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Is the club being smarter? Offloading people like Travis (academy developed and cost us nothing) and then having to take a big gamble going into the foreign markets paying cash to bring in someone injured, unfit and unproven at this level I don't see as 'smarter' - I see it as taking a massive gamble. Pats on the back that the new guy falls within the 'wage cap' but you have to factor in the money we've shelled out to bring him and others in that wouldn't have been needed had we paid the existing proven crop more money. 'Building a squad that wants to be here' - the last crop of players wanted to be here and their efforts in the first 6 months of last season proved that. A more committed, united, hard working group you would not find in the Championship under Eustace and led by the senior players. That's been dismantled - deliberately - for non-footballing reasons. It doensn't mean the previous players didn't want to be here and doesn't mean that the new lot do either - they'll be here because we are paying them more than their last clubs and will be out of here as soon as they get a better offer elsewhere. You make it sound like there's a grand strategy to build a great side in place - but by your own admission and the 'wage cap' that will never come to fruition because players will want away the minute another club comes sniffing or Rovers decide to cash in because we aren't willing to offer them pay or terms in keeping with the Championship standard.

Nah probably not top 6 this season to be fair but they’re building a squad that actually wants to be here. No more passengers, it’s a reset, younger, hungrier players, a clear style, and long-term planning.

Yeah, perhaps a shift towards a format like the new champions league would benefit all (essentially nations league). Fixtures next week of Bayern v Chelsea, Liverpool v Athletico. Albeit, it wouldn't be good for the stat-padding international strikers! This was our toughest match on paper, and maybe that's why we looked so much better than against the likes of Andorra. Some proper strength in depth, and maybe this is the time we look for the best 'team' rather than the best 'individuals' - the likes of Anderson, Madueke, Rodgers looked very good.

Building for what ? What are they building for on the back of a cashing in exercise and wage cap ? Because it certainly isn't for the top 6.

I thought it was alright, but get the frustration, stagnation year by year, poor comms, and watching committed players walk away hasn’t been great but it’s a new chapter now. Yes, the wage cap is crap, but it’s forcing the club to be smarter and not just splash cash on aging players who wanted new challenges. Honestly, some of them weren’t giving 100% either and it showed clearing them out isn’t just about saving money, it’s about building a squad that wants to be here. VI's support shows, and while it’s easy to be skeptical, he sees them every day. Gudjohnsen looks a proper talent, and there’s a foundation in this squad and they’re building something. It might take a season to click, but I’d rather back a project with potential than cling to the past and repeated failures of achieving the play offs. The club’s far from perfect, but there’s a shift happening. If its too much to bear, you could always support the bastards and get your England flags out...

The qualifiers are a waste of time and tell you very little, good or bad. Full of mismatches and 11 players camped in their own box. Scrap them, sort out qualification through the Nations League and play offs and give the actual season some time back.

Love the seesaw we all go through from being no hopers to it being there for the taking in 4 days. Think we'll need to see how the games evolve over the next 9 months to really say one way or the other.

Still wondering why Jordan Henderson got on the pitch, surely he's not gonna be part of the World Cup squad?

A really good performance from England, first time in quite some time i've watched a game and been impressed by what we did. Madueke was superb, a proper winger. Put in the type of performance we've been missing for years. Thought Anderson was superb also, with performances like that, he'll be keeping Wharton waiting a bit longer for a place in the team. Rogers played well, a great option to have going forward. Saka takes Gordon's place and you bring Bellingham back in and we're looking even better. We really need another striker. If Kane is injured/rested we're looking at Watkins, who's a good player but he's not top level and we'll struggle if we need to rely on him for any reasonable length of time. I think Tuchel has to make us greater than the sum of our parts in the main and then use the likes of Kane/Bellingham to grab that vital goal/moment of magic ad we could be onto something. It's 1 performance but it's been badly needed for sooo long.

Pickford, James, Guehi, Rice, Bellingham, Saka, Kane likely all start if fully fit, so about 4 spots up for grabs. I did like the directness and pace that Gordon and Madueke brought, felt like a step away from boring Pep-Ball that hopefully stops getting adopted. Pickford James - ??? - Guehi - ??? Bellingham - Rice Saka - Palmer - ??? Kane Maybe we shouldn't shoe-horn Bellingham and Palmer together, but it's tempting to. Obviously I'd love to see Wharton make the position his own next to Rice, but without a competitive cap yet I'm not sure we can expect it too soon. This week I was unfortunate enough to go to the Andorra match rather than the Serbia one! 😁

Same cycle on rinse and repeat - Pasha putting the designated puppets forward to take all the heat for Venkys decisions. To be replaced once they’ve served their purpose with a new cast of puppets. The one constant on the ground at Rovers since the takeover is Pasha. Why?

