Just now, blueboy3333 said:

Sheff Utd just  got promoted to the Prem with 5 players who were with them in League 1 PLUS they also spent less than Rovers last summer. 

What you perhaps need to realise is that they did this because they have a quality manager. When you say it will be difficult for us to reach the play offs I agree - for the simple reason that we don't have a quality manager. We just have an average manager. 

Our squad is quite abit behind many teams in this league so wouldn’t say it’s only the manager that we’re lacking. I’m not TM biggest fan but i don’t think it can be expected of him to get us into the playoffs with our current team. I also don’t think there’s many  better managers who we could attract.

Sheffield United are an example that there is hope for teams for like us who can’t quite compete financially, but for every Sheffield United there is a stoke who spend a lot last season and really struggled, showing how hard this league is.

I think people need to realise that it would be a huge achievement to reach the play offs. I don’t think anyone can expect us to get that. No doubt that has to be the aim otherwise we’d be doing nothing but making up the numbers, and with the right recruitment we certainly have a chance, but there are many teams with much more quality, money and experience. 

If we got close to reaching the playoffs while also developing players, our style of play and improving (especially defensively) from last season then that can’t be seen as a failure, although it can’t be seen as a success either.

Only links and rumours I know but nice to see us linked to players who we can get excited about. 

Lindsay is a quality centre back, has height and is at a good age.

While I don’t know much about Maher he sounds like a quality player who could make a diffence to our midfield.

Jake cooper would be excellent, although I feel like there may be other clubs ahead of us in the que (if we are even in the que). Would probabaly cost around 5 million, which is a lot but would rather us spend a chunk on one player who we know is going to do the buisnness than a mixture of players and hope one of them is up to it. 

Really hope we go after Liam Lindsay from Barnsley, quality defender. 

There is no doubt that this is a crucial summer for Rovers. We’ve got to to look to shift deadwood and build a squad ready to challenge the top 6. But I don’t think it’s a job that is as drastic as people think. People forget that we have a group of core players who are still quite young and will only get better. Nymabe and bell have had there critisms this season and rightly so but in my mind I belive both have the potential to kick on and become decent full backs for us with great pace and power. Having said that they need competition.  A centre half is a must to partner Lenihan, id personally go all out for liam Lindsay of Barnsley, class player. It’s been mentioned by TM in recent weeks but I’d like to see us move to a 433 formation next season, as it suits the way we play with a high intensity and quick transition. I look at the potential of this side and it looks pretty exciting.

raya 

nymabe Lenihan new(Lindsay)bell

travis Reed Dack(advanced)

chapman Armstrong Rothwell

By no means am I saying we need one new player,2 if you count reed, as personally I think we need at least 3/4 which are first team quality and 1/2 who can do a job. A striker, winger, cb and a fullback, and a gk to push raya are a must.

imo Smallwood Williams samuel Conway can all go, with Mulgrew, Evans and bennet being relegated to squad players.

Let’s not have a BB debate. Does anyone know about our plan of action for tomorrow?

According to LT our primary target is Sam Gallager. Hope they are off the mark as as he is the most underwhelming out of the 3 mentioned, although wouldn’t be too bad. 

Hoping for a marquee signing to get excited about. Surely got to have some movement today.

Reckon he’ll be on 30k, think this 50k business is way over the top. 

Can’t belive people are doubting BA. He’s up there with the best in division in terms of goals aswell as offering pace and power. If you read the boros fans forum the majority think they’d be stupid in letting him go. In the right team which play to his strengths (which Pulis doesn’t) he could be unplayable.

Would be stupid to get both him and Gallagher though, that isn’t needed. BA is the better player and offers something we don’t currently have. Could be the signing that puts us in the playoff race.

Britt assombalonga would be an unreal signing. Granted he hasn’t quite hit top  form for Boro but has still scored a decent amount of goals, not a player suited to Pulis though. Quick and strong player who can score all kind of goals, if he can get his confidence back he’s up there in being as good as they come in this division. Would be very suprised if it happened though. Exciting though if that’s the callibre of player we’re looking at. 

Definetely would bring back Nyambe for today, he’s streets ahead of bennet at right back and can offer us a real outlet at times aswell as being one of the few players who regularly takes players on.

Think we’ve seen abit more of an attacking  approach from TM in recent games and hope that continues. Hull are in good form but so are we, so we should look to take the game to them.

Think it’s a big test for Bell today, I have seen him have some very poor performances over the last 2 seasons yet I think it is clear that there is actually a very decent player in there. He has all the physiccal attributes and has shown cases of excellent ability of running with the ball however he doesn’t do enough of it and often seems to ponder on possession. He’s improved recently so will be interesting to see how he gets in against there tricky wingers. Same for Nyambe.

Rodwell should 100% start imo ahead of Mulgrew, he’s been excellent the past 2 games and it would set a bad example if Mulgrew was to walk straight back in, even tho I love the man!

Big game in our season, win and we are up there along with increasing momentum. Anything else and we will be looking very mid table. 

