That *was* the January Window

[Upside Down]

5 hours ago, Old Codger said:

A couple of wins on the trot and all will be well, on the surface at least. Behind the scenes, dark shadows continue to beleaguer our once proud club. Oh I know that it isn't all champagne and caviar at other clubs, but most fans haven't had the weirdness we've had to endure since the absent ones took leave of their senses and signed their sense away.

You have to laugh - most hostages subjected to this level of abuse for 13 plus years would probably have developed Stockholm syndrome by now, and gone over to the dark side... Oh, hang on...

Invasion of the body snatchers I tell you.

Hahaha gold.

[CambridgeRover]

Still no replacements in for Travis and Hill.

Dear me

[Exiled_Rover]

9 hours ago, RoversClitheroe said:

I think Szmodics is a steal at £8-£10m I'd put him ahead of Armstrong in terms of quality.

I think he could step up.

I don't think he can. £10m would be a bonkers deal for us - one we simply couldn't turn down. 

[Paul Mellelieu]

33 minutes ago, CambridgeRover said:

Still no replacements in for Travis and Hill.

Dear me

We have no money.  

[Ricky]

1 hour ago, CambridgeRover said:

Still no replacements in for Travis and Hill.

Dear me

The club will probably argue that Buckley is the Travis replacement.

[chaddyrovers]

1 hour ago, CambridgeRover said:

Still no replacements in for Travis and Hill.

Dear me

Not alot of movement in Championship yet. 

Still need 4 in at least. CB, CM, RW and striker. 

I think we sell Gallagher in this window 

[Old Codger]

1 hour ago, Exiled_Rover said:

I don't think he can. £10m would be a bonkers deal for us - one we simply couldn't turn down. 

Step forward any successful suitors I say, and watch as even more Rovers stalwarts (including me) turn their back on the club for treating them like simpletons. We have been very lucky to enjoy the windfall of Szmodic's goals this season, and his workrate is a testament to his quality. Take his goals and workrate away though, and the remainder of this season suddenly looks less than positive, especially as everyone including JDT knows that any money coming in ain't being spent on qualty replacements (or much else than the Wassock's salary).

Sing along folks...

 

[TheRevAshton]

3 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

Not alot of movement in Championship yet. 

Still need 4 in at least. CB, CM, RW and striker. 

I think we sell Gallagher in this window 

I don't think Gallagher is going anywhere.

Money from his sale would not be reinvested, JDT and Gregg know this - so they won't let him go.

[Roverthechimp]

8 minutes ago, Ricky said:

The club will probably argue that Buckley is the Travis replacement.

I think this is why Travis was shown the door - Buckley returning 

nothing to do with football - purely wagewise

[Roverthechimp]

1 minute ago, TheRevAshton said:

I don't think Gallagher is going anywhere.

Money from his sale would not be reinvested, JDT and Gregg know this - so they won't let him go.

I suspect this is part of why Ennis must be loaned out and soon - easier to then argue that Gallagher is needed (numbers wise - ability is judged to be of secondary importance by our leadership)

[ben_the_beast]

On Pears, I don't think he's a great keeper but I do think we'll look a lot more solid with him between the sticks simply because Wahlstedt has be so, so abysmal. Talk of keepers struggling to command their area is common, but I've never in my life seen a keeper as bad at it as him. 

Pears to me is a lower Championship quality goalkeeper. He's got a mistake in him, but he also pulls off a few good saves and though his positioning can be questionable at times, his command of the box will be significantly better than Wahlstedt. 

He'll be a major improvement, not because he's great, but because the bar is so unbelievably low right now.

Edited January 16, 2024 by ben_the_beast

[RoversClitheroe]

Interesting that Anel Ahmedhodžić is out of favour at Sheffield United

[Ricky]

24 minutes ago, ben_the_beast said:

On Pears, I don't think he's a great keeper but I do think we'll look a lot more solid with him between the sticks simply because Wahlstedt has be so, so abysmal. Talk of keepers struggling to command their area is common, but I've never in my life seen a keeper as bad at it as him. 

Pears to me is a lower Championship quality goalkeeper. He's got a mistake in him, but he also pulls off a few good saves and though his positioning can be questionable at times, his command of the box will be significantly better than Wahlstedt. 

He'll be a major improvement, not because he's great, but because the bar is so unbelievably low right now.

Why did the scouting not pick up that Leo couldn’t catch a fucking cold! Surely we watched him. Or was it just a case of seeing that someone had bid for him and not wanting to miss out.

stinks that we blew any money that we had on him when he looks very very poor. Can’t see him ever being any more than a back up.

[neophox]

23 minutes ago, RoversClitheroe said:

Interesting that Anel Ahmedhodžić is out of favour at Sheffield United

Interesting maybe we will try for him on loan.

[JHRover]

1 hour ago, Roverthechimp said:

I think this is why Travis was shown the door - Buckley returning 

nothing to do with football - purely wagewise

Aye, and Buckley was shown the door in the summer on deadline day to free up the wages for Hill and Telalovic.

