onlyonejackwalker

Now you are simply moaning for the sake of moaning. You need to stop getting so flustered. Most clubs will be looking for a fast, skillfull winger and consistent goalscorer. At our level Sunderland and Sheffield United are supposedly looking for another striker, Leeds also but can't buy until they get shut of Bamford, West Brom can't score goals, but are struggling financially and Burnley have already brought Barnes back. That's five of the top seven, six including us all wanting a striker. In the PL, even the bigger clubs like United, Chelsea, Arsenal and Everton all need a decent striker. If you have more money than everyone else it's a lot easier to recruit new employees. For everyone else a million and one factors come into the equation. But you know all this already.

No easy games at this level. Oxford doing well under new management. Rovers very impressive away from home. The back six pick themselves. I'd play Hedges and Dolan outwide. I'd play JRC instead of Buckley. I'd play Cantwell and Leonard upfront. It's a bit harsh on Gueye, ACD and Weimann but my first target would be 0-0 at half-time and a clean sheet at full time. Feels like a big game and one we need to take something from. Oxford 0 - Rovers 1.

Thanks for this. Very good summary.

26 games, 11 clean sheets. Brilliant how we are so committed and organised defensively. I love our centre half's and full backs. Let's be honest, we've had the rub of the green today. They should have scored first half and should have had a penalty second half. We lose this game on a different day. But i'm a Rovers fan so I dont care. Brilliant from Cantwell and Brittain 2nd half. Gueye and ACD made a big difference. Sanderson looked robust and Forshaw looked tidy. Good effort from the Portsmouth fans.

Fucking dynamite.

2 zip.

Brilliant pass by Cantwell. Brilliant cross by Brittain. Brilliant header from Gueye.

Get in.

Hedges and Dolan off. Gueye and ACD on.

0-0 at half time. Just as we like it. We will win this game, Portsmouth are very poor.

Lots of space down this left hand side. All the action is in Pompeys half.

Exactly. We've just lost at home to Burnley and Hull. I'm not suprised he's picked Hedges and Dolan. Hedges might allow Beck to get forward more often. I'm also not suprised Gueye isn't starting. We knew that would happen when he didn't start at Boro. I'm a tad suprised Leonard isn't upfront, but a strikers currency is goals and he didn't score any.

Your cheery. Rovers 2-1.

Who do you think sourced Gueye and Ohashi? If they were not Eustaces preferred signings then I can fully understand why he is now solely focusing on experienced players who can cope at this level. Meanwhile a 1 in 2 proven championship striker costs 8m to 12m. We have to ve realistic. In my view, we are relying on Eustace's knowledge to identify some potential unseen by others.

Gueye did well, when players on both sides were knackered and we were being forced back to the edge of our own box. As a team we looked much more fluid with an out and out striker. Even though JRC, Buckley and Weimman were all playing. Our team set up doesn't support Gueyes attributes and he has had a lot of chances to prove different.

Totally agree. We at last saw some signs of how our attack would look with an out and out striker. And it was refreshing. It was a shame Leonard didn't score as that was my hope from the Boro game.

Yes. Apologies, I confused you with 99.

You've been dumping Leonard out on loan for weeks. Now threatened with a new signing you want him to play? Of course. The perfect solution doesn't exist. So we are relying on Eustace's knowledge to source players he believes in and knows can do a job at this time. I doubt he knew much about Gueye or Ohashi. Hence now the insistance on experienced Championship performers. We are better than we think and have proven we are good enough to remain close to the play offs. I don't think Eustace is looking any further ahead than maximising the opportunity presented this season. There is a steely determination within this group. And a brilliant team spirit. Both of which can take you a long way.

Yes of course and quite right. If only our current strikers would get their act together! I wonder how much Scotty Sellars and Simon Garner would cost in this era. They would both be perfect just now.

You said I was talking nonsense, but I was just outlining were I believe our owners are up to. If every player recruited would generate a massive profit I guarantee these owners and every other owner would happily wax their savings buying them. But that is aimply wishful thinking on your part. The truth is that most players are simply a huge cost to the business and ultimately have very little resale value.

