Summer Transfer Window 2019

[martonrover]

33 minutes ago, Mercer said:

1. Played behind a shyte defence.  We were ripped open time and time again - what do you think that did for Raya's confidence?
2. IMO, Benson incapable of giving Raya the coaching and learnings to assist his development and make him a better player
3. Think Mowbray made him a scapegoat.  IMO, Bennett should metaphorically been blasted out the club - a joke of a right back yet can't recall Mowbray ever criticising

If you were Raya, would you want to stay?

Brentford look set to sign Pontus Jansson.

Good luck to Raya, who will be well shot of Mowbray & the Dad's Army squad he is assembling.

[Paul Mellelieu]

9 minutes ago, Mercer said:

Cast your minds back to that Feb night in Blues when Mowbray talked the talk.

If I recall correctly, talked about bringing in 5 players who would make a real difference including a big ugly centre half.  Said clear some of current players not up to it and they would fall off the wagon / train.  Talked about Brereton becoming a £15 to £20million footballer.

IF Mowbray had said that night our first moves would be to sell Raya and bring in Downing, Johnson and now possibly Adams, I think he would have been metaphorically lynched.

Been saying for a long time that Mowbray, IMO, is not the man to take us forward.  I think it's clearer by the day he's simply not up to the job.  Can talk the talk but sadly, IMO, can't walk the walk.

Mercer, you are entitled to your view, and I respect it.  You don't think TM has achieved much and think he can't take us forward.  We all know that.  So why do you have to repeat the same thing, over and over again?  

[unsall]

38 minutes ago, Mercer said:

1. Played behind a shyte defence.  We were ripped open time and time again - what do you think that did for Raya's confidence?
2. IMO, Benson incapable of giving Raya the coaching and learnings to assist his development and make him a better player
3. Think Mowbray made him a scapegoat.  IMO, Bennett should metaphorically been blasted out the club - a joke of a right back yet can't recall Mowbray ever criticising

If you were Raya, would you want to stay?

Raya couldn’t command his box,his only failing was in picking up crosses, how do know that Benson is a bad coach, have you watched his coaching sessions, or is it because he wasn’t a top class goalie.

[Pepsi Max Cherry]

34 minutes ago, Mercer said:

1. Played behind a shyte defence.  We were ripped open time and time again - what do you think that did for Raya's confidence?
2. IMO, Benson incapable of giving Raya the coaching and learnings to assist his development and make him a better player
3. Think Mowbray made him a scapegoat.  IMO, Bennett should metaphorically been blasted out the club - a joke of a right back yet can't recall Mowbray ever criticising

If you were Raya, would you want to stay?

What info do you have to be so critical of Benson. Please don’t say he is young /not a professional player. If that was the case some of the greatest coaches/Managers in world football wouldn’t exist. Unless you are/were a qualified coach who as watched him at close quarters then I’m not sure you are in a position to pass judgement on Benson. I’d love to hear your feedback on this.

 

 

[RoversClitheroe]

3 hours ago, Bigdoggsteel said:

OK so Mowbray just confirmed that Raya pushed for the move. 

So as a few of us suspected he was told he wouldn't be automatic first choice and then pushed for the move. Interesting. 

I'd be keen to leave if I had that awful back 4 in front of me (bar Nyambe)

[Mercer]

Just now, Paul Mellelieu said:

Mercer, you are entitled to your view, and I respect it.  You don't think TM has achieved much and think he can't take us forward.  We all know that.  So why do you have to repeat the same thing, over and over again?  

Simply making the point that what he said at Blues, IMO, sounds  a complete nonsense based upon the sale of Raya and the signings of Johnson, Downing and probably Adams.  I think Mowbray's credibility issue gets bigger and bigger.

[Stuart]

Well that’s not good...

 

[Mercer]

2 minutes ago, unsall said:

Raya couldn’t command his box,his only failing was in picking up crosses, how do know that Benson is a bad coach, have you watched his coaching sessions, or is it because he wasn’t a top class goalie.

A top class goalie?!?!  I don't think he's even played professional football.

There was one match in the latter part of the season when Benson came out shortly before the second half was due to begin and he stood there at the Darwen End waiting to put Raya through his routine.  Raya strolled up two minutes later and Benson kicked one ball at him and then the second half started.  To me, there was very little respect there for Benson.  I flagged this at the time on this MB.

IMO, Benson has no stature in the game, has no personality, no presence and frankly I think he looks like a little boy lost.

Can you imagine dealing with and coaching a Joe Hart or a Scott Carson - 'so what have you done in your career Ben and what can you teach me?'

To me, the bottom line is Raya's development stalled and, IMO, a big part of the responsibility lies with Benson.