Nuno signed his own P45 when he called out the owner. That guy is bat shit crazy and won't stand for that from his manager. Crazy decision to appoint Ange, entertainment for the neutral though.

I think the lack of reacting to pressing triggers are the main reason Gueye is out in the cold with VI, Ohashi is incredibly diligent when it comes to his off the ball duties which is one of the main reasons I think he's been preferred thus far, that and Gueye couldn't hit a barn door

I would be far happier if those 3 in the photograph , buggered off and never crossed the threshold of Ewood again..

FYI - Beware of issues posting stuff to the US at the moment...when I investigated re the retro shirts Royal Mail had suspended all parcel deliveries but I *think* they're back on stream now but how long stuff will take to go thru US Customs is a moot point.

Part n parcel of being an England fan I guess. Everyone's the England manager always critical. I didn't mind Southgate but grew board of parking the bus. I think Tuchel is taking us to the the next level. With this selection of players we could beat anyone and that includes Spain. Looking forward to the world cup it's ours for the taking

They've not said anything you wouldn't expect them to in an interview like that. Back on with another project, which will take a few years to bare any fruit, by which time the owners will have gotten bored and changed their minds again. As others have pointed out, it seems the better players aren't on board with the self imposed wage cap and obviously have refused dismal new contracts at the club, as we all expected was the case. Another, presumably deliberate, slip by Rudy was that there "are others in that situation" (1 year left on their contracts), and that something might have to be looked at in January. Paving the way for a Tronstad exit in a few months. A couple of slight digs at the fans needing to turn up and get behind the players on a matchday and about the coalition's stay away statement.

I know I gave tuchel alot of shit on Saturday but he's proven in big games he's got the tactical know how

I don't think there's a team out there that's perfect. Spain are so good because they play as a team. They've got deficiencies throughout their side. Same with Argentina. If tuchel gets us playing as a team we've got every chance

I don't think people being forced out of long standing jobs then having a snipe back is in anyway toxic it's just normal human behavior. In fact branding them toxic is pretty pathetic to be honest when not knowing the ins and outs. The number of ex employees and players having a snipe and those who previously spoke out before they left more than hints it's they who were leaving a toxic situation behind. A toxic do as we say/take what we offer or leave environment that has clearly been created since Rudy Gestede set foot in the building. You can blame who you want for that but there are ways of dealing with things and there are ways you don't, all this is on his watch now he's the owners latest poodle so with that comes accountability. So it's all on him.

Thought that Gordon found another gear last night shooting on sight which was promising

That's because the majority of people they have to deal with / bullshit actually are quite stupid. They're still sitting comfortably at the moment because the consequences of their high risk strategy are yet to unfold. As I said the other week - Rudy has had it incredibly easy in his 12 months in this high responsibility position so far because thanks to players already here (Brittain, Dolan, Travis, Hyam, Tronstad), a manager already here (Eustace) and players Eustace insisted we recruited (Batth, Weimann) business took care of itself last season with a better than expected 7th place. Rudy and his chums have recklessly and comprehensively dismantled all that this last 6 months, and over the next 6 months the results will become clear. Unfortunately we have owners and a large chunk of fans who are quite content to plod along in mid-table/bottom half, and even scrape survival and finish 21st every year with little more than a shrug of the shoulders, so provided Ismael has enough about him to achieve that the circus will continue under the current setup. At a normal club a bottom half or relegation battle this season would not be tolerated after finishing 7th last season and heads would roll, but here we all know it isn't about results or performance it is about who you know and whether you are prepared to 'play the game' the way the owners and their stooge require. Things will only get heated if our Championship status is coming under increasing threat. I think Rudy might struggle to bullshit his way out of that one with comfy in-house interviews masquerading as communication.

I completely agree. They're not the problem at all. We've seen it countless times in the past with those running the club being scapegoats - Shaw, Agnew, Waggot. The list goes on. Did anything improve when any of those left? Of course not. Just like nothing would change if Gestede left. I don't blame them at all for the transfer window, I blame the owners entirely. What are you supposed to do when you're given one of the lowest budgets and wage structures in the league. I actually think they did a pretty good with the players they brought in and were hamstrung with the players who left due to our wage structure. And, as for those long standing staff that were asked to leave, you only have to see the bitter posts they've made on social media since to illustrate the kind of characters they are. Toxic.

He was smart in answering - edged towards stating next season is when we will see the benefits of all of this ultimately buying themselves a season of transition and then judge on next season

Looking at squads, I think Spain are by far the best around. Then England are firmly in the chasing pack with Brazil, France and to a lesser extent, Germany.