No information whatsoever, but from the few titbits I'm nailing my colours to the Christian Atsu mast

57 minutes ago, Feed the Yak said:

Good write up here on Sarr, bit on website: https://www.cafc.co.uk/news/view/5e01defbc2b43/100-up-the-charlton-journey-of-naby-sarr

Completely off the point, but loving that the Charlton fans have given him a song to the tune of 'Baby Shark'.

We've really missed a trick not doing the same for Bradley Dack over the last few years

According to the Oracle, the young Celtic striker has signed for us earlier today.

1 minute ago, Tugayisgod said:

QPR also signed Rob Dickie.

Good signing

Don't know him from Adam to be honest, but 2.5 million seems like a lot in the current climate for a defender who has never played above L1 level. Must be highly rated if he's going for that amount. 

7 minutes ago, Mercer said:

Why, why, why why?

The lad looks like a good meal would kill him!!!

Has played 16 games in Scotland's fourth tier and wait for it, has just one goal to his name!

Where does that leave likes of Butterworth and Vale.

IMO, more nonsensical business.

 

Above him in the pecking order.

8 minutes ago, Stuart said:

“Men’s football”

“The current academy system has four categories, Category One, essentially Premier League clubs”

Their bitterness makes stealing Dolan from under their noses even more satisfying.

Now if only we could steal their manager...

Interestingly, Neil cops for plenty on their message board. I would've thought that he would be praised for walking on water given the job that he's done there.

13 minutes ago, Wing Wizard Windy Miller said:

The likes of Chris Brown should never have been at the club. Even he didn't get that much stick, it was more gallows humour watching him.

Completely agree, and to be fair he admits himself that he was garbage. I'm just saying that even when players are not targeted by fans at the ground (although I guess Brown got a bit of stick at Ewood too) it's amazingly difficult for them to escape stick from other quarters.

Also, if anyone is stuck for Christmas present ideas in a few months time, you could do worse than to get one of these. 

31 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

I agree with @Ewood Ace regarding what has been a patient fan base within the ground, I remember how happy Ewood was when he scored v Bolton for example.

Ultimately, a messageboard is a perfect platform for people to judge players. If he is coming on here, a player with 2 goals in 2 years, and is upset by the criticism. Firstly I dont know why a player would come on such a platform, and secondly, surely he would expect fans to not be overly pleased that as a forward he has contributed so little and often looked so out of place.

One thing I certainly do not approve of is people, well a minority of idiots, directly messaging players on social media to call them. That being said, I dont know if Brereton has received that.

As a seperate argument, players do need to be able to have a thick enough skin to deal with pressure.

Interesting point this, I was thinking about something similar after Amari'i Bells tweet yesterday.

I one hundred percent agree that Rovers fans have not been a difficult bunch to play in front of since L1, and Brereton has for the most part had nothing but encouragement from the terraces. But like you allude to, unlike players of even 10 years ago, unless you're that rare footballer with no social media presence, there's simply no getting away from the torrent of comments about you if you have a bad game. You're right that the abusive direct messages are from a minority of idiots, but a minority of 15,000 fans at Ewood and tens of thousands more away from the ground is a lot of people telling you that you're no good, and if you're one of the ones who gets picked in then it can be particularly grim. I remember David Goodwillie, admittedly not a man who deserves too much sympathy, once giving away a last minute penalty in an evening game against (I think) Brighton, and the amount of abuse he got on twitter after full-time directed at him really took me aback. And that's just the abuse, the amount of posts which might not be as direct but still give stick to players is far greater, and Brereton will have been getting plenty of that for almost two years. 

Take Chris Brown. He was explaining on his podcast that he was palpably aware of how much Rovers fans thought he was a waste of space. He mentioned the 'Has Chris Brown Scored Yet?' twitter account, which was just a bit of fun and hardly in the abuse category, but clearly he saw it and it got to him. 

I agree that part of being a high-profile sportsman is about being mentally strong enough to deal with pressure and fans questioning you, and with any luck Brereton will be the sort that will come through it and still be a good player for us. But there's no getting away that Rovers fans being patient with Ben at games will only have been part of the story, and having to deal with the thousands upon thousands of less patient comments from being a 19 year old boy will have taken huge mental strength.

1 minute ago, BlackburnEnd75 said:

Dack on the left of the 3 in midfield, does he have the engine to get up and down?

Perhaps, perhaps not. I think as number 10s go he already gets through quite a lot of work, and if he's the most attacking player in a midfield three then at least he wouldn't have the same defensive demands, but let's see. 

I think there's a chance of him playing deeper and him still having a real impact with his goals anyway, but time will tell if that's the road we go down. 

Just now, OnePhilT said:

I know you all think he's full of bull, but... Celtic lad? Who could that be?

Nothing to get too excited about just yet I don't think, one of their young players being signed for the U23s.

