Not sure that's completely true - if it was someone like Wharton who has shown his quality already would be pushing for a move straightaway. He'd be able to find someone who would double or triple his wages. It's a mixture of lots of factors, loyalty being one. Lenihan's been one of our best players for coming on seven years, our captain, and I would assume been earning a lot less than players who have come in like Ayala, Bradley Johnson, Gallagher etc. That he wants a big pay bump to stay doesn't seem unreasonable to me. To my mind what's happened is pretty straightforward 1) Venkys are pumping in £20m a year (and likely accelerating due to covid) and have decided they want to reduce it. 2) Only way is to reduce the wage structure, which we have started pursuing in earnest in the last 18 months, letting more expensive players go. 3) we've dropped most of the high earners and trying to sign only low earners (Ayala being signed last season seems to challenge this though as he must be on big money, but he's the only one) 4) For the plan to work we have to keep wages low across the board. The lines, whatever they are, have been drawn in the sand (and probably agreed with Venkys) and it only works if you don't breach them. So we are not trying to breach them. 5) But that we've done so well as a team, and that Lenihan & Rothwell have had great seasons individually, makes things difficult. They are now big assets who are probs worth at least £5m each with I am sure a lot of interest - more if they keep on going the way they are - so not paying them £250k to £500k more a season each to keep seems increasingly daft. 6) But if we do pay them more and we fail to make promotion we are back where we started with expensive players, and probably the likes of Travis, Wharton etc banging on the door asking for similar money. I can appreciate it's a pretty tricky situation. I think what Venkys have done is a smart solution if they are trying to save cash : £700k per player bonus if we get promoted will keep Rothwell and Lenihan and everyone motivated. If we do get promoted I am sure they will sign. If we don't we lose them, but wage bill does come down. Gutting for us as fans, but from Venkys perspective seems probably the best outcome out of a lot of rubbish ones.

I wonder with Lenihan if he wants parity with Ayala. I wouldn't be surprised if Ayala is on 2x or 3x what Lenihan is on, and you could see why he is aggrieved if so.

Broadly agree. I think we could weather losing Nyambe. A new player can come in and the brief isn't too difficult. Lose Lenihan or Rothwell and I think we are in real trouble. Rothwell dribbling from central deep positions is absolutely critical to how we play, and Lenihan has been outstanding on the right of the three both defensively and in his distribution, plus he's our captain.

Personally I would say it's more about avoiding injuries to the first XI and give our quite strong bench a chance to impress.

Yes - the preference for me would be have both JRC and Nyambe - start games with Nyambe, bring JRC on if we are on top and need more quality from out wide. I think they could dovetail quite well. As it is I feel given recent comments from Mowbray I think Nyambe is as good as gone. So I think we will be finding out fit JRC is, and how good James Brown is very very quickly.

Agreed - I just mean I think Mowbray sees him more as an offensive than defensive player, to the original discussion with Chadders..

That's where he's played when he's come on recently.

I don't think Mowbray particularly think of Johnson as a DM - he's mostly played as a false nine when he's got on this season.

With James Brown (Soul Machine) signing today I think he may get thrown in at right back. I know Mowbray said under 23s but if JRC isnt fit can see it TM giving him a whirl.

Why wouldn't you play Johnson? If there's a game for him surely this is it.

Using wing backs highlight both his great positives (amazing physicality and endurance) and flaws (lack of quality delivery). How it works out for him each game depends really how the opposition sets up. If they play relatively high and we get them on the counter Nyambe is great as he can get beyond their full back with his pace and power and look for the cutback. But if they sit deep he's absolutely buggered as he can't pick out anyone with a cross from deep, and while he can beat the full back in a one on one on the outside he's not going to beat two players covering the left back position. Against Huddersfield you could see how often we got confused about what to do in the right wing area, and things just petered out as Nyambe turned and passed back. If JRC was on he'd be throwing the ball in early trying to find BBD at the back post.

