[Archived] where will rovers finish in the league this season

[martmitch]

If the news regarding the money we have available for transfers is accurate, we're in real trouble. If all we can afford is free transfers and loans we're right up the creek without a paddle, the chicken farmers need to put in some money or it will be costing them allot more in the long run

[Supersimmo]

I'd be surprised if you go down. 14th IMO.

[Hughesy]

Always the optimist, eh.

All 3 promoted clubs are nowhere near our level at the moment….

I also think Wigan need to pull a finger out as they have the same squad as last season so far and are about to lose NZogbia.

Bolton have lost Elmander, Sturridge, Cohen & a few other fringe players from an already very small squad.

[Captain Spaulding]

Going off the mood off this board, i'm going to be optimistic and say we'll finish 28th.

[rigger]

8th, and at wembley for one cup final.

[LeChuck]

Glad you enjoyed it so much

I genuinely believe that we will still add a couple, and there are so many also ran sides in the league it's untrue. Look at the standings for last season, only a few points separated us from the top 10 and we've only really lost JJ!

Steve Kean's record over a full season would have seen us relegated.

Since doing that we've lost Jermaine Jones, Phil Jones, Roque Santa Cruz and Mame Diouf.

So...we need Kean to improve his points-per-game ratio with a weaker squad to stand any chance of survival.

[joey_big_nose]

I reckon even if we don't sign anyone we will be reasonably comfortable lower mid table- 14^th to 12th. The two Jones are a big loss, but we can handle it.

-----------Roberts/Benjani

Olsson--------Hoilett-----Emerton

--------Pedersen----Nzonzi

Givet---Nelsen------Samba----Salgado

--------------Robinson

I would say that team is better than the sides we have started in either of the last two season, primarily because of how far Hoilett, Olsson and Nzonzi have come along. Also we have quite a few wildcards out there – Rochina, Formica, Lowe, Hanley, Morris, Linganzi, Blackman – of whom statistically one or two of them should make an impact.

That said it is plainly true that if Hoilett or Samba go we are in big trouble.

One quality striker, and one central midfielder would make a vast amount of difference, possibly even making us top half material.

Re:- Lechck's point about Kean. Very true - however it was plain to see that our tactics vastly improved in the last eight games and it does seem Kean has learned a few important lessons. Hopefully that will continue.

[roverandout]

ok joey, it must be nice to live up there...in cloud cuckoo land. I have more chance of getting a date with shakira than rovers have of finishing 14th or above.

[joey_big_nose]

ok joey, it must be nice to live up there...in cloud cuckoo land. I have more chance of getting a date with shakira than rovers have of finishing 14th or above.

Well the big difference is that we now have a world class player in Hoilett which we haven't had since Bellamy left. All of the players listed in that side abouve are solid midtable players with the exception of Pedersen and Benjani/Roberts.

If we get injuries we will have real problems, but as it stands we are in now worse position in playing staff than we were 12 months ago. Phil Jones has gone but Hoilett, Nonzi and Olsson have all improved.

Our situation is pretty desperate in terms of funding and commitment from Venky's but as it stands our playing staff has not much changed.

[roverandout]

but after fighting relegation for most of last season under youknowwho, what makes you think the same playing staff, minus 2 quality players will all of a sudden become a midtable side? Where are the goals going to come from? wheres the creativity? if we lose samba who would fill that gaping hole having already lost one top quality defender?

[Jimmy612]

I think we'll go down. It looks like the mortgage payment will see us having to sell our best assets (Samba & Hoilett).

That leaves us with a ###### squad and a first team coach in charge.

My season ticket has just been renewed This is going to be a long season

[Plastic Head]

My season ticket has just been renewed This is going to be a long season

Just hope you get your 19 games out of it.

Unless there is dramatic change of ownership we will be lucky to get 20 points.

[joey_big_nose]

but after fighting relegation for most of last season under youknowwho, what makes you think the same playing staff, minus 2 quality players will all of a sudden become a midtable side? Where are the goals going to come from? wheres the creativity? if we lose samba who would fill that gaping hole having already lost one top quality defender?

I agree if Samba goes we are in trouble in defence. In terms of goals Hoilett has a lot of those in him as he proved recently - as well as creating assists. On that front we are in a much better position than we were at the start of last season provided Junior stays at Ewood and is fit.

