Another key objective to make a successful window has to be to tie down Tronstad and Hyam to new deals.

Im not over estimating that compared to last season, some really crucial players and also some very useful players have left the club. That doesnt mean that some might not be adequately be replaced or some new signings might not improve us. They may very well do that. Thats a seperate argument. But we dont have to pretend that some of the players that have left have done based on our decision. They left when we didnt want them to. Nor do we have to pretend that some of the players that have left were not as good or as useful as they actually are. They do leave big gaps. Whether those gaps are filled, time will tell. But those gaps are still left nonetheless. Brittain, Travis, Dolan, Batth. You wanted them all to stay. I wanted them all to stay. Now they are gone, similar to your trick with managers. It is of little surprise that you will downplay their quality or their influence. Its what you do. As soon as anyone heads through the Ewood exit door, in your eyes they become 50% worse. Eustace, JDT, and now a series of key players.

But we are at a point where as you have said, we have barely if at all seen the new players. So all we can do really is speculate and also discuss what we have lost. Even if they wouldnt fit into the new way, if we are comparing the quality of the respective squads, regardless of styles, its worth noting key personnel that has left. Take Batth. He is seemingly potentially starting to decline. And I dont think he would have suited our style as much now anyway. We didnt want him to go though, Ismael wanted him to stay, he turned us down. But I would be amazed if we keep as many clean sheets this season as last. So it is a fair direct comparison still. People are downplaying the quality of those who have left too. You mention Travis. Ismael seemingly wants to play athletic, high energy stuff. That would have been right up Travis' street. Full of energy, a great presser, in your face. I dont get why you think Tavares would have knocked him out of the team. You also consider the intangible differences. Travis in the team against Birmingham doesnt show the same naivety that Tavares did. Dolan, a player I know you really did not rate. Again, Ismael really wanted to keep him, and his form was possibly the only player to actually improve when Ismael came in. Loves to press, high energy, and started to become more and more productive. So he is again a big loss, both in terms of comparisons to last season AND as someone who would have really suited Ismael. And obviously he had great success with Brittain before and he was another key player. You also say you can understand why most have left. It isnt out of choice. We tried to keep them, they just didnt stay because the club has a continued inability to get players to sign new deals. This summer hasnt gone to plan, the plan was to sign 6 or 7 and Ismael has said numerous times that we have had to "transition" and sign more players than initially planned due to unwanted departures. Travis, Brittain and Dolan in particular would have not only been key features of the team had they stayed but perhaps would have suited Ismael as much as anyone. Which of the players that have left are you NOT glad that they have left? Ie which do you think would have thrived and improved in an Ismael team?

Completely forgot we've (re)signed Forshaw 😅 can't see him getting much game time tbh, probably be loaned out or released at Christmas

Playing for derby in division 1 next season

I agree, this is what JDT and Broughton were trying to do. I think this is also what Luke Griffin and the rest of the newly formed recruitment team was trying to do at the time. It seems as though they and the head honcho couldn't agree on matters, hence what we saw play out. It feels different this time as the trio seem to be on board with the current strategy. The real test of this will come in January, if we find ourselves in or around the top six by that point. I think Val and Rudy will fancy it and will want to push on. Not so sure about the other fella right now, but let's hope we are in a position to find out.

The transition to a cheaper squad has suddenly maybe become a revolution. I'd say someone somewhere has been rattled and let the brakes off a bit but we'll see by the end of the window. Agents payments in the next set of accounts will be eye watering.

I’m going to half-hold my hands up here. The addition of our long-term target (Baradji) and seemingly a major piece of our jigsaw (Moroshita) has started to make this window overall quite an exciting one. Only two things would tip it above 8/10 for me: Forshaw out in favour of Travis (I know that won’t happen). Bring in a striker worthy of the name. I feel like we have otherwise answered many of our problems either with competition, adequate replacements or actual improvements. The irony that it is pretty much the model Broughton and JDT wanted to implement, albeit with a different style. With ALL of that being said, I cannot get excited because we’ll throw it all away after Christmas as we have done now for three successive years. Venkys Out. Pasha Out. Gestede Out.

Eh? Birmingham were one of the favourites to win the league, let alone get promoted, at 2-1 at one point. They're currently second favourites to win the league and second favourites to get promoted. Not sure where you got the notion they were 7-1 for promotion. West Brom currently 6th favourites for promotion (oddschecker).

Has "Fax Machine" written all over it this one.

