Torgeir

I think Tavares will improve once he gets used to the physical demands of this league and his new coach Ismael. He certainly has potential, but been very sloppy last couple of games and thankfully Tronstad has been cleaning up after him with his excellent awareness. A bit early to judge the team but there are signs that we have more players offensively that can spot a pass and are willing to run into the box and chase goals, something we have been lacking with Szmodics gone and Cantwell a bit AWOL at times last season. Gudjohnsen seems like a very intelligent player with his movement and touches, but his goalscoring record isn't the best, but hopefully there will be some bees buzzing around his lay-offs that can slot the ball home. Quite certain he's an improvement on Gueye. Impressed with Toth too, good to have a goalkeeper that we can trust.

Carter deserves praise as well. Straight from the treatment room into the starting eleven and defended well and always on the front foot, just like his partner Wharton. A new constellation at the back and pretty new team altogether. Subs were sensible too.

Wow Wharton, what a comeback! I take my hat off, I discounted him a long time ago. Big respect for getting into the thick of it, that’s a big hurdle. Hope he stays fit. Hedges deserves praise too. Hope Tronstad is back soon, he’s our engine in the middle of the park. Great game by all players, lowest score I hand out today are 7s (Tavares).

Ismael is very much 'aligned'.

I hope Elliot or Bayes asks Tronstad if this is true. Some treatment...

Might not have had an operation despite wearing a protective boot, but think we'll find out sooner rather than later. Hope he lights this league up once fit, but probably won't be match fit until mid to late november.

I clicked like as a thank you for the update as I knew we had a Nixon Sunday Special incoming.

Dennis to Antalyaspor? A little strange sentence in the article regarding Rovers: "The 27-year-old spent the second half of last season on loan at Sky Bet Championship club Blackburn Rovers. The forward was offered a permanent deal after failing to make much impact at the club." https://dailynewshub.ng/transfer-emmanuel-dennis-set-for-antalyaspor-move/

He didn't play too well for a prolonged period due to carrying that injury. To be fair most players play on with knocks or niggling injuries, but this one hampered him enough in the end that he had to rest. I can't watch him play, used to give me goosebumps when he was still a Rover.

Same. Some nice touches but Iceland look a poor side. 1-0 up as I wrote that so could be more openings in the second half.

He was poor but had a bid of bad luck as well. A rash challenge and a red card, and then injured for a while so never really got going. If he had put that header away I think fans would think differently about him.

If we're getting rid of Gueye we must have a free transfer lined up. Dennis has a (big) point to prove here, and has worked under Ismael before, so I think that's the best we can hope for. He can play in different roles offensively as well.

Toth Alebiosu - Miller (or Carter) - McLoughlin - Ribeiro Morishita - Tronstad - Tavares - Hedges Cantwell - Ohashi Good enough to pick up a few points but no squad depth again this season, where are the goals going to come from - and how many matches until this team has found its rhythm?

The most damning thing about RG is not renewing a single deal with the established players. Surely it would make sense in order to bring in bigger fees as well, even if Rudy never intended on keeping them? Selling Hyam now is mental, and I'm not Dom's biggest fan as a footballer, but he bounced back and had just had a great season as an ever-present in the side. A couple of months until we face Derby, I'll be curious to see our league position by then. So many players that need to gel, and games come thick and fast. Would think Gestede knows what it takes to perform in this league as he spent a number of seasons as a player. Need Ismael to do wonders with us like he did with Barnsley, and that must be what RG is counting on. Can't wait for Ismael's first interview.

Don't boo the Pash! Probably revenge for the letter and booing from last season... Big, big questions asked of this squad, we need some serious luck with injuries this season, or it's gonna be a long one.

Must be tired of getting fucked over by this club. Needed a loan move at least.

Gueye picks up yellow cards for fun, is tactically undiciplined and can't finish. He's be a £10m+ player if he could finish just a little better, but seems to be too hot-headed to ever become composed enough. Soumane with one good season in Ligue 2... not sure he's the answer but it shows how difficult (and expensive) it is to bring in a goalscoring striker these days.

Soumano bid turned down. https://x.com/reluctantnicko/status/1961025205746208991

Rovers are more attractive than Qarabag but money talks. I really hope Idah joins Swansea, terrible player.

I think our squad over-achieved by finishing 7th last season, and we're offloading the core of that team to Derby at the moment. I'd say that's well played, although a lot of transfers are happening towards the end of the window as usual. We have the international break coming up, giving the new group time to gel and be ready for Watford away a little over a fortnight. Let's beat Norwich first with an inspired Captain Toddy inspiring the troops against his old club, I think he'll be really fired up and we have a few energy bombs on the sidelines ready to come on. Another CM is probably in the works, reall curious to see which profile they choose for that position. Looks like there's plenty competition for Soumano, and good strikers are few and far between so we'll see... it's been a while since we had a goalscoring striker, we were pretty spoiled on that front for a good while.

He's had a few injuries but by no means injury prone. Knee surgery, hamstring injury last season (no wonder though...).

Two totally different scenarios. I think Trav would've been happy enough to stay and play out his deal, but Rovers gave him an ultimatum. I thank him for his services, not his biggest fan, but he's had some really good spells for us and been a good leader in a turbulent time at the club. Wish him all the best, as long as his team ends up below us in the table.

Morishita is golden! Did you see in the video when he met Baradji and realised they had stayed in the same hotel? 😂 I think Ismael is all about togetherness as well, but thinks he instills more dicipline and demands more in training than Eustace. We will see if that means more tired legs/injuries and some players on the fringe who become unhappy like under JDT, or if him and his team can keep the group together. I wouldn't mind an out and out winger to play on the right still, but most wanted at the moment is a striker so Leonard can leave. A central midfielder to replace Buckley and Trav and whoever else leaves has to be replaced like for like. I think re-signing Forshaw is a mistake and he will retire or leave in January, but we will see - hopefully he's not on big wages.