19 out of 20 premier league clubs lose money. They rely on owner top ups or player sales. The exception being West Ham largely because their stadium is subsidised. The average weekly loss in the Championship is 400k per week. 120k a week in League One. The Venkys pay all the bills and prevent us going bust. In business terms that is classed as proper funding. What you class as proper funding is chasing their debts, gambling even more to get to the promised land. When they bought the club we were losing circa 3 to 4m per year in the PL turning over roughly 50 million. A succession of disastrous decisions, the first being sacking Allardyce, resulted in relegation wiping 30 million off our turnover. Fourteen years later, with the current PL income that equates to north of 100 million turnover lost per year. It's a situation of their own making, so there can be no excuses. I just imagine now, having trusted a million and one managers and coaches, directors, executives, recruitment specialists, consultants, agents and supposed knowledgeable sporting folk and having watched these charlatans oversee huge losses in company turnover, the unforgiveable use of the parachute payments, two relegations etc whilst spunking huge money at all stages of this venture that the owners are well and truly LOST. Some state their is a cunning Venky plan to keep us marooned at this level. Really? That doesn't make any sense to me or probably to many others.. I just think they hate everything they have to deal with concerning the Rovers and regret the purchase immensely. And they have no choice but to fund the operating costs whilst hoping and praying we magically get promoted to help relieve the nightmare. They don't have a clue what they are doing. Or what to do. Or who to trust. Being good in one business doesn't make you good in all businesses.

A lot of niggling going on. Seemingly, passions are running high following the Burnley loss and two from the last fifteen. I get it, but pleasingly as seen away at Boro, Eustace and the team aren't moaning and groaning. More importantly he is getting a team threatened with relegation last year, contending for the play offs this year. Without last years star performer. And whilst it's always important to reinforce and improve the squad, I think it's equally important we remain balanced, shift Sigurdsson asap, get Travis, Carter and Pickering back and only recruit the right type of player to supplement this group. And we've also got to keep working woth our non-scoring midfielders and attackers and try and get some results from players already here. We especially need more goal threat from Gueye, Leonard, Ohashi and Cantwell. I sincerely doubt any new player is suddenly going to make a huge difference to our fortunes. I can't think of many over the years. I dont think we need a big name or superstar, just a hardworking grounded 9 or 10 who can hit the target consistently when chances arrive. I don't even think we need blistering pace like all and sundry keep recommending. What use Ian Miller skinning his full back down the wing and floating crosses over. For who? Gueye? Or Wilcox and Ripley stealing a yard and whipping a ball in. How about Donis tripping over his feet? You get up the pitch in modern football by retaining possession. Not hoofing it over the top. Fine, on the counter it would be good to hurt teams with pace, but who going to keep up with Usain Bolt once we sign him? Cantwell? Ohashi? Hedges? I don't think Sanderson has been signed as 4th choice like many believe. Eustace has said how highly he rates him. Equally Batth and Hyam have been dynamite. I'm wondering if he's thinking of three at the back, flooding midfield and getting two of our better players in Brittain and Beck into more advanced positions. Regardless I'm trusting Eustace. I think he deserves that. If management prevent him functioning as he wishes he will get a gig elsewhere. I'm not worrying about something that's not happened yet. He has said there is some money available, he has said he wants a greater goal threat. I'm confident we are going to recruit someone he can work with.

Correct. We need to replace Sammie. As like for like as possible.

It's not a popular view, but I wouldn't loan Leonard out either. I also wouldn't be at all suprised to see him start against Portsmouth. I liked our shape against Boro with Leonard creating a defensive front four when their centre halves had the ball. I also liked how he reacted in the transitions and a lot of his movement around the box. Another striker however is still required. But when you read that the likes of Bamford and BBD are on circa 30k to 35k per week it demonstrates what a tough challenge it is to get decent value.

I doubt he has brought him in to be 4th choice. I imagine he's been told to get up to speed, wait for a chance and then fight for his place.