble when you are relying on the FIFA rankings table. Biggest load of bunk_um going.

[Pedro]

Rhodes may be Gordon's public enemy but don't believe the hype.

Use your eyes and watch what Rhodes does when he doesn't have the ball (as well as his prolific record).

FFS though, only Rovers fans could see the country's 5-year top scorer as the weak link - and champion the likes of Jason Lowe and Gary Bowyer who've done nowt and will do nowt.

It's pretty pathetic really but please carry on.

I do watch Stuart. I see a lad who jumps three inches, gets bundled over very easily (to which he feels hard done by) and surrenders possession quickly. I don't see him linking up with a strike partner very well. He has a fantastic scoring record and is brilliant at finding a yard in the box but Holloway has a very valid point that I bet each recent Scotland manager agrees with.

[Mike E]

The goals never bothered me anyway.

Jimmy Grimble reference?

[Stuart]

I do watch Stuart. I see a lad who jumps three inches, gets bundled over very easily (to which he feels hard done by) and surrenders possession quickly. I don't see him linking up with a strike partner very well. He has a fantastic scoring record and is brilliant at finding a yard in the box but Holloway has a very valid point that I bet each recent Scotland manager agrees with.

That's just regurgitating what has become a cliché.

Towards the end of last season he and Gestede began to strike up an excellent relationship - which Gestede benefitted greatly from btw. But still if you prefer Brown plus A.N.Other that's your choice. Let's see how far it gets us as you may yet get your wish this season.

[Blueandwhitemike]

Why do we have to have this circular argument again and again? No one hates Rhodes, some think he should do more and others think he doesn't do enough. I think both positions have their merit and I really don't think that people are that far apart in their opinions (except for one or two maybe) of him.

[Pedro]

That's just regurgitating what has become a cliché.

Towards the end of last season he and Gestede began to strike up an excellent relationship - which Gestede benefitted greatly from btw. But still if you prefer Brown plus A.N.Other that's your choice. Let's see how far it gets us as you may yet get your wish this season.

Watch the SAS, Yorke and Cole (especially at Utd) and Roberts and McCarthy - that is link up play and playing off each other.

I don't see how you make out that I want rid of Rhodes, merely because I am critical of his overall game? I haven't said that in the slightest. Also, my opinion is based on my personal judgements - not regurgitating untruths.

[broadsword]

According to Alan Nixon, Rovers are after a right winger now.

Because we're short of left wingers?

[Stuart]

Watch the SAS, Yorke and Cole (especially at Utd) and Roberts and McCarthy - that is link up play and playing off each other.

I don't see how you make out that I want rid of Rhodes, merely because I am critical of his overall game? I haven't said that in the slightest. Also, my opinion is based on my personal judgements - not regurgitating untruths.

Sorry, I sometimes do that: generalise when responding to a post.

There is a problem though in trying to compare any strike partners at championship clubs with PL ones, certainly if we had Yorke and Cole we wouldn't be having this discussion. Although Cole got pelters at United at times (probably skin to moaning about Rhodes). Not sure "Anyone and Roberts" is a great example though, his goal record with us was shocking.

I still think that Rhodes' overall game has improved though and he still gets stick from people who still use his initial game as a stick to beat him with. The fact that one or two PL teams are taking an interest suggests that he is improving. At his age his next move will be massive for him.

I seem to be quite staunch with my views on Rhodes, Lowe and Bowyer but I have genuine strong feelings about the impact that each of these guys have had - based on what would be expected of them. I expect my goalscorers to score goals (check); I expect my centre midfield to tackle well, pass well and basically dominate the opposition (nope); and I expect my managers to pick a team to win a game, not just to get a point (unless we are playing someone much much stronger than us). The trouble is, the longer we carry on as we are, the more teams are becoming much much stronger than us.

In other news, I saw on Facebook (on that stupid TheRovers page that someone signed me up to without my consent) that there is talk of booing Rhodes tomorrow. Really? If anything we should be letting him know that he IS appreciated by many fans rather than making him want to leave more.

[unleaded]

Blackburn showing late interest in Michael Frey!

Player been at Forest training ground yesterday but returned back to France .... Rovers have said they also want to speak with him

[alexanders]

Blackburn showing late interest in Michael Frey!

Player been at Forest training ground yesterday but returned back to France .... Rovers have said they also want to speak with him

What kind of player is he ?

[Al]

Never heard of him. Anybody any ideas on Frey?

[RevidgeBlue]

People seem to have got this idea about Koita that he's a replacement for King. In the Wigan friendly he didn't look particularly quick. Seemed to have less of a work ethic too.

Less of a work ethic than King?

Is that humanly possible?

[bluebruce]

Thanks for a serious answer. I agree with not bloating the squad and only bringing in players to challenge for a starting place. However you contradict yourself by saying we haven't replaced Cairney (who played right wing) and saying wingers are our last priority. My argument isn't that is should be the highest priority but I don't think it's such a far fetched thought bringing in a specialist winger when Conway and maybe Marshall are the only ones that fit that category. Mahoney cannot be counted

No worries. Sometimes I can't be bothered explaining myself, but this time I could! I didn't contradict myself, because I never said anything about Cairney as a right winger. I know Gaz liked to play him there, but well, that's Gaz. Never a right winger, and therefore him not being here to play that position isn't any particular detriment to us. I do think we are shy of somebody in the middle with creativity, but in fairness it doesn't seem like we intend to employ a creative centre mid anyway, but rather an attacking mid in the hole (a position Cairney could also play, mind). I actually think it would make more sense to hire in that position, so we can keep Marshall out wide, but we have probably missed the boat on that now we haven't got Kim and have signed Guthrie. I do count Mahoney, on account of Gaz saying he wants to give youth a chance. So if we get down to the bare bones on the wings, I'd rather we give him or another youngster a game than carry another body (and wage) all season. And we've got Koita, Delfouneso, and Taylor to try out there before it even comes to that.

If we were flush with cash and out of an embargo, I'd be happy to see us sign a very good winger and play Marshall in the hole, but in these circumstances it seems like madness to me. Plus we are more likely to get someone that isn't any better than the backups we have.

People are forgetting we can't give every player up to 10k per week. Most of our signings are limited to earning a percentage of a wage of an outgoing player. It's only 10k if that percentage is above 10k. We need to pick and choose where we sign our highest paid players.

So let's see, we lost Robbo and Best who were on about 30k. Depending what the percentage is (I don't remember it but think it was about 75%) we can perhaps sign four players who can earn up to 10k, since Cairney and Rudy were probably on about 15k. After that we're talking much smaller wages, replacing the likes of Varney, pay-as-you-play Dunny, etc. I'm sure Guthrie has already used up one of these slots.

[Stuart]

Never heard of him. Anybody any ideas on Frey?

http://m.nottinghampost.com/Nottingham-Forest-reportedly-looking-sign-Lille/story-27564666-detail/story.html

[The Rover of Finland]

Blackburn showing late interest in Michael Frey!

Player been at Forest training ground yesterday but returned back to France .... Rovers have said they also want to speak with him

His stats looks very promising and the lad has just turned 21.

[blueboy3333]

What kind of player is he ?

http://www.nottinghampost.com/Nottingham-Forest-reportedly-looking-sign-Lille/story-27564666-detail/story.html

Striker according to this. Seems on the verge of signing for Forest.