Summer Transfer Window 2019

[pick32]

Just now, Vilesinner said:

Well, I am looking forward to Hart making his first appearance. He and Grayson would be the most complete fullbacks we have; pretty sure Grayson's versatility is what has kept him in the first team frame. 

Anyhow, fingers crossed Grant makes Rover's Return. ? (Hanley, not Mitchell; Definitely not the right place for Mitchell) 

I’ll have what he is having please 

[Neal]

Just now, Pedro said:

An almighty balls-up if Mowbray thinks that defensive set up will do anything other than ship soft goals. If we go with that, I sincerely question his sanity.

It's completely on his head this one. Bought players in less priority areas, now seemingly wants to strengthen the back 4 but can't because he's squad is too big. An absolute f*ck up. 

 

Tell you what, it's going to get ugly on here over these next 6 games. 

[chaddyrovers]

 

1 hour ago, RovingRover said:

 

Trent Sainsbury?
Honestly don't know if he is a player we have shown interest in. I don't know who the Holland based player is. I only know 2 of the names of players we have shown interest in, in Germany. One has been made public and the other I listed some pages back but is out of our price range

Whilst Mowbray has been saying he wants to retain players, I know for a fact Rovers have been trying to find suitors for several players both on long term deals and out on loan to reduce the wage bill.

There is a reason Mowbray said one thing in May. Had his meeting with Venkys in June and then does something completely different in July/August.

Can you post who these players are? Mulgrew, Smallwood, Hart, Luetwiler, Samuel? 

 

1 hour ago, Craigman said:

Seriously, someone local needs to go and see Tony, and explain the situation! If we can see that we need defenders, and he doesn't then he needs to be told!

Local paper needs to ask the real questions! Why are we told that defenders would be coming in, yet he loans out some, releases some, and only brings in a youngster from Man City. 

Rich Sharpe keep asking the questions to be fair to him. 

46 minutes ago, Miller11 said:

I didn’t mean to suggest you were merely doing club PR... although there’s plenty on twitter and Facebook who do. But I think some of the points you make are similar to claims they will make. Was meant at a pop at the club rather than you.

I’m as annoyed as anyone about the situation we find ourselves in, due in no small part that it was my questions and pressing that led to Mowbray’s “defenders are coming” speech. I also had discussions with both Mowbray and Waggott about my concerns at the end of the consultation meeting - I walked out of there more happy with things than I had been since they took over. I went on record with these thoughts. I new feel duped.

Completely agree that their model is flawed by the way, and I’ve no idea why defenders aren’t considered as part of it (Ezri Konsa was a player I banged on about last summer). But they clearly have delusions of running the club like some sort of battery chicken farm, with rearing players much more important than winning games of football. Brereton will need a hell of a season this year to get near being worth what we paid for him, and him, Rothwell and Nyambe all struggle for game time behind players with literally no sale value.

We might be in a better position than we were, but we are still miles away from being a normally functioning club in my opinion.

can you post what you discussions was with Mowbray and Waggott? 

I can understand why you duped by both men. 

They has been plenty of good centre backs out there who would improve our defence and at the start of summer we need at least 3 defenders. Look at Brentford and Barnsley for 2 examples who have sold defenders but still managed to bring in good defenders at reasonable prices. For me, we need some one like Michael Hector who can lead the defence and he is only 27 years old, so you are getting a defender in his prime and adding value to the squad. Never know why we didn't target Sam Byram for the right back. The type of right back we need and at the right age. 

I hope we are in Hanley and Cunningham right now whether it buy, loan or loan to buy, but unless we bring in at least 2 defenders in the 24 hours of the window then I feel we are going to struggle to make top 6/10 and could be similar situation to Mowbray time at Coventry. I hope it doesn't come to this and Mowbray proves me wrong cos the guy deserve the credit he got for rebuilding a club and what he has achieve here. we shouldn't be in this position with 24 hours of the window to go. Big Questions need to be of Mowbray and Waggott now

 

[OldEwoodBlue]

20 minutes ago, K-Hod said:

Ever so slightly over 24 hours to get some defenders signed up.

