Maybe Ismael knew Batth and Weimann weren't staying despite being offered new contracts to stay here. Another 3 feel right. Centre back, right winger and I would prefer another striker but Ismael wants another centre midfielder. Its gives you 26 man squad and 2 players every position and 2 extra centre midfielders and extra centre back plus extra keeper. Isn't that big enough. He clearly feels he has enough up front and maybe he sees Ohashi, Gueye and Leonard as his 3 strikers. Zero evidence that the bid won't stretch and Ismael was straight to the point and very clear.

I think he definitely will become surplus to requirements. Theyve signed 2 midfielders, are intent on Xhaka and already have Neil, Rigg, Le Fee, even Alan Browne. But he will have had a pay increase upon promotion and also seems to have a lot of interest.

For some.

Good shout played 45mins for Sunderland last week came on for Ballard Not in today’s squad

This is him with the Venkys sponsorship instead of WR. David Dunn is in the crowd

It's funny isn't it. 'Stable' can sound a bit vanilla but in terms of cancer it can be so much more than that. Me staying stable through my last chemo cycles has enabled the liver team to agree to surgery to try to remove the lesions which are there. Thank God for being stable and fingers crossed you stay that way for the long -term @DeeCee

Any idea who the trialist is?

That’s unlucky

That looks about right apart from Wood is definitely on the right so Dlamini probably centre mid. “Trialist” has Venkys as his shirt sponsor

I would think you would have Wood wide & Farkas in the middle from that graphic but it sounds right apart from that. Houghton played centre back last match too (despite being a right back) as all the other "more senior" U21 CBs are in spain with the main squad

Don't know if he's right: https://x.com/RoversXtra/status/1949105025327718496

Thanks for that Curzon calling him "Broggan" but yep, he is up front

Watching Bolton v PNE on YouTube. I know PNE have brought in a lot of new players, but they're no great shakes. Can see them really struggling this year.

I took the kids to get autographs after the Wolves game last season. All signed autographs and had pictures with fans...apart from Cantwell. He was carrying his child, which definitely seemed like a deliberate ploy to avoid interacting with supporters.

I dont usually like the mentality of signing 1 player to play 2 positions. It doesnt solve the issue of not having enough players, that player cant play 2 positions at the same time. But considering we are signing at most 3 players. I wonder if someone like Triantis at Sunderland who we were linked with would be ideal. Not necessarily endorsing him as I havent seen very much of him, but someone similar. Hibs fans absolutely love him. Hes a midfielder who really impressed but I think he signed for Sunderland as a centre back, although I may be wrong. At centre back, Hyam is rightfully an automatic pick, obviously we have 2 on the left, so someone like Triantis could provide a 5th option if needed whilst also predominantly pushing/eventually replacing Travis or Tronstad. Might be out of range financially but more an example of that type of player to ensure that we can bring in at least 2 attackers. Rather than chasing someone with an injury.

I’m there and I’m not 100% sure who is playing for us. Couldn’t see anywhere to get a team sheet. For some reason we’re wearing last year’s away kit. Duru has looked a class above so far. Barrett, Dunn, Powell, Wood, Olsen the others I know in the starting lineup. I think it’s Boggan up front who has hit the post and looked sharp

He got 7 assists last season which was the highest in the squad. And that was in a poor personal season where he never really got over not having a full pre season, and in a squad that had no pace running in behind. He has always played either as a number 10 or from the left in his career.

Its a long season though, it feels different in pre season when basically everyone is fit. You need more bodies (and quality) to get through the whole slog of a season. And it doesnt have to "block pathways." A great example is Travis. We had a number of senior midfielders and he was on the fringes initially. He got his chance, took it and stayed in the team, never mind the squad.

Cheers for these posts Chaddy.

I must be the only one that thinks Wharton is incredibly clumsy on the ball - to the extent where I'd be calling for a DNA test to prove he's Adam's brother. I have kittens when he's passing the ball along the line at the back.

We didn't see Beck worry the opposite full back much either to be fair.

Are you one of these people that also support Rangers / Celtic too? They couldn't warm to him either.

I don’t see Cantwell as a #10. He doesn’t assist regularly enough, or have the composure in front of goal to score regularly. I think Cantwell ‘assists the assist’ more often than not. He’s very good technically and I think he would play best deeper as part of a midfield three, alongside Trav with Sonny sat slightly behind.

How bad is Liverpool when Morton is starting for them?

Edit - Curzons twitter feed seems to be all there is for updates on our U21s game today Can't yet see anything online about what sort of team our U21s are putting out, although former Rovers U21 Charlie Weston starting for Curzon this afternoon. He did look solid if unspectacular at U21 level for us, but does not seem to have been fancied by either Barrow or Rochdale, and is now in the 6th tier