riverholmes

I find the claims about wingers lacking end product often to be lazy analysis. Even worse, sometimes, it seems to me a resentment against wingers and other such 'Fancy Dans'. A winger that runs at players and tries to make crosses whilst going at full pelt is going to lose the ball more than other players. Theirs is a high risk, high reward style of play. The alternatives are the Grealish at Man City winger that acts as a wall to keep possession or the winger that only passes/crosses. That said, there's no doubt that there are some 'dribbler wingers' that are wasteful. But Doku has always struck me as a player who makes things happen and unlocks defences. Is he at the Mahrez level - maybe not yet - but I think if he plays regularly, he will be.

The commercial takeover that isn't being discussed much. I believe a fair chunk of the Championship is now majority or minority US owned.

Damien Johnson - never in the category of David Thompson, Keith Gillespie or Brett Emerton, but a fine right-sided midfielder in his day. Incidentally, I firmly believe we had the new Johnson at the club in Alan Judge but somehow we failed to appreciate or use him.

Is Joseph making a significant difference? The improved results (albeit, only a couple, so need to wait and see if it is meaningful) seem to possibly coincide with him coming into the line-up. The managerial change sounds like it could also be a difference. A lack of a forward has been a real problem (amongst others in the U21s), with Tyjon not suitable for the lone role, yet being persistently placed there. To my mind, the youth set-up need to recruit another forward or two, to support the development of Joseph, Boggan and Tyjon. That, or they need to utilise a senior forward in games more often. Edit: I see Leonard scored his first Posh goal since his move, in a 1-0 FA Cup win over Cardiff. He was scoring for fun at U21 level, which indicates the improvement needed by the current crop of strikers if they hope to make it in the football league.

Van Hecke and Reda Khadra stick out for me, in recent years. Perhaps, Ben Chrisine, Owen Beck and Ayari. Could we have done more to sign them permanently? I guess, Ayari never got a chance but the others were clearly of some quality and the club should've put together a bid, even if to be rejected. It's possible, of course, bids were made and we never heard of them. The time to try to sign Van Hecke was in January, before he had caught too much attention. Though, chances of signing were slim. I think Khadra would've made a really good signing. However, since moving on, injuries have been a real problem. I think for Poveda too. Edit: Eyal Berkovic was different class when Souness signed him on loan to take us over the line. What a time that was. Rovers had an embarrassment of riches with Hignett, Jansen, Bent, Duff, Dunn and others and then we go and sign Berkovic in January, I believe it was. Though still only came second!

Sad to say it, but we might well be looking for less than Championship level.

Pep ball morphed into a corruption of what was the pinnacle of modern possession football - for example the Barcelona and Spain teams of Xavi and Iniesta. Even at City, when Mahrez and De Bruyne were at their best, there was a cutting edge. Eventually, it became a negative and self-indulgent fare.

This argument always surprises me as surely we should look at ourselves first and consider the profits that English football has or is currently making from dictatorships and exploitative corporations. That's not to mention our British governments role. Seems to me, once we have got our house in order, we can go and try to sort out the rest of the world.

Did Buckley play much alongside Wharton for the seniors? I think that the experienced Wharton now would’ve really helped Buckley. Maybe it is confirmation bias but when I see a Palace player like Hughes etc. playing the ‘Wharton ball’, that is the quick, simple but forward pass, I think that that is Wharton’s influence. I might be, as I say, confirming my own bias, but nonetheless it must be a joy to play with a player that simplifies the game so effectively.

Erstwhile U21 goal-getter here, Jack Vale, signed for Northampton, managed by Kevin Nolan. Interesting to see if he can stay fit and score some goals. Though, doesn't look likely to me as he struggled for goals in every loan spell he went on - but he may surprise. I hope he does. Tyler Magloire was there before but released. He had a brutal knee injury that kept him out for over a year, ruptured ACL, MCL and torn meniscus. I read he is being looked at by Grimsby who have Zak Gilsenan.

Gestede has said that Tronstad will be leaving at the end of the season, apparently, to go back to Norway or near. It seems the club will keep him to try and avoid relegation until then.

Makes me think of Lewis Mansell and Keith Barker of Rovers youth yesteryear. Target men forwards who scored for fun at U18s and a fair few at reserve level, I think, but found it harder once faced by older defenders. Joseph looks like one to watch, though, and will be welcome in the U21s, for sure, where the forwards are struggling.

Winning isn't the be all, but certainly, it breeds confidence and creates an environment for player development. So, to my mind, results and team performances are an important part of youth player development. Those who deny it are usually underperforming coaches! Incidentally, I came across the following Rovers reserve result from 2002-03, when the first team was in the Premier League. Looking at the opposition players that became Premier League stalwarts or regulars, it was a remarkable result (albeit, Newcastle lost a man on 40 mins). A lot of stories in there but it's a curious feeling looking back at in hindsight. 23 January 2003 Newcastle United Reserves 1 - 2 Blackburn Reserves Half time: 0 - 2 Score Sheet: Gavilan (85) Grabbi (27) Grabbi (42 pen) Teams Steve Harper Brian Kerr Titus Bramble Steven Taylor Peter Ramage Andy Ferrell Diego Gavilan Jamie McClen Lomana LuaLua Shola Ameobi Bradley Orr Ryan Robinson Jonathan Douglas Alan Morgan Neil Danns Michael Taylor Gordon Greer Jerome Watt Ciaran Donnelly Ciccio Grabbi Jimmy Corbett Paul Gallagher Substitutes: Adam Bartlett for Ferrell (43) Damon Robson for McClen (55) Darren Hockenhull for Grabbi (65) Subs not used: Kris Gate Martin Brittain Neale McDermott Steven Drench Sebastian Pelzer Anthony Martin Andy Bell Bookings: Ameobi (39) illegal tackle Bramble (90) dissent Taylor (11) tackle on LuaLua Dismissals: Steve Harper (42) straight red for tackle on Taylor. Michael Taylor (67) questionable second yellow for fair tackle on Or

Heart-wrenching is someone wasting their potential and their joy with it. So, this is great for Buckley and decent for Rovers. As someone mentioned, he was getting worse - turning into a plodder with an occasional threaded pass, when he had always been an elegant player with untapped potential. I remember James Beattie saying he had to get away from his familiar surrounds to make it and maybe it'll be the case, in some sense, for Buckley. (Even if, for Beattie, the reasons were lifestyle related, if I remember rightly). The focus should really be on getting through the next Buckley, Travis or JRC. That's where the worries grow. With little to be proud of on the pitch at Rovers, it gives me some pride to think Rovers have fairly recently produced such technically gifted midfield players as Adam Wharton, John Buckley and, from women's football, Keira Walsh.

Nice return for Connor McBride, our former striker. He was shortlisted for PL2 player of the year (I believe Cole Palmer was amongst the names on the shortlist) after a great season of goals, playing alongside Sam Burns. Following year, he got a first team pre-season appearance and scored a deflected free kick, I think. But it was all downhill from there, in terms of his career. It is negligent to be fielding young Tyjon as a lone forward, if he was there. He doesn't have the strength or the mobility for it. Last season, I believe, he was run into the ground trying to plough a lone furrow upfront.