Thursday deadline.

[islander200]

Those words will definitely make Chapman and Armstrong feel wanted and coveted by the manager If we do end up going for them.

Not sure telling the world that they are down the list of targets is the best idea to be honest 

[markhayhurst]

2 minutes ago, Tom said:

Hmmm not sure it sounds like anything major is close and Chapman and Armstrong will only be considered if all else fails.

I read this as more interested than letting on but playing it down as to try and sneak a cheaper last minute deal etc. If ones available.

[JeffRover]

4 minutes ago, Tom said:

Hmmm not sure it sounds like anything major is close and Chapman and Armstrong will only be considered if all else fails.

I suppose that means that players we are targeting and still haven’t moved are considered better than Armstrong and Chapman. Can this be considered a good sign?

[HowieFive0]

2 minutes ago, islander200 said:

Those words will definitely make Chapman and Armstrong feel wanted and coveted by the manager If we do end up going for them.

Not sure telling the world that they are down the list of targets is the best idea to be honest 

Or hes quietly confident of getting in the targets  he wants 

[CrouchingNunhiddenCucumber]

10 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

Tony Mowbray admits former loanees Harry Chapman and Adam Armstrong are among the club’s targets - but not at the top of their list.

http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/16389050.they-are-in-the-mix-rovers-boss-on-chapman-and-armstrong/

Interesting to hear that neither of them are top of the list, encouraging in some ways as they were two of our best players last year. I wouldn't expect him to admit it if they were however - might be a tactic to get them to lower their asking price for Arma. 

[islander200]

1 minute ago, HowieFive0 said:

Or hes quietly confident of getting in the targets  he wants 

Fingers crossed

[JacknOry]

Wonder who these more experienced targets are that are above them on the list? 

[jim mk2]

1 minute ago, CrouchingNunhiddenCucumber said:

Interesting to hear that neither of them are top of the list, encouraging in some ways as they were two of our best players last year. I wouldn't expect him to admit it if they were however - might be a tactic to get them to lower their asking price for Arma. 

How many matches did Chapman play last season ? 

[JHRover]

10 minutes ago, islander200 said:

Those words will definitely make Chapman and Armstrong feel wanted and coveted by the manager If we do end up going for them.

Not sure telling the world that they are down the list of targets is the best idea to be honest 

Odd way of dealing with it really. You'd think if they were likely signings the last thing the manager would be doing is telling the press that those guys aren't at the top of the list.

I'd be surprised if either came here now, so lets hope Mowbray has some better alternatives on the way.

I also find it strange that Mowbray refers to experience and game time in the Championship as being an important factor in his recruitment and yet the 3 he has brought in are all young and inexperienced. Rothwell has no Championship experience (or negligible), Palmer about 40 games and Davenport less than 20.

Edited July 31, 2018 by JHRover

[FGS5635]

If TM sits there and says they are my 2 main targets. I really hope we get it done becasue I love these players, then the price probably doubles.

This is TM engaging his best poker face, before going all in and taking the pot ?

[chaddyrovers]

7 minutes ago, JeffRover said:

I suppose that means that players we are targeting and still haven’t moved are considered better than Armstrong and Chapman. Can this be considered a good sign?

Yes I agree. 

Surely McKay would have been a better option considering his championship experience and cost. 

9 minutes ago, islander200 said:

Those words will definitely make Chapman and Armstrong feel wanted and coveted by the manager If we do end up going for them.

Not sure telling the world that they are down the list of targets is the best idea to be honest 

Maybe playing the game and get one cheaper or Mowbray being open and honest again

[Wing Wizard Windy Miller]

8 minutes ago, JeffRover said:

I suppose that means that players we are targeting and still haven’t moved are considered better than Armstrong and Chapman. Can this be considered a good sign?

Not sure about that tbh.  He's admitted that we've been outbid on some and he'd rather have his B list targets - than D list targets.  That would indicate that we've missed out on the players we wanted.  That said, if the likes of Chapman and Armstrong are on the C list, we should be better off!!