Bit unfair on Pickering - has excellent technical quality for me. Not defensively brilliant, but then neither is JRC.

I'm in Lanzarote at the moment. Anyone know if it's being shown on Rovers TV?

I think we have to stick with the 343 tbh. It's our identity now. Id look to play someone from the 23s if JRC isnt fit. I know Pikes on loan but there has to be somebody? Wonder if the young lad from Ireland could be dropped in from the sky?

Id stick with the 343 but rotate the full team. Pears Lenihan Ayala. Carter. JRC. Johnson. Davenport Edun Gallagher Butterworth. Dolan Only would keep Lenihan as we don't have another defender to play right CB. Still a good side imo. Don't think anyone there would let us down.

I'm confused about how we could afford the wages of Oli Burke but not of Rothwell, Lenihan and Nyambe?

Seen this sort of view start to crop up a bit recently. Reminds me a bit of the stick Savage used to get. We're better off having a Travis who can get stuck in and break down opposing attacks and pass the ball over than having another ball player who is less effective defensively. For me a huge part of our run so far has been down to the Travis and Rothwells excellent partnership. Id hesitate to change it.

I have to agree with this - I think Nyambes a great defender, a fantastic athlete, a consummate professional, all round good bloke, and a joy to watch as he consistently physically dominates the opposing winger defensively and offensively time and time again. But he really can't cross a ball, and that's a problem when the opposition is sitting deep with six or seven in and around the area. Its not a personal attack on Nyambe, just a observation about one of the areas we need to improve at the moment.

I know the mods do a great job, but does setting up a new topic for post match discussion disrupt the flow a bit? I was going to respond to someone on the match thread? Anyhoo... What I was intending to say in response to commentary around Nyambe.. When JRC is fit enough to be able to bring him on even for 30 mins will make a big difference. There's just no quality delivery from the right and in a second half like today where the pitch is a mess you want to be able to send the ball in the air from both sides. Nyambe has to be the best one on one full backs in the league but also one of the worst deliveries. All he can really do is the cutback. JRC hasn't got Nyambes outstanding pace or power, but when we are on top he offers a lot more.

Really similar to the previous game. Rovers dominant but not quite finishing Still have to say we look so good back to front.

Hes been terrible. Real shame after him being highly tipped by Liverpool and a Rovers fan. Just didn't have anything about him at all.

Yes, given we have two established players for each of the forward three positions (BBD, Khadra, Buckley, Gallagher, Dolan, Dack) suggests to me we are looking at more strikers in case we lose one of the above (probs BBD). It wouldn't make much sense to sign another and push Gally and Dolan further down the pecking order.

Yes only player we need is a right wing back. Otherwise entire focus should be securing the existing squad. Owners obviously care as they sign off £15m every season. I think probably they have just set some limits they were not prepared to breach. I can see that changing though as I am sure someone will be sitting down with them and eg. saying Rothwell is probs worth 5-6m now on a long term contract so needs tying down. The financial calculus is changing a bit. If be very surprised if we don't up our offers.

When I think about if a striker can step up to a league the question I always ask is do they have skill, pace or strength to worry a defender at that level. For me both Armstrong and Brereton look risky as they aren't dominant in any of those areas against Prem quality imo. Someone like Ivan Toney, Mitrovic or Ollie Watkins look a lot more complete imo. Even with his Ronaldo/Messi like goal tally this year (20 in 24 is absolutely ridiculous) I can see a lot of pause from Prem sides before dropping £20m+ on Brereton. He just isn't quick or strong enough to seem really convincing, and his technique is way below Prem standard.

Got to be same team for this one and then rotate in the FA cup next week. Looked back through Huddersfields recent games on who scored. Looks like they setup very similar to us (343) and have a good run of three wins..... But lack our domination of games. Forest in their last game looked like they dominated Hudds on the stats. Rovers should really win this one, feel (stupidly) confident about it. I cant really see how we get hurt by other teams atm.