JHRover

Rodwell is only here until the summer at the moment. It appears to be an arrangement where he can come in, get up to speed, and we might be able to offer him games when we're short. He's been around the houses this summer training at various clubs. He doesn't really fit the long term building job spoken about. People also seem to be missing the possibility that if he does do well he could just as easily be snatched from under our noses next summer. As I've said previously I'm not against the Rodwell one to see how it goes but hope he's as well as and not instead of our long term targets that Mowbray has spoken about. In terms of incomings I'd say we're short of my expectations overall given the language coming from Mowbray and Waggott. I accept that probably stems from what has been said since the arrival of Armstrong, when they spoke about exciting signings and significant investment, since then we've added Rodwell and it seems soon Brereton. Brereton is the sort we should be after and spending money on but I hope as I've said earlier that it isn't all our money on one player or some bizarre Venky stunt like with Jordan Rhodes where they chuck a lot of money at one deal and elsewhere we're relying on loans and cheap deals. There are other areas need addressing and investing into.

Again allowing yourself to be influenced by short term results and not by the longer term picture. Yes we've had a good start. Yes we're playing well. You don't need to tell me that. But the plan from several weeks ago shouldn't change on the basis of a few decent results. Whether we had won our first 5 or lost our first 5 our targets and plans should remain consistent. You don't say 'well we've had a good start so we don't need any more new players now' As expected injuries are biting and we have to add more depth or we're running a major risk.

WHEN we get Brereton and Reed done, which we haven't yet, and IF we're counting Rodwell as one of Mowbray's targets (and not just a mutually beneficial short term arrangement to help him get fit whilst filling up the squad) then we're at 3. That means another 1 or 2 THIS WEEK. Given how long our deals take to get done, I'm not confident of that being achieved.

Rodwell is effectively a loan as he is only here until the end of the season. If we can't or won't get the deals over the line in the long summer months then we'll struggle in January. More to the point do you think Mowbray will be happy having said numerous times he wanted 4 or 5 more bodies in preferably on long term contracts and to date we've added Jack Rodwell until the end of the season (effectively a loan)? Yes I'm happy with the Brereton one (when or if it eventually gets done). I also quite like the sound of Reed though again would prefer a permanent. That's two down, or three if we're being generous and counting Rodwell, so another couple to go.

Mowbray wanted 4 or 5. If we count Rodwell as one of those, which I'm not even sure we can given the sounds of things with how long he's going to take, then we need another 3 or 4. Sounds like Brereton and Reed are likely to happen so that's another couple needed. That is Mowbray's target, which I agree with.

Yes i would be disappointed with our remaining business if is was Brereton on a permanent and Reed on loan. I think we need 3 more incomings at least, preferably 4, and would like at least 3 of them to be permanent transfers, not loans and not deals until the end of the season whilst people get themselves fit (Rodwell). The manager said he wanted at least 4 or 5 additions following Armstrong, so if we get Brereton and Reed that still means another 2-3, or if Rodwell is indeed counting as one of those then another 1-2 beyond Brereton and Reed. I've already acknowledged that we've made a good start and have a group of players working very hard. That's why we need to strike whilst the iron is hot and maintain the momentum by strengthening. Expecting things to continue with the injuries we're picking up and shortage of options is pushing luck to the limit.

Don't know what to make of the latest take on things in the Telegraph. Sounds like Brereton is imminent and to be honest both Mowbray and Karanka have suggested it is close so that is good news. The Telegraph are saying 'at least 2' in this week which is well short of what Mowbray wanted of 4-5 even with Rodwell added. Mowbray is still pushing that he wants permanent players for the longer term which is clearly the best way to do business yet we've just added Rodwell until the end of the season and it sounds as though Harrison Reed will only be a season long loan, so we're not building for the future there. I'd be pleased with Brereton but would still want and be disappointed if we didn't get at least another 2 on permanent terms who will stick with the club long term.

Everyone is feeling positive about the start so far but we mustn't allow that start to distract from the important work that still needs doing to the squad. We clearly have a tight-knit hard-working group on our hands who will work hard for the club but we need more depth and quality and quickly. It is concerning that we're already suffering from the expected injuries which were always going to happen sooner or later but I didn't expect so suddenly. To be in a situation where we've Joe Nuttall starting games in the Championship and have Sam Hart and Paul Caddis as substitutes is not one we want to be in. Still think 4 needs to be the aim. Whilst I would be pleased with the Brereton addition I hope it isn't all our eggs in one basket and all our money on one player. If we've several million sat there to spend then i'd like 3-4 bringing in of decent quality. That doesn't mean I wouldn't pay for Brereton, but would hope if Venkys are prepared to spend that much on one player they'll make more available for the 2-3 others we need. I'll be surprised if Rodwell is in any sort of immediate contention so still think another CB would be useful. The sooner we get some of these over the line the better. Ideally a couple tomorrow so they can use Lincoln to bed in a bit.