[CrouchingNunhiddenCucumber]

11 minutes ago, jim mk2 said:

How many matches did Chapman play last season ? 

Full matches? None. But I suspect you know this hence your question so I will refer you to the "in some ways" part of my post. 

[jim mk2]

Just now, CrouchingNunhiddenCucumber said:

Full matches? None. But I suspect you know this hence your question so I will refer you to the "in some ways" part of my post. 

 

So having played no matches, how could Chapman be "one of our best players last year"??

[CrouchingNunhiddenCucumber]

2 minutes ago, jim mk2 said:

 

So having played no matches, how could Chapman be "one of our best players last year"??

The "in some ways" meant he was a great impact player to have from the bench. 

 

[Angry_Pirate]

I do understand the dismay from some on the likes of Nuttall, Wharton and to an extent Tomlinson being potentially loaned out due to lack of current better bodies at CB and CF.

The fact remains that all are currently way off being reliable options at championship level and a loan to a top half pushing L1 team like Bristol Rovers is a far better option for Nutall. The choice of Lincoln for Wharton is the only issue I have with him as it rather him go to a higher league.

We need a strong CB more than some people appreciate as we have Mulgrew in his final year and Lenihan who's reputation is trending upwards. We need a CB3 to come in now who we know will be able to be a quality championship starting CB in 12 months time, just in case... as I don't think Downing is at this level (however he is much much better than Ward)

Forget long term, loans and whatever, for this current season; would you rather have Sam Gallagher (example) or Joe Nutall on the bench? 

Edited July 31, 2018 by Angry_Pirate

[JeffRover]

I just get a sneaky feeling and I hope I’m proven right on this but I think Mowbray might be a lot more ambitious in the targets he is pursuing than we all think. That article implies that Chapman and Armstrong are on the D list, or the C list at a maximum.

Edited July 31, 2018 by JeffRover

[HowieFive0]

38 minutes ago, JHRover said:

Odd way of dealing with it really. You'd think if they were likely signings the last thing the manager would be doing is telling the press that those guys aren't at the top of the list.

I'd be surprised if either came here now, so lets hope Mowbray has some better alternatives on the way.

I also find it strange that Mowbray refers to experience and game time in the Championship as being an important factor in his recruitment and yet the 3 he has brought in are all young and inexperienced. Rothwell has no Championship experience (or negligible), Palmer about 40 games and Davenport less than 20.

And this is maybe why TM wants experience. Managed to buy two young players who could become future good players and will probably not be first eleven picks but will gradually start knocking on the door as the season progresses  and  available at the right price now to nurture. Palmer has more experience plus the England youth call ups and will probably hold his own in The Championship . Now TM wants established Championship players to become established "First team eleveners" to  round the squad off.Obviously thinks Arma and Chapman wont or cant do that at Championship level and we ve enough of those players onboard not to risk a couple  more.

Be very interesting to see who hes got lined up ..

Edited July 31, 2018 by HowieFive0

[AAK]

“Sometimes targets drift away, someone buys them for £7m and you think ‘wow’.” - Who would that be then?

[blueboy3333]

2 hours ago, RevidgeBlue said:

For me at the end of last season the positions we needed to address as a matter of urgency were two strikers two wingers and a big nasty centre back.

Why two strikers? We only play 1 up front so we only need another as back up to Graham (or to replace him). Not sure Mowbray is a fan of wingers but as it stands Bennett, Conway, Rothwell, Samuel and Palmer are all capable of playing wide.  I'd love Chapman back or a player of his ilk but does Mogga want to play like that? He's seems to like forwards like AA, Gally, Antonnson and Samuel on one wing at least. 

I think two wingers and two strikers is a pipe-dream. One of each and a CB will be nearer the mark or he's going to have a lot of players who never get on the pitch. 

[JeffRover]

A bit pie in the sky but could the £7m reference be to Patrick Bamford? Be a bit crazy if Rovers were after him but that figure used by TM was a strange choice. I also remember Phil Hay the Leeds journalist saying we were interested in Kemar Roofe. That may be one possible target.

