2025 Summer Transfer Thread. 😂

[joey_big_nose]

1 hour ago, davulsukur said:

That was our starting 11 for the opening game last season.

Much of a muchness really between that and the one we are likely to field at the start of this season. 

Even if we go with the starting 11 of the last game it's still going to be similar:

You swap Batth and Dolan out of that 11 for McLoughlin and De Neve and as it stands that's probably the starting 11 we field against WBA.

I don't think the team is weaker as such but it definitely hasn't improved at all. 

I agree, the only real push back is that we thought we had a terrible squad last year and ended up having quite a good season. On the whole as a supporter base we have not been very good at judging how competitive our squad is. Its tended to perform abetter than we anticipate.

So we live in hope of this trend continuing.

 

[Tomphil2]

I think most might say we've over achieved and reality will bite at some point it only takes one bad start to a season and it'll be hard to recover.

However to be fair to the squads and past 3 gaffers we always seem well prepared to get stuck in from the off before it all catches up with us again.

No reason that should be any different this time although a word of caution good pre season results might lead to a bit of dawdling in recruitment.

Edited 6 hours ago by Tomphil2

[davulsukur]

2 minutes ago, Tomphil2 said:

I think most might say we've over achieved and reality will bite at some point it only takes one bad start to a season and it'll be hard to recover.

However to be fair to the squads and past 3 gaffers we always seem well prepared to get stuck in from the off before it all catches up with us again.

No reason that should be any different this time.

I think we'll do ok pre-xmas and then the usual post xmas collapse. 

We'll be no where near the play offs this time around though, 15th - 20th with the club narrative that we are in a "transitional phase" pushed out constantly.

[Wing Wizard Windy Miller]

6 minutes ago, Forever Blue said:

I mentioned we needed to replace Weimann and Dolan in my original post that you quoted. Not sure why you’re repeating that here, that’s already factored in. 
 

Wharton and McLoughlin have effectively  replaced Batth. We have no idea how that will pan out so to say we’re weaker is wrong as it’s unknowable. 

In every other position we are at least as strong, but in no way are we obviously weaker. 
 

Please list the exact positions we are weaker and explain why?

Of course we are weaker than last year  - in attacking areas. The loss of Dolan/Weimann and the loanees Dennis and Woodrow (who granted were shit but potentially should have been better than they were) means we are 4 established championship players lighter up top than last May. 

How is that not weaker? You certainly can't argue that DeNeve is an adequate attacking replacement for any of them.  

 

[Old Codger]

2 minutes ago, davulsukur said:

I think we'll do ok pre-xmas and then the usual post xmas collapse. 

We'll be no where near the play offs this time around though, 15th - 20th with the club narrative that we are in a "transitional phase" pushed out constantly.

The Championship is a slog and clog from the outset, and what tends to determine altitude is attitude, and as we know, football players' attitude is determined by confidence and confidence itself comes from results. So, following that logic, we desperately need to get some decent results on the board early on in the season, and build from there. As others have eloquently (and empirically) pointed out above, we are certainly somewhat diminished in terms of personnel (numbers, proven quality, experience etc) and are therefore approaching the new season as something of an unknown. Except, of course, we know that some sides have taken steps to strengthen their playing staff (Derby for one will be an interesting watch this coming campaign).

Your attitude determines your altitude. Buckle up, and buckle in. But don't Buckle!! Bottle!!

VENKYS OUT 

[superniko]

31 minutes ago, Forever Blue said:

I mentioned we needed to replace Weimann and Dolan in my original post that you quoted. Not sure why you’re repeating that here, that’s already factored in. 
 

Wharton and McLoughlin have effectively  replaced Batth. We have no idea how that will pan out so to say we’re weaker is wrong as it’s unknowable. 

In every other position we are at least as strong, but in no way are we obviously weaker. 
 

Please list the exact positions we are weaker and explain why?

1st bold: Yes, and I also said we'd be on a par if we replace them - yet you were going off asking me to tell you where we are weaker.

2nd bold: I just did that.

 

You've got yourself in a bit of a hoop mate and firing replies off before properly reading.

I literally said if we replace Dolan/Weimann up top we'll be on a par, which is exactly what you've said here so you could have saved a load of replies.

The reality is we need to replace 14 goals there, and we only scored 53 all season. That's over a quarter of our league goals last season gone in 2 players, replaced by only De Neve.

 

Besides, the point I was making with my original post was that Hyam, Travis, Trondstad and Brittain are all out of contract in less than 12 months - how can anyone think we're looking strong! 

Edited 6 hours ago by superniko

[Wing Wizard Windy Miller]

It's coming to something when even the LET have no new articles.  Perhaps they are waiting for info on Brittain leaving. 

[Wing Wizard Windy Miller]

4 minutes ago, superniko said:

1st bold: Yes, and I also said we'd be on a par if we replace them - yet you were going off asking me to tell you where we are weaker.

2nd bold: I just did that.

 

You've got yourself in a bit of a hoop mate and firing replies off before properly reading.

