Just now, chaddyrovers said:

Williams linked with DC United and Swansea. Paul Nealon is the guy linking him to those clubs who is owner Irish fan tv

Swansea  are supposedly after Ayala. Supposedly they aren't awash with money & even with the lad from Wolves, they need to replace some of their attacking loans from last year. 

If they're after Williams they've either got a few more quid than they're letting on, or they've abandoned getting Ayala in my view. 

1 minute ago, rovers11 said:

I agree that there's a good player in Brereton. The big fee has impacted him badly - he's struggled to deal with the pressure. We have to remember he's only 21 and learning his trade. If he had come through the youth team and no fee was paid for him, the attitude towards him would be very different. Instead, big things are expected immediately because he cost 7m. 

There is a very valid debate of whether we should have spent 7m on a player that wouldn't be able to come into the team straight away and be one of our key players. 

 

Gallagher is different. He's been played completely out of position and asked to do things he's not capable of doing. Stick him up front and get balls into the box. He'll score a few then. 

This is exactly where I'm at with him. If we could go back, there's no way I'd have spent that sort of fee on him, even if the money couldn't have been spent elsewhere. Even so, if a 21 year old Brereton came out of the academy and gave the performances that he did post lockdown, we would all be saying that he looks a clumsy player, but one with plenty to offer.

Graham & Samuel clocked up about 40-50 appearances between them last year and have been let go without a replacement, so whether he merits it or not, BB is going to be getting a decent run of games if he stays fit. Quite simply, he has to take this year to step up, we can't wait forever. 

Just now, CambridgeRover said:

If the money is tight and the choice is between a defender and Downing, I don't think there is a choice to be made 

Whilst I think we'll miss Downing more than some are saying, you're undoubtedly right. Fortunately it looks as though this is how Mowbray sees it too.

1 hour ago, Tabula Rasa said:

Serviceable but lacked the most important element of any defender - reliability.

Always had a mistake in him, often in terms of positioning.

Inconsistent and, uneven performances so just on that basis, he deserves to be let go. 

You are only as good as your weakest player. Sadly, there's a bullet-shaped hole in his football boot..

Fair enough, wouldn't disagree that he has made his fair share of mistakes at both left back & centre half. In retrospect, it's easy to see why his best form came in a back three at Bristol City. Ultimately though, he'll need replacing and that won't be all that straightforward at present. You could still argue that he is our best left back (admittedly not saying very much) and even allowing for a new centre back, Williams is second choice. He's one of a group of players that we have who you definitely wouldn't want to see making 20-30 appearances a season, but is a good player to have to fill in when necessary. 

I still think that if we've got a semi-decent offer for him, or if he actively wants to go, there's no point in keeping him, but I wouldn't be rushing him out the door either.

Seem to remember that there were some rumblings about Williams going to the MLS a while back, maybe they've resurfaced?

Agree with those who're saying he's perfectly serviceable backup, but if he wants to go then there's nothing gained in standing in his way.

3 minutes ago, 47er said:

Derbyshire's 39 now isn't he?

Not quite! Him & Gally are stretching it slightly with being in their mid-30s, but how many teams can say that they have produced a full starting XI of players who were/are good level Championship players at the very least over a 10-12 year period?

Suppose Mahoney might be an exception to that, but I forgot Pilkington so we could just play him there instead.

Using academy graduates who are still playing, we could put together a team looking like:  

                     Raya

Nyambe   Jones    Hanley    O'Connell

Hoilett   Travis    Gallagher   Mahoney

                   Judge

                 Derbyshire

Had to go a little further back for a couple of them, but they're all still playing and there are players like Lenihan who can't get in the team. Not including any of the current crop breaking through either. The academy is doing fine. 

3 minutes ago, Mercer said:

We sold a player to Leicester?  Sorry, but can't recall - who was it?

As for PL interest, don't recall seeing or hearing about a single offer from a PL club for any of our Academy players - think that's a decent gauge of interest.

At least get your facts right.  If you can find supporting posts (covering say summers of 2017, 2018 and 2019) of me "pronouncing imminent Administration/Liquidation every summer", I'll buy you a pint or whatever your tipple is.  