Hand to mouth existence. Venkys out.

[BankEnd Rover]

10 minutes ago, neophox said:

Interesting maybe we will try for him on loan.

Sadly no chance but he is exactly what we need at the back.

[Neal]

35 minutes ago, RoversClitheroe said:

Interesting that Anel Ahmedhodžić is out of favour at Sheffield United

Wonder if they'd bite a deal involving Scotty? Can imagine him in a Sheff United shirt. 

[islander200]

Anel isn't out of favour at Sheffield United 

He is being eyed by bigger clubs and they will be making a profit if they do sell

[KentExile]

54 minutes ago, RoversClitheroe said:

Interesting that Anel Ahmedhodžić is out of favour at Sheffield United

He isn't.  He is their captain currently, missed the last game with suspension

https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/anel-ahmedhodzic/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/377468/wettbewerb/GB1/saison/2023

[Roverthechimp]

37 minutes ago, Ricky said:

Why did the scouting not pick up that Leo couldn’t catch a fucking cold! Surely we watched him. Or was it just a case of seeing that someone had bid for him and not wanting to miss out.

stinks that we blew any money that we had on him when he looks very very poor. Can’t see him ever being any more than a back up.

Actually could see the potential and logic IF he was 20-21 but at 24 he should be further on to justify a fee.

Also to be fair - he has the Marx brothers defending in front of him and (yes I know it is bollox but…) statistically was way ahead of Pears prior to the weekend.

All that said - right now we need Pears to come in and Wahlstedt to work hard in training and maybe level up muscle wise…

[Old Codger]

41 minutes ago, Ricky said:

Why did the scouting not pick up that Leo couldn’t catch a fucking cold! Surely we watched him. Or was it just a case of seeing that someone had bid for him and not wanting to miss out.

stinks that we blew any money that we had on him when he looks very very poor. Can’t see him ever being any more than a back up.

Powder puff defending starts with a powder puff keeper. Even if your goalie is young and somewhat stick thin, you need him to demonstrate some flair, capability and self-confidence when between the sticks. Problem for Leo is he doesn't appear to have it in him to be a bit crazy and come barging through his own players to claim the ball. Your goalie needs to be a ball magnet and a beast, not timid, tepid and teflon. As with all players, confidence plays a big part, and no doubt Leo's confidence is shot to pieces at the moment. But we cannot afford to continue with the same suicidal approach to defending, and whilst a large share of the responsibility for getting the basics right rests on Leo's shoulders, I am worried that he hasn't got the experience or self-confidence to deal with it.

Back to basics for me, folks. Bring on the brass knee-caps and knuckle-dusters and let's start fighting for a change, starting with no-nonsense row z clearances and desperate lunges to be first to the ball anywhere in our 18 yard area. If no-one is coming in, we will be needing JDT and the current crop to cop on and do the necessary. Starting on Saturday. Feck the tippy tappy look at me in the shop window fancy dan football. Give me hoof ball and a clean sheet for the next 10 games, and the other end will take care of itself.

[rigger]

3 minutes ago, Old Codger said:

Powder puff defending starts with a powder puff keeper. Even if your goalie is young and somewhat stick thin, you need him to demonstrate some flair, capability and self-confidence when between the sticks. Problem for Leo is he doesn't appear to have it in him to be a bit crazy and come barging through his own players to claim the ball. Your goalie needs to be a ball magnet and a beast, not timid, tepid and teflon. As with all players, confidence plays a big part, and no doubt Leo's confidence is shot to pieces at the moment. But we cannot afford to continue with the same suicidal approach to defending, and whilst a large share of the responsibility for getting the basics right rests on Leo's shoulders, I am worried that he hasn't got the experience or self-confidence to deal with it.

Back to basics for me, folks. Bring on the brass knee-caps and knuckle-dusters and let's start fighting for a change, starting with no-nonsense row z clearances and desperate lunges to be first to the ball anywhere in our 18 yard area. If no-one is coming in, we will be needing JDT and the current crop to cop on and do the necessary. Starting on Saturday. Feck the tippy tappy look at me in the shop window fancy dan football. Give me hoof ball and a clean sheet for the next 10 games, and the other end will take care of itself.

I am still convinced that a lot of our problems start with our training regime. Never in the clips that are released do we see, defending of dead balls being practiced. I know this might be boring to watch, but the clips released do give the impression that all the players practice is one touch and shot stopping, is that true ?

[pick32]

Mourinho just been fired again, he is welcome to come park his bus on Ewood Park anytime he likes 

[Rogerb]

3 minutes ago, pick32 said:

Mourinho just been fired again, he is welcome to come park his bus on Ewood Park anytime he likes 

There was a time when we would have been talked about as being in the frame for the likes of Mourinho.

[J*B]

6 minutes ago, pick32 said:

Mourinho just been fired again, he is welcome to come park his bus on Ewood Park anytime he likes 

Unfortunately the bus is leased, not owned as the CEO publicly declared, therefore he can only park the bus on certain days of the week under the lease agreement.