Summer Transfer Window

[Blue blood]

4 minutes ago, Exiled_Rover said:

I'd persist with him because he's been our best attacking player during the pre-season / early season. He's a confidence player - the worst thing Mowbray could do now is bench him the second Dack / Gallagher become available for selection.

He's improved a hell of a lot since lockdown - a) by bulking up and b) by getting a consistent run of games (and not hearing a barrage of tuts / sighs whenever he loses the ball from the Ewood faithful)

I'd reward him by giving him an extended run in the side. I wouldn't measure his success on his goals return either - he brings other players into the game. 

If after 5 games it doesn't work, you can go back with trying to shoehorn Dolan / Gallagher / Dack / Armstrong / JRC / Rothwell / Chapman / A.N. Other into a coherent attacking force. 

I think goals and goals involved in (rather than the assist stat) are very good measures for assessing our 7 million pound striker. The problem is he doesn't really contribute to either and only has looked decent against lower league opposition. He's not a championship level player.

[Exiled_Rover]

Just now, 47er said:

Agree its not his position but who else is there? 

Chapman / Dolan / JRC / Brereton (albeit I think he's better central).

I don't know if any of the Academy players that are breaking through play there either? Brennan maybe?

I wouldn't play Armstrong there if I could help it - he only has an eye for goal, so lacks the creativity / instincts to play others in. His pace is nullified out wide too as, typically, FBs are faster than CBs. I'd be grooming Gallagher to JUST play CF too - enough of this 6'4" RW nonsense. 

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

2 minutes ago, Exiled_Rover said:

Mokoena would be our best player.

Albeit, that's more of an indication of how far standards have fallen. 

If Garner is still on the table for a loan, I'd snap their hands off. 

It would be worth having a look at him. I was labouring under the impression that he was similar in style to Buckley, going off the clip he obviously isn't.

[47er]

6 minutes ago, Exiled_Rover said:

He's a confidence player

Eh? On what is that statement based? Can I assume that he has no confidence then and that's the reason he has never produced?

All players are confidence players aren't they?

He's a confidence player so lets keep on playing him even though he is out of his depth?

[Leonard Venkhater]

Just now, 47er said:

Eh? On what is that statement based? Can I assume that he has no confidence then and that's the reason he has never produced?

All players are confidence players aren't they?

He's a confidence player so lets keep on playing him even though he is out of his depth?

The Forest sale was a confidence trick!

[Mike E]

40 minutes ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

One thing you need at full back is pace. There aren't that many really good but slow full backs.

Only one I can recall at Rovers was Salgado. Clearly world class in every aspect, but even for him a lack of pace due to age really held him back.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

35 minutes ago, Exiled_Rover said:

He's not a FB.

Why have we been playing him there then ?

[47er]

Just now, Exiled_Rover said:

Chapman / Dolan / JRC / Brereton (albeit I think he's better central).

I don't know if any of the Academy players that are breaking through play there either? Brennan maybe?

I wouldn't play Armstrong there if I could help it - he only has an eye for goal, so lacks the creativity / instincts to play others in. His pace is nullified out wide too as, typically, FBs are faster than CBs. I'd be grooming Gallagher to JUST play CF too - enough of this 6'4" RW nonsense. 

Well I mentioned Dolan and Rothwell as 2 wide possibilities. Chapman--we all want him to succeed but it doesn't look like happening

Not really JRc's position is it?

Then you suggest Brereton again which is where I came in! Why would you after all we have seen?

[TruRover]

This summer has clearly been about quality and not quantity, which has personally pleased me as I feel we have often over the last few years gone for the scatter gun approach in the hope of finding a few gems. We seem to have identified the areas that need improving, which thankfully correlates to the areas that us fans have identified as weak spots. 
 

The one major weak spot which has yet to be plugged is clearly left back, and I am intrigued to see who we bring in. A lot of people have mentioned Cunningham, but I actually don’t think he would be the right move. No doubt he is a quality player and an improvement to bell, nor would I be against him coming in, but I do have my doubts about his suitability. Due to injury and being out of the Cardiff team he hasn’t actually played much football over the last 2 years, and at his age (29?), that can have quite a negative effect on your career as it can be hard to get going again. More importantly though I actually think we need someone with more pace and athleticism for the LB role with the new system we are playing being reliant on the press and the ability to recover quickly. I do believe Cunningham would be caught out in this system as he isn’t the quickest, with his strengths coming from his ability on the ball. Personally I am really surprised we didn’t have a  look at Martin Olson on a free transfer as I believe he would of been perfect. There doesn’t seem to be a plethora of quality left backs available right now so we might well end up with Cunningham, but I am curious to see if any other names get put in the ring.

