1 minute ago, imy9 said:

Did he not say that he can get the D targets but why would you when the B targets are within reach??

I read it as that also. Thought he was indicating that chapman and Armstrong were on most likely the B list

Just now, callumrovers said:

Keep calm on the Maddison front. Things happening behind the scenes.

Ooo you big tease

Minimum requirement is a Striker and a Winger, both who are able to go straight into the team if needs be, then i'm confident we will stay up. Ideal would be 2 Wingers a striker and someone like Armstrong who you could use out wide and up top and also has raw pace.

I had been more concerned about getting Pace out wide but actually the striker issue is more pressing. We can't guarantee Graham being in top form and being able to play 75 mins every game from now until January. Just won't happen, he's got a bad record with injuries, it takes him a while to get going (get fit enough) at the start of the season, He's not getting any younger and his lack of mobility is going to be more of an issue for us in this league. That means we'd be relying on Samuel whose couldn't score in League 1 and the manager doesn't trust up front. Nuttall who isn't ready for this level yet. Dack plays like a second striker at times so you need someone who can bring him into play.

I know a few on here have been quite negative about Resigning Sam Gallagher on loan but I'd be all over a loan to buy deal for him. Hes got the raw tools to be a good striker, he had decent pace, he's tall, he can head (albeit when he's unchallenged) and he's got the right attitude. He's got a lot improving to do but I think he'd a be a more mobile target man option.

Wingers - I'd take Chapman back at the right price. I was led to believe that Armstrong hold up is his wage. Maddison would be great if its within budget.

Hate this Kit.

Really don't like the shade of blue far far too pale.

Also the Logo is too big and an eyesore.

4 minutes ago, jim mk2 said:

 

Fitness is a basic requirement of any professional footballer. Some people have problems controlling their weight but that's no excuse when diet and conditioning is so well understood these days. If Caddis has come back for pre-season training out of condition and overweight he is not fit (literally) to do his job. He should be fined. 

Personally I think It should be a sack-able offence. I know it isn't but it should be. 

Just now, Tormund said:

Caddis should be arriving in a fit condition, not pitching up now and getting fit. Bloke is clearly not arsed. 

Even if he was fit, he should be nowhere near the first team. Let him train on his own until he's fit and hope someone from league 1 takes him.

Wouldn't even put him with the under 23's, poor professionalism and would just take the spot of some young lad who has ambitions higher than being a pub player

And if they don't then put him on gardening leave. If we're stuck with him on the books then I'd rather pay him to not play for us.

Just now, RovingRover said:

It's an underwhelming link. He has played the vast majority of his career at League One level.
Hope it is untrue.

I'd rather give Scott Wharton a chance. On the surface seems like a signing someone for the sake of filling a squad place.

I renewed on the last day of the early bird. TBF i was always going  to renew when it came down to it.

Whats interesting is that one member of our party of 3 decided not to renew despite having a half season ticket second half of last season and being a cert to renew at the end of last season.

Now whats influenced his decision seems to be the antics at the end of the season in the Darwin end pitch invasion really seemed to leave a sour taste in his mouth.

Also the price increase has further pushed him away as he doesn't believe that he is getting a good price.

The closure of the Darwin End hasn't really affected us personally as although we sat their last season we were not planing to sit their again but a little consultation with the fans might have been nice

Just now, joey_big_nose said:

I very much dispute that Dack lacks pace. He's as quick as anyone else we have in the squad. He's scored a few breakaway goals.

 

Utter rubbish. I'll list the quicker players, Armstrong, Antonsson, Nyambe, Bell, Samuel, Chapman.

Dack's not slow but he's not quick either.

1 hour ago, MCMC1875 said:

The Darwen End is designed so both the lower and upper tiers can be divided in the middle. If there are no home fans there, this gives 8 possible capacities to offer visitors.

1,500 Half upper tier

2,500 Half lower tier

3,000 Full upper tier

4,000 Half lower & half upper tiers

5 ,000 Full lower tier

5,500 Full upper tier & half lower tier

6,500 Full lower tier & half upper tier

8,000 Full stand

Most of these combinations have been used, sometimes for Rovers fans when the ground was being redeveloped.

Good post.

I don't see us limiting away support to 3,000 somehow. if say there is 4-6 games a season where we can get 5,500 away fans from half the lower and the full upper then we should take that. I'd rather that extra income be used to subsidise our tickets and try to increase our crowd.

I would be against moving our fans from the Darwin end for selected games though. 

I'd rather see them reopen the Blackburn end upper tier if we need the space.

8 hours ago, RevidgeBlue said:

Why? Unless he has improved substantially I thought Gallagher was some way short of the standard required at that level when he was here. Started well but faded very badly.

I'd rather have him then Samuel. I thought he had potential

Just now, Mattyblue said:

Pretty sure Evans has another year on his deal...

He does

Just now, Bbrovers2288 said:

Again short sided in my opinion, to suggest keeping Samuel Just because he is mates with dack is unbelievable. No room for that in football. Smallwood shouldn’t be a starter, backup for that position and get rid of Evans 

Actually didn't suggest keeping Samuel, he's listed in the sell list. I've seen enough of him to know he's not going to make it with us.

I just used that as an example as I don't know the ins and outs of the player dynamics within the squad.

