Which is why he would be better in a midfield 3.

Nail on the head. If we are lucky we will get one prem quality player through every 4-5 years. Probably a couple each year that are good enough to pad out a championship squad. That's it. The rest will fall by the wayside or won't be good enough - unless we need emergency cover. Our under 21 team haven't won a game (or scored a goal) yet. Probably because half of them are padding out the first team squad.

If he's slow and can play different positions but non effectively, he'll fit right in.

The problem with selling BBD is that whilst it may give us an extra million or 2 in the transfer pot, we are still only going to attract league one players and below due to the salary structure, which is apparently inflexible. Who from that pond is capable of replacing a 20 goal championship striker? How do we add quality to the rest of the squad? We aren't the attraction we once were. We will only attract better quality players by offering them more £ than anyone else. It seems to me that our alleged transfer pot needs halving with the balance being added to the wage structure. Fewer signings but better quality.

The problem is venkys don't seem bothered if we are second or 20th so nothing improves. Our squad isn't balanced. We don't strengthen it with a specific system in mind. We can't have a back line that plays a high line as there is no pace. We don't have full backs that can defend solidly. We don't have full backs that can push up and overlap.. (May be doing Brittain a disservice here but not seen enough of him yet). We don't seem to have anyone over 6 ft in the middle who can compete physically or add pace. Both Travis and Buckley seem better in a 3. We don't have anyone who can carry the ball from deep. We don't have anybody that can hold the ball up centrally. (Gallagher has the physique but I've given up expecting anything except a solid defensive performance). We have a potential match winner in Diaz playing in a 'fluid' 3/4 with other players that are slow, can't complete aerially/physically with defenders and don't score often. We have no genuine line hugging wide players in the squad. We have a manager who seems to be trying different systems. All of which are completely ineffective with the players at his disposal. None of the systems being what we expected he would do. It's almost as if our strategy is just buying cheap young players, playing them and hoping they do enough to be sold on before their contract runs out. If this is a serious 'new era' project journey with a healthy budget then let's start with the spine of the team and the left back. Make us as hard to beat as possible.

I don't get it either. History suggests that fast and physical gives you a shout in the championship. I haven't seen a side tippy tap it's way out.

We have a team full of midgets

Didn't we have a full quota of loanees last year? Van Hecke, Khadra, Poveda, Giles, DeFuik Then we lost: Rothwell Lennihan Nyambe Johnson Davenport Some of those were injured but they were all first team/squad. I make that 10 players down. We didn't replace Armstrong either - unless that was Hedges🤷🏻‍♂️ We need 5-6 in. Clearly this year is going to be a write off. I think most fans would accept that, if they see a clear identity on the pitch. If there aren't signs of that by Christmas, JDT/Broughton won't last.

Are the under 21s playing the same 'system' as the first team? No goals in 3 games.

He's probably cheaper you mean...

Football is or should be, a simple game. I can tell Broughton positions we need filling and the type of player. JDT can train them.

Any game plan around counter attacking relies on pace. We have none. We lost Armstrong and Rothwell who both had it and replaced them with er, erm.

Like Pickering 😂

Flood gates will open now. Pathetic. As widely predicted.

Game over

We don't have the pace to counter.

The Gallagher thing is absolutely doing my head in. It's just stupid.

Khadra starts for them. Luckily, according to some on here, he has no product so an easy afternoon for Pickering.

That's a really weak team and an equally weak bench.

Swap Gallagher and Hedges round and it would be about as strong as we can hope for. Sick of this false 9 bollocks. Play a feckin centre forward there not a winger.

I know that potentially young stars have always been pinched by the bigger clubs. I'm sure we have done our fair share over the premier years. That said, surely it can't be hard (or unfair) for the relevant authority to insert a 20- 30 percent future sell on clause - on any player taken from a football League club?

Thanks. That's encouraging 😂

Don't get to see much of the under 21 lads. We've been reasonably successful at bringing through some useful midfielders and centrebacks over the last few seasons. For those of you who watch, are there any decent attacking options coming through? I think we can rule Butterworth and Vale out.

I wonder if JDT is starting to realise our transfer recruitment policy isn't up to scratch. Taken from today's LET "In that way, let’s hope that the doors are opening and a couple of players are coming in quickly. I am not dreaming every morning but I am hoping players will come in quick like every Rovers fan. “I can’t imagine that it wouldn’t happen. There are a couple of weeks still but quicker is better.”

Exactly where and how I'd like to see us strengthen. Add a pacy winger in there as well and we should have a decent squad. That's 5 signings. Personally think that Szmodic wasn't really needed. Especially at the quoted fee. Jury out on Morton.