AS IT STANDS, it looks as though we have prioritised spending on a luxury attacker and not defenders that we sorely needed more!

This has been a disappointing window SO FAR for the reasons noted above, but believe me, I want nothing more than to be celebrating the reverse of the above this time tomorrow!!

1 more day to save our season.

[Wing Wizard Windy Miller]

20 minutes ago, Leonard Venkhater said:

It reminds me of those glimpses of child neglect, where Dad spends £600 on an electric guitar/motorbike, yet the house is a death trap and the kids don't have any food!

That's child neglect? Oops. *Kicks his Gibson under the bed

Edited August 7, 2019 by Wing Wizard Windy Miller

[RovingRover]

Just now, chaddyrovers said:

 

Can you post who these players are? Mulgrew, Smallwood, Hart, Luetwiler, Samuel? 

 

The idea was to bring in 2 goalkeepers and I would have thought that Walton was going to be the understudy, then alarm bells started going off when he was referred to as the Number 1 keeper. We were looking for an experienced goalkeeper to replace Raya. Walton does clearly not meet that description.

From what I had heard, we were trying to find suitors for Smallwood, Samuel (loan), Leutwiler (2 keepers signing required), Evans, Hart and maybe let a few other younger players go out on loan.

Remember a while back Mowbray said he wanted 3-4 signings. But that was before the departure of Nuttall, Wharton and Raya. Whether he had factored the four into his number before the departures is a question mark. You could certainly say that Gallagher is a sort-of replacement option for Nuttall and maybe even argue that Downing is a sort of replacement for Conway. But it is obvious we are lacking in some key areas depth and squad quality wise.

My honest opinion:
GK: I am unconvinced by Walton and would have liked a veteran keeper brought in who's experience is higher than League One.
LB: Bell is obviously not good enough. Hart struggled to match League One level. If money is tight. I wonder whether Mulgrew could go out to left back and a more commanding CB be brought in alongside Lenihan

RB: Nyambe would work at a push. But I see this as another weak area. I honestly never thought I would be longing the day where Williams returns from injury.

CB: Mulgrew for me is a liability. I actually think Williams is better a CB than Mulgrew and Mulgrew's goals somewhat saves his defensive blushes

CM: Yes I know the jokes about having to many CM's. But I really think we are going to miss Harrison Reed this season
Wing: We lack pace which makes us very containable for better teams. I had mooted the suggestion that we should try Bell out wide considering his attacking movements. But I am unconvinced he is a complete enough player even at the age of 25.

[Stuart]

15 minutes ago, Blueandwhitemike said:

 

I think TM definitely regrets his defenders are coming talk.

This is from the end of June

"I did talk about the defenders towards the end of the season and when you look back we did concede too many goals.

“But there are reasons for that but I’m not sitting here worrying about that any more than other positions. The emotion of it all came across but what I will say that we’re looking to strengthen all areas of the team.”

What reasons?  

I think he got emotional but spoke the truth about what he was thinking but it probably upset a few (which was possibly a good thing).

If it upset them we didn’t really see a reaction in the first game.

The biggest reaction to last Saturday’s debacle was Chris Martin having to shut down his Twitter account due to the fall out from him calling out Elliott Bennett.

[JacknOry]

We have plenty of pace out wide with Armstrong, Rothwell (if ever played) and Chapman (if ever fit enough to play and then picked to play).

Nyambe is solid defensively and will improve. Has to be in place of Bennett. I think the board will go into complete meltdown with no new defenders signed and then we see Bennett back at RB.

Lenihan and/or Tosin and Williams have to all be ahead of Mulgrew should no other CBs come in.

LB, who knows but Mulgrew possibly there like you suggest. Bell, Williams have shown to be liabilities there and Hart is unproven.

Damn our defence is truly gash.

[Theaxe15]

Just now, RovingRover said:

The idea was to bring in 2 goalkeepers and I would have thought that Walton was going to be the understudy, then alarm bells started going off when he was referred to as the Number 1 keeper. We were looking for an experienced goalkeeper to replace Raya. Walton does clearly not meet that description.

