Thanks for clarifying. I'd be going for quality over quantity every time. We have the academy to pad out a squad. Give me 3 quality players that will impact rather than 6 who might.

Thing is. We must have shaved loads of the wage bill. The squad is chock full of kids. Surely there must be room to stretch to a couple of 20k plus wages for a couple of quality players. The wage budget is a huge concern. How do we get players to sign new contracts if there is a low ceiling? Nobody of any quality will hang around.

Agreed.

The problem is - at this current time - neither Markanday, Hedges Szmodic or Dolan are much of a goal threat

If we've already spent 3-4 million of our budget and just have 2 league 1 players and a loan -then that's poor recruitment.

Positive. Given our weak squad and the August fixtures I'd have snapped your hand off for 9-12 PTS. Negative: However, still no incomings to bolster a depleted Squad, a physical Sheff U team...and worrying tactics of possession based approach last game. I can only see a 2-3 goal defeat. Hopefully we return to a more defensive approach. If we come out of this window with some good first team additions - as promised- then the next 3 games are free hits really. Any more points would be a bonus. if we don't, it will be a long and more than likely depressing season.

Given the lack of noise round incomings, I think its August 12th.

Problem with the squad at the moment is we have too many 'bench players' and not enough genuine first teamers. Kaminski Ayala Wharton Travis Dack (and that's on past glory) Brereton Brittain (because there are no alternatives). Hedges on current form. After that we struggle. Buckley should be a first teamer but he's inconsistent. Gallagher Dolan Zsmodics Pickering Morton Carter Phillips Garret Adam Wharton JRC They are all squad players or better coming off the bench. At best we have 7-8 genuine first teamers. Definitely need at least 4 this window to be competitive.

Surely worth a game or 2 to see.

Not if we are losing with him in the side.

Exactly and it's becoming a weekly occurrence. He's now scared to cross the halfway line in an attacking sense, as he knows he can't recover. Also means we are relying on our top goal threat to get back and help him out defensively. Needs sorting. Even if it means giving Edun a game there, he really can't be any worse and at least he has a little pace.

He gets targeted for a reason - because he has no pace.

Not sure who thought we were Certs for promotion. We made a better than expected start. Could just have been new manager bounce. I think everybody recognises the squad is woefully short. The frustration is that with 3-4 quality first team signings and a couple of loans...we could potentially have a decent season. The early transfer signs aren't encouraging though.

Give over. Bell was poor but he could get up and down the pitch. Pickering brings absoloutely nothing.

The only other time I've seen rovers bullied like that was at Ewood in 2020 (I think)- against Reading. They had a number of big, quick athletic lads playing that night and completely over ran us. We lost 4-2 but that flattered us. Have to wonder whether this new found leniency by refs is going to be detrimental to our younger players. This lot have developed during the days of 'falling over for a foul' which appear to have gone - thank God. There is little steel outside of CB anywhere in our squad. It's a little bit powderpuff.

I agree that Buckley has talent but you can't go AWOL in the middle when playing in a 2. He's 23 in a couple of months so not like he's a kid anymore. Agree that the Liverpool lad should get a run out in his place at weekend.

Had no impact whatsoever. Looks another mediocre player who may pop up with 4-5 goals and run around alot - but contribute little overall.

If JDT is planning on playing it out from the back, he may as well walk now. We know this squad can't do it. We lack pace in wide areas (both full backs given a chasing tonight) and physicality in the middle. We've been like this for several years now. Must be the slowest team in the championship.

Been watching on I follow. That 3rd goal absolute fucking joke defending. Switched off. It's the worst performance I can remember. Worse than Fulham given the difference in opposition. The whole team has been shocking. The front 3 in the first half. The 2 full backs all game.

Pickering is woeful. Absoloute liability at left back. Not been helped by Diaz or whoever is playing on the left. Reading have been much better. This is the performance we were all dreading due to a weak squad. Got to say JDT hasn't really changed it. Dack playing through the middle. Didn't work for Mowbray, won't work for him. Poor all round.

That side/half was the one we feared given the lack of decent incomings. Szmodic looks a bench player at best. No way he keeps an 80%Dack out the side.

Absoloutely atrocious. Only Ayala can hold his head up this half. The rest, to a man have been bloody awful. Tactics clearly aren't working. Big half coming up.

Any transfer incomings?

Generally, you have to pay over the odds for quality players - as more than one club will be interested.

It's the hope that things have changed that kills you. All be clear in a fortnight.