I literally said if we replace Dolan/Weimann up top we'll be on a par, which is exactly what you've said here so you could have saved a load of replies.

The reality is we need to replace 14 goals there, and we only scored 53 all season. That's over a quarter of our league goals last season gone in 2 players, replaced by only De Neve.

 

Besides, the point I was making with my original post was that Hyam, Travis, Trondstad and Brittain are all out of contract in less than 12 months - how can anyone think we're looking strong! 

You also need to factor in the loss of Woodrow and Dennis (as shit as they were) as attacking options we don't have. 

[Forever Blue]

4 minutes ago, superniko said:

1st bold: Yes, and I also said we'd be on a par if we replace them - yet you were going off asking me to tell you where we are weaker.

2nd bold: I just did that.

 

You've got yourself in a bit of a hoop mate and firing replies off before properly reading.

I literally said if we replace Dolan/Weimann up top we'll be on a par, which is exactly what you've said here so you could have saved a load of replies.

The reality is we need to replace 14 goals there, and we only scored 53 all season. That's over a quarter of our league goals last season gone in 2 players, replaced by only De Neve.

 

Besides, the point I was making with my original post was that Hyam, Travis, Trondstad and Brittain are all out of contract in less than 12 months - how can anyone think we're looking strong! 

I’m sorry I asked you to justify position/by-position where we are weaker. As suspected you hadn’t thought it through. 
 

And I’m in a ‘hoop’🤣

And who mentioned the season after next? That’s quite a bizarre deflection from the discussion about if we’re stronger or weaker this season. 
 

If you fancy naming the positions we are weaker than last season (outside of the ones I’d already referenced in my original post) I’m all ears?

[Forever Blue]

5 minutes ago, Wing Wizard Windy Miller said:

You also need to factor in the loss of Woodrow and Dennis (as shit as they were) as attacking options we don't have. 

They barely played and were shite. It’s like moaning about losing ACD, another who was shite. If De Neve has 5 good games he’ll have contributed more than those 3 combined. 

[Exiled_Rover]

41 minutes ago, joey_big_nose said:

I agree, the only real push back is that we thought we had a terrible squad last year and ended up having quite a good season. On the whole as a supporter base we have not been very good at judging how competitive our squad is. Its tended to perform abetter than we anticipate.

So we live in hope of this trend continuing.

 

I think we overestimate how strong the Championship is.

Besides the parachute payment sides it's mostly filled with the best cloggers in the land. If you're organised and determined you can survive in this league. 

[Exiled_Rover]

14 minutes ago, Wing Wizard Windy Miller said:

You also need to factor in the loss of Woodrow and Dennis (as shit as they were) as attacking options we don't have. 

They weren't attacking options when they were here. 

[TimmyJimmy]

Re the Brittain saga.

I'm used to the Alice in Wonderland world of Venky Rovers but this leaves me totally stumped.

If he was always going to leave why force him into preseason training showing him all the new patterns of play and game management strategy and then sell him to a Championship rival who can leverage that knowledge and even share with others in the game when the time suits to manipulate their league placements.

Quite likely I'm a numb nuts but I'm genuinely scratching my head.

[Exiled_Rover]

25 minutes ago, Wing Wizard Windy Miller said:

Of course we are weaker than last year  - in attacking areas. The loss of Dolan/Weimann and the loanees Dennis and Woodrow (who granted were shit but potentially should have been better than they were) means we are 4 established championship players lighter up top than last May. 

How is that not weaker? You certainly can't argue that DeNeve is an adequate attacking replacement for any of them.  

 

We'll see how they get on, but I wouldn't be surprised if DeNeve turns out to be quite a shrewd signing.

He's by no means a silky player, but he gets up and down and has pace - something we've lacked for a long time. I wouldn't be surprised if he chips in with his fair share of goals and assists.

[Exiled_Rover]

1 hour ago, superniko said:

We're weaker in attack - lost Dolan and Weimann (14 goals and 8 assists in the league between the two of them - do you think we've replaced that?)

We're weaker at CB - we lost our best one from last season, we have a replacement granted, but it will be a huge ask to replicate Batth's presence for us.

We've lost JRC - perhaps not a first-teamer, but regardless he is a utility player who can fit in RB, CM, RW - crucial in the Championship as we see every year with our relentless injuries

Besides, I said at a stretch we could say we're on a par. Try and tell me where we're stronger than last season, CM perhaps is the only answer. Again, we've lost 20+ goal/assists from last season, and not even had a sniff at replacing them.

We're weaker at CB except for the fact that Batth is a year older (who knows when his legs will go) and Eustace's system protected him. He wasn't asked to do many sprints. Ismael's system clearly asks more physically from his players (hence why we're loading up on athletes) - so whilst I still think Batth is a loss, there's no guarantee he'd have thrived in a system that asks its CBs to sprint and cover ground. 

Edited 6 hours ago by Exiled_Rover

[bluebruce]

3 hours ago, Mercer said:

Chaddy doesn't gamble at all?

Have you not seen him post about the football bets he has made!!!  Is that not gambling?

Why do I make such offers?

