January Transfer window 2022

[bluebruce]

1 hour ago, CambridgeRover said:

Huh? People who are saying Gallagher isn't up to it aren't suggesting we play with 10 men on the field.

There is a post two above yours, which you have liked, which says exactly that.

[BigUts]

2 hours ago, Ossydave said:

What if I told you Sam Gallagher was the most successful player on the pitch for aerial duels on Monday....  

12/20 won.

 Next closest was Crooks for them. 

It's a bit of a myth that he's shite in the air, BUT I will also say that yes I'm sure he could absolutely be better. It's almost as though he's a bit worried about getting clouted sometimes. 

He isn't strong at all despite his height, his frame is best described as gangly. If he works on his muscle mass he's gonna struggle, a lot, to work his socks off for 90 minutes like he did Monday.

The above are factors in why he's playing in the championship though and not a higher level, simple as that - otherwise he'd basically be a much paler Didier Drogba.....

 

I work in data and the old addage of lies, damn lies and statistics often rings true 🙂

 

But I get the point entirely. He was much improved on Monday and I celebrated as much as anybody when he scored. The goal and subsequent result could be a huge moment in the history for our club.

I think we can all agree that Gallagher doesn't make the most of his available facets and that in reality the most who are annoyed are in reality frustrated. We see passing glimpses of the potential for a very good footballer he needs to string it all together.

[windymiller7]

1 hour ago, Tom said:

I agree with you, just never seen anything to suggest he’s ready at this level 

Also “electrically fast” - no chance, lad looks like he’s running through treacle 

I thought exactly the same when I read that, Tom. On Monday I even shouted "how f*cking slow is he?" after the 2nd half arsed attempt to get to the ball. If the lad genuinely is 'electrically fast' then he really does need to show a lot more passion & desire as those 2 incidents that spring to mind are unacceptable.

[Ossydave]

Something doesn't sit right with Butterworth.

I remember early season, it may even have been the first game when he came on as a second half sub.  He was brilliant, running at the opposition with pace.  He then went on to barely feature, even when we were struggling at times.

Then as other has said looked really sluggish the other night.  I know he's had injury problems, is he now scared to push himself as he doesn't want to do a hammy?  One particular incident stood out where he basically gave up trying to claim a ball that trickled out for a throw, I reckon at my tender age of 40 I'd easily have got to it.  You'd expect young players to be busting a gut, running themselves in the ground every time they get a chance at the first team...

[1864roverite]

The other night v Boro was a different type of scenario for him, we were under the cosh and he had to play a bit deeper which isn't his normal game.

I believe there is a very good player in Butterworth, he will come good but may benefit from a loan period especially for next season. His style of play will suit Rovers and I think that he will be very useful as we approach the end of the season games.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Yes, that sub appearance was really disappointing. He’s had a back injury that kept him out for a couple of years. I had a back injury that affected me when playing but that was after 60 minutes or so. I’d be fine when I came on at first. So no excuses there.
 

I was really impressed when I first saw him play. I even thought to myself “ we’ve got another David Speedie here “. Since then I haven’t seen much of that.

[roversinmyblood]

1 hour ago, roversfan99 said:

The bottom sentence isn't a good general rule, you could literally say that about anyone, no matter how poor they look, conversely more players will fizzle out.

Butterworth always seems shattered almost instantly in his cameos, he was totally ineffective when he started and he is quite greedy, and doesn't work anywhere near hard enough.

I am not sure that he is that useful either. He should be either loaned or even let go full time in this window.

 

He has a good shot on him, but they all seem to go high and wide. I don’t think he has made a keeper make a save yet, the nearest he came was crashing his shot against the bar. Also, as you said he is greedy, like Armstrong, but without the rewards. He seems to have a little bit of pace and trickery, but generally loses it in the end. He doesn’t seem to be a team player though as he doesn’t look to set other players up when in possession. He’s not match fit maybe because he has not had enough game time. He definitely looked off on Monday night, but maybe he was carrying a slight injury, but was drafted in because they were so short of numbers. 
His greediness maybe because TM tells him to shoot on sight because of his shooting ability. I think that there is a player there, but he needs a good loan spell to build his confidence, strength and stamina. 

[SoldierMo]

No player can build a rhythm without a constant run of games…remember the rothwells and buckley who would play one game then dropped the next and make a cameo on the wing

[Miller11]

34 minutes ago, Ossydave said:

Something doesn't sit right with Butterworth.

I remember early season, it may even have been the first game when he came on as a second half sub.  He was brilliant, running at the opposition with pace.  He then went on to barely feature, even when we were struggling at times.

