roversfan99

Evans and Travis central, Rankin Costello left, Chapman right, and Holtby off Armstrong. Dack can slip into Holtbys positon when hes fit again. As I said, makes no sense to play a system that wont suit our best 2 players when they are both fit. Which hopefully will be most of the season. Plus the formation didnt work last season.

I think there is an element of that to be fair. You look at us all getting overly excited over his post lockdown performances and getting our hopes up at any slither of ability shown. I also would rather see Rankin Costello play further forward and see what he can do in his natural position. Would love to see him left, Chapman right, and Dack off Armstrong at one point. Thats where he always plays but unfortunately, whilst there are some attributes there, he doesnt seem to have anything at the end and theres only so many times you can think "the talent is there now is the time to show it" yet he doesnt come up with the goods.

Brereton was offside numerous times. Kept breaking down attacks doing so.

Whatever Rothwell is supposed to be, hes not very effective.

By "could be the way to go" you mean the way that Mowbray will play? Doesnt suit us when Dack is back which shouldnt be that far away so theres no point building around that system. The results playing that formation last season were very poor.

Ha! Nixons story is us signing a kid presumably for the under 23 side? Exciting! I think it would need a fairly successful season just to match last seasons squad which is a bit of a worry, considering who has left. Walton obviously going doesnt leave too big of a gap, and although we are seemingly taking a calculated gamble on a goalkeeper from abroad who has had a tough time recently, the Walton benchmark is a low one there. Adarabioyo will be a huge miss. Id be amazed if we managed to get someone as good at centre back. Cunningham played only a fraction of the season but we gathered a fair few points in that game. That said, he didnt play enough to make it a major loss but again we will struggle to get a left back as good unless we go for him again. We have seemingly lost Downing. Im not saying that we should have acted differently or indeed that he would have been as effective but last season he was very good and must have been close to player of the season. Graham had a much less critical part but I think was in every match day squad and was always an option, plus his departure puts more onus on Brereton. Weve also lost some experience and also players who can use the ball well which is key to Mowbrays supposed new style. Its a vital window just to ensure that our squad isnt worse than it was last season.

I think you may be right. But considering our players and also the poor results using the formation post lockdown, im not in favour of it.

Dack isnt half as effective as a false 9 and presumably Armstrong would be back to being on the left so we would be playing our only 2 goal threats both out of position. Makes no sense.

Most of Armstrongs goals came when he moved centrally last winter. He had produced so infrequently out wide in the 18 months prior that he was getting a lot of criticism which seems a long time ago now.

Doesnt add up at all really. Attacking midfielder which we dont need. Mid way through a 2 year loan. Quick look online and he has recently in the last 2 weeks been given the number 10 short at his loan club and been on the team photo this week. I think the likes are coincidental. Maybe has a soft spot like Yuri Zhirkov strangely did too!

Think a wide man (or even a striker) would be needed more than either of the bottom 2 Signing another attacking midfielder doesnt really tally up.

I suppose if Armstrong and Gallagher are both only played central, then it would depend on getting at least one more wide man in. For one spot, they should be choices 1 and 2. But we are perhaps one light yeah. We have 2 goalscorers, one is just a number 10. You cant really look past them 2. Gallagher and Holtby should be the alternatives there. But thats reliant on them 2 both being fit and indeed clicking as a pair.

I dont even necessarily expect the winger to hug the touchline. Many of the best wingers in the League dont but they still provide an element of width and the possibility to go outside in a way that a Gallagher or even a Rothwell dont. Chapman in his last 2 part appearances, ie 20 minutes v Reading and half today, provided that width, for example v Reading, he cut in and put in a brilliant cross for Gallagher (the only other cross of a similar level all season was that Nyambe one again for Gallagher) and then soon after he got the ball wide and went on the outside, took 2 on the othee way and then put another really good cross in. His defensive contribution or lack of is often mentioned (despite the fact that he has started one League game ever under Mowbray, so he hasnt played enough to really be judged on it at senior level!) and he will need to track back but having an actual winger ahead of the full back places less emphasis on said full back to keep pushing on which could potentially lead to us being more solid that way.

