Pickering has been doing the basics wrong for a while. He is one of the reasons we invite so much pressure onto ourselves when playing out from the back. He receives the ball facing the GK and centre backs with only one place to play the pass, back into danger. He never opens up his body to play forward. It invites so much pressure onto the back line, even when he’s not directly at fault for goals he is indirectly. The lad also has a nose bleed every time he gets past the halfway line and prefers a safe pass down the line to a player with his back to goal or inside to Travis/Buckley who just recycle it. BBD is getting doubled up on and needs a fullback behind him who’s going to under/overlap to take one of the defenders away. The one time Pickering did that on Saturday he cut the ball back into the box and created a chance, then he reverted back to type. A new LB is a priority. Said it all last season.

Don’t think it’s quite that simple. Saturday-Tuesday/Wednesday schedule is too much for Ayala to cope with long term. New CB comes in and allows rotation for Ayala. If we get two CBs then Rovers are considering sending Carter back out on loan (according to Rich)

And because when we had the ball, our players weren’t showing for the ball and were all stood 30+ yards away.

Been saying it for days on here. IF JPVH comes it’ll be at the very end of the window. There is family illness and he’s unsure about remaining in England this season. I’m not an ‘ITK’ or claim to know a lot, but it’s come from one of our players’ parent.

FFS. We should be up in arms because they didn’t spend money in one transfer window. We should be up in arms because they’re spending money in another transfer window. Rovers had around 3-4m in January to spend, they spent a little on Markanday & Hedges, the other they bid for Dembele who chose Bournemouth. Venkys will have needed to promise a new manager funds in order to get him in. If JDT came in on the promise of £6-8m to spend and then we brought in free transfers and had no money, we’d be on another 2 month manager search come September. He’s shown at Malmo he isn’t afraid to walk away if it’s not what he wants.

Plans to potentially loan out Carter until January if we can get two CBs in before the end of the window.

Also, are we changing the name of this thread to ‘Guess how much we would have got in transfer fees for players that have gone’? Quire frankly, who gives a shit. They’re gone, we are top of the league, have an exciting manager in charge and are looking to make some new signings in the next two weeks. Get over the past and start living in the present.

Khadra was average, he was quick and tricky, but his crossing was poor, he was never fit enough to last a full 90 and he got what, 3-4 attacking returns? Hedges looks like he’s stepped up a few gears and seems a decent player. Dolan, as much as I like the kid, I don’t rate him that highly as a player. He’s giving off headless chicken vibes every time he plays.

Said it before now, Van Hecke deal is complicated as a close family member is ill. He’s waiting to see whether he moves back to the Netherlands for a season. If he does come here I believe it will be right at the end of the window, if at all.

Nyambe was a bang average championship RB who didn’t adapt to the modern game. Just because he came through our academy and played 180 games for us, some folk put him on a pedestal. He was paid to do a job. Bang average player, playing for a bang average Championship side on the whole over the last 4 seasons. He was paid for his service, he didn’t want to sign new terms and then he’s signed for an inferior team. End of chat.

Let’s be honest, he didn’t deserve the MOTM. He didn’t have anything to do. A.Wharton deserved it.

Van Hecke deal unlikely to happen, and if it does it looks like it will be later in the window. The player has family illness problems back home in Netherlands and is considering his options, including a possible move back to Eredivisie.

Butterworth not even given a squad number so presume he’s on his way out and won’t feature.

At the risk of going off topic, I imagine the cup team will look something like Pears JRC Phillips Wharton Edun Wharton Morton Markanday Dack Dolan Vale

18 assists in 160 games. An assist every 8 games. I’m sure we’ll cope.

Probably a bit leaky in that formation.

✅

Honestly don’t see why we aren’t bidding for JPVH. 12 months left on his contract, proved he can cut it at this level, at the age where he can improve, enjoys playing for the club. If we can bid £3m for the big Bosnian then surely put a similar bid in for VH and get that spot sorted.

Tallys up with him being at Barrow Starbucks! Wonder if Rich is reading the thread 👋

Think we should rename this thread. May I suggest: ‘Player lifestyle and Dack’s anger management’ Separate thread for Barnsley & Brentwood estate agent listings.

Maybe someone knew he was out of town…

Szmodics set to be the first through the door. Wouldn’t be surprised if it was today, tomorrow at the latest. Spotted at Barrow Starbucks alongside an agent. Presume he’s here for face to face talks or medical.

I understand the frustration about a lack of movement and transfers during pre season, but honestly don’t understand the rush for players before Saturday. The squad we have is thin, yes, but it’s more than capable of playing games until the end of August. What it’s not capable of is a 46 game season. Kaminski Brittain Ayala Wharton Pickering Travis Buckley Hedges Dolan BBD Gallagher Subs: Pears, Carter, Wharton, Dack, Garrett, Vale, Markanday Whilst it’s not good enough for the season, that 18 is more than capable of doing well over the next few weeks. Let’s not panic and see what happens by August 31st

Spurs also let go of Noni Madueke to PSV as a young kid as they failed to agree a long term contract. The lad has torn it up in the Dutch League and is now on the verge of joining PSG for €20 million. Furthermore Spurs also failed to agree a new contract with winger Marcus Edwards and let him go on a free transfer to Vitoria in Portugal. He has since joined Sporting Lisbon for €10 million age 22. More recently Spurs are set to lose two of their most promising U18 players, Sam Amo-Ameyaw and Jayden Meghoma to Southampton for compensation amounting to just £1m after failing to agree terms on new contracts this summer, the latter playing in the same England youth team as Ash Phillips. So actually, Spurs have a track record of losing talent from their academy.

Anyone ITK heard anything about Rovers interest in Derby County midfielder Max Bird?