Went top half ie similar to last year. Ayala a good signing. Kaminski still difficult to judge at this point. Still have the main weak point (Bell) in the team and seemingly no urgency to replace him. Armstrong a goalscorer that not all teams have, Dack a second but a real conundrum in how we get them both firing together. Travis a big loss. So a mixed bag really. Not good enough for top 6 but certainly too much to get dragged in to anything at the wrong end. Problem is, I cant see us keeping our best players next summer if we dont go up.

The lack of money always seemed to be the thing to expect so to be honest I am not shocked that it seems like Thursdays meeting on transfers has only compounded the fact that we are searching for bargains. But Mowbrays talk about left back not being the main priority is the big concern. Bell is and always will be not up to it. We do also need a sub keeper, a central midfielder and another attacking player. It doesnt seem like anything is imminent which considering that Mowbray said 2 days ago that he expected an answer on a left back within 24 hours is a concern.

He is hardly going to publically slag off the owners is he, and paying the bills is different to being held back from throwing loads of money on transfers. Suppose it is just one interpretation against another. Doesnt sound like anything is done based on Mowbrays interview. Unless hes pulled a blinder.

We couldnt compete with those 2 clubs. We couldnt afford that sort of fee, backed up by Mowbrays comments today. I dont see why he would come to a side in a similar situation in terms of where they can finish and Johnson would be a regular in our team.

Why would staff members discourage them from spending and why didnt they spend before they came?

He mentioned on Thursday that he had a meeting in the afternoon about signings. Im guessing it didnt go too well. The main worry amidst the quote is that left back isnt his main worry. Im guessing that the left back who was deciding within 24 hours has decided to go elsewhere.

Absolutely, but at the moment I think suggestions of him moving abroad for big money like Bellingham or like Eze domestically is crazy when hes only made one league start. Hes a talent and its exciting though, no doubt.

If he genuinely thinks that left back isnt the priority and it is going to be Bell there all season we can wave goodbye to any top 6 hopes.

https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/18733710.mowbray-manning-interest-rovers-transfer-latest/ “I know exactly to the penny how much money we’ve got, it’s either a couple of loans or a signing, I would suggest, and I am not sure we’re going to spend it all on Ryan Manning when we’ve got Amari’i Bell doing okay." For fucks sake! Sounds like we are skint and that he is deluded over the lack of quality of Amarii Bell. Mowbray mentioned a meeting on Thursday. Sounds like it didnt go too well!

Huge if at this point, and again like the Bellingham one, it is a crazy comparison to make so soon. Eze was QPR's stand out player for 2 seasons, with many goals and assists.

Excellent result of course and a totally dominant display against an absolutely dismal Wycombe side who I suspect with their team and resources will do well to hit 20 points. As others have said, a shame we missed out and hopefully we can be allowed in to the next home game, although sadly I suspect that we wont be allowed even in small numbers. Armstrong the main man again, absolute game changer, and guaranteed source of goals. Be interesting to see how we fit Dack back into this team, as he undoubtedly has to come back in and give us a secondary guaranteed goal source. Dolan an absolute livewire, tired second half and sometimes spends too long on the ball, but a bundle of energy, pace and skill and not only that, a goal and a penalty won so there is some end product. Very raw but a very nice bonus to have considering his sudden emergence from an expected player for the under 23s. Midfield 3 very impressive too, thought Johnson had a very controlled game, Rothwell with some end product with the third goal, and Holtby with his usual class. Defensively totally untroubled, Williams stood out there. Kaminski I think we are struggling to get a real indication of his quality based on the games, totally untested in terms of saves, very safe with his handling of low balls in, seems accomplished with his distribution but very, very nervous from crosses, nearly costly early on from one. Full backs I thought had nothing to do defensviely but were both poor going forward. Bell did nothing of worth as per usual and I thought Rankin Costello aside from the shot that hit the outside of the post had a few poor touches and all of his crosses seemed to go straight to the keeper. Brereton also a curious one. Today had to be a perfect opportunity to get a meaningful goal and it passed him by. When they went down to 10, he should have been kept on but he offers zero goal threat. He did some neat and tidy things, a couple of nice touches, and contributed small parts in 2 goals, albeit his pass to Rothwell was perhaps a little wider than he would have liked, but he certainly hasnt guaranteed his place in the side. Subs wise, Buckley was bullied a bit initially but a couple of great passes, the one for the 5th goal was superb. Chapman bright and lively, Davenport neat and tidy.

He very much is. That being said, I thought both full backs had similar games today, totally untroubled defensively, very wasteful when going forward. Nyambe need to come back in on the right.

Might be a case of de ja vu to when we was told the other week that a signing had been made and an announcement was imminent. Hopefully there is a deal close though and it is someone else. The Manning interest was typical transfer window fare. Someone made the suggestion on a forum that we should sign him, it snowballs, the local journalist mentions him in terms of historical interest but no indication that he is who we have bid for, an "ITK" frenzy of people claiming he has signed, our fans even mocking QPR fans over the supposed fact, and it all turns out to be totally unfabricated. Why the transfer window has become an absolute ball ache!

"The manager doesn't know that" was Tony Mowbray's response to the Ryan Manning question. TM confirmed he likes the player but suggests #Rovers wouldn't have the level of finance to make that a possibility. Seems that 2 and 2 made 5 in the way this Manning rumour has snowballed.

That is one hell of a statement having played about 2 hours of league football! As good as he was today. Lets remain level headed with him, as exciting a pick up as he seems to be.

Daniel Johnson would be a little more than cover for Travis, he would be straight into our first team and is a different type of player. But he would not come here and be unaffordable so a non starter.

Stupid decision to drop Nyambe. That team is not particularly strong, who is going to score bar Armstrong? Must win today.

That would depend on the quality of chances. Some of them were wayward shots from range, I cant remember any chances that I felt had to be put away but werent.

Did we create any good chances aside from the second for Armstrong? Many were speculative. Even on Tuesday, the chance quality was poor for all the passing betweem Lenihan and Williams. Bar Armstrong, we are looking blunt across the frontline and succeptible on the counter.

Is the interest in Manning even confirmed? Even in the LT Manning having been suggested rather than linked on here was seemingly mentioned as a "historic" target with Rich Sharpe saying that he didnt know Mowbrays mystery target. Obviously Mowbray has history for revisiting former targets so its plausible nonetheless. Also totally agree that actions speak louder than words. Have to get the season underway tomorrow after 2 losses this week.

Without that quality of player we might have to compromise somewhat!

Very true. Although we cant have Bell as the benchmark.

Reading QPR fans opinions, common consensus is hes very good going forward and poor defensively. Some suggestions that hes better in midfield.

That is a very difficult comparison to make, when one player is solely playing first team games and the other 2 only against kids.

Manning is not in the QPR squad tonight, although wasnt last week either, Warburton wants him to sort out a new deal before he re joins the squad.