Not convinced by Christian Walton so far, and if we can replace our fullbacks for the next game I think we'll be alright. Peach of a goal by Cairney but he should have collected the ball before Mitrovic got to it. Gallagher could learn a thing or two about movement inside the box from the big Serb tbh.

Just now, RovingRover said:

Easily one of the most humiliating days I have ever experienced as a Blackburn Rovers fan trying to get information out with regards to the clubs deals.

To say it was a shambles would be an understatement.

This club is in big big trouble.

The attempt to sign Harrison Reed for instance has really shook me in terms of how low we have fallen.
Fancy trying to sign a player on loan at 30% supplemented wages and offering to sign him at the end of the loan for under £3 million. Soton laughed it off and got the full 100% wages plus an agreement to sign for £5 million come the end of the season with add-ons from Fulham.

The Cunningham deal which has been apparently worked on for 48 hours couldn't even be completed with an agreement to sign him at the end of the season should he do well for us.

3 CB's were bid for along with a goalkeeper. Haven't a clue who they are. But they were all laughed off as being too low cash offers.

We are now categorically left with a weaker defence than the League One defence we had, let alone what we had last season.

Mowbray know's it. Everyone in the building knows it. Whilst I don't rate Mulgrew, not replacing him with an experience 1st team CB is absolute suicide.

I expect Mowbray will pay for this abject failure with his job before the end of the season.

Notice Cunningham has very clearly been listed as a "left-back" on the club website.

As I clearly outlined the other week when we signed Tosin. The condition was that he would a) be played in the 1st team and b) be played at CB.

We are left with Derrick Williams, Tosin Adarabioyo, Darragh Lenihan, Lewis Travis, Joe Grayson and at a push Ryan Nyambe for CB.
 

I expect Bennett to be handed the captains armband by the way.

We can't compete with PL parachute money.

Who's negotiating the deals? Must be Waggott, surely?

Just now, Paul Mani said:

Mowbrays stance against Mulgrew for me is a sign that he knows he’s under pressure. Mulgrew and Bennett are piss poor defenders. If he’s cslled them out then so what. More importantly he’s seems to have fired Mulgrew off to Wigan for his insolence. The squad may be feeling a little unnerved. Good, I say. There’s a few in there like Dack, Mulgrew, Bennett who’ve been coasting for months. 

Maybe it’s a shot across the bows of the players who’ll be thinking “Jeez, you don’t wanna piss the gaffer off. If he can shift the club captain out in half a day he can get rid of any of us!”

Good assessment, but I to be fair to Bennett I just think he lacks ability in the Championship. He's an upgrade on Smallwood, but both of them are very limited footballers. Dack was AWOL against Charlton, let's hope he's back to his best soon.

Just now, Mike E said:

Personally think that if Cunningham's signing shifts Bell to the bench and Williams to CB in Mulgrew's stead, then we've improved two positions imo.

However, I was expecting at least one other CB. Could still be, I guess, with potential deals still being done, or with freebies to consider.

I think Tosin will start alongside Lenihan more games than not, with Williams being third choice. Whenever Nyambe starts will be when Bennett serves a suspension or is pushed further up the field for his workrate or team balance.

We have a good starting eleven now, with good impact players on the bench.  It's really up to Mowbray to improve his team selections and tactical adjustments on the fly. He's 0 for 1 so far.

Just now, toogs said:

We also have to find 10/12 goals per season from somewhere else to compensate.  

 

Not if we stop conceding soft goals.

Just now, AllRoverAsia said:

A Facebook rumour that we are in for the Korean midfielder Fu-Ken Nowan

Jo-Ke On Yu

Just now, neophox said:

Welcome Chris Walton!

Has he been announced? Can't find it anywhere...

Just now, philipl said:

Glenn Whelan is older than me isn't he?

Still got pace to burn though.

Just now, Stuart said:

Close second but the winner is this one...

And guess what. The club never put it on sale...

 

Same shirt, different sponsor. Terrible looking sponsors that ruined the shirts for me those seasons.

Nice shirt! Next season bring back the orange.

Just now, Mellor Rover said:

6 foot 4, 21, and played a lot at right back I believe last season. Promising.

Good in our first meeting against them, struggled against an in-form Rothwell in the second one.

Just now, rigger said:

You will not SEE an improvement until the season actually starts.

Based on what I've SEEN and HEARD previously.

Just now, Tugay's Right Foot said:

Yer know, Gary Cahill too

Way out of our league, surely. 

Mowbray needs to sign a goalkeeper first and foremost. I haven't seen any names mentioned yet that I would see as an improvement on Raya tbh.

Just now, DavidMailsTightPerm said:

There has to be some departures - can't see him keeping all those forwards happy.

Anyone else think that Gallagher type player is possibly what TM thought he was buying with Brereton ?

Though may be interesting to see them paired up front. Two 6ft+ forwards who can dribble and have reasonable pace.

Nuttall out on loan to League One probably, same with Samuel once fit? I doubt they'll ever play regularly for us in the Championship (or above). Armstrong will feature out wide for the most part, but will also be paired with either Gallagher or Graham on suitable occasions. I doubt he will play the two G's together up front, but Gallagher can play wide as well and will give Mowbray some attacking options without necessarily making substitutions. I doubt he expects a repeat from Graham this season.

Just now, JHRover said:

I'm a little uncomfortable with the concept that we are pursuing players as 'back up' to 'maybe earn a spot'. 

