He annihilated Stoke with his pace in 2015 King is one of the best strikers we had in the Championship, just unfortunate to be behind Gestede and Rhodes.

He wasn't great, but I'd have him over a lot of centre mids (Akpom, Guthrie etc) who have turned out for us since 2012. Incidentally Tronstad and Wharton CM might be the best pair we've had since relegation from the Prem... hope we get the players up front to make the most of them. For a bit of a fun... what's the best Rovers since 2012 team? I would say Kaminski Marshall Dann Hyam Olsson Tronstad Cairney Wharton Szmodics Armstrong Gestede Just off the top of my head.... Probably forgotten loads of players. Left Rhodes out as I think Armstrong and Gestede offered more all round as well as goals. Would have had Dack in behind the strikers till Szmodics recent exploits - again he offers the goals, but also a lot more all round. Full backs have been a real problem position for us... can't really think of any standout ones, hence sticking Marshall in at right back. JDT would love a bit of Marshall inverting himself into the midfield.

Yes, a decent striker in either August or Jan last season would definitely seen us into the playoffs.

Ah weird - transfer market has it down that they were both at Malmo in 2020 to 2021. But wiki never mentions a spell at Malmo. https://www.transfermarkt.com/amir-ayari/profil/spieler/848919 https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yasin_Ayari Fair enough. Does sound like JDT wanted him very much though.

JDT has worked with him previously and spoke of him glowingly in the last few days, so I suspect we have been trying to get him for a while. Sounds like we were very keen to have him.

To be fair I think it's less that we have no strikers and more JDT's mega attacking philosophy.... I doubt we will start committing less players forward if we eventually get proven striker. I expect us to setup the same. As for now I do think we would be better with one extra mid, especially on this horrendous run we are on, but if JDT was going to make that change he would have done it by now.

He's from Altrincham and goes to the boys catholic grammar school there. I guess his family must be of Irish extraction but locally settled? Could have been born in Ireland then moved here I guess? Wonder if he turns out to be the next Declan Rice if he will similarly reconsider his allegiance in later life?

Szmodics is a striker.... He's constantly our furthest forward player. He's not Frank Lampard coming in and pinging the goals in from the edge of the bx. He leads the line and scores strikers goals. In the last two Championship games his average position has been further forward than the supposed number 9 (in this case Telalovic), and that can be seen all season.

I think we probably guzumped on length of contract rather than wages.

Actually thinking about it we have according to the accounts 200-ish overall headcount, with about 50 of those being on the salarysports list. So that means there are around 150 not on that list. THat would include CEO, DOF, First team coach, physio & coaches, womens team, club admins, accounts, legal, groudstaff etc. On top of that there maybe the salaries include agents fees and bonuses etc? So maybe the gap is quite explainable. £8 mill per year over 150 non mens-playing squad headcount works out as about £50k per head. Obviously a few will be on a lot more than that, many on a lot less. But it's possible to see how the £8m can be gobbled up pretty quickly. Edit - doh forgot I already knocked off the £3m for CEO etc. So actually gaps is £11M which over a headcount of 150 is £74k average... Hmm.

Hmmm... JRCs got himself a bloody good agent if he's gone from a bit part academy graduate looking to be shipped out 12 months ago to our fifth highest earner! While directionally I think the numbers feel roughly right, overall something doesn't really make sense. In total SalarySports adds up to Blackburn Rovers total salary bill is £13,203,840... But that is is massively less than the £24M listed in the most recent 21/22 accounts according to this swissramble article below. I can't see the entire staff and director wage bill being more than £3M absolute tops. So either we've chopped off £8m from our player salary cost (equivalent to £150k a week) since the end of 22 or there's something I am not getting. https://swissramble.substack.com/p/blackburn-rovers-finances-202122

Look seven posts above

Ah okay. Pretty dysfunctional though that he doesnt rate GB, and I imagine the feeling is mutual. How engaged in Mr Desai? Daily/weekly interaction or just dips in every few months?

Ah, so we've got a CEO who does not want a DOF and is briefing against him?? Thats mad. Is it true GB brought in JDT? As he made it sound that way?

Not great quality of opposition though. I dont think anyone fans, management or players gets much confidence from giving away two early goals against poor form league one opposition. In many ways a tight 2-0 win would have been better than an open 5-2 triumph.

I doubt that.... But maybe the coaches have made a decision that the two senior players (Hyam and Szmodics) need to be on all game? Still seems bizarre when the game is won?

My guess is we just keep rotating Leonard, Telalovic and Ennis till someone scores a goal and looks good. Could be for the rest of the season!

Yeah my view exactly

Whats so bizarre is we just come out each week and play the same way but expect a different outcome. Surely we should be setting up each week to not concede a cheap early goal...

Maybe the idea is to practice winning a game from a losing position? Dont think its Leos mistake there, clearing and closing from defenders was horrendous. Also Whartons passing has been poor. Really does feel like late Coyle at the moment. Not learning from mistakes.

Guess one of those who needs the morale boost the most is Leo.

The one really clear thing with Travis going and the Brighton lad coming in is that we are not changing approach, we are doubling down and as far as we can tell JDT is onboard with it. So while we might bring in a bit of experience I think the way we play etc will stay the same. Hopefully we do turn things around, but doubling down when things are going badly is always a risky move.

Might not be the smartest move if we want a player off them in future

Travis not getting game time recently when the squad is exhausted and we are leaking goals for fun is one of the strangest selection things Ive seen in a while. If he wasnt looking to move before I am sure he is now.

I doubt any of that will happen except Gamble on loan. We need more bodies in a small squad, so I dont think we will see anyone leave unless we get a fee and I don't think anyones paying for those.