Out of interest as a fan from afar. How much is the experience of watching the games diluted without the fans? For example, for me the overall experience is massively impaired in terms of attending, but I even found the away games I hadnt planned to attend to be surreal, almost like training games. It just felt weird. But obviously part of that may have been subconsciously for example that even if we had made the play offs, I couldnt go to them either. But the individual games lost importance.

The situation is shit anyway hence my thread on a total lack of excitement about the season coming up. But what else can they possibly do within a sadly very restricted situation? As I said, Rovers shouldnt have that problem so no excuses.

Seems very definitive? Sounds like the offer is very much on the table. You seem to have now moved from "unsure" to very much of the opinion that you are happy to see him go, now it seems that he might well be off...? Not good enough is very harsh. Definitely on a reduced role with a reduced wage if at all but still technically very good. Had a very good season even if he was a little off the pace post lockdown.

So if Downing does sign, he will be already at a disadvantage fitness wise. Not ideal for a 36 year old.

The thing is though, surely Armstrong will play centrally considering that is where he was far more effective from there, and failing any ridiculous false 9 formations again, it will be him and Dack. We also have Gallagher and Brereton who are very much central players, and Holtby as a number 10. Therefore, Martin would be most likely a sub most of the time, and one who is very much the opposite (like Graham was, hence part of the reason as to why he became a bit part player) of the style that we seem to be moving towards. You mention the budget but I think he left Derby because they could not agree a contract with him, therefore he would probably swallow up a decent chunk of any limited resources on his wage demands. He is definitely past his best and had a really dry patch, but he would potentially be a useful player to have around, considering Graham has 2 years on him, probably an upgrade on him. Provides a focal point and had a decent goals per minute ratio last year. Just unsure that financially, and considering the players we already have there, if it is a deal we need to be doing. If he did join I dont think he would be a bad signing though.

They only flew out over the weekend didnt they? There is absolutely no credence to the theory that someone has picked up the virus solely because of Klopps decision to take the team to a training camp. You was right IMO to suggest that it possibly isnt a logistical necessity to take Rovers out for one in the circumstances but your point about Liverpool somewhat undermines your initial point.

I know that Portsmouth and one or two others have specifically stated that they will allow people in on a rotational system. So ultimately, demand is greater than supply, and they will probably initially have to take turns to give everyone a fair chance. Other teams such as Blackpool as I posted earlier have capped the number of sales to ensure that they would be able to fit them all in. Teams that have yet to finalise their packages such as Preston have come out with a press release stating that they are currently in the process of sorting it. We dont even have the problem whereby, unless the limit is much lower than has been mentioned, that season ticket holders from last year who will want to attend, will be able to fit in WITH social distancing. So we avoid that headache. Communication is totally absent at the moment. Nothing on the official site and our useless chief executive/CEO is seemingly proving elusive even to the journalist at the local paper. Not good enough really.

I think a pre season training camp is the least of our worries and possibly even unnecessary, but what on earth has the fact that a positive test go to do specifically with the fact that they have just gone to Austria? Would have been the case had they stayed too!

Did anyone appreciate the irony of the story posted on the official website this morning, that Lewis Holtby is looking forward to benefiting from a full pre season? We can use the same template of the story for this time next year.

How are people feeling ahead of the current season? Has anyone managed to maintain even a slither of excitement? Just personally totally disillusioned with the whole situation. Of course primarily regarding the pandemic which is out of anyones hands. Maybe part of the season will be watchable in stadiums. Maybe not. Ans if it is, all very sparse. All very diluted. No singing allowed, no atmosphere. No sitting with mates. No last minute winners followed by going mad. No drinks in a packed pub or the concourse. Sitting for hours with a mask on. No away days. No away fans at Ewood. There is a feeling of stagnation with the manager to chuck in for me too. The owners seem to have now totally forgotten about us, even more so than before. Not even a suggestion that we will strengthen. The incredibly high possibility of having a kid on loan in net again. Our assets will inevitably leave in the next 12 months. No communication from the club. No further idea on how we can watch the games. Just for example saw the cup draw. Usually id be hoping for specific games, maybe Harrogate away or similar. As it is, I didnt give a shit. Probably will be the same on fixture release day on Friday. Id usually eagerly anticipate the opening day fixture, weve had some horrible starts in recent years but it doesnt dampen excitement. Losing at Southend, going 3 down at home to Norwich in 25 minutes, last years frustration at home to Charlton. And then theres looking out for specific away days, Preston and the day out there. Im just interested to know if I am the exception and if people are out there desperately counting down the days until the new season.

