January Transfer Window.

[tomphil]

2 hours ago, Sweaty Gussets said:

CB or DM I think I read when he arrived. 

He's not a FB. I presume he was played there because there was nobody else. At least I hope that was the case. 

Mowbray didn't exactly leave a group of decent FB's behind. 

He's quite lively so why don't they give him a go in his actual DM position because playing him in defence is ruining his confidence and he's a liability.

[Paul Mani]

9 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

Szmodics may not be on par with Hirst in terms of impact but he wouldn't make our best 11 and I think more often than not he is ineffectual. It told me a lot that Peterborough fans seemed unconcerned by his departure and with a track record of success at League 1 but not really beyond that, and him being not at an age where we are likely to make a profit on him, also factoring in a decent fee, I certainly wouldn't deem it as a successful signing. Maybe a 5 out of 10 if you are being generous. Morton plays unconditionally in what I think is our weakest area of the pitch and only rarely does he excel IMO, again 5 out of 10 at a push.

Neither have unconditionally failed like the 2 dollopers (Hirst and Mola) but there is a middle ground between a success like Hyam who has slotted in very well indeed.

The best right back of the Venkys tenure is not an award to be proud of, but he cannot be deemed a success until he stays fit. He has looked pretty steady when he has played (in his correct position) but until he does stay fit across a length period of time, it is a case of if my aunty had bollocks she would be my aunty. 

There are lots of other variables, emerging youngsters (absolute nonsense that Mowbray wouldn't have brought them through, he brought through plenty through) and injury recoverys included, but I was just judging just the transfer window which I think was bang average.

What further insider information could make any difference in judging the deal?

I don't see how you see a plan from Venkys. They have allowed the putting together (and subsequent tearing apart) of backroom teams throughout their time here, the transfer window was not a stand out one and they continue to allow assets (Brereton) to run their contracts down. We have seen new deals signed throughout the years, Kaminski, Travis, Dolan, Buckley again, Scott Wharton, Dack etc, but its on the most valuable assets where we literally have bids on the table that get fucked up.

I’ve explained my rationale re 4 of the 6 having a positive impact on our current position, based on the mess we were in when 6 of our first 15 left in the summer.

Re The Irish fullback…we don’t have a clue about what went on. So it looks odd, but without the benefit of any context we’re just guessing.

Re The Plan - it’s a simple as this. The summer was the first time they’ve appointed a strategic figure AND that party openly talked about ‘a plan’ 👍🏼

The world would be very odd if we all held the same opinions. I’ve provided mine on all of the above points. Judging on the interaction and individuals who’ve contacted me personally to show their agreement, I think it’s fair to say those opinions are shared with some on here.

Completely understand that you don’t feel the same. Hope you can respect my opinion and leave it there 👍🏼

[Mattyblue]

Brittain, looks a decent player, but surely can’t be deemed a successful signing if he misses the majority of games.

[roversfan99]

I don't get how this was anything other than a normal, civilised debate, I am not sure of the purpose of the need either of people contacting you privately or indeed the patting yourself on the back afterwards. Absolutely bizarre.

Regarding the Brown signing, I don't understand what could possibly come to light that could add context. Just a cheap signing that hasn't and probably won't work out. 

 

[Sweaty Gussets]

1 minute ago, roversfan99 said:

don't get how this was anything other than a normal, civilised debate, I am not sure of the purpose of the need either of people contacting you privately or indeed the patting yourself on the back afterwards. Absolutely bizarre.

Haha, what's gone on 'ere then?

[Ossydave]

Whilst not the main position to fill, what's gone on with Janik Vestergaard at Leicester? Seems to just be an unused sub most weeks? Someone I really rated at Southampton and would be a belting loan signings if someone could persuade them to let him go.

[Paul Mani]

37 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

I don't get how this was anything other than a normal, civilised debate, I am not sure of the purpose of the need either of people contacting you privately or indeed the patting yourself on the back afterwards. Absolutely bizarre.

Regarding the Brown signing, I don't understand what could possibly come to light that could add context. Just a cheap signing that hasn't and probably won't work out. 

 

And just because you don’t understand it doesn’t mean it’s not possible pal.

Happy new year 👍🏼

[bigbrandjohn]

Looking at some of these Premier results, I wouldn’t be surprised if someone offered 10 million quid for Diaz. West Ham in particular need someone now. 

