Squad size is not the issue people seem to be making out. I make 19 that we need to register (Pears, Miller, Alebiosu, Hyam, Carter, Wharton, McLoughlan, Ribeiro, Pickering, Tavares, Tronstad, Henriksson, Forshaw, Hedges, Cantwell, Kargbo, De Neve, Ohashi, Gueye), plus three academy guys (Michalski, Montgomery, Tyjon). We ought to have 5/6 slots left to register guys, assuming we offload/deregister those who I would expect (Pears, Trav, Buckley, Garrett, Leonard?)

I did this at the end of the season to take stock of our option going into the year, and note the positions in need of strengthening, and now with two weeks of window to go and a disastrous start to the season I figured we should take stock again. I said then that we needed depth at GK if Pears went, that defence was fine assuming we let no-one go (oops), midfield needed depth behind Trav/Tron, and that we were desperately short in attack/wing after Cantwell/Ohashi/Gueye. Since then, we have disassembled our defence and replaced them with cheaper options, ditto with midfield and done next to nothing to strengthen the attack; a very exciting Gestede summer indeed. Wages down, little re-investment and general weakening across the board. I would also note that I said Derby would outspend us threefold, which they have done pretty much just on the American striker, even before stealing all our players. With that said, lets recap: Goalkeeper: Toth (2027) Michalski (2030) Pears (2027) I am happy enough with Toth as the starter, as I said back in May. Pears we are still trying to offload, and Michalski had a shocking first game. That said, I believe in Michalski and he does deserves more chances, I just hope we get an older English keeper to have on bench if Pears goes. Right Back: Miller (2028) Alebiosu (2028) All change as I feared, losing Brittain is a blow, JRC not so much. I like the look of both the new guys, especially Miller who has a great attitude and lethal long-throw. Worry if he is seen more as a CB because then Montgomery is the third choice and I do not rate him at all. Left Back: Ribeiro (2027) Pickering (2027) Solid if unspectacular, happy enough with the pairing. Centre Back: Hyam (2026) Carter (2027) Wharton (2027) McLoughlan (2027) We are okay at CB for now, but that changes completely if we sell Hyam. Carter is injury prone, Wharton I like but coming off a serious injury. McLoughlan looks a decent Championship player but what is the point on a two-year deal. We need one more here, otherwise Miller ends up playing and that weakens RB, so I guess that's what we'll do... Centre Mid: Tavares (2028) Tronstad (2026) Henriksson (2029) Montgomery (2026) Forshaw (2026) Travis (2026) Buckley (2027) Garrett (2027) I said in May Trav and Tron were a great Championship pairing, so naturally we are trying to get rid of both. Trav will go; Tron less sure but we will not renew at any rate. Forshaw was a complete waste of a panic signing, already injured. Garrett injured and won't make it I think. Buckley we want shot of too, so basically an entirely new midfield. Tavares looks a class player, but I think he needs energy next to him given his more languid style. Henriksson I like the attitude but needs some time to settle in English football. Montgomery as the 3rd/4th choice is terrifying, he is nowhere near good enough, and should be playing a L2 loan at best. We need another CM desperately, preferably a workhorse in the Travis mold. Attacking Mid: Cantwell (2027) Tyjon (2026) Already needed strengthening, and Tyjon not signing makes his place in 1st team pointless until he does. We need a proper back-up to Cantwell who has looked better so far this season. Arguably Henriksson but then we need another CM even more desperately. Right Wing: Hedges (2026) Was already our weakest position, and Dolan/Markanday going just leaves Hedges, who most of us have a fair idea as to his talent. He is a back-up bench guy in my opinion, and we desperately need a Right-Winger to come in and start, as I do not think Henriksson belongs there, and again see issue with depth at CM/AM. Left Wing: Kargbo (2027) De Neve (2028) Kargbo scares defenders but only seems able to play 30 minutes a game, and De Neve I have seen nothing so far to suggest he can start as a winger in Championship. I would say strengthen here but there are already too many other wholes to bother. Striker: Ohashi (2027) Gueye (2027) Leonard (2027) Ohashi I like but he needs more support if he's up top alone. Gueye also has useful attributes but forum opinion seems to be turning against him and Ismael is not biggest fan per accounts. Leonard I don't see making it. Need another option here, ideally one to challenge Ohashi as starter, so naturally we will sign someone from the Turkish C tier... Summary: We have not strengthened the squad at all this summer, despite a 7th place finish. Instead we have gutted the spine of the team and filled the self-inflicted holes with cheaper unknown guys in the name of "transition". We have not strengthened the positions we entered the summer needing to, namely RW/LW/ST/AM We desperately need a RW, and I think also a CB, CM, AM, ST, GK and maybe a LW. So at least 5 guys, preferably of starting quality, which seems an impossibility for us. I make 19 registered guys, assuming Michalski, Montgomery and Tyjon are youth, and we sell/unregister those whom I suspect we will (Pears, Trav, Buckley, Garrett). So we have space for 6 new guys, despite Chaddy's protestations, and I think we should use all of that, sadly Gestede is talking of just one in and Pasha would prefer none I suspect.

