Did I mention the closure of the transfer window ?

Sadly it seems Pears is injured rather than on his way out.

Honestly it depends how much they're willing to risk on Wharton. Hyam, Wharton, McLoughlin, Carter - with (what looks like 3) Academy players backing them up is fine IF you think Wharton can hold up. As Ismael has repeatedly mentioned that Wharton has only played 4 weeks of football in a year and Carter picks up multiple injuries every season I suspect they're going to look for another CB.

Why is this message board themed in black?

I'd say he's a decent (but honestly not great) shot stopper - but the rest of his game just isn't professional standard. Positioning, handling, communication, distribution - just poor all round. I've no idea how he's carved out a professional career.

Also Wharton is chronically injured, and while Hyam was ever present last season he had serious injury issues year before. Does feel like we are very light if we dont get one more senior CB.

Depends how much value you are giving Sammy, Gallagher and Dolan compared to whichever 3 you are starting up front. Toth is an upgrade. Pickering / Ribeiro I think are interchangeable at the moment.

It's encouraging, but I wouldn't go overboard. This was Academy kids keen to impress v PL players getting minutes into their legs. If points / a place in the next round was on the line we'd have seen a different result. Nobody looked out of place today, but Everton clearly had another gear. Did Montgomery et al?

His basic positioning is terrible, which isn't as obvious as some of the more prominent errors, but is equally contributory. He benefitted greatly from having a more organised defence for periods of last season, but I don't think there's any doubt that Pears has proven his incompetence regularly, across a prolonged period. And hopefully he's played his last game for us.

Having watched the game today the two glaring problems for me are starting RW and backup CM (assuming Tavares is actually any good). We can probably quite happily alternate DeNeves and Kargbo on the left (with Leonard / Ohashi et al rotating in there as the season goes on). On the right though you simply can't go into the season with Hedges as your starter - he offers nothing going forward (but yes I'll concede he works hard to protect his FB). At CM, especially playing this system, you're going to run into the same problem we had at around December last year - we're going to run Tronstad and Travis into the ground. We need two good backups - let's say Tavares is one and Forshaw / Montgomery (I doubt it to be honest) rotate as the 5th option. You need another good player in there who can start midweek without a second thought from the manager - whether that lad from the Swiss league is it I don't know. Buckley needs to be shipped out. Bonus points if you can also snag a striker who can run in behind.

I'm sure there was compilation on here at one point of a bunch of the mistakes made. To be honest, even if you take out the obvious horror shows, the biggest issue with Pears for me has always been his complete inability to handle a cross. So many routine goals conceded over the years just because of that deficiency and the smart teams targeted it.

As in before the transfer window closed, or literally 19 July 2024?

If you care to read, thread entitled, “does the club care?” Ive come to the conclusion they do not. Well, they are grateful for toffees 4,500 traveling fans today.

I don't want to put it all on Pears, cos we had other problems last year, but how many points did he cost us last year with his basic mistakes? We'd have been in the playoffs for sure. Hopefully Toth is a safe pair of hands going forward.

Sam Lavelle, also ex Rovers and not sure but possibly Nolan ?

So in my opinion, as it stands, we have a stronger starting eleven than this time last season.

If previous seasons tell us anything, it isn't necessarily the subs in a fully fit squad that are the problem, it's when we hit the Christmas flurry of fixtures and we lose a few to injury. The current squad is nowhere near the depth required to keep this up over a season. However, if VI can get them up to the right sort of fitness levels it may work for the first few months at least.

Absolute crock - has cost him a PL job I think.

He said that we are open to another centre back without committing to saying we will get one, mentioning priorities. We really do need one. Carter is unfortunately a sick note who cant be relied upon.

I like Wharton a lot, but Id be really surprised if he can hold down a place. So injury prone, and as others have said , hes one of those defenders who has a regular unforced error in him without the pace to recover. Shame as he is good in the air, has a decent left foot and is Rovers through and through. Hope he proves me wrong.

Matchplay starts this weekend at Blackpool. Littler obviously red hot favourite but should be competitive all the way through, with it being the top 16 in the world and then the next top 16 from the pro tour over the last 12 months. Everyone here on achieved merit over a long period.

They are only words and ultimately it’s a results business and will be judged on the pitch but Vals interviews to date have been excellent l. Open honest and to the point

I find Dubois is a hard guy to like. He is just character-less. Not too fussed who wins tbh.

Anyone regularly watch the U21s and able to say how close or not Atcheson is from being able to cover on the bench or for a few games?

Red and black again. There’s a whole palette out there.