[Guest]

11 minutes ago, bigbrandjohn said:

Looking at some of these Premier results, I wouldn’t be surprised if someone offered 10 million quid for Diaz. West Ham in particular need someone now. 

Aye but it has all gone very quiet since the end of November on that one.. No doubt some club or other will come sniffing around, but I can't see there being a large wad being left on the table to tempt the lad elsewhere at this point.

In terms of incomings, this is as big a test of the new management set up as there is likely to be - they've had a good chance to run the rule over the squad they inherited, plus to bed in the players they brought in. They have also had the benefit of meeting all of the opposing clubs in the division at least once, and can no doubt see where we are lacking in comparison. Question is, are there the resources and commitment to do something about it, and is there an appetite to try to take the club forward? 

Talk is cheap, and actions always speak louder than words. So let's see what JDT / Broughton / Venkys actually DO at this point, as we face a real crossroads at the mid point of the season.

For me, I think we need:

1) A hard tackling attacking midfield player with a bit of experience, to steady up and lead the centre of the pitch

2) A decent front man capable of holding the ball up and bringing others into play, with an eye for goal himself (also experienced)

3) A centre forward looking to get into dangerous space and hungry to score (i.e. not just to be in the space like Gallagher)

4) A bloke with a white hot brazier and branding iron to shove up JDT's arse when the team is fannying around and giving away cheap possession in dangerous areas

That would sort it.

[Blue blood]

2 hours ago, Hasta said:

Brittain has been decent when he plays. Not sure he’s an upgrade on Nyambe but in the position the new team found themselves in he was a good signing.

Hyam has been a good signing when we needed a solid Championship defender. I’d rather have managed to grab JPVH as I think he is a level above and could improve. Had we got him it would have been an investment, which Hyam isn’t. However he is an upgrade on Lenihan so that can be seen as a good signing.

Morton is a funny one. Started off looking a good loan signing, but during this terrible run starting with the Burnley game is has been poor. Teams seem to play past him easily and he gets drawn to the ball instead of his man often. He’s ok, but I’d rather the loans either filled gaps or added something special. In this case he may well be blocking what we already have who may well be as good. Probably needs a spell out the side.

Szmodics looks a good league one player to me who struggles to have an impact at this level. At £1.8million plus any add ones I’m not sure it was the best use of resources.

Mola has gradually been exposed as pretty terrible.

George Hirst has also looked terrible. If you watch his Portsmouth highlights you’d be surprised it’s the same player, but he just cannot do anything on or off the ball to create anything. At least I’ve seen glimpses from Vale. I’ve seen nothing from Hirst. One thing that isn’t his fault was the “he was our number one target” quote. Can’t remember if it was GB or JDT who said it, but I bet they wished they hadn’t as it doesn’t reflect well on their summer efforts.

Therefore I’d say from the summer two good, one ok, one underwhelming and 2 poor.

 

An excellent summary which I think most would struggle to argue with. Only things I would add are:

Brittain being able to play lb in our squad is another plus for him. I always say we can't afford to carry injury prone players and his appearance record is hovering just above making him not worth the money. Like Ayala a club like ours cannot afford numerous players, with long layoffs even for top quality. However as it's hovering above that I'd say it's a good signing, albeit one which was unnecessary if we had treated Nayambe better but that's not on the player. 

Szmodics I think will be judged in light of how much is spent (by us and other teams) over the next couple of transfer windows. If we don't spend much in Jan or next summer than it looks a poor transfer. Certainly if we say had picked up £6 million for Bereton and Szmodics was a third of that you'd feel it's not been reinvested that well. However he's done ok, shown some promise and from the comments when he signed seems to fit the blueprint. So lots of reasons to be optimistic too. 

Morton imo is a waste as he's not good enough to really enhance the team so just blocks out own players progression. Hard to measure but I feel the missed opportunity costs with him are going to be huge. Plus we all know we needed a hard man with experience in there. 

I think when you consider what resources we have available then it looks not that well spent. To have only 2 qualified successes in there is a poor return. A bit of leeway is given for the paper thin squad inherited and the late appointment, but still...

[onlyoneDuff]

We have no pacey wingers who can beat a man and put a cross in..we have no midfielders who can put a real tackle in nor one who can beat a man with the ball at his feet..our best are starved for service...much us needed and I have doubts the DOF can deliver..