From what I had heard, we were trying to find suitors for Smallwood, Samuel (loan), Leutwiler (2 keepers signing required), Evans, Hart and maybe let a few other younger players go out on loan.

Remember a while back Mowbray said he wanted 3-4 signings. But that was before the departure of Nuttall, Wharton and Raya. Whether he had factored the four into his number before the departures is a question mark. You could certainly say that Gallagher is a sort-of replacement option for Nuttall and maybe even argue that Downing is a sort of replacement for Conway. But it is obvious we are lacking in some key areas depth and squad quality wise.

My honest opinion:
GK: I am unconvinced by Walton and would have liked a veteran keeper brought in who's experience is higher than League One.
LB: Bell is obviously not good enough. Hart struggled to match League One level. If money is tight. I wonder whether Mulgrew could go out to left back and a more commanding CB be brought in alongside Lenihan

RB: Nyambe would work at a push. But I see this as another weak area. I honestly never thought I would be longing the day where Williams returns from injury.

CB: Mulgrew for me is a liability. I actually think Williams is better a CB than Mulgrew and Mulgrew's goals somewhat saves his defensive blushes

CM: Yes I know the jokes about having to many CM's. But I really think we are going to miss Harrison Reed this season
Wing: We lack pace which makes us very containable for better teams. I had mooted the suggestion that we should try Bell out wide considering his attacking movements. But I am unconvinced he is a complete enough player even at the age of 25.

Mulgrew would be even worse than Bell at LB. At least Bell can run, mind you that's his only strength.

CM pairing of Johnson and Travis is arguably the only positive thing to come from the first game, however what happens when one or both of those two can't play due to injury/suspension? Huge drop in quality from whoever comes in.

Agree on Nyambe, he isn't the complete right back people seem to be strangely suggesting he is. He basically cost us a couple of games at home last season due to his poor positional play. Though I'd still rather he played there than Bennett.

Tough tough season ahead. Can't see us improving on 15th place...

[Miller11]

25 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

 

can you post what you discussions was with Mowbray and Waggott? 

I can understand why you duped by both men. 

 

These are the questions I submitted prior to the consultation meeting:

Could you outline the process that Tony has to go through to get a transfer green-lighted?

• Who decides what we will pay for a player and negotiates?
• Is Tony given a budget to spend as he sees fit, or does he identify targets and leave the issue of fees to thers? If so, who?
• Do the owners offer opinion on what they feel we need as a team? Do they suggest players or veto suggestions?
• From what has been reported previously, there seems a lot of back and forth between Ewood and Pune, which could make the transfer process somewhat convoluted. Could a situation arise where we sign a player for more than Tony would value them at, or even sign a player Tony doesn’t necessarily want?

 

Do the club/owners have an aversion to signing defenders?

• Since Venky’s took over we have recouped circa £45 million on selling defenders, whereas we have only spent around £6.5 million on defenders during that period (85% of which went on one player)
• There is a perception that we have a “make do and mend” approach to the defence, often with players playing out of position at the back
• There seems a willingness to spend money in other areas when it is apparent to most that our defence has been something of an Achilles heel for years now. We have had a high turnover of players in defensive positions, but we have invariably replaced players we have sold for decent sums with free or nominal fee transfers
• When Venky’s first came along they spoke about their preference for “exciting, young, attacking players” – the transfer history during their tenure supports this, but does this extend to an unwillingness to sanction spending on defensive players?

 

Are the board/management team regularly set objectives by Venky’s? How often are these reviewed?

• On pitch – what are the expectations? What was there reaction to our recent poor run of form? How aware of they and are they interested?
• Commercially – Are they aware of attendance levels, do they have any desire to improve this? Would the board need to seek approval for any radical changes to ticket pricing or other incentives aimed at improving gates?
• How accountable or the senior staff at the club, and how deeply do the Venky’s scrutinise what goes on at the club?

 

While it currently makes sense for Venky’s to continue to subsidise the running of the club and convert sums loaned to shares, the long term implications are worrying. They cannot keep doing this indefinitely.

