v Luton Town (h) - 14/12/2024

[Exiled_Rover]

3 hours ago, onlyonejackwalker said:

I wish fans would stop flapping about the January window.

We've not needed a star striker to win six on the bounce. Everyone panicked when Travis was suspended. Fans were worried last week when Cantwell was out. JRC was apparently a major worry with Brittain missing. Pickering coming in was supposedly disastrous. We will never get in the play-offs with Hedges and Dolan. As to butterfingers in goal, has anyone noticed he's hasn't conceded for seven and a half hours?

I'd take Sammie on loan or similar. Or another Beck on loan. Failing that if it aint broke don't fix it.

Im not saying we cant improve. But January is a notorously difficult window to recruit well. I'd rather struggle a tad than upset harmony and team spirit which is priceless when compared to an average back up center half. 

I think team harmony and spirit would be fine if we brought in a flying winger who would run past his man and score  / create goals. 

[Exiled_Rover]

9 minutes ago, Paul Mani said:

Really? You think Baker can do what Trav and Sonny do?

He has done throughout his career, so yes. 

[Hasta]

1 hour ago, simongarnerisgod said:

ward was in a half decent side that should`nt have been in relegation trouble,and would`nt have been if it had`nt been for the  questionable appointment of brian kidd,he was a miserable excuse of a centre forward who kept missing chances that were easier to score,iv`e no interest in his stats from other clubs

Hmm. Ward came in during January in the season we went down and scored 5 goals in 17 starts against the likes of Chelsea, Villa, Everton.

He then scored 7 against championship opposition in a full season.

Whereas Chris Brown couldn’t score against Championship defences full stop.

In the battle of “who was shitter”, Brown take this hands down before you even look at the stats from other clubs.

[because of boxing day]

5 hours ago, simongarnerisgod said:

ashley ward trumps them both😀

I’ll raise you a JohnO’Mara and or Frank Lord!!

[roversfan99]

1 hour ago, chaddyrovers said:

Yes true, but given that if we can sign the striker winger with pace and centre back then we can achieve top 6 by end of the season. 

Do you agree it going to be hard to find a quality striker signing that will improve us taking into account our likely budget aswell as number of other Championship teams will be looking for one? Maybe we should take a gamble on a striker from Europe or striker in form in League 1 or take a risk on young Striker from PL team? 

It is, its time for the owners to finally spend a bit considering our position and recent sales proceeds. But they wont, they never do.

I have no idea who we should sign and there are people that should be in a much better position to me to come up with someone, although Gestede's last effort wasnt very good.

[roversfan99]

1 hour ago, Paul Mani said:

Really? You think Baker can do what Trav and Sonny do?

No one could to the same level on our budget and more importantly willing to sit and wait.

Whereas up front and out wide, we need someone to potentially come into the starting 11, and in defence we are an injury away from having no real alternative. Compared to those 3, having Baker as immediate cover is considerably less of an issue.

[roverandout]

4 hours ago, onlyonejackwalker said:

I wish fans would stop flapping about the January window.

We've not needed a star striker to win six on the bounce. Everyone panicked when Travis was suspended. Fans were worried last week when Cantwell was out. JRC was apparently a major worry with Brittain missing. Pickering coming in was supposedly disastrous. We will never get in the play-offs with Hedges and Dolan. As to butterfingers in goal, has anyone noticed he's hasn't conceded for seven and a half hours?

I'd take Sammie on loan or similar. Or another Beck on loan. Failing that if it aint broke don't fix it.

Im not saying we cant improve. But January is a notorously difficult window to recruit well. I'd rather struggle a tad than upset harmony and team spirit which is priceless when compared to an average back up center half. 

Thats dangerous talk. To say we don't need to sign anyone is the kind of situation where a club can go backwards.  We definitely need another forward as I've no faith in yuki or ghueye getting into double figured

[onlyonejackwalker]

9 hours ago, roverandout said:

Thats dangerous talk. To say we don't need to sign anyone is the kind of situation where a club can go backwards.  We definitely need another forward as I've no faith in yuki or ghueye getting into double figured

Its not a fluke we are in the play offs. It's hard to process, but maybe we are better than we think. At some stage we need to start believing in those that have got us this far. Our keeper especially as he stands alone.

To cover for injuries, loss of form and suspensions we actually need another centre half, another central midfielder, another winger, another no 10 and another striker,

Which isn't going to happen. Many fans therefore will be flapping. Which illustrates my point. 

In reality, we dont need just another striker.  We need a striker scoring 10 to 12 goals between now and the end of May.  But that costs about 10 million and 50k a week.

 

[BRFC4EVA]

14 hours ago, onlyonejackwalker said:

I wish fans would stop flapping about the January window.

We've not needed a star striker to win six on the bounce. Everyone panicked when Travis was suspended. Fans were worried last week when Cantwell was out. JRC was apparently a major worry with Brittain missing. Pickering coming in was supposedly disastrous. We will never get in the play-offs with Hedges and Dolan. As to butterfingers in goal, has anyone noticed he's hasn't conceded for seven and a half hours?

I'd take Sammie on loan or similar. Or another Beck on loan. Failing that if it aint broke don't fix it.