Edited...I do rate both Dolan and young Wharton and think they should be first on the team sheets

Edited December 31, 2022 by onlyoneDuff

[Leonard Venkhater]

4 hours ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

He binned him off for that monumental fuck up against City at Ewood. He never played for the first team again after that.  I’d have done exactly the same - a brain dead bit of play. I hope he’s smarter now.

...and Sam Gallagher v PNE at home in relegation season?

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

25 minutes ago, Shirley Crabtree Wrestler said:

Aye but it has all gone very quiet since the end of November on that one.. No doubt some club or other will come sniffing around, but I can't see there being a large wad being left on the table to tempt the lad elsewhere at this point.

In terms of incomings, this is as big a test of the new management set up as there is likely to be - they've had a good chance to run the rule over the squad they inherited, plus to bed in the players they brought in. They have also had the benefit of meeting all of the opposing clubs in the division at least once, and can no doubt see where we are lacking in comparison. Question is, are there the resources and commitment to do something about it, and is there an appetite to try to take the club forward? 

Talk is cheap, and actions always speak louder than words. So let's see what JDT / Broughton / Venkys actually DO at this point, as we face a real crossroads at the mid point of the season.

For me, I think we need:

1) A hard tackling attacking midfield player with a bit of experience, to steady up and lead the centre of the pitch

2) A decent front man capable of holding the ball up and bringing others into play, with an eye for goal himself (also experienced)

3) A centre forward looking to get into dangerous space and hungry to score (i.e. not just to be in the space like Gallagher)

4) A bloke with a white hot brazier and branding iron to shove up JDT's arse when the team is fannying around and giving away cheap possession in dangerous areas

That would sort it.

BBD’s value goes down every week. The way his form is at the moment we’d be lucky to get back what we paid for him.

[Rover_in_the_South]

A whole new team? 

Thank you! 

[dingles staying down 4ever]

44 minutes ago, onlyoneDuff said:

We have no pacey wingers who can beat a man and put a cross in..we have no midfielders who can put a real tackle in nor one who can beat a man with the ball at his feet..our best are starved for service...much us needed and I have doubts the DOF can deliver..

Edited...I do rate both Dolan and young Wharton and think they should be first on the team sheets

Dolan is a headless chicken, Wharton at best is worthy of cameo appearances.....agree with the rest

[dingles staying down 4ever]

30 minutes ago, Leonard Venkhater said:

...and Sam Gallagher v PNE at home in relegation season?

he also got binned. Only problem the manager who binned him bought him a season later.

[dingles staying down 4ever]

51 minutes ago, Shirley Crabtree Wrestler said:

Aye but it has all gone very quiet since the end of November on that one.. No doubt some club or other will come sniffing around, but I can't see there being a large wad being left on the table to tempt the lad elsewhere at this point.

In terms of incomings, this is as big a test of the new management set up as there is likely to be - they've had a good chance to run the rule over the squad they inherited, plus to bed in the players they brought in. They have also had the benefit of meeting all of the opposing clubs in the division at least once, and can no doubt see where we are lacking in comparison. Question is, are there the resources and commitment to do something about it, and is there an appetite to try to take the club forward? 

Talk is cheap, and actions always speak louder than words. So let's see what JDT / Broughton / Venkys actually DO at this point, as we face a real crossroads at the mid point of the season.

For me, I think we need:

1) A hard tackling attacking midfield player with a bit of experience, to steady up and lead the centre of the pitch

2) A decent front man capable of holding the ball up and bringing others into play, with an eye for goal himself (also experienced)

3) A centre forward looking to get into dangerous space and hungry to score (i.e. not just to be in the space like Gallagher)

4) A bloke with a white hot brazier and branding iron to shove up JDT's arse when the team is fannying around and giving away cheap possession in dangerous areas

That would sort it.

so 20 to 30 million should sort us out....I can think or 20 to 30 million reasons the three players you require arent going to materialise

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

9 minutes ago, dingles staying down 4ever said:

he also got binned. Only problem the manager who binned him bought him a season later.

And paid good money for him.

[dingles staying down 4ever]

4 minutes ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

And paid good money for him.

and played him right wing

[Hasta]

25 minutes ago, dingles staying down 4ever said:

Dolan is a headless chicken, Wharton at best is worthy of cameo appearances.....agree with the rest

That's harsh. Dolan can be limited but has 3 goals and 4 assists in 879 minutes of Championship football. Thats a goal involvement every 1.4 games. Plus you get the work rate to go with it.