• What is the long term plan to prevent the club haemorrhaging money? Realistically, increasing revenue (promotion) or severely cutting costs seem the only viable ways to achieve this – is there any immediate pressure to do either?
• What is Venky’s motivation for continued ownership? There can’t be any major benefit to their other business interests, despite murmurings after they initially took over no apparent attempts have been made for them to branch into UK markets. In fact, their brand image has undeniably suffered in the UK.
• Steve Gibson recently proposed a measure to allow greater transparency of club accounts, this was rejected by Championship clubs. What are your thoughts on this, and more generally the role of the EFL in such matters?

 

Sadly a number of former players have passed away recently with no acknowledgement from the club. While I don’t think it is realistic to honour each and every former player with a minutes silence, failure to put anything in the programme, or mention a few words over the PA at the next match seems somewhat disrespectful, and has irked fans on social media. Please could the club look into ensuring at least a mention is made when such sad events happen.

 

 

They answered the ones about Transfer process, Finances and Venky’s objective setting pretty comprehensively. 

The deceased players wasn’t addressed (perhaps due to time issues).

The one about defenders was pre-empted and referred back to. It wasn’t answered as methodically as the others, but obviously everyone’s heard what Mowbray had to say about the defence. While they didn’t address the more specific points they reiterated all signings were Mowbray’s and were very convincing in their insistence we would sign defenders.

 

After the event a group of people were talking with Mowbray and I was involved. We got even more of his impassioned promises that defenders were coming. That’s when he made the comments about wanting better than Bauer. His words were “We tried to sign him last year, now he’s on a free his agent thinks he’s worth 40/50 grand a week. He’s been playing in league one. We need bigger and better. We need someone who’s going to come straight in and improve the starting 11”. I said something off the cuff “We should go for Jake Cooper from Millwall”, to which he replied “Yeah, players like that. He could be one we are looking at”. Aside from this there was some general discussion about the defence not being good enough, he was borderline ridiculing them for being scared/unable to head a ball.

 

With Waggott, I’d mentioned during the main part of the Q&A that I was one of the remaining boycotters. He said “we need you to come back” and asked for ideas to get more people through the door.

At the end I spoke to him one to one and told him that I was on the verge of buying a season ticket, but he had to understand the nonsense we had been through (he said ‘I know, I know’). He knew who I was and felt it would be a “positive statement for the club if you do come back”. I told him I doubted some of what he’d said, but I’d take him at his word, and that I felt for the first time in a long time we had people at the club being allowed to get on with their job, who valued the fans opinions and were working in our best interests. I thanked him for this but said that the proof would be in the transfer business we carried out. He reiterated that defenders were coming, and that we would be making signings to push the top 6. He raves about Rankin-Costello a bit too.

 

Edited August 7, 2019 by Miller11
Typo

[OJRovers]

Interesting info.

Makes it all the more necessary for an explanation from Mowbray and Waggot if defenders don’t arrive in the next 23 hours.

[DE.]

Just now, Miller11 said:

These are the questions I submitted prior to the consultation meeting:

Could you outline the process that Tony has to go through to get a transfer green-lighted?

• Who decides what we will pay for a player and negotiates?
• Is Tony given a budget to spend as he sees fit, or does he identify targets and leave the issue of fees to thers? If so, who?
• Do the owners offer opinion on what they feel we need as a team? Do they suggest players or veto suggestions?
• From what has been reported previously, there seems a lot of back and forth between Ewood and Pune, which could make the transfer process somewhat convoluted. Could a situation arise where we sign a player for more than Tony would value them at, or even sign a player Tony doesn’t necessarily want?

 

Do the club/owners have an aversion to signing defenders?

• Since Venky’s took over we have recouped circa £45 million on selling defenders, whereas we have only spent around £6.5 million on defenders during that period (85% of which went on one player)
• There is a perception that we have a “make do and mend” approach to the defence, often with players playing out of position at the back
• There seems a willingness to spend money in other areas when it is apparent to most that our defence has been something of an Achilles heel for years now. We have had a high turnover of players in defensive positions, but we have invariably replaced players we have sold for decent sums with free or nominal fee transfers
• When Venky’s first came along they spoke about their preference for “exciting, young, attacking players” – the transfer history during their tenure supports this, but does this extend to an unwillingness to sanction spending on defensive players?