The way deals are happening without much or anything leaking, Morishita being the latest example of that, is what makes this a potentially exciting end to the window. No sarcasm when I say that. We don't know what might be lined up and despite Rudy's words on the budget being unaffected, it's obvious they have raised quite a bit of money from sales. A percentage of this being added to the pot isn't a wild thought. I agree with Duncan's view that Rudy has more of an understanding with Pasha than any other before him. This could be to our benefit. It appears they are all together as it stands and that they are trying to improve the team by meeting what the manager wants. The encouraging sign for me is the creativity being shown and most of the new signings clearly having something about them. We can't call them successes yet, but these aren't in the same mould as the likes of Paul Taylor (who?), Varney, Brown, Fode Koita, Edun, Mola, Telalovic etc where you're thinking 'wtf!' (even after seeing them play). Personally, I can't wait to see Baradji driving forward from midfield and our Japanese attack linking up. I think Baradji is going to be one of those where we go 'wow'. Sentiment aside regarding Academy and English players, I particularly like the ruthless way 'wooden' players are being moved on. This needed to happen years ago. JRC and Buckley, despite given chance after chance, have demonstrated, IMO, that they are not good enough to play for us. In Buckley's case he has gone backwards as a player. I wish them well at their new clubs and this isn't personal. We need better. It looks like Rudy and Ismael actively want better too and I'm pleased about that. I also wouldn't blink in moving Leonard, Pears and one or two more out too if we have the opportunity to replace them. "But they are Academy lads". Yeah, and? We've been out of the Premier League for 13 years now. This game is about winning and trying to win. Only my opinion, but sentiment shouldn't come into this. These guys aren't good enough for where we need to get to. If we can bring in better, move them on. You won't hear Newcastle fans saying "Aargh, I wish we had kept Longstaff, I wish we had kept Elliot Anderson...they were Academy lads" when they can do a lot better and ARE doing a lot better. Even with these owners and Pasha being here, we can do better than those we are allowing to leave.

Agreed, I was done with him. Probably a nice lad, had talent as a footballer, but hadn't applied himself properly for years, and had never done so consistently for more than about 3 months. He had been in more last chance saloons than I can count. I wish him well, but it was long past time for him to go. I don't think he has the personality to be a success at this level.

Keith Andrews was a fairly shit Premiership midfielder. Then we loaned him to the Championship with Ipswich and he immediately scored 9 goals in 20 Championship matches. Different levels altogether these two tiers. JB and LT were never as dominant as that in the Championship at any point in their careers. OP was right, JB and LT would never have been regulars when we were a good Prem side. At best they'd have made a smattering of substitute/cup appearances, been loaned out, and never seen at Ewood again.

Very cynical and insensitive of me but I'm not fussed Buckley is gone. Moreover, the fact he never advanced as a player from more or less his debut and the fact he's now signed in Saudi in his prime id suggest are related, and as much as it's sad hes leaving after 20 years I'd be asking myself why if that was me and be looking at my motivations and whether my decisions such as this move will help me further

Buckley consented to a farewell interview with Rovers TV today, still in his club tracksuit. It is a hard watch as the lad is clearly devastated to be leaving. He appears shellshocked and close to tears. He started here twenty years ago - aged six. What a shame he couldn't build on his early promise. He is a good lad Bucko and I enjoyed watching him when in form and confident. I believe this move is best for both parties and I hope he can settle abroad and recover his love of the game .

Garrett has a torn groin and is out until at least Oct/Nov I believe. Might get a loan in Jan I guess, but yeah never quite kicked on as we all hoped after JDT left. In theory he's a good fit for Ismael, 6'2 and athletic, hard working with some ball playing ability. Next summer will be decision time I think.

Neither will make it at Championship level - these are not kids with Garrett 22 and Montgomery 21. Garrett has struggled on loan at lower league level whilst perhaps Montgomery found his level at Marine and Chorley last season. They would struggle even in League 2. For perspective, neither can hold a candle to John Buckley who first broke into Rovers 1st team at 19 and has amassed circa150ish appearances since. Good luck John Buckley - a move to fresh pastures overseas might just clear his head and give him a focus. There is talent there but the lad does need to sort himself out.

I don’t really have a Scottish team tbh, I watch some games and I live near Aberdeen more than anyone so keep an eye out for them and yea spose I have a soft spot for hibs too, always seem to produce good young players.

Think they'd be better telling them it's 5pm.

I thought the player liaison lady was fired?

The future would look better if upcoming talent such as Phillips, Finneran and Tyjon had been retained.

Needs doing this week if it's a goer, with the window closing 7pm on Monday or I wouldn't have confidence in them getting it done on time. Hang on, I wonder if they realise it closes at 7 🥲 if one of the club plants is reading this, remind/inform the powers that be please....

You’re doing that direct comparison thing again mate, I get it because you’re a logical thinker but it’s not that straight forward. You could probably apply it more if JE had stayed and then we’d lost Dolan, Travis, Brittain, Batth, Buckley and Weimann. But with VI coming in and having watched us at the back end of last season and early this season, I’m genuinely glad most of them didn’t sign and I can understand why others have left. Its a new world now and rightly or wrongly the profile - in particular the physical attributes of the signings we’ve made are like night and day to what we had. So, the ‘glaring holes’ you refer to are really hard to justify. Tavares would’ve replaced one of Travis or Sonny in Val’s new midfield. Not because they’re not good players, because he wants bigger, stronger athletic types. It’s done now, this is the biggest shift we’ve had in years.

My mistake 0-3 Bradford.

Let's not count on it, probably a weakened Norwich.