As far as I'm concerned whether you are Man City or Accy Stanley every player you bring in should be with a view to that player being good enough to play in the team regularly. Clearly Man City can afford to stockpile a collection of players who will sit around doing nothing whereas lower clubs won't be able to take such risks but the principle should be the same - any player the club pursues should be seen as good enough and as a first teamer. Only when he's in the building and training does a decision then get made on who starts games.

It's a similar thing with this bizarre Brereton deal. We're supposed to believe that he was a 'project' signing and that we paid out millions of pounds on a player that was never expected to seriously contribute last season and was some sort of pet project for Mowbray or others to polish up and then presumably prove a point down the line by him being worth more than we paid.

It's all just nonsense and is unheard of at other Championship clubs. You sign players who are good enough and ready to play. Enough of this back-up, squad filler, making up the numbers or development project stuff. Just sign some players who are ready to play who are better than those already here!

If Mowbray was unconvinced about Bauer's capabilities and never saw him as a starting CB then he's wasted a lot of time and energy talking about him and pursuing him. It will also be shown to wrong if Bauer now plays every week for North End and is a central cog in a stronger defence than ours. 

I wasn't against the Downing signing given he was a regular at Boro recently but already we're seeing it - he hasn't gone to Austria with the squad so next news is he won't be ready for friendlies as he won't have had the intensive training, then next news is he'll be playing catch up fitness wise and he'll be struggling to break into the team from that point on. Seen it before.

Seemed to have changed his tune since Feb...

https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/rovers/news/17452974.tony-mowbray-knows-his-next-challenge-as-rovers-boss/

Just now, Bigdoggsteel said:

Had a quick look at his stats there. This is mad and correct me if I am wrong, but it looks like in his entire career he has never played more than 16 games in a season. That's a bit worrying...

Yes, indeed. Ruptured his ACL while at Sunderland, and only 16 apps for Boro after signing for them for £5m last summer. Their version Ben Brereton perhaps?

Just now, blueboy3333 said:

He really isn't. The stats on Mulgrew are damning. Watching him play is even worse. He is an accident waiting to happen, and he often obliges.

Where can I find those stats?

Just now, tomphil said:

He did start off ok and he had his good spells but disagree he's too inconsistent for me if we want a solid base to build on. More of a cultured player than bread and butter and as far as the injuries and his body goes if he wants to prolong a good club career he should jack in Scotland.

Yet again another at Ewood who's on a good number when it comes to understanding his international commitments, admirable but counter productive to the team who pay his wages.

I think 46 Championship games plus cup games (though early exits hereabouts)  and international games is too much for his body to cope with, yes.

Just now, CD_93 said:

Fair enough, but Mulgrew did captain them in their latest European Qualifier away at Belgium (3-0 defeat).

1 minute ago, tomphil said:

It's not about thinking in Mulgrews case my friend it's about seeing and last season defensively in the Championship he wasn't good enough for certain periods, similar to last time in this division.  He's an odd one is Mulgrew because he's clearly a very good intelligent football player but the guy is far too lax at times in the bread and butter of it all, his goals were very welcome but covered over a lot of flaws.

Mulgrew started off well but was hampered by injuries during the second half of the season, and really never found his 'old' form back. Sometimes players can play through these kinds of niggling injuries, sometimes they can't. Mulgrews body has a lot of mileage on it despite him being only 33, but fully fit he is good enough to start alongside Lenihan. It's a question of  whether he will stay injury free for long periods of time ever again.

17 hours ago, Sparks Rover said:

It's fine mate, I think he's ñgood, Benitez must have thought he was good and the same with Farker.  You don't, the Scotland manager doesn't etc.....All about opinions.?️‍♀️

Mulgrew is the current Scotland captain, but many Rovers fans don't think he's good enough. When was the last time Hanley was even called up?

7 hours ago, Sparks Rover said:

Sorry mate, I can't believe you wouldn't slot hanley into our defence after watching that total shambles last season.  Seriously, Williams in particular was and is feckin rubbish and if he starts the season I'm putting money on us being relegated.  

Hanley is a top of the championship defender and is probably the only one who can see past the idiots that are waggot et al. We are struggling to sell the club to potential signings.

I never said I wouldn't, I just have some concerns that I posted earlier and believe he will be an expensive signing and that money can be spent on a better fit for us.

Hanley is a top of the Championship squad player.

Just now, Neal said:

Got to say I wasn't too keen when I heard Hanley being mentioned but for the type of defender we need, considering our budget... He's probably the best we could do. 

I'm a bit vary because he's a bit too similar to Lenihan. Erratic, agressive - likes to be the first defender to challenge for the ball. Both will often be on yellow cards, but will probably also instill a bit of fear in opponent's strikers. Would like to see a commanding figure alongside Lenihan, but one with a cooler head than Hanley...

20 hours ago, rigger said:

Weeks ago some people were saying if you sign a class keeper you will get a better defence. I hope they are watching Arse tonight.

lol still at it I see... Cech isn't what he once was and Kocielny doesn't look the same either. They've shipped 51 goals against in the Premier League with Leno between the sticks, and probably would have done the same if Cech was their first choice GK this season. Replace either with a De Gea or ter Stegen and they would concede less. Replace Papastathopoulos and concede even fewer goals. Replace Kocielny etc. 

We can replace Raya AND still sign both a LB and a CB - why is it that you refuse to see this?