4 hours ago, Sparks Rover said:

It's not.  

I like mowbray but the lack of activity is alarming for me. Conway I don't understand, surely a younger quicker player could have his wages.  If we lose either CM or DL we've got nothing to cover.  Graham will revert back to looking lathargic......we need an injection of 4/5 starters 

Must disagree here. 4/5 starters - who is for the chop?

My post refers only to staying up and the team (not squad). I agree entirely that options are thin and the squad needs more quality but first 11 should be good enough for survival.

Trust Mowbray enough to say that IF the story is true then the reason maybe the conditionality of the money. 1 signing for 8 mill and/or on silly wages would undo a lot of hard work (and not just by Mowbray).

The team is good enough to stay Up though options and backup are questionable. Next step is to build a solid championship squad and then add the "luxury" buys to push us into top 6 without being liquidated...

24 minutes ago, JHRover said:

Whatever it is it seems we haven't got it.

There are lots of clubs in the Championship who have players under contract on decent wages, clubs who get gates of 15-20,000 a week, yet those clubs also spend in the transfer market. All those players bar Evans signed deals either under Mowbray or Coyle so ought to be on sensible Championship wages.

I'm as pleased as the next man that we haven't lost any big hitters from last season - yet - namely Dack. Lenihan and Mulgrew - but no evidence our resolve has been tested by way of bids given that Dack has never kicked a ball in the Championship, Mulgrew is out of contract next year and Lenihan spent most of last season in the treatment room.

Seriously? Coyle and sensible in the same sentence ?

29 minutes ago, scotchrover said:

You’ve got to remember that the prices clubs are paying are normal though. A couple of million for a second tier player is the going rate these days. A couple of hundred thousand- which is what we’re trying to get players at- is laughable. 

Isn’t a it frustrating that Venky’s most successful appointment is getting the least amount of transfer funding, out of all the absolute dross they’ve put in charge?

It makes me wonder how much Venky’s promised when they went over there? I do wonder though if Venky’s have put the cash up, but Waggot’s refusing to sign them due to the wages, because of  fears of financial fair play breathing down the club’s neck again. 

Just a minor counterpoint. TM has Mulgrew, Graham, Bennett, Evans, Conway, Whittingham, Lenihan and probaby Williams all on decent wages as well as signing Dack and Samuel. Transfer fees are only part of the equation with crowds of 12-15k and no parachute...

So far he has not had anyone sold from under him either...

56 minutes ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

From what bit I've seen of Wharton he strikes me as a footballing centre half. I'd have preferred for him not to go to an " ale house  football  " type team. 

Perhaps TM wants him to toughen up a bit as well as gametime?

16 minutes ago, bluebruce said:

It varies. If clubs know you have cash, are desperate, and they are under no pressure to sell or have multiple bidders, then prices can inflate.

If however, they've been asking too much and they know it, and the player wants to leave or they in fact are desperate for the cash themselves (sometimes to buy a player they've been holding back on too), prices can drop dramatically.

The end of the window is a time where prices tend to reshuffle both ways. Clubs don't want to risk an unhappy asset sitting around sulking, nor missing out on their own targets because they didn't free up enough funds. The dynamic fluctuates.

If the window is one big poker game, the end of it is where everyone has to play their real hand.

The other point is the payment structure. 3m cash can become 500k per year with any residual to be payed upon a transfer or contract extension. Looks good for selling club "we got our Price" and suits the buyer. Suspect that is how many deals later in the window happen (apart from top 4 in prem)

Only seen it on TV but thought it looked pretty good. Hope we don't do the black shorts routine though...

Logo - bit "meh" but we've had worse though it looks weird with number 10 in all players ?

1 hour ago, Baz said:

Would have been a shame to concede a goal like that, but no idea why penalty not given to Spain.

Cynical head on: host nation in extra time

Naive head on: both sides fouling by holding and shirtgrabbing.

After a few replays i've come to the conclusion it was a likely a dollop of both ?

4 hours ago, Hasta said:

Only If it leads to a goal or penalty.