Edited July 6, 2019 by Mercer

[USABlue]

9 hours ago, Paul Mani said:

Ah mate, he got pelted on here by lots of people who are now seemingly annoyed and upset by his departure. Whatever...

Raya is far from the best keeper in the league. In all honesty the metric isn’t transferable in the way that outfield players are judged. There will be keepers in the lower leagues who are perfectly capable of playing in the Champ. I’m very confident that we won’t miss Raya next season. I’m not as confident that we won’t rue selling him for £3m+ or whatever. But the manager had lost confidence in him and who could blame him? The writing was on the wall.

That's what I thought too.  Not just that it seems some are claiming he never got stick in the first place.  I just don't understand.  One would have to dig up old posts which I am not about to but I clearly remember angst against him and strong feelings that we need better.  Some defended him due to his youth poor coach but he did seem to be public enemy #1.  Good luck to him I hope he flaps at a few against us.

[Pepsi Max Cherry]

Just now, Mercer said:

A top class goalie?!?!  I don't think he's even played professional football.

There was one match in the latter part of the season when Benson came out shortly before the second half was due to begin and he stood there at the Darwen End waiting to put Raya through his routine.  Raya strolled up two minutes later and Benson kicked one ball at him and then the second half started.  To me, there was very little respect there for Benson.  I flagged this at the time on this MB.

IMO, Benson has no stature in the game, has no personality, no presence and frankly I think he looks like a little boy lost.

Can you imagine dealing with and coaching a Joe Hart or a Scott Carson - 'so what have you done in your career Ben and what can you teach me?'

To me, the bottom line is Raya's development stalled and, IMO, a big part of the responsibility lies with Benson.

Imagine if Mourinho wasn’t good enough to coach Ronald or Hazard purely because he hadn’t played professionally. My god your way of thinking is very blinkered. A coach can only polish a turd so many times before that turd becomes unpolishable.

[RevidgeBlue]

17 minutes ago, imy9 said:

If this was after the transfer window closed then sure we can gripe about a number of things. 

However thus far, we have lost Reed, Conway and Rodwell. 

Replaced with Downing, Johnson and possibly Adam. I would argue that the three are upgrades from the ones we lost (Reed was decent first half of season and not so great in second half) 

We need a new keeper, a new centre half and a striker. I'm waiting until the end of the window but not dissatisfied thus far. 

We started the window with the unenviable task of having to reconstruct the spine of the team.

Top class CH CM and main striker.

As per the last couple of Windows there's been a bit of tinkering around the edges but arguably the only thing that has changed is that you can now add a first choice keeper to that list, with us having absolutely no idea who we're going to replace Raya with.

I also disagree about Reed, I thought he was top class but the Mowbray mismanaged him terribly by a hunting him out wide.

[OssyLad]

Can’t believe what I’m reading ? but each to there own ??

[Paul Mani]

Just now, RevidgeBlue said:

We started the window with the unenviable task of having to reconstruct the spine of the team.

Top class CH CM and main striker.

As per the last couple of Windows there's been a bit of tinkering around the edges but arguably the only thing that has changed is that you can now add a first choice keeper to that list, with us having absolutely no idea who we're going to replace Raya with.

I also disagree about Reed, I thought he was top class but the Mowbray mismanaged him terribly by a hunting him out wide.

Reed played his best games for Rovers on the right side of midfield. I don’t think he was great in the centre and he was poor in the second half of the season. I’d much rather have Johnson in CM than Reed.

How do you know we have no idea who we’re going to replace Raya with?

But yeah, imo we need a keeper, CB and a striker. 

[Beanie01289]

3 hours ago, The Axe said:

Give me proof and I'll believe you but try as I might I can't recall public criticism. Can remember Dally Duncan refusing to utter a word against Dougan after the Cup Final. Also know Butcher drove Jim Smith wild but he never said a word that could be reported.

But he is still hurt at remarks made by manager Graeme Souness. The Blackburn boss expressed his frustration last season at Dunn's lifestyle and the injuries he picked up, saying: "Maybe he has taken his eye off the ball."

[Paul Mani]

Just now, OssyLad said:

Can’t believe what I’m reading ? but each to there own ??

I do wonder if the mods warn the likes of Merc, Revidge and co about ‘winding’ people up as much as they warn the rest of us...been absolutely relentless this shit today ??‍♂️???

[Mercer]

Just now, Pepsi Max Cherry said:

Imagine if Mourinho wasn’t good enough to coach Ronald or Hazard purely because he hadn’t played professionally. My god your way of thinking is very blinkered. A coach can only polish a turd so many times before that turd becomes unpolishable.

Wow.  You are comparing Benson with Mourinho !!!