In terms of centre back I am one of those who would be perfectly happy with Williams and Wharton as third choice, as both have proved to be able players. I would agree that we need a back up keeper, but I would like to think that’ll be a low cost, under the radar signing as I hope they won’t actually be needed to impact our season. 

If we can get those two signings sorted I actually think we’ll be in good shape for the season. I’ve been really impressed with how we have performed in the last two games, despite losing both. For long periods we have dictated the game, and not let our opposition get a foothold, which was a prominent feature last night in particular. I think it actually counters our biggest weakness, our defence, as we win the ball higher up the pitch and, due to our possession play, make it difficult for opposition to build up momentum and pressure on the backline. It’s pretty much how leeds played last season. If we can find that cutting edge we will be a real force this season, and I think the fears that we don’t have it will be massively erased when dack comes back into the team. Not only does he make things happen but his finishing and positioning is exceptional. A fit Dack could quite easily get us 15 goals this season, and Arma I reckon could push for 20/25, which is a potential 40 goals between just 2 players. I also think I should give a mention to Holtby who I think has started the season as our best player, he’s been fantastic on the ball and is always looking to make something happen. Importantly though he hasn’t drifted in games, which was my major criticism of him last season, he now presses and isn’t afraid to put a foot in and seems a lot more vocal. He is absolutely crucial to this press and possession style we are going with and I think he could turn out as one of our most important players this season, if he can stay fit, which is my main worry with him. 
 

There is a lot to be worked on still, there is no doubt about that, we need to stop leaking goals and have a better defensive organisation, something which I hope Ayala is being brought into do, his reviews are very promising but it may take a couple of weeks for him and that backline to be steady and use to playing with each other. In terms of our other signing, Kaminski, I’ve been very impressed. None of the goals we have conceded have been his fault, and his play aside from that has been pretty much flawless. The fact that he is so comfortable with a high starting position and has quality on the ball means our defence can play a lot higher which is crucial to the pressing game we are going with. He hasn’t made any mistakes as of yet and I think that’s the main thing as a keeper - do the basic rights, make the odd important save and don’t give away soft goals. If he can continue to do that he will do just fine, but time will tell. 
 

The Travis injury would be a big spanner in the works though, I love him as a player and I think he’s a real leader, but it looks like we may have to cope without him for abit, which is a shame especially with Dack just about to be fit again. Hopefully a loan move until January (Garner?) can cover him well enough.

Aside from that, and the two losses of course, I have been encouraged by our business and our start to the season. There’s a lot to be hopeful for. A lot will depend on how our defence fares, I personally don’t think TM can organise one properly, so I don’t have a great deal of hope in that regards but I guess time will tell. Either way, we really a win on Saturday.

 

 

 

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Just now, Mike E said:

Only one I can recall at Rovers was Salgado. Clearly world class in every aspect, but even for him a lack of pace due to age really held him back.

Yeah, you need to be quick out there. Henning Berg wasn't the fastest either but he was another class act whose positional play was exceptional.

[Exiled_Rover]

Just now, Blue blood said:

I think goals and goals involved in (rather than the assist stat) are very good measures for assessing our 7 million pound striker. The problem is he doesn't really contribute to either and only has looked decent against lower league opposition. He's not a championship level player.

Again, it's a game of opinions.

Last night, from memory, against a PL outfit:

• Holtby's sitter was taken off his toes (although whether he scores that is another matter - he at least was in a good position)
• Played a lovely pass across the 6 yard box that Armstrong / Dolan conspired to fluff (before Rothwell eventually blazed over the bar)
• Won the header from the late corner to set up Williams' third fluffed chance (which he also blazed over the bar)
• His parried shot should have been slotted home by JRC, if he was more aware (fell to Bell instead, who drew a save)

Again, maybe I'm just imagining things.

I admit for a £7m signing, especially at our level, you'd hope for a Championship beater out of the box. But we've not received that - he's an IKEA player - we've had to assemble him and, quite frankly, he's starting to be useful. 

[Exiled_Rover]

3 minutes ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

Why have we been playing him there then ?

[insert picture of Tony Mowbray]

[Exiled_Rover]

4 minutes ago, 47er said:

Well I mentioned Dolan and Rothwell as 2 wide possibilities. Chapman--we all want him to succeed but it doesn't look like happening

Not really JRc's position is it?

Then you suggest Brereton again which is where I came in! Why would you after all we have seen?

Technically Travis could play AMR / AML too - why isn't anyone clamouring for him to play there?

Is it perhaps, because his best position is CM and our CM is weak?

Same applies for Rothwell. 