Then as other has said looked really sluggish the other night.  I know he's had injury problems, is he now scared to push himself as he doesn't want to do a hammy?  One particular incident stood out where he basically gave up trying to claim a ball that trickled out for a throw, I reckon at my tender age of 40 I'd easily have got to it.  You'd expect young players to be busting a gut, running themselves in the ground every time they get a chance at the first team...

I’ve been saying for a while that Butterworth just needed a goal and that would calm him down, take the pressure off, help him make better decisions, and he’d be away. That exact same incident on Monday stood out to me too though, it looked like he couldn’t be bothered. He bottled a 50/50 too, and it really wasn’t the game for shirkers.

Still think he has the potential to come good, but needs a marked improvement in attitude and application from what we saw against Boro.

Edited January 26, 2022 by Miller11

[Gav]

4 hours ago, Mattyblue said:

He’s not ‘excellent’ at this level, but he’s certainly a decent finisher.

But he has lot of work to do when it comes to control and using his height and strength.

Sounds like you're looking for the new Danny Graham, which Sam Gallagher will never be, he posses far more skill and pace than Graham and he isn't a target man and never will be unless he piles on the pounds like lard arse Kevin Davies. 

I agree he needs to work on his control, that comes with playing games at the high tempo we've adopted this season, but Gallagher is an excellent player at this level, a managers dream for his work ethic alone, Downing said the same on Monday, hence why he been given a new contract and quite right too. 

[Fraserkirky]

I am afraid we need impact off the bench in this here promotion push. Butterworth has not produced the goods so far and can't be relied upon. If we make a few more signings he will be sent out on loan. Needs it.

[lraC]

31 minutes ago, 1864roverite said:

The other night v Boro was a different type of scenario for him, we were under the cosh and he had to play a bit deeper which isn't his normal game.

I believe there is a very good player in Butterworth, he will come good but may benefit from a loan period especially for next season. His style of play will suit Rovers and I think that he will be very useful as we approach the end of the season games.

I agree and think we will see a lot more of him in the future and firmly believe he will make it.

[bluebruce]

I think Butterworth seriously needs to be loaned out. We won't find out from him making infrequent sub appearances whether he is worth extending his deal. Loan him out, use Chapman and Vale as the emergency cover.

And of course, sign another attacker.

[Mattyblue]

15 minutes ago, Gav said:

Sounds like you're looking for the new Danny Graham, which Sam Gallagher will never be, he posses far more skill and pace than Graham and he isn't a target man and never will be unless he piles on the pounds like lard arse Kevin Davies. 

I agree he needs to work on his control, that comes with playing games at the high tempo we've adopted this season, but Gallagher is an excellent player at this level, a managers dream for his work ethic alone, Downing said the same on Monday, hence why he been given a new contract and quite right too. 

No, I’m looking for SG to use the size and strength he already has better. I like him, works hard and the tools are there for him to improve, but come off it Gav, he isn’t an ‘excellent player’ currently.

[glen9mullan]

1 hour ago, BigUts said:

I work in data and the old addage of lies, damn lies and statistics often rings true 🙂

 

But I get the point entirely. He was much improved on Monday and I celebrated as much as anybody when he scored. The goal and subsequent result could be a huge moment in the history for our club.

I think we can all agree that Gallagher doesn't make the most of his available facets and that in reality the most who are annoyed are in reality frustrated. We see passing glimpses of the potential for a very good footballer he needs to string it all together.

My issues with him:

1. Depends which Gallagher turns up in terms of effort. I've seen games where he is tracking back, putting immense tackles on (alas 88th minute on Monday), last minute blocks, headers in our box and really putting a shift in defensively. On the other hand from an attacking point of view. I dont see him busting a gut enough off the ball, chasing their defenders down with any real determination, its usually a token effort. His work off the ball, making space for others is at times just none existent. You will see Khadra, Buckley, Brereton etc 15 yards further away close down the man which  Gallagher is just 10 yards from.

2. I find him very wasteful in possession, he gives it away more than he retains it.

3. Playing were he is played most of the time can be a thankless task, but if its the job he's asked to do, then he needs to do it effectively for 90 minutes. I genuinely dont think the opposition defenders in most cases think they've been in a battle marking Gallagher for 90 minute. He makes it easy for them to bring the ball down, and stroll out of defence. Where our defenders are walking off the pitch with battle wounds, broken noses and they are being roughed up.

4. Strangely many of his memorable moments are in our last third and not theirs, hence his poor goal return across his whole career.

218 games, 41 goals at 26, and double figures just once is the statistic he should be judged on, we paid £5 million for him to score goals.