[JeffRover]

2 minutes ago, AAK said:

“Sometimes targets drift away, someone buys them for £7m and you think ‘wow’.” - Who would that be then?

Patrick Bamford has just gone for £7m.

[Paul Mani]

1 hour ago, Wing Wizard Windy Miller said:

I enjoy reading you posts Mani - often written from a perspective of being more involved within the game than I.  

The buying the best value - be it loans or permanent - I get.  I get the all encompassing budget and picking battles etc.  However, surely any formulated plan/approach to procuring players with this budget, would start with the weakest area.  By TM's admission, this has been top end of the pitch.  The first 2 signings (which we have spent a chunk of our budget on) haven't addressed the weakness as we had players in those positions -not great but not the biggest weakness. The widely talked about keeper at the beginning of the close  season - not a priority.  The CB target that has rumbled on - not  a priority (I think we need one but not essential - or wasn't until we loaned out Wharton!).  

So I would have thought we would have addressed the forward options before looking at any of these others.  Spent what was needed/we could afford (even if loans) then move on to the 'lesser' positions.  The longer the window goes on, the less we look like we have any kind of plan.  Especially given he  had a list of targets drawn up at the end of last season that were just awaiting budget clearance from Venkys.

I understand the window has not closed and hope I will be pleasantly surprised - (along with the circa 1000 extra  ST holders that Waggot believes our exciting  signings will attract).

But I just can't escape the feeling that somewhere over the last couple of months, this window/budget/list of targets/plan has gone tits up.

Perhaps, as others have mentioned, we needed to offload a few and that hasn't happened?

 

Likewise mate. I like the fact that whilst we both often come at things from a diffeeent angle your points are logical and balanced...

in terms of the timing of the deals, they just get done when they get done. It takes so much to come together and this is especially difficult when the buying club isn’t prepared to pay over the odds. So ideally I’m sure TM would’ve loved to get his forward options over the line sooner but it just wasn’t doable.

Not sure if you’ve seen Rich Sharpes article this evening but I read a lot into that. Basically saying that Armstrong and Chapman are way down the pecking order as they have not got the experience or goals in the Championship. Suggested that they were on his ‘D’ list and he was hoping to choose from his ‘’B’ list. I don’t know about you but if Arma and Chapman are on our D list then I’m bloody excited to see who’s on our B!!! ?

 

[AAK]

8 minutes ago, JeffRover said:

Patrick Bamford has just gone for £7m.

Yeh, just having a look and there is just him and Lewis Grabban who have been sold for around the £7 million mark, so must be one of them two you would think, as you would think it would be a player who's in the championship.

Was looking at Bolton's transfers, they don't seem to have done to bad to say they have no money, Magennis irish international, Donadlson an established decent champ striker not overly exciting but a decent player, Oztumer good signing, Hobbs is a good centre back, Pritchard plenty of potential from Spurs and Wilson, if he can stay injury free would be an astute signing and Olkowski a Polish international with 13 caps.

Josh Magennis	27		Centre-Forward			Charlton	225 Th. €
Pawel Olkowski	28		Right-Back			1. FC Köln	Free Transfer
Jason Lowe	26		Defensive Midfield			Birmingham	Free Transfer
Clayton Donaldson	34		Centre-Forward			Sheffield Utd.	Free Transfer
Stephen Duke-McKenna	17		Right Midfield	-		Everton U18	Free Transfer
Erhun Oztumer	27		Attacking Midfield			Walsall FC	Free Transfer
Jack Hobbs	29		Centre-Back			Nottm Forest	Free Transfer
Chiori Johnson	20		Right-Back	-		Arsenal U23	Free Transfer
Joe Pritchard	21		Central Midfield	-		Tottenham U23	Free Transfer
Marc Wilson	30		Centre-Back			Sunderland	Free Transfer

Edited July 31, 2018 by AAK

[rovers11]

Interesting comments from TM, clearly he’s targeting some more proven players at this level, which can’t be a bad thing. I still think Armstrong may end up here but I’m not sure he feels he can rely on chapman with his injury record. 

Presumably he has some ambitious targets in mind.