I don't know what JRC's position is (I haven't seen enough of him) - but to me he's looked the best playing out wide and providing some balance to the side. He needs to be given a run of games at ONE position though - he's played 5 different ones for us since lockdown (LB, RB, AMC, AML and AMR). It does nothing for his development. We're not Holland, this isn't Total Football. 

[Tugayisgod]

11 minutes ago, Mike E said:

Only one I can recall at Rovers was Salgado. Clearly world class in every aspect, but even for him a lack of pace due to age really held him back.

Chris Price, the original Duracell bunny

[joey_big_nose]

44 minutes ago, 47er said:

One thing we can do is to drop Brereton and accept Mowbray dropped an irretrievable clanger. In a few weeks time maybe we'll play Arma in the middle with Dack just behind him and Doran or Rothwell operating wide.

Has any player at Rovers ever had more chances than Brereton? I feel sorry for him.So hard to attempt to live up to a fee of that size without the ability.

For me, I agree with you its Gallagher every time at the moment. No, he's not great but at least he puts himself about and does something.

At the moment we are starting every game with 10 men. If someone is sent off in the first minute you don't expect to win do you?

Let's stop pretending that Brereton is a potential talent still finding his feet.

If we dominate games but make critical mistakes at the back, yet fail to take chances up-front, there is only one place we are going.

Brereton is not the only problem we have but he is the biggest----by some margin.

Agreed. It's a real millstone. Not only because he doesn't offer anything as a striker, he actually drifts wide and takes up space that a proper wider player wants and is much less effective.

We need to move on. Nuttall had way more of an impact than Brereton has and the Nutt is currently plying his trade in League One.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

29 minutes ago, Hoochie Bloochie Mama said:

Looks a good player, and easily slots into the back four in some of those clips. The new Mokoena!

When I look at these highlights reels I always look for what's missing. Like in the Brererton one -plenty of running with ball but not much play near to goal and no evidence of heading ability. Same with the Garner one, not one example of him out jumping an opponent to win a contested header. For a defensive midfield player I'd expect to see a few headers won under pressure. You've certainly got to have reasonable heading ability to play regularly in the back four.;

[AllRoverAsia]

20 minutes ago, Leonard Venkhater said:

The Forest sale was a confidence trick!

Only if the parties involved are unaware of what's going on

[Glosrover]

28 minutes ago, Tugayisgod said:

Chris Price, the original Duracell bunny

Jim Brannagan.......solid, reliable, [slow]

[Vilesinner]

2 hours ago, joey_big_nose said:

Thinking about it with Trav out JRC could pick up his role on the right. Got a good engine, but he would need to put in his foot a bit more. JRC has been a bit of an enigma to me. People rate him but he seems a pretty straightforward box to box player in the mould of Emerton or Bennett, lacking the same sort of technical ability of Dolan, Buckley, even Travis who is technically excellent. Despite being in advanced positions JRC has created relatively little? Unlike say Dolan who has in a short period created a lot.

But maybe JRC will show more of what people rate over time.

JRC does not lack technical ability. You must not have seen our preseason games. His play against Leicester in particular was fantastic.

 

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

27 minutes ago, joey_big_nose said:

Agreed. It's a real millstone. Not only because he doesn't offer anything as a striker, he actually drifts wide and takes up space that a proper wider player wants and is much less effective.

We need to move on. Nuttall had way more of an impact than Brereton has and the Nutt is currently plying his trade in League One.

Nuttall knew the one thing that matters - to score goals you've got to get in the box.

[K-Hod]

1 hour ago, Trinidad Rover said:

An 'axe' type player would be ideal in this current side. 

I still remember that game Mokoena beat up Chelskis midfield. Jose was not happy. They were the day!

When Dickov missed a pen and lunged in at Petr Cech ?

[K-Hod]

I can’t comment on Brereton’s performances in pre season or the season so far, as I haven’t seen any of our games yet (for shame, I know). 
But, it seems like we are stuck with him so he needs to make it and we need him to.  At what point we cut our losses is anyone’s guess.

What I don’t agree with though is playing him over better players for the sake of it. 
Brereton isn’t bigger than Blackburn Rovers FC and if he has to be start at the expense of better players in his position, then that’s totally counter productive.

[Butty]

1 minute ago, K-Hod said:

When Dickov missed a pen and lunged in at Petr Cech ?

Quality. They beat us 1-0 at Ewood with an early Robben goal but my god did we make them work for it that day. One of my early childhood memories on Ewood that game! 

[Leonard Venkhater]

3 minutes ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

Nuttall knew the one thing that matters - to score goals you've got to get in the box.

Only one thing mattered. He wasn't anywhere good enough...

[Gone to seed]

36 minutes ago, AllRoverAsia said:

Only if ONE OF the parties involved are unaware of what's going on

fixed it for you ;)