Let's put this into comparison with the other attack minded players.

Dolan 3g / 4a / 879m / Contribution to a goal every 1.4 games

Szmodics 3g / 1a / 912m / Contribution 2.5

Gallagher 3g / 1a / 1263m / Contribution 3.5

Dack 1g / 1a / 642m / Contribution 3.6

HIrst 0g /0a / 272m / ZERO CONTRIBUTION

Vale 0g / 0a / 303m / ZERO CONTRIBUTION

 

I think Dolan is far from the problem with our team at the moment. Ideally I would have him in every starting line up 

Brereton, out of interest, comes out at 9g / 3a / 2164 / Contribution 2.0

 

 

[tomphil]

44 minutes ago, dingles staying down 4ever said:

Dolan is a headless chicken, Wharton at best is worthy of cameo appearances.....agree with the rest

The same Dolan who basically got us 3 valuable points at Norwich ?

Same Dolan who has come on several times this season to defend from the front and run himself into the ground to help guard a lead.

Same Dolan who cost nothing is still a young player and has numerous assists and goals here ?

Some headless chicken that, in reality he's is one of the most useful members of the squad here.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

7 minutes ago, tomphil said:

The same Dolan who basically got us 3 valuable points at Norwich ?

Same Dolan who has come on several times this season to defend from the front and run himself into the ground to help guard a lead.

Same Dolan who cost nothing is still a young player and has numerous assists and goals here ?

Some headless chicken that, in reality he's is one of the most useful members of the squad here.

We’re missing his enthusiasm now.

[chaddyrovers]

3 hours ago, Paul Mani said:

Football needs real planning and a formula. I have never seen either from Venkys until the summer. The appointment of GB in theory is their first move towards a strategic approach and we’ve seen some players sign extensions since so fingers crossed 🤞🏽 

Exactly Paul. We are only barely 6 months into this new footballing strategy and people are expecting instant results. the recruitment department has had to be rebuild by Broughton and Williams. They now got what they want in terms of scouting, video analysis and date researching. Over the coming years we will see this improving the quality of signings we bring in as long as we stick with it. 

3 hours ago, Underground, Roverground said:

Agree with this.

Over the past 15 years I’ve seen very little evidence of a coherent strategy. Much more a case of taking each season as it comes with a raft of loans (some very good, admittedly such as Elliot and van Hecke and others not so adept), meaning that every season felt like a case of being back to square 1. The summer appointments at least sounded like the introduction of a longer term strategy, identity and plan and in fairness the early evidence with contracts backs that up too. 

 

However it’s very early days, and often when a strategy is implemented in any business the early showings can be inconsistent and at times ugly as those within it try to adapt. 

Excellent post and please keep them coming

2 hours ago, roversfan99 said:

I don't see how you see a plan from Venkys. They have allowed the putting together (and subsequent tearing apart) of backroom teams throughout their time here, the transfer window was not a stand out one and they continue to allow assets (Brereton) to run their contracts down. We have seen new deals signed throughout the years, Kaminski, Travis, Dolan, Buckley again, Scott Wharton, Dack etc, but its on the most valuable assets where we literally have bids on the table that get fucked up.

Blimey, we are only 6 months into the plan. This is long term strategy and need patience and time from all fans. 

Didn't we sell Armstrong for 15 million? 

Why would you sell your key player BBD for such low ball offer? 

30 minutes ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

BBD’s value goes down every week. The way his form is at the moment we’d be lucky to get back what we paid for him.

We barely got offers above what we paid for him last summer 

[tomphil]

3 minutes ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

We’re missing his enthusiasm now.

Very much so and he's one of the rare people we have who can make a difference when he comes on or starts a game and we go on the front foot.

If he comes on at Sunderland at the right time i'd wager we don't lose that game.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Any strategy or long term planning at Ewood is doomed to failure because it will be built on sand. You can’t run a football club with the owners permanently on the other side of the planet with their fingers in their ears. What would happen at the company you work for if the top echelon of management suddenly vanished ? I know what would happen at the places I worked at.

Think for yourself. Don’t look at what they say, look at what they do.

You’re fast becoming the “ Chemical Ali “ of Ewood Park.