28 minutes ago, Wing Wizard Windy Miller said:

Scored plenty from there at Gillingham. Maybe a slight trade off but would benefit the team as he fits into a system rather than the system being changed to accommodate him. Almost gives him a free role from deeper - so much harder to pick up when arriving in the box. Has the footballing brain to play some killer passes and a role based more on stamina than pace which should suit him. 

Not too dissimilar to Dunny.

I share the worries about how not playing him as a 10 might mean that we don't see Dack at his best, but if we're playing a standard 4-3-3 then in theory it could work out like you say.

Like a Championship Frank Lampard.

12 minutes ago, m1st said:

I agree 100% with this, Stuart. I've not seen anything of Dolan's performances but all that I've read about him makes him sound like one of the most exciting prospects that we've signed in goodness knows how long. Let's hope his flair and attitude are encouraged.

I bet Knobbers' fans must be sick.

Was just saying exactly the same to my dad. No idea what sort of career the boy will have, and one thing which is definitely coming across (other than that the lad can play) is that he's bursting at the seams seems with enthusiasm. Great, but he won't be making his debut every week so you would imagine that we'll be seeing a fairer representation of his ability after abut 10-15 games rather than now.

Even so, if I was a PNE fan, I'd be frothing at the mouth about letting him leave to another Lancashire club after seeing his performances so far. 

56 minutes ago, Tugay-is-God said:

That is a remarkably bad shirt.

I know that's an away, but I've always been impressed how Bolton manage to take such an inoffensive concept like a plain white shirt and every year find a way to make it look disgusting.

Am I missing something about Nyambe? The way that we're talking it's like he's been kept out the side like Harry Chapman. He played more than 30 league games last year, a similar number the year previous and this is a player who has missed a lot of football through injury, not just not being picked.  

I don't know why his contract situation is what it is, but if he doesn't sign I doubt it's because he doesn't think he plays enough. 

Whilst I don't blame Mulgrew for feeling frustrated, this is ultimately just evidence of Mowbray doing his job.

The weird thing is why he came back from Wigan last year when he could have carried on playing at this level.

24 minutes ago, RovingRover said:

Rob Elliot is a name we are looking at as a second goalkeeper. Available on a free after release from Newcastle after 9 years. When was his last competitive game?

I would have taken Elliot in front of some of the other names mentioned as our first choice at the start of the summer, so whilst I'd question the attitude of someone who gets to his stage of his career with so few appearances, as a back up that's a great option. 

3 minutes ago, AdamRochina said:

A newcastle fan group on Facebook claiming they are trying to buy back Adam Armstrong for around 10 million. Says they have been talking to rovers for past couple days.  Anyone with a bit of inside info heard anything?

No info at all, but the same fake account on twitter who said that we bid for Dillon Phillips has come out with that one I think, nothing to worry about I suspect. 

2 minutes ago, joey_big_nose said:

Not saying it's impossible but I can't think of a championship player ever turning down a premier club. Can anyone think of someone?

Not relevant to our situation, but Paul Merson went to the Championship when he was offered a new contract at Arsenal. Admittedly, that was because Boro were paying him more than Dennis Bergkamp was getting at Highbury, which I don't think is the case with us and Kipre! 

On Kipre, if his fee is 900k, then surely any prem club that wants him just goes ahead and gets him. I think one way or another, he'll be holding up a Rovers shirt or a WBA shirt by Saturday evening, all depending on whether they actually fancy him or not.

14 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

I remember when we had Chimbonda at left back always cutting inside. Not ideal having someone on the wrong side.

Yes, must admit it jars seeing full backs playing on the wrong side.

Having said that, I seem to remember one game where it worked out quite well for Chimbonda! 

3 minutes ago, bazza said:

I'm happy with the young squad we've got. OK, it was only a friendly but we only need a good left back bringing in.

Both Wharton and Carter did well. Dolan is a gem. BB looking good. And we don't need another keeper as a sub. Fisher and Eastham look quite capable.

Agree with the sentiment, but I think it's an enormous risk to not get at least one more centre back in for me. I'm more than happy to get Wharton in and let him compete for a place, but we have to plan for the possbility that neither him nor Carter are up to it for this season, and that just leaves Lenihan & Williams who are both injury prone. 

Those who are watching, any other stand outs apart from Brereton? 

BB with his second!

1 - 0 Rovers, Brereton header!

40 minutes ago, Leonard Venkhater said:

Joe(bastard chicken dance celebration)?

To be fair to him, I don't think that was a Venkys reference - I think he's done that plenty of times before. 

1 minute ago, RoverKyle said:

I think he's better than most people give him credit for. I think as a back up, he's a decent option.

3 minutes ago, Bigdoggsteel said:

So Swansea, a team who got in the play-offs, want Williams? Probably another that isn't as bad as people on here make out. I would keep him as a CB option. 

I wonder how much they bid 

Purely speculatively, if we were getting several hundred thousand for him then I think that we could probably put that to better use - not least because he picks up injuries a bit too often for me. Otherwise, perfectly decent back up option.