Im not saying we cant improve. But January is a notorously difficult window to recruit well. I'd rather struggle a tad than upset harmony and team spirit which is priceless when compared to an average back up center half. 

Sorry, each to their own etc, but this is complete madness. Have we learned nothing from 21-22 and 22-23?! We've been in this exact position in 2 out of the 3 last seasons, didn't strengthen and complete F'ed up the 2nd half of the season. Doesn't mean the same thing will happen this year, but come on, let's give ourselves a chance!!

Edited December 16, 2024 by BRFC4EVA

[Mattyblue]

Exactly. It is what it is as these owners just won’t spend, but It’s not ‘flapping’ to say that not bolstering the squad in January has cost us before and very likely would again. There’s a reason clubs chasing the promised land leave nothing to chance in the window, it can utterly transform your club at a stroke, but our owners aren’t arsed about that.

 

[ruggles1995]

13 points left till safety 

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

23 minutes ago, ruggles1995 said:

13 points left till safety 

That’s the way I look at it also.

[Atko's Engine]

On 14/12/2024 at 21:47, Dundee1962 said:

No, we’re Dundee. That was United. We’re mid table with a very young squad, trying to develop youth. We sold our best player to Celtic at the end of the window, Luke MacCowan - he’s a massive hole. We’ve only ‘given’ you Colin Hendry……

Hendry enjoyed showing us his own massive hole before each match too!

(Dundee1962, you might need that one explaining to you; we had a chant for him that went:

"Colin Colin, show us your arse, 

Colin, show us your arse!"

And he did, like any self-respecting legend would do!)

[Atko's Engine]

19 hours ago, roverandout said:

Thats dangerous talk. To say we don't need to sign anyone is the kind of situation where a club can go backwards.  We definitely need another forward as I've no faith in yuki or ghueye getting into double figured

I wouldn't say no faith.  I think Ohashi is on 5 & Gueye 2 for the season; which isn't great but they're chipping in well elsewhere & creating goals for others (sometimes even without meaning to!!). I think I prefer that overall, instead of putting all our scoring eggs in one basket a la Szmodics, BBD or AA.

But more support up front is needed, not least because Ohashi is close to having played 12 months of solid league football, with added internationals thrown in recently too. Leonard's re-emergence may help, but I'd rather we brought someone else in to supplement Ohashi's inevitable drop in energy levels / increased risk of injury arising therefrom.

[chaddyrovers]

On 15/12/2024 at 22:32, roversfan99 said:

It is, its time for the owners to finally spend a bit considering our position and recent sales proceeds. But they wont, they never do.

Yes, I would like to spend some money on a couple of players. 

On 15/12/2024 at 22:32, roversfan99 said:

I have no idea who we should sign and there are people that should be in a much better position to me to come up with someone,

You seen plenty of football RF99 like myself but I dont see standout striker in the EFL who you think sign him and we get playoffs. Its was similar point Mark Atkins and Glen Little was making on Radio Lancs post match on Saturday 

On 15/12/2024 at 22:32, roversfan99 said:

although Gestede's last effort wasnt very good.

Gueye has got better last 2 goals so let's hope for more improvement from him

[jodrell]

On 16/12/2024 at 18:03, Atko's Engine said:

Hendry enjoyed showing us his own massive hole before each match too!

(Dundee1962, you might need that one explaining to you; we had a chant for him that went:

"Colin Colin, show us your arse, 

Colin, show us your arse!"

And he did, like any self-respecting legend would do!)

i'm sure someone complained and he had to stop doing it.

[...]

On 16/12/2024 at 08:19, onlyonejackwalker said:

Its not a fluke we are in the play offs. It's hard to process, but maybe we are better than we think. At some stage we need to start believing in those that have got us this far. Our keeper especially as he stands alone.

To cover for injuries, loss of form and suspensions we actually need another centre half, another central midfielder, another winger, another no 10 and another striker,

Which isn't going to happen. Many fans therefore will be flapping. Which illustrates my point. 

In reality, we dont need just another striker.  We need a striker scoring 10 to 12 goals between now and the end of May.  But that costs about 10 million and 50k a week.

 

I feel like through January we'll have a more confident picture of whether we are a team we can really start to be excited about. I'm obviously super happy at our progress so far and things look brighter. Some tough contests coming up to test our conkers including an fa cup game which to be honest with you as our recent form is good I'm more interested in our league matches. Do like the cup tho how can you not

[neophox]

If we look lower leagues ready to step in then take Barry from Stockport and Poku from Peterborough and a top central defender from championship or league one or loan a young prospect from Premier League in the Van Hecke mould.

 

Also seen Matthew Litherland been in the squad lately but no Gilsenan or Tyjon.

[KentExile]

8 minutes ago, neophox said:

If we look lower leagues ready to step in then take Barry from Stockport and Poku from Peterborough and a top central defender from championship or league one or loan a young prospect from Premier League in the Van Hecke mould.

 

Also seen Matthew Litherland been in the squad lately but no Gilsenan or Tyjon.

All injured

Tyjon 

Gilsenan

Poku

 

Edited December 18, 2024 by KentExile

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

1 hour ago, KentExile said:

All injured

Tyjon 

Gilsenan

Poku

 

Sounds like he could be another Harry Chapman. I’d maintain a watching brief at the moment.