He scored a lovely goal Monday, but I do not buy into he was outstanding, far from it. His positional sense off the ball or when to run across a defender, or when to peel off was awful, its basics. 

I played centre forward at a decent level until well into my 30s, and i just dont see the desire in Gallagher to bust a gut for the team. I wish i'd been 6 foot 5 or whatever he is. As a striker who was 5.9 I was scoring double figures in just headers alone.

The low of averages is if you get minutes you will eventually score a goal, as per Monday. As stated can't knock his effort in our box, but in their box he is certainly no Tom Eaves.

[Exiled_Rover]

1 hour ago, Ossydave said:

Something doesn't sit right with Butterworth.

I remember early season, it may even have been the first game when he came on as a second half sub.  He was brilliant, running at the opposition with pace.  He then went on to barely feature, even when we were struggling at times.

Then as other has said looked really sluggish the other night.  I know he's had injury problems, is he now scared to push himself as he doesn't want to do a hammy?  One particular incident stood out where he basically gave up trying to claim a ball that trickled out for a throw, I reckon at my tender age of 40 I'd easily have got to it.  You'd expect young players to be busting a gut, running themselves in the ground every time they get a chance at the first team...

I honestly don't think he has any sort of stamina (or 'gas tank' as they'd refer to it in the UFC).

He came on with half an hour to go against (I think) Hull at Ewood earlier in the season and looked sensational for 15 minutes. He was blowing out of his arse for the other 15 mins. 

I assume this is due to his past injuries - but maybe he knows how hard he can go, which is why he throttles back so much even when on as a sub for 30 mins. Obviously he can't make it at this level with that sort of fitness. 

[Exiled_Rover]

12 minutes ago, Mattyblue said:

No, I’m looking for SG to use the size and strength he already has better. I like him, works hard and the tools are there for him to improve, but come off it Gav, he isn’t an ‘excellent player’ currently.

I want the Gallagher that turns up in our box to turn up in the opposition's box. 

He's a colossus when it comes to defensive headers.

[Darwen Rover 007]

Don't mean to cause offence, but any chance we can split our specific player chat to their own thread please? 

 

Any news on this mystery foreign signing? 

[darrenrover]

2 hours ago, rigger said:

Aren't Southampton the nearest team to Bournemouth ?

Yep and Southampton have only won 1 FA Cup in 1976. You know how many we've won @rigger! 😉😃.

Let's extend the 'south west' to the south coast......they've won feck all between them!

We're Blackburn Rovers, puff your chest out!!!

Edited January 26, 2022 by darrenrover

[bigbrandjohn]

16 hours ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

I remember watching that Bournemouth team. They were really good at that level. They had two flying wingers, Harry Redknapp ( yes, that Harry, he could play ) and a lad called Alan Groves who was amazing. He had it all but he could be a bit naughty. Should have played at top level. He later moved to Blackpool after a spell at Oldham. He died very young of a heart attack just after signing for Blackpool, during a bout of horizontal jogging allegedly.

“In October 1972 he was sold for £40,000 to AFC Bournemouth,^[1] for whom he played a year before beginning a long spell with Oldham Athletic in February 1974. According to Harry Redknapp, Groves was not happy with the move, and during a match against Bournemouth after scoring a goal, Groves dribbled the ball to the Bournemouth dugout and kicked the ball at Trevor Hartley, the manager who had sold him.” 
 

credit: Wikipedia

[neophox]

Sam Burns hit a brace in league two for Scunthorpe. Alot of potential hopefully there.

[bigbrandjohn]

A bit off topic but how great is it to read quotes like this from a loanee. Class player and class individual. What a unique situation from many perspectives.  
 

https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/19875754.wonderful-place---harvey-elliott-blackburn-rovers-return/

[magicalmortensleftpeg]

5 minutes ago, bigbrandjohn said:

A bit off topic but how great is it to read quotes like this from a loanee. Class player and class individual. What a unique situation from many perspectives.  
 

https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/19875754.wonderful-place---harvey-elliott-blackburn-rovers-return/

Really impressed with his attitude. No need to come back last night but clearly enjoyed his time here and wanted to be a part of it. Class act. Hope he goes right to the top. If he stays fit from now on it wouldn’t shock me if he’s a bolter for the WC squad.

Be interesting to hear the reception for Trybull and Douglas when they return..

[Mattyblue]

I actually had to rack my brain then to remember who the feck ‘Douglas’ was… completely blanked last season out of my mind.

[RevidgeBlue]

Slow day on the transfer front then?

Only 5 more days to go, have to pull our fingers out otherwise it'll be yet another extremely disappointing window given the position we're in.