All the tests they ran on Pele as a young player showed the same thing. He almost had eyes in the back of his head. You can have real “ football intelligence “ without being anywhere near ready to go to Cambridge or Oxford. Wayne Rooney had it at 17. He just didn’t have much non football intelligence. Back in the day I remember listening to Malcolm Allison talking about this. He illustrated the point with a bit of play regarding George Cohen and Bobby Charlton. Charlton had the ball and Cohen was making an overlapping run. Instead of passing the ball more or less into Cohen’s run Charlton passed it yards further forward, almost to the byline. This compelled Cohen to cross the ball as soon as he got to it. Allison explained - “ That’s Charlton pulling the strings, he’s knows Cohen is a bit of a ditherer on the ball, so he’s passed the ball there to give George only one option - cross the ball “.

I doubt it. I honestly don't know how much sh1t would need to hit the fan before our owners and executive management sat up! We must have the most passive fan base in the country - what other fan base would put up with what we've had to put up with for 15 years? 50 to 55 years ago, there would have been fans on the pitch, demonstrations in the enclosure in front of the directors' box and post match, Nuttall Street would be a cauldron of intense emotions. The powers that be then didn't like it and it did bring about change. Time for our fans to get off their arse and do something before our club drifts into oblivion with barely a whimper. Given Carter was thought to have merely cramp against Accrington Stanley, I have little, if any, confidence in our medical staff. Would be no surprise to see Alebiosu out for weeks. Think it will be an inevitable Hull win.

Suppose the running costs are quite low then Who needs a training ground when you have no players? Why bother with a ground even 😉

When you've got someone buying National League Morecambe who have no players, a cat 3 academy (for a year until EFL cat 3 status is removed), no training ground and don't own their own ground for £7 million quid (plus 6million yearly operating costs) the idea than nobody would buy Rovers is absolute nonsense. I know we're talking completely different levels there but if someone is sinking £13 million with absolutely no chance of a return into a basket case national league club with a terrible catchment area then surely Rovers looks a cracking investment!

I suppose that's why XG was invented

This is data from stats bomb, I''m not sure on the exact nature of how they register a 'chance' but knowing how rigorous their data is I would wager that they're at least a half chance or more. As others have said, last year we were poor at converting the chances we created. This year is a perfect storm in a sense of we're not creating a lot and the chances we do create we are very poor at converting (as it was last year).

There's also the matter of "spatial awareness"---some players instinctively know the position everyone else around them, they can receive the ball and put it through the eye of a needle without having to look up. Adam Wharton' brain apparently comes out tops in this particular ability. He is super-intelligent.

The whole point of billionaire owners is so a club like us of limited means because of the area in which we reside can then compete with a lot of those from much larger catchment areas leading to bigger crowds and income. That's the whole point of it but they've even managed to feck that up now so what's the point of them ? To just provide their mates well paid jobs and their agent mates regular commission ?

I have a theory that lots of really quick players have no real football brain. And you can't coach natural footballing intelligence.

I think there's only one? That one still hasn't read the real minutes yet. So unsure if a viewpoint can be valid anymore.

People have been saying this for years and years. It never will unfortunately.

Chris Sutton eulogised about Adam in the first half particularly his eye for a pass. The snapshot you saw was when Chelsea were going all out for the win and were pinning Palace back. Even then Adam was diligent in his defensive responsibilities by tracking runners and closing down players.

Or you could look at it. If you have the basic skills to be playing at pro level, football skills can be practiced, speed can't.

I really don't understand this obsession with pace in modern football. Of course it's an asset but for me pace has to be aligned with other things like good decision making or a final pass. See Kargbo for evidence of this. Everton had a lad playing last night and on his first run my thoughts were he's exceptionally quick. However he kept running down blind alleys and didn't look like he could pass water. He got the hook after offering no threat.

Takings are more important than points here. Then we get the happy clappers running around saying lets make Ewood a fortress when the club itself routinely does the opposite.

I think I'm done with BRFCS if we end up at, Adam Wharton wasn't that good anyway.

I think it is the reality for most academy guys at all clubs, very rarely you get an Adam Wharton type who is too good to ignore, but more often the first team has holes (from injury or sales) and the manager chooses a guy who has impressed him in training, not u21s. Whether they sink or swim is up to the player and their ability. Not saying manager won't have been told by academy coaches or watched games himself, but there is a great degree of personal preference and luck involved.

Modern footballer for me. He can run a bit, tackle a bit, head the ball a bit, pass the ball 20 yards. Has he got the “ X” factor ? Can he make play ? Not that I can see.

I was thinking the very same thing on the drive home.

He always looked a similar level (maybe slightly better than) to Adam Caddick (who we released this summer) to me Neat & tidy, but nothing more

That’s what a stand full of away fans buys you.

He certainly didn't stand out for me.

Did Montgomery not stand out at under 21 level either? Certainly doesnt look close to being at first team level.