Outgoings:

Out of contract - Ward, Feeney, Caddis, Conway

Sell:   Gladwin, Samuel, Evans or Whittingham (If anyone will take them)

As one of the previous posters has mentioned, we have a good team spirit and you don't want to upset that. Example would selling Samuel unsettle Dack? Conway is past his best and shouldn't really be considered unless its on a fraction of the wage. We have an option on another year for Graham which we need to take. I imagine Armstrong will be available again at least on loan so I think that suits all parties if he comes back. Wouldn't waste the budget on Antonsson, I'd be keen on Chapman but he'd be a gamble now. Payne i'd take also if he was available again as back up. He's got quality and you can't have enough of that.

So IMO we'd need to target:-

1 x Centre Midfielder - preferably a passer to player with Smallwood. just need one quality addition in there

2 x Winger/Wide Player - Bennett would be the only wide player on the books. Hopefully Chapman can be one of these players, if not a similar type of player should be one.

Adam Armstrong

1 x Centre Forward - We need someone to share the strike with Graham, ideally someone who has better hold up play than Samuel or Nuttall

Just now, AAK said:

Bennett has one to the tune of hearbeat - duh duh duh duh duh, duh duh duh duh duh, Elliott, ohhhh Elliott Bennett runs down the wing for me

I'd forgot about that one, I haven't heard it in a while probably since he was shifted of the wing!

I actually really like that song we should use it more.

We've not really got that many songs for individual players which is a shame.

Bennett and Raya could do with their own song.

Dack and Graham could do with better ones!

27 minutes ago, blueboy3333 said:

Why are you quoting laws on direct free kicks?

If an offence involves contact it is penalised by a direct free kick or penalty kick.

There isn't a different set of rules for fouls inside and outside the box

Just now, blueboy3333 said:

But in this case it does. 

Direct free kick

A direct free kick is awarded if a player commits any of the following offences against an opponent in a manner considered by the referee to be careless, reckless or using excessive force:

• charges
• jumps at
• kicks or attempts to kick
• pushes
• strikes or attempts to strike (including head-butt)
• tackles or challenges
• trips or attempts to trip

If an offence involves contact it is penalised by a direct free kick or penalty kick.
 

• Careless is when a player shows a lack of attention or consideration when making a challenge or acts without precaution. No disciplinary sanction is needed
• Reckless is when a player acts with disregard to the danger to, or consequences for, an opponent and must be cautioned
• Using excessive force is when a player exceeds the necessary use of force and endangers the safety of an opponent and must be sent off

A direct free kick is awarded if a player commits any of the following offences:

• handles the ball deliberately (except for the goalkeeper within their penalty area)
• holds an opponent
• impedes an opponent with contact
• spits at an opponent

Thats the law - what part of that would you say equals a penalty?

32 minutes ago, blueboy3333 said:

It doesn't matter if he was falling over or not if there is subsequent contact.

Just because two players make contact in the penalty area doesn't make it a foul and a penalty

Just now, K-Hod said:

They reached the correct decision ultimately, it was a definite penalty.

Technology can easily work in football, it just perhaps needs a different format (i.e. like in other sports).

Just because there was contact in the penalty area doesn't mean its a 'definite' penalty.

I didn't think it was a foul, he's already falling over having lost possession. and he sticks his foot out to try to regain balance.

It was 'definitely' not a clear and obvious error. 

On 08/03/2018 at 07:00, RoversClitheroe said:

Not able to see any comparison at all between Chapman and Conway. Conway has get technique but zero trickery/flair. 

Chapman has relatively good pace with lots of trickery and flair and can beat players.

Conway had a little pace but he's just an excellent crosser of the ball.

Conways crossing ability hasn't been there for a couple of seasons now. 

Personally I hate it. Even if it worked properly and it clearly doesn't yet. It takes the joy out of scoring a goal and fundamentally changes how we watch a game, it might be okay if your watching at home but in the stadium it must be awful.

I'm all for helping out referees but this isn't the way for me. Things i'd try:-

- Pay referees more money 

- Try to create a larger pool of Referees (allowing you to promote an relegate them)

- Try to encourage less criticism of referees by managers

- Actually sort out how players interact with the Referee on the field, punish abuse and crowding  harshly and it will go away.

Where I think Technology can be used to help is for Red cards with dangerous tackles if this can be limited to (30 seconds) and with offsides, there must be the technology available to tell whether a player is offside or not that can work within 10 seconds as sometimes its borderline impossible for the officials. It would then be upto the official to decide whether that player is interfering with play. For it to work it would have to be a message in the linesmans ear with a correction not this stop and refer stuff.

               Raya

Nyambe    Lenihan   Mulgrew  Bell

             Smallwood  Bennett

Chapman            Dack         Armstrong

                           Graham

Subs: Leutwiler, Williams, Travis, Whittingham, Payne, Antonsson, Samuel.

Could switch Amrstrong for antonsson, got options there though.

Next game i'd have something similar to what finished the Oldham game

For anyone watching the under 23's regularly who's ready to step up to the first team ? If anyone?

From what i've seen and heard previously its Travis but I've not really seen enough myself to comment.

Id Go

                    Raya

Nyambe, Downing, Mulgrew, Williams

Travis, Smallwood, Evans, Antonsson

                          Dack

                         Samuel

If Conway is able to get 60-70 mins in then i'd start him ahead of Travis.

Subs: Leuitwiler, Ward, Caddis, Whittingham, Conway, Graham, Nuttall