 

Are the board/management team regularly set objectives by Venky’s? How often are these reviewed?

• On pitch – what are the expectations? What was there reaction to our recent poor run of form? How aware of they and are they interested?
• Commercially – Are they aware of attendance levels, do they have any desire to improve this? Would the board need to seek approval for any radical changes to ticket pricing or other incentives aimed at improving gates?
• How accountable or the senior staff at the club, and how deeply do the Venky’s scrutinise what goes on at the club?

 

While it currently makes sense for Venky’s to continue to subsidise the running of the club and convert sums loaned to shares, the long term implications are worrying. They cannot keep doing this indefinitely.

• What is the long term plan to prevent the club haemorrhaging money? Realistically, increasing revenue (promotion) or severely cutting costs seem the only viable ways to achieve this – is there any immediate pressure to do either?
• What is Venky’s motivation for continued ownership? There can’t be any major benefit to their other business interests, despite murmurings after they initially took over no apparent attempts have been made for them to branch into UK markets. In fact, their brand image has undeniably suffered in the UK.
• Steve Gibson recently proposed a measure to allow greater transparency of club accounts, this was rejected by Championship clubs. What are your thoughts on this, and more generally the role of the EFL in such matters?

 

Sadly a number of former players have passed away recently with no acknowledgement from the club. While I don’t think it is realistic to honour each and every former player with a minutes silence, failure to put anything in the programme, or mention a few words over the PA at the next match seems somewhat disrespectful, and has irked fans on social media. Please could the club look into ensuring at least a mention is made when such sad events happen.

 

 

They answered the ones about Transfer process, Finances and Venky’s objective setting pretty comprehensively. 

The deceased players wasn’t addressed (perhaps due to time issues).

The one about defenders was pre-emoted and referred back to. It wasn’t answered as methodically as the others, but obviously everyone’s heard what Mowbray has to say about the defence. While they didn’t address the more specific points they reiterated all signings were Mowbray’s and were very convincing in their insistence we would sign defenders.

 

After the event a group of people were talking with Mowbray and I was involved. We got even more of his impassioned promises that defenders were coming. That’s when he made the comments about wanting better than Bauer. His words were “We tried to sign him last year, now he’s on a free his agent thinks he’s worth 40/50 grand a week. He’s been playing in league one. We need bigger and better. We need someone who’s going to come straight in and improve the starting 11”. I said something off the cuff “We should go for Jake Cooper from Millwall”, to which he replied “Yeah, players like that. He could be one we are looking at”. Aside from this there was some general discussion about the defence not being good enough, he was borderline ridiculing them for being scared/unable to head a ball.

 

With Waggott, I’d mentioned during the main part of the Q&A that I was one of the remaining boycotters. He said “we need you to come back” and asked for ideas to get more people through the door.

At the end I spoke to him one to one and told him that I was on the verge of buying a season ticket, but he had to understand the nonsense we had been through (he said ‘I know, I know’). He knew who I was and felt it would be a “positive statement for the club if you do come back”. I told him I doubted some of what he’d said, but I’d take him at his word, and that I felt for the first time in a long time we had people at the club being allowed to get on with their job, who valued the fans opinions and were working in our best interests. I thanked him for this but said that the proof would be in the transfer business we carried out. He reiterated that defenders were coming, and that we would be making signings to push the top 6. He raves about Rankin-Costello a bit too.

 

Makes Mowbray's suggestion that he was just "emotional" with the "defenders are coming" remark look to be nothing but an excuse - which we all know it is, because he said we needed and would be getting defenders multiple times in various settings towards the end of last season. Does he think we're idiots with goldfish memory spans? It's really simple, if you don't want to be held to your word then don't commit publicly to anything you may not be able to deliver. And if you DO commit to something and fail to deliver, have the common courtesy and decency to be honest and explain why, rather than backtracking with excuses and nonsense like "I was emotional" and "defensively we're alright".