Too much can happen between now and January for us to even remotely concern ourselves with potential incomings or outgoings in that window at this stage. That's why our business has to be done in the next few days because 4 months until the next window is a massive gap with a huge amount of football to play. Sadly for one reason or another there seems to be a group of people who enjoy or benefit from continually linking our players with transfers away the moment they or we do reasonably well.

Really pleased with the game plan and effort today. Thought we set up very well and managed the game very well. Something of a 'Burnley-esqe' performance with them having the majority of possession and chances but us keeping them out and taking our chance when it came. Need more options and depth, not good enough having Hart, Caddis and Nuttall all in the squad.

Would Grayson be an option for Scunthorpe I wonder? They were linked with him before giving Daws the job.

I'm not sure this really takes us any further than we already were. If the idea is he's cover for CB and CM then ok but can't see him being up to speed for some time yet unless he's really taken care of himself since leaving Sunderland. I'm not opposed to the deal on the basis it is a low risk see how it pans out sort of deal and could work out well but I certainly won't be very happy if this is one of the so-called exciting quality signings we were being told to expect. Once again easy to get the cheap short term low risk deals done but not so easy to actually get money spent on quality ready to go players. Much more to do yet.

Well we'll see how it goes, could work out, could just as easily fail. Certainly not a signing that is going to get people excited or be a game changer. Need much more than this I'm afraid even if he does get himself fully fit. Still no sign of the money or exciting long term signings we were promised.

Wouldn't ever tolerate taking a loan from them. Hemed a different matter though.

The Norwich paper said he couldn't make CM his own ahead of someone else there so in the second half of last season he ended up playing RB.

Has anyone signed yet? I thought we said a couple would be announced today? Time running out again on another self-imposed window. Sounds like this Reed rumour is going to be a loan with no option or obligation to buy according to Myers. Not really a surprise as a buy would require a cash commitment and it seems we're struggling to do those even with this alleged backing from the owners.

Realistically apart from Brentford and QPR the same applies to everyone else at this level who all have plenty of empty seats every week. Our ground, like most others, was built with Premier League football in mind, and so unless we are in the Premier League it will have a lot of empty seats. I was actually surprised by the attendance last night. Given there were '200' Reading fans (appeared to be less than that) I thought the home ends looked reasonably well populated for a Wednesday night game against Reading. The BBE and Riverside looked as busy as they usually do on Saturdays.

Yes but the other way of looking at it is we've conceded 4 poor goals against poor sides in Ipswich and Reading and were very lucky not to concede vs Millwall. Maybe I'm being over critical. I enjoy the way we play going forward and I think we'll cause everyone problems with our attacking play but do think that defensively we are to be got at. Long balls and set pieces in particular seem to be an issue. To concede 2 at home last night v Reading was poor. We showed good character to fight back and get a point but really it was a position we shouldn't have got ourselves into and it prevented a win. Similar I suppose to Oldham at home last year where we gave away poor goals and then despite fighting back couldn't get the 3 points. In terms of not taking chances it wouldn't matter if we only needed 1 to win games and we could defend resolutely the rest of the time, but when you need 3 to win as per Ipswich and Reading you're having to create an awful lot to get the required goals.

From what I gather Bolton have lived a charmed life so far this season. Fair dos they've had some good results but by most accounts they were very fortunate to win vs West Brom, Reading and Birmingham. Last night their goal was from a blatant handball. Nonetheless they've got themselves sorted out at the back it seems so no matter how good or bad you are if you don't concede many you'll do ok. That's my concern with us that we never appear to be far from conceding even when on top in games. Last night plenty of occasions where we were well on top and ended up in danger from nothing more than a long ball forward or smash up from the opposition. We seem to panic too much for my liking and struggle to absorb pressure.

Once again Mowbray putting his neck on the line. Expects 2 signings before the weekend (seemingly not attackers) and hopefully 'much bigger deals' than free agents coming in the next 9 days. If we end up with a few loans/free agents its clear why people will be disappointed when the manager is mentioning 'much bigger deals' on the way. Reading between the lines I'd expect Rodwell and a couple of loans, possibly Reed and a CB, from Premier League clubs. We're probably so confident of announcing them because getting loans over the line is much easier than committing to cash purchases which will go down to the wire.

Looking at the few games last night it had a bit of an effect. Rotherham v Hull only 8,900 on officially whereas I'm sure it would be a couple of thousand more for a 'derby game'. 24,000 on Derby which is a good 3-4000 less than what they usually announce. 11000 on QPR - again even though they're struggling they usually get more than that on at home. Wouldn't surprise me if we're at less than 10,000 tonight. Reading don't travel in numbers at the best of times so probably 200 of them coming.