 

This lad, I believe

https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/callum-wright/profil/spieler/502830 

11 minutes ago, Paul Mani said:

This would be good...

kaminski - Perm fee

Ohara - Free

kipre - perm fee

Cunningham - Loan to perm

Schmidt - Loan to perm

Whiteman - Perm fee 

 

That would be amazing, although assuming there would be no outgoings that would be £3-4 million, maybe even more just in transfer fees. I know we're only speculating on budgets etc. at the moment, but that sounds probably a bit beyond what we can expect.

Just now, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

He got pulled up four times, off side three times, the other time was for a foul. I'll say one thing for him - he's good at flattening the grass. He goes down really easily for a big guy. 

That he does. Funnily enough that was something which a few Forest fans brought up as a negative when we signed him. I'm a bit more open minded about that sort of behaviour when he gets as many dodgy looking penalties as he does goals!

3 hours ago, RoverKyle said:

I could swear I counted him offside at least 3 or 4 times, which is a lot for one half of football. I wouldn't want to watch it back and check though. Not the easiest half to watch. 

If that's right then fair enough. Wouldn't want to suggest that he was particularly good and the penalty was obviously poor. I was just a bit surprised that he was being picked out as hopeless when for me there were others who were noticeably worse. 

13 minutes ago, bluebruce said:

https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/18669724.rovers-stance-summer-striker-search-amid-hofmann-links/

The full report on how we aren't looking for a striker. I'm ok with that...I'd like one to replace the two rotation/backup strikers lost but think we can make do, with Vale and Butterworth as backups hopefully breaking through. What we can't make do with is a shite defensive unit.

That's pretty much where I am, as much as we don't have anyone with Graham's know how and ability to bring other players into play, fact is we our goal tally was pretty good last year which was in the main with Graham not getting on the pitch. 

If there's room for a sensible loan then fine, but I'd be happy spending all of whatever money we have on goalkeepers and defenders.

4 minutes ago, neophox said:

Brennan getting 14 mins and scores he and Dolan are prospects around with Buckley, Rankin-Costello and Vale. Where was Vale today? 

Picked up a slight knock in training apparently, doesn't sound serious.

1 minute ago, JHRover said:

I dont think I'm being miserable. IF we signed him i think he would be a good and much needed addition. I just think it is a shame that people seem to be of the view such a signing would be beyond our capabilities. I don’t think so. I'd rather we went into the season with a couple of proven proper CBs so I'll be relieved with anyone just now.

?

I think it's just the difficulty in reconciling his apparent fee of 1.5 million quid with the noises we're getting about how much we have to spend. I don't think there's any 'he won't come to little Blackburn Rovers' about it.

7 minutes ago, Ewood Ace said:

He was hopeless nearly every time the ball went up to him he was either offside or committed a foul.

I remember him being offside twice, and the second time Wharton took a long while to get the ball in the channel, the run could've been well timed. 

He'll always be an inelegant player, but hopeless is way too harsh on today's showing. 

3 minutes ago, JoeH said:

Twitter rumours circulating that Cedric Kipre is joining the club, something which Rich Sharpe didn't flat out deny either. Pinch of salt but worth mentioning.

Don't for a second think that he'll end up here, but seems a bit strange that West Ham haven't just gone out and signed him if they were genuinely interested. The supposed £1.5 million might be pricing us out of the chase (let's see) but surely that must be small beer for an established top flight team, Covid or no. 

Just now, dallydally said:

Flattering result

Maybe, but there was a missed pen in there and we got into a couple of other good positions that we could've made more from. 

Only a friendly etc. but I'm reasonably encouraged with that.

1 minute ago, Hoochie Bloochie Mama said:

Why did Doan leave PNE?

They've no U23s, I think. So they either go straight into the first team, or let them go. Think I've read that they were offering him a new deal but covid got in the way.

4-1 Brennan

Dolan looks sharp, nice feet but getting a bit excited when he gets into decent positions. 

Can definitely see why we've taken a punt on him.

1 minute ago, Bigdoggsteel said:

Armstrong to score inside 10 min 

Decent shout!

Not sure that Dolan would have expected his first two touches in Rovers colours to go as well.

Chapman looks the best player on the park by a mile, really encouraging.

Other than the poor penalty, I think BB has put in a decent showing. Ungainly, but much more of a handful than we ever saw pre-lockdown. Davenport showed some nice touches too.

Just now, Bigdoggsteel said:

Bell looks ok 

His crossing hasn't improved much though!

Chapman equalises

Think that tackle on Buckley is given as a pen in a competitive game. Pretty lively for a friendly so far.