Summer Transfer Window

[magicalmortensleftpeg]

1 minute ago, DE. said:

"Just a poacher" ? Not having that. Some brilliant goals in there. It's obviously gone downhill for him since he left Rovers, but he's hardly the first player that's happened to. He was superb for us. 

I promised not to further this discussion but here I am. 

Rhodes did very well, his goal record speaks for itself. But he had limitations that restricted how we could play and I think we needed to be more adaptable to get out this league. It’s not a criticism of Rhodes per se, it’s that we were too one dimensional and should have been more prepared to play the likes of King up front instead. We certainly got the best out of Rhodes but it was to the detriment of the wider team IMO.

I maintain that I wouldn’t swap him at his peak for Dack or Armstrong.

 

[Roverthechimp]

So - any actual transfer gossip or should we rename the thread? ???

[philipl]

This is the "let's chat among ourselves this week" thread.

Pretty certain we will see activity next week and possibly Sunday/Monday the week after.

 

[DE.]

9 minutes ago, joey_big_nose said:

An absolutely exceptional finisher.

That said I really didn't like his all-round game. Ball didn't stick to him, couldn't run in behind, didn't link up, lost all his physical battles. 

There's a reason he has never played at a higher level and struggled to get into midtable Wednesday and Middlesbrough teams despite his incredible goal scoring record.

He did have his weaknesses but there is evidence in that video of great close control, plenty of runs behind, link up play and winning physical battles so I don't buy that his weaknesses were that pronounced. He was also a consummate professional, an incredibly composed penalty taker and adapted to multiple systems throughout his time here and scored goals in every one. 

He was a top notch Championship striker and with a better manager the 13/14 and 14/15 teams could easily have gone up. We were undone by unambitious tactics and a piss-poor CM area which Bowyer never addressed. Rhodes was never the problem.

As for transfer news... no, there isn't any. Feels like January has come early.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

13 hours ago, Vilesinner said:

What nonsense. Shearer was a complete player. 

He could tackle and tracked back.

I got to see him play his first game in Southern Ireland, putting the opposition left back over the advertising hordings.

Yeah, he was no stranger to the dark arts of football. I saw him do what Morsy did to Dack on more than one occasion. Just helping the opposing centre half on his way - into the advertisement hoardings !

[roversfan99]

7 hours ago, philipl said:

If Sheffield United come in for Lenihan I would take it. 

Don't get me wrong, I admire Lenihan but we have Ayala, Wharton, Carter and the two under 23 central defenders look very promising. 

On current performances Williams would be a bigger loss to replace.

It would give us the necessary to cover our left back and back up keeper weaknesses.

We cant rely on kids behind Williams and Ayala. We know that over the course of a season, as much as he has played well in these last 2 games, Williams wont be a first choice CB for a top 6 team over the course of a season, whereas we win far more points with Lenihan playing than without. Keep the 3 and then we have some scope to cover for an injury, Carter and Magloire for example arent ready to continue at the level we need at this stage.

Also, regarding sell ons, I still think that people are being optimistic thinking that the money will be added onto the budget at any point. It will surely just go to help cover running costs.

Another thing, I heard Watford linked to Ryan Manning on the second tier podcast. Not one that is relevant to us with our budget but worth mentioning.

[tomphil]

31 minutes ago, DE. said:

"Just a poacher" ? Not having that. Some brilliant goals in there. It's obviously gone downhill for him since he left Rovers, but he's hardly the first player that's happened to. He was superb for us. 

Needs chances laying on a plate, never made goals himself.. ???

So many goals on there refute that nonsense he was doing what really good strikers do and getting himself on the end of things. Many of them just loose balls.

Time to put this one to bed, he was top drawer for us and over 4 years worth the transfer fee in goals returned. Not many big money buys you can say that about.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

16 hours ago, roversfan99 said:

He will always be right footed and having a full back on his wrong side will always change things slightly, no matter how much he trains.