This comes back to the 'conspiracy theory' that has been going round for a while now that the derby games and big followings are deliberately reserved for the weekends whilst the nightmare long distance games are moved to midweek. Makes sense for the money men who want the hoardes turning up at the weekend and are quite happy with a couple of hundred turning up mid-week. Therefore if the plan works as designed clubs shouldn't miss out on those sort because in theory the likes of Stanley v Bradford or Morecambe v Carlisle would qualify as weekend games Rovers are down for Swansea away midweek which is as a bad a trip as they come but there will probably be 500 or so go down, possibly a few more if we're doing ok. On a Saturday that might be 1,000 at a push so they'll have it sussed out. Preston at Norwich tonight which is another one that makes no sense yet I saw the big city club PNE had sold almost 300 tickets as of yesterday. How many on Saturday at Norwich? Maybe another 3-400 but not much more. I was disappointed with the red button service last night. I couldn't be bothered with the pro-Leeds propaganda so watched Rotherham v Hull, it was quite surreal as it appeared to be running through the internet with a patchy picture and only one camera angle.

Sums up how ridiculous it is though. QPR are supposedly under a transfer embargo as of January, so they've a narrow window to make signings to help them try and stay up, and can now go out and bring in decent signings like Wells and Hemed who will be on very good money.

I don't think ive gone as far as to suggest it is coming from the Rao's necessity to be 'liked'. I agree they couldn't care less about any of it. I'm not going as far as to suggest this is some elaborate ploy from them to win fans over. I also believe there is some money available (though not at the levels reported). But it doesn't do anyone any harm to tell people we've got a good budget thanks to the owners generosity even if it doesn't get us anywhere. We've heard all that talk since the day they arrived - supposedly billionaires who will pay whatever the club needs - 100 companies - never refuse to write a cheque - shame about FFP as without it they'd have spent more - then once FFP is lifted there's money there to spend yet we've not spent it etc. Its a running theme. But once again - none of it actually matters if we cannot get deals over the line Whether we've £1 million or £10 million is irrelevant if we cannot get the number and calibre of players in that are needed, that the manager expects or wants. I don't see Mowbray's words as a con job. I've taken his words at face value - which is the exact reason I am concerned as to why we're so far short of what he said. I've no doubt he's ambitious and trying to put an exciting team together. I've no doubt he's working very hard behind the scenes. There are other components to a transfer than what Mowbray wants - the owners, their advisor, Cheston, Waggott - all sorts of reasons that don't involve Mowbray leading us a merry dance. They might well have a big chunk of cash available to buy players but if we're unable or unwilling to pay the rate on wages or other fees then again, it won't get us what we need.

I'm not blurring any lines. It doesn't matter whether the manager has said he wants or likes or expects. Fact is he set the bar at 4 or 5 additions and so far we've had 0. That tells me that things haven't gone to plan. Mowbray didn't need to say 4 - 5 yet did say that which suggests at the very least that is what he wanted or expected to happen. Take your pick which, doesn't matter. What matters is we're short on where we wanted/needed to be. Yes I did expect us to keep our best players. The only 1 I worried about was Lenihan but then again he was injured most of last season so clubs will wait and see. Likewise they will wait and see on Dack to see how he copes in the Championship against the decent sides. The noise the club has made has been of a big budget, exciting signings and at least 4 more following the Armstrong capture. If they didn't expect to deliver that or weren't intending on achieving that then they shouldn't have said it. The options are that they said it to flog tickets or that they expected it to happen but for some reason it hasn't. As the deadline approaches selling clubs will be hesitant to let players go as they won't have time to replace them. Agents will go in high on demands knowing we've not much time to negotiate them down. That's why I'm concerned about talk of moving onto different targets after all this time. Clubs and agents can name a price and tell us to take it or leave it. We can do the same to them. But it could just as easily see prices go up then come down, depends whether we're more desperate than they are. In terms of your final paragraph - it is very easy to put an impression out there is money to spend, and to tell people that money is going to be spent or can be spent, only to turn around after and say 'we tried but couldn't'. The beneficiaries of this are Venkys, who win credibility in the eyes of supporters for 'trying' to invest and improve the club. You're probably reading me correctly. I'm suggesting that there's a massive difference between talking of spending money and actually doing it. I can talk about buying a Ferrari, go to a showroom, make an offer, then go home and tell all my friends that I'm interested in buying one and I've made an offer. But until that offer gets accepted and then I overcome the hurdle of finding £200k down the back of the sofa its nothing more than talk. Less talk, more walk. I'll credit the owners when the bodies are here and given their track record I'll believe multi-million bids when I see the outcome of those.