Its just my opinion and it will be tested over the course of the season, but I don't think if we keep the same squad as now things are much more desperate that they have been the last three seasons. Robinson, Samba, Nelsen, Givet, Salgado, Nzonzi, Hoilett, Olsson, Emerton all seemed fit for purpose at the end of last season. At the start of last season it was only really the keeper and defenders who looked like dependable contributors.

[Finch]

If we keep our manager we will be relegated.

If not.... depends who we get to replace him.

A lot of betting sites have us 7/2 to go down with five teams below us (Wolves, Wigan, QPR, Norwich and Swansea)

.... I am actually considering giving football a miss this season - or until things improve. Never thought I'd hear myself say that.

[arbitro]

I can't even think about next season at the moment. I feel like a recovering alcoholic, taking one day at a time.

[Roverite28]

So the squad has got weaker, the club has become far more distrupted so people are predicting a higher finish than last year?

Look how our form picked up when Phil Jones came back and when JJ’s form picked up. Both gone. Still nobody up front who can score. Still have the leaky defence, which could be made worse with the sale of Samba. A midfield that struggles to create and a squad short on numbers.

Unless 4/5 players are brought in the next 4 weeks or whatever it is (a striker who can score double figures, a centre mid who can boss games, a centre half and a couple of solid squad players), this side is going down.

Oh and on paper there are weaker sides than us but QPR will be battlers under Warnock and not go down without a wimper. Lambert is a excellent manager, he will have them defying the odds like he has the past 2 season. And Swansea have plenty of youth and pace in that side, they will cause a few upsets.

[braddock]

14th.

[broadsword]

Well the big difference is that we now have a world class player in Hoilett which we haven't had since Bellamy left. All of the players listed in that side abouve are solid midtable players with the exception of Pedersen and Benjani/Roberts.

If we get injuries we will have real problems, but as it stands we are in now worse position in playing staff than we were 12 months ago. Phil Jones has gone but Hoilett, Nonzi and Olsson have all improved.

Our situation is pretty desperate in terms of funding and commitment from Venky's but as it stands our playing staff has not much changed.

Hoilett ain't that good ... yet.

We only just survived last year, with a weaker squad how do you reckon we'll do better this time around?

[Lathund]

We'll finish 14th. Can't back that up with much tbh, we'll just have to see in May.

[BangkokRover]

Hoilett ain't that good ... yet.

We only just survived last year, with a weaker squad how do you reckon we'll do better this time around?

If Hoillet is not going to sign he also needs to be sold so we don't loose him on the cheap in January.

[braddock]

If Hoillet is not going to sign he also needs to be sold so we don't loose him on the cheap in January.

I'd rather keep him, let him continue to improve and make more of a name for himself, then get the under 24 compensation better fitting his worth if he decides not to sign.

[Veevs]

Given the sqaud as it stands.. I am going to say somewhere in the region of 16th to 19th.. Norwich may suprise a few this season and a few clubs around us have improved their squads.

[b12_simon]

We'll finish 5th, of course!

[Guest Rovers4Good]

We'll be in a dog fight that's for sure but think like last year it will go down to the wire if we stay up or not and i think Samba will jump ship too.

[Daremz]

Well the big difference is that we now have a world class player in Hoilett which we haven't had since Bellamy left. All of the players listed in that side abouve are solid midtable players with the exception of Pedersen and Benjani/Roberts.

Are you kidding? Pedersen not a solid midtable player? He is, in terms of quality on the ball, passing and vision, one of our best players. The problem is that we don't play a passing and moving game, unless you call 'get your rockets into their bockets asap-style' a passing game. In the times we had a striker with lots of pace and depth (Bellamy), a midfield with power (Savage) and vision (Tugay), Pedersen was brilliant, because he was created time to play his game. If you say he's less than a midtable-player, you haven't seen his touch of the ball yet.

Concerning this season: One decent striker who can bag at least 15 goals and we're safe. Our style of play creates chances, but last season, we lost too many points against weaker sides (Wigan, West Ham), which got us in trouble. Ahrm, one paceful defender and one creative midfielder wouldn't mind either.

Robinson - Salgado, Samba, PACEFUL DEFENDER, Givet - Emerton, N'Zonzi, Olsson, Hoilett, Formica - Kalinic or Rochina or GOALBANGER

Seems a decent squad to me. I expect Mauro to shine.