That maybe right in Nyambe's case but it can be worked on if he's got the motivation to do so. When I first started watching back in the day Keith Newton played either flank equally well,  in fact he played for England in both positions. John Bray and Dave Whelan could do both as could Billy Wilson. I was only an amateur but as I got older I could play on both flanks no problem. It doesn't come easy, it takes a lot of hard work and practice, but it can be done. It's not just the left footed running with the ball and passing you need to work on, it's the getting comfortable jockeying players down your " Wrong " side and getting a tackle in at the right time with your " Wrong " foot.

I still see pros who tackle with the wrong foot because they favour their strongest side. Usually they come a cropper.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

16 hours ago, magicalmortensleftpeg said:

Rhodes limited how we could play when he was in the team. He did fantastically well for us but it sadly was to the detriment of others. The fact that we had a 25 goal a season striker yet never reached the play offs is testament to that. Look at how Rhodes has faired elsewhere in comparison to Josh King.

Top guy and he’s made the best of his ability but I wouldn’t swap him for Armstrong or Dack. 

Armstrong is Rhodes with added pace. He could probably out run Rhodes going backwards.

[Dreams of 1995]

31 minutes ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

Armstrong is Rhodes with added pace. He could probably out run Rhodes going backwards.

Rhodes is ten times the finisher Armstrong is IMO. 

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

6 minutes ago, Dreams of 1995 said:

Rhodes is ten times the finisher Armstrong is IMO. 

I wouldn't say ten times but I agree he is/was  better. He didn't miss many. I think Armstrong is more suited to the new " total football " we seem to have discovered. The threat of his pace makes opposing teams defend that bit deeper giving us a bit more room to play in. With Rhodes opponents could line out just inside their own half knowing full well most centre halves would match him for pace at the very least.

Edited September 28, 2020 by Tyrone Shoelaces

[Hoochie Bloochie Mama]

14 hours ago, Vilesinner said:

Yes, and if we had played Gestede and King we would've been promoted imo.

We looked fantastic the few times they played together.

Gone are the days of forwards that do little but score. Successful teams defend from the front.

Why, would King have scored more than Rhodes? Would King have made up for Willowe in midfield or stopped us conceding goals? I think you need to accept that whoever was up front would have had very little impact on those areas. 

[Admiral Nelsen]

This isn't meant as a dig at Rhodes, who I thought was brilliant & I'd still have back now on the right money, but one thing which gets missed is how his finishing in the last 2 years didn't hit the same heights as his first season or 2.

When he first arrived off the back of his 40-goal season in League 1, his finishing was laser-like. Even when he shinned it from 25 yards at Derby it was right in the bottom corner. He turned half chances into gilt edged ones, and put away 9 out of 10 which came his way. He still scored a lot of goals in his last couple of years, which is testament to his movement and that he could still put chances away, but there were an increasing number of missed chances which crept into his game too and the goals he did score were that bit less elegant. 

[Hoochie Bloochie Mama]

1 hour ago, magicalmortensleftpeg said:

But he had limitations that restricted how we could play and I think we needed to be more adaptable to get out this league. It’s not a criticism of Rhodes per se, it’s that we were too one dimensional and should have been more prepared to play the likes of King up front instead. We certainly got the best out of Rhodes but it was to the detriment of the wider team IMO.

Why did he play CM and CB as well? because they were the problems areas, not up front. 

[unsall]

Talk sport saying Josh King being touted to Spurs, also saying Man U could put a bid in.

[philipl]

I think we need a sense of perspective in this Rhodes v Armstrong exchange.

Rhodes signed for Rovers for a record non-Premier League UK fee with 99 goals already scored. He was only a few months younger than Arma is now when he joined Rovers.

Rhodes rattled in 85 goals in 169 appearances for Rovers in just 3.5 seasons.

It is quite amazing that he has since he left he has only managed another 26 goals in 121 appearances over 4.5 seasons. Jordan is still only 30 years old!