@Bbrovers2288 totally agree that we shouldnt wait forever, if he is asking for too much money, too much game time or too much time to think, there has to be a cut off point. I just think that no one owes anyone anything, he came in and we mutually benefited, he added something to our squad with his performances and we paid him to do so. To suggest that he is sticking his fingers us at the fans was unnecessary IMO, and he should look in his best interests just as we should ours. Which seems to be leading to a parting of their ways which can be done respectfully. I see that we dont seem to be interested in bringing in a forward. Firstly, Nixon again talking shite. Apparently we were strongly in for Hofmann, now thats been quashed hes again got something wrong. I am not sure how I feel about not wanting a striker. I must say that it is well down the priority list, we need left back, centre back, winger and a second goalkeeper. And Downing will need replacing potentially too. With presumably limited funds, not easy! I would be happy if Armstrong was first choice striker, Gallagher backing him up, with Dack and Holtby as number 10s, and 1 winger (at least, probably only 1 is realistic) to play and compete with Chapman, Rankin Costello and Rothwell. I suspect that the actual solution in Mowbrays head is with false 9s and Gallagher still wide. That being said, if the budget allowed, someone like Chris Martin would be a nice option to have. It isnt ideal that 3 strikers worth 15m cant be relied on with any great confidence, but it is what it is. I also do wonder if Tom Lockyer has been considered. Good age, 10 caps for Wales, very much affordable on a free.

Noticed that Stoke played today and that Lindsay wasnt involved at all. Wonder if he is the CB we will go for? Would much prefer Kipre. Thats only taking into account the club. This will probably be his last deal, why doesnt he have the right to have a think over it. Especially if the finances or potential playing time has changed from last year? Sticking fingers up at the fans is a bit melodramatic.

Why is he giving the club and fans the fingers? Seems incredibly over the top. We dont know what the hold up is. Mowbray might have said that he wont play as much, maybe the wage offer is miles lower for his potentially last contract, maybe he wants 2 more years, maybe other teams have shown him interest. Just seems very harsh. If he does go, he has had a very good year for us in which he maintained high standards and I dont see any reason to have any ill feeling moving forward.

Has there been anything confirmed re number of subs allowed?

I am not sure that we looked really good, was standard pre season fare really and a result that flattered us, a bit stop start and in bad conditions. Brereton was really poor. His inability to understand the offside rule meant that quite a few attacks were halted because of him. Thats not me making exaggerated conclusions based on today, he usually looks out of place and today was just an example of that. Gallagher should be second choice up front with Armstrong very much our main striker. I thought we dont play with wingers In all seriousness, you are right that he should play up front. I do think today we saw an example albeit in non competitive positions of how playing actual wide men in their natural position can really give us some balance. Chapman in the first half meant that there was far less emphasis on Nyambe to attack. Also, he himself offered an attacking threat, obviously with his goal, whereas Gallagher/Brereton cannot offer that from a wide role. He was better on the right rather than the left. Rothwell again provides barely any supply to the attackers. Dolan came on and his cross is food and drink for a striker. Wide play like that will get us plenty of goals. Sadly, I suspect that it was done purely as a means to only play players for 45 minutes, and that once the season starts, wide strikers and probably false 9s will probably be back in fashion.

Looked promising but that seems a massive assumption to make.

When was anyone dismissive about "pretty good info about possible signings" 4 days after that Luton game in which Mowbray had spent the whole week stating his frustration that he had received no clarity on his budget? The report regarding Kaminski is the first one seemingly of any credibility and it would provide relief that we have seemingly started to do our transfer business, albeit at a later start than most in the division. We offered Downing a contract that seemingly is not financially up to the terms Downing would like post covid, and let everyone else go. Not sure what that proves. You are correct to suggest that we shouldnt expect to know what the budget actually is, or even roughly what it is. I dont doubt that. But ultimately, the main frustrations lie with the way Venkys work, constantly leaving us year on year at a disadvantage in the transfer market in terms of forcing the manager to wait until after the season (even if our fate is sealed in advance of the end of the season) to fly to India to sort it. This season, they left the manager publically frustrated because he didnt know what was going on at all. As facetious as you want to be with your comments, people are right to lambast the owners for their backwards and negligent way of working. Obviously, when you start telling everyone that its only FFP stopping them from signing off all the cheques, and telling people to "grow up" for criticsing and having animosity towards Venkys, as well as comments like the last one in the quoted post, it will wind people up.

Even them 2 were much more effective central. Lets hope not.

Where would Dack go? I do think that good players can cope and influence games in spite of a lack of physicality, although he is particularly feeble. It is just that we have better options where he would be best suited.

Does he get in or even near the team in a number 10 role, considering our other players in that area?

He tends to look neat and tidy and can clearly take the ball on the half turn, and is technically decent. But in fairness from not his favoured position, he struggles to influence and impact upon games.

Charlton away, he was excellent, playing as a 10. Otherwise IMO he has been ineffective pretty much every time he has played/come on. And considering that he is behind a few in that role, I think he needs a loan.