I don't think anyone wants to hammer TM, but if the deadline passes and Tosin is the only defender we've brought in he has shown a huge lack of respect to the fans, and I don't see how anybody can trust a word that comes out of his mouth going forward. I certainly won't - and it really sucks for that to be the case, because I wanted to believe that Mowbray was different. It's increasingly looking like he's just like all of the others, just with a League 1 promotion to his name. 

[Damien]

Just now, OJRovers said:

Interesting info.

Makes it all the more necessary for an explanation from Mowbray and Waggot if defenders don’t arrive in the next 23 hours.

I concur 

[Vilesinner]

21 minutes ago, RovingRover said:

The idea was to bring in 2 goalkeepers and I would have thought that Walton was going to be the understudy, then alarm bells started going off when he was referred to as the Number 1 keeper. We were looking for an experienced goalkeeper to replace Raya. Walton does clearly not meet that description.

From what I had heard, we were trying to find suitors for Smallwood, Samuel (loan), Leutwiler (2 keepers signing required), Evans, Hart and maybe let a few other younger players go out on loan.

Remember a while back Mowbray said he wanted 3-4 signings. But that was before the departure of Nuttall, Wharton and Raya. Whether he had factored the four into his number before the departures is a question mark. You could certainly say that Gallagher is a sort-of replacement option for Nuttall and maybe even argue that Downing is a sort of replacement for Conway. But it is obvious we are lacking in some key areas depth and squad quality wise.

My honest opinion:
GK: I am unconvinced by Walton and would have liked a veteran keeper brought in who's experience is higher than League One.
LB: Bell is obviously not good enough. Hart struggled to match League One level. If money is tight. I wonder whether Mulgrew could go out to left back and a more commanding CB be brought in alongside Lenihan

RB: Nyambe would work at a push. But I see this as another weak area. I honestly never thought I would be longing the day where Williams returns from injury.

CB: Mulgrew for me is a liability. I actually think Williams is better a CB than Mulgrew and Mulgrew's goals somewhat saves his defensive blushes

CM: Yes I know the jokes about having to many CM's. But I really think we are going to miss Harrison Reed this season
Wing: We lack pace which makes us very containable for better teams. I had mooted the suggestion that we should try Bell out wide considering his attacking movements. But I am unconvinced he is a complete enough player even at the age of 25.

Perhaps to better understand things you could actually listen what the manager has said. Tony has stated that after his excellent preseason Hart is going to remain here; similarly JRC hopefully. 

Mulgrew at left back and Bell on the wing sounds awful. We have so many fine attacking players it's amazing you would even think Bell would a winger.

Surprised there is such negativity around our fine young players, when many criticize Tony for not playing them.

 

[chaddyrovers]

Thanks @Miller11 for sharing that info and your questions. I'm looking to the next one of those meeting cos big questions will be asked of Mowbray and the lack of defensive signings which he promises and what we need. We need a minimal of 3 defenders and a keeper with experience. Plus a centre mid, winger and striker. Instead we signed just Walton and Tosin. I'm not calling either poor signings cos I don't think either are but we need experience centre back with leadership qualities, a back centre back, left back to challenge Bell for that slot. Also a right back if you don't rate Nyambe or want to move him inside to centre back. You also have to questions why new contracts were given to Mulgrew, Hart, Luetwiler, Smallwood and Evans then judging by comments made by @RovingRover above us trying to sell these players. So why given them new contracts then.  I think Johnson transfer was a good signing and someone who does improve the centre midfield quality. You have to question the Sam Gallagher as much as why we spent so much money on a striker after Brereton signing last summer when the money should have be the priority from the summer outlook. I like Sam Gallagher as a player but why spent so much of the budget on a 3rd striker. 