Looking at Adam, I find it astonishing he made 21 appearances over 5 seasons for Newcastle and scored 0.

For Rovers, Armstrong has now scored 41 goals in 122 appearances for Rovers and his career total is now 71 goals in 241 appearances. 

There is plenty of time for Arma to get the equal of Rhodes for Rovers although he has to go some to match Rhodes goal per game ratio. Having said that, if Arma keeps this season's 6 in 5 ratio going, he will have 98 goals for Rovers when he gets to equal Rhodes' 169 appearances and Rovers will be comfortably mid-table in the Premier League around Christmas 2021!

 

[Beanie01289]

1 hour ago, roversfan99 said:

We cant rely on kids behind Williams and Ayala. We know that over the course of a season, as much as he has played well in these last 2 games, Williams wont be a first choice CB for a top 6 team over the course of a season, whereas we win far more points with Lenihan playing than without. Keep the 3 and then we have some scope to cover for an injury, Carter and Magloire for example arent ready to continue at the level we need at this stage.

Also, regarding sell ons, I still think that people are being optimistic thinking that the money will be added onto the budget at any point. It will surely just go to help cover running costs.

Another thing, I heard Watford linked to Ryan Manning on the second tier podcast. Not one that is relevant to us with our budget but worth mentioning.

Watford's can't need anymore players last I heard they were picking from a squad of around 50 players I'm not sure how that's even workable

[Beanie01289]

17 minutes ago, unsall said:

Talk sport saying Josh King being touted to Spurs, also saying Man U could put a bid in.

Would not surprise me if man u come in for him he's represented by oles pet agent

[DE.]

Man Utd wanted King last season didn't they? Strange transfer for me considering his age, injury proneness and general talent (solid mid-table PL player, not elite class imo). Doesn't strike me as a Mourinho type player either.

[tomphil]

Daft arguments Arma v Rhodes they're totally different players and to be honest to get the best out of either you have to tailor your formation. We've seen with Armstrong just plonk him up front and he struggles, give him a way to run at people or cut in and he looks far more at home.

Armstrong in hos own way is a niche player given he can fill a couple of roles well in terms of attacking play.  That's why if he has another good season he'll be coveted.

[magicalmortensleftpeg]

9 minutes ago, tomphil said:

Daft arguments Arma v Rhodes they're totally different players and to be honest to get the best out of either you have to tailor your formation. We've seen with Armstrong just plonk him up front and he struggles, give him a way to run at people or cut in and he looks far more at home.

Armstrong in hos own way is a niche player given he can fill a couple of roles well in terms of attacking play.  That's why if he has another good season he'll be coveted.

Armstrong poses a threat wherever he is on the pitch. He can score goals from anywhere. He’s not as prolific as Rhodes (yet) but causes problems inside and outside the box. The threat of his pace causes issues even when he doesn’t have the ball. Armstrong can score out of nothing and if keeps this form up will be on his way soon enough. 

I don’t think anyone was surprised when Rhodes struggled in the PL simply because he doesn’t have the attributes. He’s done remarkably well in the Championship considering and we certainly got the best out of him. Hopefully he can avoid slipping down the leagues to find form. Got a lot of time for him and his record here is undoubtedly impressive.

 

[AllRoverAsia]

Patronising praise (aka arse-covering) is the worst and weakest of all

[magicalmortensleftpeg]

9 minutes ago, AllRoverAsia said:

Patronising praise (aka arse-covering) is the worst and weakest of all

Just trying to find a civilised middle ground without resorting to provocative comments like this.

[1864roverite]

People should just appreciate we had Rhodes playing and scoring for us, some great memories

[LeftWinger]

31 minutes ago, magicalmortensleftpeg said:

I don’t think anyone was surprised when Rhodes struggled in the PL simply because he doesn’t have the attributes. 

 

I remember some of our fans (not on here) insisting he would be a 30 goal a season striker in the Premier League, despite the fact they are very, very few and far between now.