Bailey Wright went to Sunderland a week or two ago. https://www.pinkun.com/norwich-city/10-free-agents-canaries-could-target-this-summer-1-6780794 3 of the players you mention are on this list. On a list of suggestions for Norwich. Plus one or two others that may be of interest. We shouldnt look at strikers until we have fixed the defence and goalkeeping area. With money no doubt tight and it not being a priority. No doubt we will end up with a kid on loan in net.

Why Vorm? He is soon to be 37 and has played 13 League games in 6 years.

Get the feeling that there is absolutely nothing happening at all the club. I know Rich Sharpe struggles for scoops at the best of time but Ive regularly seen him suggest that he "is hoping to hear from Mowbray and/or Waggott in the next few days" for a few weeks now.

Good point. Was he at training today? Total silence.

https://www.portsmouthfc.co.uk/news/2020/august/flexi-season-tickets-blues-break-4000-barrier/ Here is how it is done.

Bolton have put their season tickets on sale today.

He has only been capped 3 times, and there are players currently in the squad such as Judge, Whelan, Byrne, O'Brien etc playing at a lower standard even than Williams. Obviously I know that there are some decent players like Egan, Doherty etc but beneath that its not the biggest of talent pools so opportunity is there for players playing at the level of a lower Championship standard or even below to get a couple of caps. Obviously they have had some excellent players in the last 30 years but the likes of Roy Keane, Robbie Keane, Duff and Given arent about at this stage.

Evans I would definitely agree with. We statistically pick up more points with him next to Travis than anyone else. Possibly a victim of his injury ravaged, disappointing Rovers career prior, with the ability to recover for international games rubbing salt into the wound. Bell, I am not sure when this improvement happened. He had a decent game v Bristol City if I recall but it is very much an exception to the rule. Defensively really flimsy, constantly allows crosses to come in and offers nothing from an creative point of view as he should. Cunningham came in for 7 games as a quality left back and we really saw how far away Bell is. Also, being a Republic of Ireland international is hardly a huge achievement. He is a lower half Championship/top League 1 player who obviously shouldnt be near the team if we want to be near the play offs. That back 4 is the exact same defence that conceded 63 goals last season, minus Adarabioyo. Relegation is perhaps an exaggeration, although factor in the total rookie of a goalkeeper that those who have suggested that have factored in, and it is hard not to fear the worse. Mowbray is a much more complicated one. He has been here for 3 and a half years and is the longest serving manager in the league unless Ainsworth has overtaken him so especially considering a repeated failure to address weaker areas of our side, and a few tactical changes made that didnt really work, people are going to question his ability to take us forward. It is not like he has only just arrived.

Not sure. Definite upgradre on the useless Bell so would have played here. My point was that the onus is now on Mowbray to find better from somewhere across Europe than a standard Championship LB like Fox. Most transfer links are bollocks. Par for the course in the off season. Often lazy links, maybe an agent fuelled to try and get their client a club, an assumption that a player will go to a former team/manager, something totally made up, who people want to see signed etc, either way most of the players we have been linked with will have never been under consideration. Was that ever confirmed or just speculation? What makes you say it could be a smart move? He made quite a number of mistakes at Stoke and at Barnsley in League 1 it was Pinnock who took all of the praise. Maybe be could build a solid partnership with Lenihan but I suspect with his lack of pace, he would need to be protected by a change of tact in terms of the way Mowbray sets us up.

?

Most transfer links end up being false. We will see how much we spend. And yes, basically every left back in the league is better than Bell.

As has been pointed out, people are concerned because Venkys "way of working" ALWAYS means that we are behind everyone else. In regards to signings that have gone elsewhere, Morgan Fox, George Friend and Tyler Blackett are all better than any of the left backs we have, Chey Dunkley, James Chester and Grant Hall would all currently get into our team next to Lenihan, Kieffer Moore, Lyle Taylor and Steven Fletcher would all be better than Gallagher and Brereton, Ryan Woods and Jack Colback would be useful in midfield and Kieran Sadlier looks a decent winger which is something we lack. The vast majority of them players, we can definitely do better than and I dont think any scream out as outstanding but working in a tight economic climate, the challenge is now on to see if Mowbray can get any better. Before the season starts surely. No good signing players after that otherwise we are already potentially at a disadvantage.

Suspect that Hofmann will be at another club in a different country within 48 hours as Iversen was last week. We dont need a striker and a target man would make absolutely no sense whatsoever.

In the 7 games that he was here and played, we picked up 13 points and only conceded 7 goals. I thought aside from a mistake at West Brom, he was excellent.