Raya

nyambe rodwell Lenihan bell

travis reed

armstrong Dack Rothwell

graham/nutall

21 minutes ago, AllRoverAsia said:

And essential for a second opinion from here

I can also offer advice if you have one 

Looks like 4-3-3

Raya 

Nyambe Lenihan Mulgrew Bell 

travis Evans 

reed Dack armstrong

graham 

^ pretty sure this will be the lineup today and it’s hard to say that it isn’t our strongest team. I’d preferbally have Rothwell or a new wideman ahead of Evans with reed going into the middle though. 

If we want to make anything of this season we need to go on a run, and today’s game gives us a decent chance to build on last two results. Com on rovers!

I actually think Marshall would be a decent signing for us. While he has struggled for game time at Norwich he had a very successful spell at Millwall last season where he helped push them towards the playoffs. 

Marshall is a player who on his day could probaly get into most teams in the league, it’s just how often he gets to that level is the concern with him.

Importantly tho he would provide us with some width and quality deliveries from wide areas which I feel players such as reed and Armstrong lack with them being out of position. Along with that’s he’s a very capable right back and as shown by Bennett in recent games, we need cover there. 

Having said all that it’s a Nixon’s rumour so it defitenely won’t happen.

Sadly Palmer will probably be a big success elsewhere if he plays in his natural position. Just unfortunately for him he’s never going to get in ahead of Dack and rightly so. 

Going to need a quality replacement to offer competition but importantly they need to be a natural wideman.  Maddison would be on my list but not sure if he fits in with TM ideals. We are crying out for a wideman with pace. 

Difficult game but one we should go out to win. When playing at home i feel this is our strongest line up and it’s what I would play on Saturday:

Raya

Nyambe Lenihan Mulgrew Bell 

Reed Evans 

Rothwell Dack Conway 

Graham

If in form would have Armstrong over Conway but been unimpressed with him lately so would go with Conway. 

6 minutes ago, West Yorks Rover said:

Going off the dressing room picture just posted on twitter, maybe Rothwell starting today ?  his shirt is hanging in the middle of

those you would consider as certain starters.

How many tickets have we sold for this, anyone know ?

 

Think they just go in shirt number order, hope your right though!

Actually think this is a crucial game for us, a win would see us right on the edge of the top 6, a loss however and we could be 8 points off. Of course there’s still a lot of games and a lot of points to play for but as we enter this crucial peroid a win would set us up nicely and give us confidence for a difficult run of fixtures where we play a lot of promotion chasing teams. It’s gonna be difficult as we largely rely on the physicality of Graham up top and stated already by a few that is bread and butter to this Boro team. Really think it’s the kind of game we need Rothwell in as he gives us creativity and is always looking to run with the ball. Would also drop Evans for this game and partner reed with smalling in the middle to give us an added physicality in that area. Come on rovers!

A point isn’t the end of the world like some people are acting but it is definitely a missed oppuntinuty. We’re punching above our weight to be challenging for the top 6 yet we could and probaly should be highier with How we’ve played. We seem to be the nearly men at the moment, getting close to the play offs but never actually getting there and cementing our position. There’s no doubt that getting into then playoffs would be a great achievement and experience for this squad that TM is building, as I imagine the plan for us is to push for promotion over the next 2 seasons after this one.

A concern for me Is definetly DG. I love the man and he’s still an important player for us but he’s not getting the goals. I imagine a striker will be top of TM wish list and he’s already stated that he thinks we’re one short in that area so one to keep an eye on. I Also don’t think Dack has been up to standard in recent weeks despite some of the goals he has chipped in with, hopefully back to his best after the international break. 

On a more positive note great to see Brereton finally Show his worth. He’s changed the games for us in his last two outings and without him we’d be 3 points lesser off. He’s another young player who’s begginging to really contribute to the first 11, and even if we do lose Dack next summer our squad is looking strong with lots of options.

I personally wouldn’t actually start Dack, he’s an injury concern and has played a lot of games and has looked in need of a rest.!Palmer showed his ability in the hole at West Brom so would give him another oppuntinuty there. Sounds like Mulgrew will be fit so that’s a big plus. Would go with this team:

Leuwiter 

Nyambe, Mulgrew, Williams, Bell

Reed, Smallwood

Rothwell, Palmer, Armstrong 

Graham 

subs: Fisher, Downing, Evans, Davenport, Bennett, Dack, Brereton

These are the kinda results we’ve lacked in the championship in recent years, away from home, poor performance but able to nick a 1 nil win. We’re level with the playoffs which I think is about as good as anyone could have hoped for at this stage! Sure we could have had a couple of more points but we could have lost some too. When you look at the games we’ve had to play and the points we’ve managed to pick up it’s actually quite impressive.  Feel like this team is still developing and there’s a lot more to come. Onwards and upwards.

TM has his doubts on here, me included in some of his team selections. However the job he is doing atm is incredible, and this team is playing for him.

If feel you have sky but with virgin which channel is it?