So at the start of the summer we need a GK, Left back, 2 centre backs, maybe RB, centre midfield, wide player and striker. so that's 7 to 8 signings need then any to replace players who left the club. Now I go on about who I would have target for each positions within our so called budget(then I will if you want just DM me). I think questions should be asked about the level of investment in scouting and recruitment in the club over the last 5 years cos we all knew that Rovers under a certain manager dismantled the scouting structure at the club. I will not post his name cos I cant bare to type his name. I would be in favour of bringing in a director of football opeartions to oversee the recruitment and scouting departments with European contacts. Just look at clubs like Brentford and Barnsley recruitment this summer and where players have come in from. Its makes us behind the times. I'm not saying Stuart Harvey is doing bad at his job cos I don't think he is but we could do with someone with European contacts and knowledge to oversee this. But there is plenty of players out there we could have sign from Overseas countries whether it Germany, Holland, Belgium, Sweden, Norway, Denmark aswell as some talented players in the UK. 

 

 

[47er]

Just now, Vilesinner said:

Perhaps to better understand things you could actually listen what the manager has said. Tony has stated that after his excellent preseason Hart is going to remain here; similarly JRC hopefully. 

Mulgrew at left back and Bell on the wing sounds awful. We have so many fine attacking players it's amazing you would even think Bell would a winger.

Surprised there is such negativity around our fine young players, when many criticize Tony for not playing them.

 

No negativity around our fine young players. We're all very proud of them

[Pedro]

That vacant number 5 shirt is going to be Rodwell's. 

[Hi Mack]

Just now, Pedro said:

That vacant number 5 shirt is going to be Rodwell's. 

This is my expectation too.

[JHRover]

Sunderland moving for Martin Olsson. So much for his wages being a problem. We're just not interested.

[AdamRochina]

Just now, JHRover said:

Sunderland moving for Martin Olsson. So much for his wages being a problem. We're just not interested.

shhhh dont say anything ?

[Wing Wizard Windy Miller]

1 hour ago, RovingRover said:

The idea was to bring in 2 goalkeepers and I would have thought that Walton was going to be the understudy, then alarm bells started going off when he was referred to as the Number 1 keeper. We were looking for an experienced goalkeeper to replace Raya. Walton does clearly not meet that description.

From what I had heard, we were trying to find suitors for Smallwood, Samuel (loan), Leutwiler (2 keepers signing required), Evans, Hart and maybe let a few other younger players go out on loan.

Remember a while back Mowbray said he wanted 3-4 signings. But that was before the departure of Nuttall, Wharton and Raya. Whether he had factored the four into his number before the departures is a question mark. You could certainly say that Gallagher is a sort-of replacement option for Nuttall and maybe even argue that Downing is a sort of replacement for Conway. But it is obvious we are lacking in some key areas depth and squad quality wise.

My honest opinion:
GK: I am unconvinced by Walton and would have liked a veteran keeper brought in who's experience is higher than League One.
LB: Bell is obviously not good enough. Hart struggled to match League One level. If money is tight. I wonder whether Mulgrew could go out to left back and a more commanding CB be brought in alongside Lenihan

RB: Nyambe would work at a push. But I see this as another weak area. I honestly never thought I would be longing the day where Williams returns from injury.

CB: Mulgrew for me is a liability. I actually think Williams is better a CB than Mulgrew and Mulgrew's goals somewhat saves his defensive blushes

CM: Yes I know the jokes about having to many CM's. But I really think we are going to miss Harrison Reed this season
Wing: We lack pace which makes us very containable for better teams. I had mooted the suggestion that we should try Bell out wide considering his attacking movements. But I am unconvinced he is a complete enough player even at the age of 25.

So ideally we wanted to shift Evans, Smallwood and Leutwiler. To facilitate this the management thought the best way to do this was by handing them contract extensions, no doubt featuring a wage increase.

It sounds like one of Baldric's cunning plans.

[neophox]

Why would Martin Olsson drop down to league 1?

[neophox]

So Rodwell back?

[Ossydave]

As if we're being included as a team interested in Jacob Murphy on loan ?

If by some miracle that happened I'd probably sacrifice signing defenders as he's quality. 

[Lucimo]

I know this has been covered already but it simply defies belief that the bumbling baffoon is repeating his tricks of January. Gets rid of downing leaving 3 injury prone centre backs. Low and behold injury strikes after the window closes so we bring in Magloire. Now we can't even bring him in when the inevitable happens. Is this gonad doing this deliberately. Time he fucked off?