Firstly, Mourinho did play as a professional.  He wasn't a 'great' but clocked up appearances (think he played in midfield) across 4 or 5 clubs in Portugal.

In the main, he learnt his trade as an assistant at Barca under Robson and Van Gaal.

The young Mourinho would walk into a room and light it up.  He had intelligence, personality, charisma and presence.

Benson is a 'kid' who hasn't played the game professionally and who started in the game with Carlisle as a community 'bod'.  To me, he wanders about like a little boy lost.

It's laughable to even mention the two in the same breath.  Get real.

 

Edited July 6, 2019 by Mercer

[yeti-dog]

1 hour ago, roverandout said:

Great post but wear your tinhat the mowbary lover lynch brigade will be out for your blood

Yawn - you love to spout off at others yet can't help throwing this nonsense out on a regular basis. Boring...

We all know what you don't want but I never get much sense of anything positive from you.

Go on surprise us (and maybe yourself) - give us some names of players you'd like to see us sign but make sure you get your tin hat on...    

[47er]

Just now, USABlue said:

That's what I thought too.  Not just that it seems some are claiming he never got stick in the first place.  I just don't understand.  One would have to dig up old posts which I am not about to but I clearly remember angst against him and strong feelings that we need better.  Some defended him due to his youth poor coach but he did seem to be public enemy #1.  Good luck to him I hope he flaps at a few against us.

Of course he got stick---after a bad game when he made a blunder or two, what's unusual about that?

He also got praise for good saves he made as well. In fact I think the general or majority opinion about him was that he had improved in terms of judgement on crosses but that serious face injury set him back.

I don't ever remember him being "public enemy #1".

Its been said before but people often read what they wish to, and then react against that!

[Mercer]

Just now, Paul Mani said:

I do wonder if the mods warn the likes of Merc, Revidge and co about ‘winding’ people up as much as they warn the rest of us...been absolutely relentless this shit today ??‍♂️???

Winding people up!?!?

You want to get real.

Football is a game of opinions and I respect the right of all on this MB to express theirs even though I might not necessarily agree with those opinions.

I comment as I see it, as I'm sure Revidge Blue also does.

On the whole, I do not believe I overstep the mark. 

[Pedro]

It's only a matter of time until Raya will be remembered as a younger, more agile Friedel.

[DE.]

It was a common concensus at the end of last season that defence was where we needed to strengthen. At the moment with Raya's departure we're technically weaker, so, for me none of our transfer business means much unless we bring in a decent keeper to replace Raya, a good quality CB to partner Lenihan and a left back - our only options on that side are Bell and Williams, neither of whom are particularly good. I'd even go as far as to say right back needs attention as well. I'd be OK with Nyambe playing there but Mowbray doesn't seem to rate him very highly and has dropped him for minor mistakes, so are we really happy with Bennett starting there as first choice? I'm not!

So, seeing links to Charlie Adam and Sam Gallagher mean absolutely nothing to me unless we sort the defence out. Signing attacking players will be pointless if we start with Bennett - Mulgrew - Lenihan - Bell as our back four. If we start with three at the back then I guess you can add Williams to that too, but even then I wouldn't be confident in our ability to keep a clean sheet. The best teams build from the back, and it seems like this is a lesson Venky's STILL haven't learned after 9 years of abject failure.  Instead all of our budget seems to be earmarked for attacking players. We had a top class strike force in Rhodes/Gestede a few years ago, with the likes of Conway, Cairney and Marshall supplying them. We still achieved sod all in the end because we had a manager who wasn't up to the task and a defence that leaked goals. We conceded 62 in 13/14, more than any of the teams above us. We conceded 59 in 14/15, more than any team above us except Brentford, who also conceded 59. 

Those who don't learn from history...

[47er]

Just now, Paul Mani said:

I do wonder if the mods warn the likes of Merc, Revidge and co about ‘winding’ people up as much as they warn the rest of us...been absolutely relentless this shit today ??‍♂️???

the irony....

[Butty]

22 minutes ago, Stuart said:

Well that’s not good...

 

Not bad either, there are better options out there than Darlow that I think we could make a move for. Hopefully Mowbray makes the right call ?

[Butty]

Just now, Mercer said:

Winding people up!?!?

You want to get real.

Football is a game of opinions and I respect the right of all on this MB to express theirs even though I might not necessarily agree with those opinions.

I comment as I see it, as I'm sure Revidge Blue also does.

On the whole, I do not believe I overstep the mark. 

The only thing you overstep the mark on is your gambling Merce  Keep being yourself, always makes for an interesting read that’s for sure.

[danger19_80]

I trust that the local media outlets enquired as to Mowbray's intentions of replacing Raya or otherwise after the Barrow game (a leap I know.) Hopefully we'll know more tomorrow.