Well @chaddyrovers makes posts with such apparent  certainty and if he was convinced about such certainty then surely he wouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth!!!  If I'm pretty certain about something, I put my money where my mouth is.  Simple as.

 

Then I've misremembered a little, sorry. As he posted a little after, he has rebuffed your offers to bet with him and repeatedly said he won't be doing anything like that. Outcome being the same, it won't be happening.

I think I've seen him say he doesn't drink? And that's probably what I mixed it up with.

[Wing Wizard Windy Miller]

10 minutes ago, Forever Blue said:

They barely played and were shite. It’s like moaning about losing ACD, another who was shite. If De Neve has 5 good games he’ll have contributed more than those 3 combined. 

I'm not disagreeing they were shite - just like all our new signings maybe shite at Championship level.  You asked where we were weaker.   We are effectively 4 bodies down (plus ACD as you pointed out ) in attacking areas, which makes the squad a damn sight weaker.   You seem to just discount it because they were shite. 

If  we sign  replacements for Weimann and Dolan, sign an experienced loan striker from a Prem club, plus another from a Champ club. 

Or sign the equivalent number of players from Europe.

Then the squad would be comparable and not weaker. 

[Forever Blue]

Squad/First Team strength compared with last season (as of today). Context is important and I’ve taken into consideration the change of manager Nd how he wants to play, and also how accustomed to the Championship the players are compared to last season.  

GK - stronger

RB - stronger

LB - no change

RCB - no change

LCB - no change

CM - stronger

RW - weaker 

LW - stronger

AM - stronger 

CF - stronger

 

[Browjd]

I'm concerned about goals. 14 goals gone - we need a striker. Would take experience. 

[RevidgeBlue]

1 hour ago, Forever Blue said:

Last season proved you don’t need a 20+ goal striker to have a good season. Did anyone even reach double figures in league goals? 
 

 

That's ignoring the fact that we've lost 14 goals put of last season's squad from Dolan and Weimann which. with 12 days to go before the start of the season, haven't been replaced.

[47er]

20 minutes ago, Forever Blue said:

Squad/First Team strength compared with last season (as of today). Context is important and I’ve taken into consideration the change of manager Nd how he wants to play, and also how accustomed to the Championship the players are compared to last season.  

GK - stronger

RB - stronger

LB - no change

RCB - no change

LCB - no change

CM - stronger

RW - weaker 

LW - stronger

AM - stronger 

CF - stronger

 

We haven't finished losing players yet.

[philipl]

The frustration isn't a pissing contest about stronger/weaker than last season- it's a toss up with weeks to go to the failure to file on time...

The frustration is we came 7th, have a boss who clearly knows what he is doing, we are gazillions under the FFP limits and we are so lacking in ambition to press on for a promotion that would be reasonably attainable this season, fans are debating our relegation risk.

Pasha hang your head in shame.

[chaddyrovers]

2 hours ago, Mercer said:

Well, I am told Brittain will be gone this week and atm, Derby are leading the way.

We shall see.

you were told alot of story that doesn't happen does it? 

no new bids since Boro bid over 2 weeks ago which was rejected by us. 

1 hour ago, RoversTilliDie said:

Derby have agreed with the £3,000,000 asking price for Brittain, how many is that now gone to Derby Weiman, Batt, Brittain and if you count Owen Beck who was at Ewood last season we will be playing Rovers away at pride park.

have they? based on where given we turned down similar bid from Boro over 2 weeks ago. 

nothing reported anyone on social media so where is this story from

[RevidgeBlue]

26 minutes ago, Forever Blue said:

Squad/First Team strength compared with last season (as of today). Context is important and I’ve taken into consideration the change of manager Nd how he wants to play, and also how accustomed to the Championship the players are compared to last season.  

GK - stronger

RB - stronger

LB - no change

RCB - no change

LCB - no change

CM - stronger

RW - weaker 

LW - stronger

AM - stronger 

CF - stronger

 

We haven't signed a striker, and are seemingly hoping two will be adequate to see us through a 46 game season yet somehow we're "stronger" in that position than last season?

I've seen it all now. Not even chaddy would have the front to come out with that one. Lol.

[chaddyrovers]

2 hours ago, roversfan99 said:

Its 26 or 27 if you dont factor in quality and start padding it out just naming players regardless of it. Leonard is a good example, not someone we can count on.

It wouldnt leave us with sufficient quality and depth along the front line.

do we need to go over this again RF99? No one is naming players for the sake of it. 

I will recap again

current squad 

Keepers - Toth Pears Michalski

RB - Brittain Alebiosu 

CB - Carter Hyam Wharton McLoughlin 

LB - Pickering Ribeiro

CM - Travis Tronstad Montgomery Tavares Forshaw 

RW - Hedges

AM - Cantwell Tyjon 

LW - De Neve Karbgo 

CF - Gueye Ohashi

That's 23 maybe 24 if Leonard is going to part of the first team squad under Ismael this season or loan out. Then its appears from Ismael wants another 2/3 more signings so that gives you around 25/26/27 players. 

So where have I named names just for the sake of it? please can you answer this simple question