If it leads to a corner which leads to a goal then the attacking team benefits.  If it is borderline there's no real issue but I've seen a couple where the attacker was 3 feet off and the linesman played on. 

Exactly why i wondered - a few that i started to wonder if i needed new glasses ?

12 minutes ago, arbitro said:

There was a clear shirt pull on Griezman that should have resulted in a penalty. Amazingly VAR didn't see it as a clear and obvious error so it wasn't referred.

Agree on that but thought the referees in general have been pretty damn good. 

Curious as to offside rulings. If the "cough" linesman doesn't flag does Var monitor every instance or merely if it directly leads to a goal?

This idea of an easier route to the final - might want to look at just which teams Sweden have dispensed with... (If we get past Colombia)

1 hour ago, arbitro said:

Yes the VAR will advise the referee of what they deem to be a clear and obvious error. The clear and obvious element is still an opinion.

Refereeing is not and will never be an exact science although the authorities think they can turn it into one.

Agree with you. Part of the game for me is bitching about the ref when the decision favours the opposition whilst have a wry chuckle when it goes our way.

Tragic that perfection is demanded from refs but players make 10s of mistakes in a game.

Regarding VAR: who decides if the referee has missed something? In the England game he was staring at the Kane incidents - do the VAR mob have the right to say "oj - look at this!"?

Gumboots - spot on.

Another angle: could this be a friendly reminder to Venkys not to faff around all summer?

As for wage rises: of course it affects transfer funds. Knowing about it doesn't make the money magically appear. Imagine also that certain players (Dack, Smallwood, Raya) may be offered new contracts on better terms to prevent last minute bids from rivals.

1 hour ago, Stuart said:

Bit of a concern that but in bold! Who’s in charge here?

It would also explain why we hardly ever have substitutions at HT in games. Players are far more likely to bollock each other but then agree to improve second half.

Ultimately, the approach was successful because we were promoted and it did appear that we had a tightly knit squad. But it does show a level of tactical naivety and preference (or even deference) for tumthumping.

Think it shows that the players weren't following their instruktions/plan and knew it themseleves. Suggests tactical clarity and mutual respect between players and manager. José Mourinho aside, how many managers make subs at half time unless 4-0 down?? As for tubthumping - isn't that the point if behind at halftime (passion i seem to remember being high up on the/your list of requirements for a Rovers manager...)

2 hours ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

Yeah I'd say he's done ok in that respect. Signing Dack was a master stroke.

Selling Steele was evil genious level - pretty much swapping Steele for Dack (financially) must be the best bit of transfer business EVER ??

16 minutes ago, Norbert Rassragr said:

I wonder if we can get a team going? From the Premier league era onwards, mine would be:

Fettis

Orr/Peacock/Dailly/Anderson

Murphy/Grella/Etuhu

Fowler/Varney/Brown

I have probably forgotten many more worthy candidates, so there may be a 'better' team to be made.

Goulon - Grella injured ?

32 minutes ago, Gavlar Somerset Rover! said:

Dom Samuel may be making a case for inclusion here.

Frustration is one thing but Samuel shouldn't be anywhere near this list.

Edit: saw your next comment so fair play. Actually thought Samuel did ok holding it up in the last 15 minutes.

Thought that Samuel and Antonsson worked well earlier in the season. Think he does a lot right when i have seen him as sub but obviously a tough job to come on for DG when the team is already nervous.

Decent enough return first half of season and good enough with the other bits whenever i have seen him for L1 and possibly mid championship but needs players pushing forward in support.

Strange that the system isn't being used to punish divers and so forth - only to check decisions that affect betting - sorry i mean of course ensuring that results are correct in accordance with the spirit of fair play 

Shouldn't Croatia and Iceland have been kept apart?? Bizarre situation that they could lose out in the group stage to a team that they outqualified...

England - if Hart is first choice then something is very wrong.

Great result but a bit of a downer to concede late. 

Gulp

Under the cosh

Good save and then a Superman flap by Raya

Just now, blueboy3333 said:

Anthony Grant in case anyone is wondering.

Up and walking thank goodness