As I’ve mentioned I’m strongly against TM as our manager, esp after this summers business. He doesn’t put enough faith in our youngsters, get team selections all wrong, and aside from Dack has a shocking transfer record. Along with that feel like he is far too defensive, yet can’t actually organise a defence, or pick out a good defender. I understand the market is difficult, but there have been some real bargains available and we’ve missed them. Pontus Janson for under 5m is something we should of been all over. A left field option but one I had hoped we would go for for quite while is Reece Oxford, he went to some German club (who couldn’t afford big wages) for 4m this summer. He would of been an excellent cm to partner travis, and an option to play CB, along with massive potential resale value and someone for us fans to be excited about. He’s been mentioned a couple of times on here but Maddison would of been a cheap wide player option would give us some genuine width and delivery. A more expensive option would be Kent who is going for a similar fee to what we paid for gallagher. The Gallagher signing irks me a lot, I think he’s decent but not needed. And let’s be honest he’s gonna be played out wide. Would of had graham and Brereton challeneging for that position along with Armstrong, could stick chapman up there aswell if we wanted to play counterattack. We play 1 up top we didn’t need to splash our budget on another striker, and I believe Brereton derserves a chance there. He should of got a better one last season. Would of never have sold Raya despite his fralaties, a good defence infront of him would of made a huge difference. It’s a difficult market but I genuinely think I could of done a better job in terms of transfers. I also feel he’s far to nice, he should get the players who u don’t want to play out of the club, and the ones u want make them central to your plans, and leave the gaps in the squad for our academy players who are excelling atm. I’ve never felt so down at the begging of of a season, because we could of genuinely challenged with the right business.

I was a big TM supporter even after the collapse in form last season. But this summer he has absolutely blown it. A new defence and GK was needed and if anything it’s gone backwards. We don’t play our best RB, we’re starting with the defender who was purposely dropped, and let’s not get started on bell. Then to the GK, we sell Raya a keeper with massive potential along with the pull of coming through our own academy, and replaced him with a worse/same ability keeper (hope he proves me wrong) and most importantly a player who isn’t even ours. We spend 5m on a striker who is 6’4, which gives his 7million signing of BB very little chance of any impact this season. Furthermore 6,4 strikers are not wide players. Crucially for me, TM has gone back on his word with the famous line ‘defenders are coming’. The only signing who has made sense is Johnson, and fair play to him he is exactly what we need, but it isn’t enough. Also, cannot see one out and out wide player in our entire squad aside from chapman, and let’s be real TM isn’t gonna regularly start him. Our squad is incredibly unbalanced. And if we were starting the summer now I would think there was a lot of work to be done to get it ready to even challenge the top 10, let alone get promoted. I’m telling u now this season is nothing but midtable for us. We’ve blown it before it’s already begun. It genuinely pains me to say because he has done a lot for this club and he clearly has the club in his best interests but i want him gone, I just cannot understand his thinking. Our transfer business has been awful. We’ve got a great crop of players who are at a really good age, with the right gaps being filled we could really challenge and I hope he proves me wrong but I just can’t see it. Furthermore the venkys seem to really trust him so can’t see him going anywhere Ok rant over. Apologies for the negativity, still don’t think I’m over the disappointment of Saturday.

Well seems like things are starting to pick up. Wasn’t the biggest fan of the downing signing and reckon he’ll end up just being a waste of wages but I can see the reasoning behind that move in bringing in experience. I think the Bradley Johnson’s signing is a coup for us, no doubt he is on the older side but having just turned 32 he still hasn’t some ears in him, over the past 4/5 seasons he’s been one of the best midfielders in the league. As I have previously stated I am disappointed about Raya, think he will grow to be a really good keeper with so many years ahead of him. However if we’re to sell him and bring in Darlow them that flips the situation a touch, Darlow is at the moment a much better all round keeper and has prem and championship experience, aswell as being at the age of 28 he is entering his prime. Would significantly strengthen that area for us from last year. I think Gallagher is a risk, and far too much of one at 5million, wouldn’t payback anything more than 3million imo. Hasn’t lit the place up at any place he’s be been and even during his best season (with us) he had man doubters. Think we could do better for that money. starting to pick up tho!

Happy that we’ve been got Johnson’s, didn’t expect that! On the other hand gutted about Raya, I have no doubt that we will regret that decision

Johnson would be a class signing, would be an improvement on the quality we have and is also the kind of central midfielder we are currently lacking. I find the lack of movement/progress on signing a defender concerning. I’m not bothered in the slightest by missing out on Bauer, we need someone with more quality to come in in that area to help solve our defensive issues. But I had hoped we would go in for someone along the lines of jake cooper but there hasn’t seemed to be any movement on that one. We need someone of real quality to come in. I don’t think we need a number of centre half’s, just the one who can come in and be first choice next to Lenihan and do the job needed. Mulgrew/williams/Magloire can cover. Another fear of mine is that TM is gonna pursue with Bennet at RB this season, not only do I think he is extremely vulnerable but it could seriously stunt the progress of Nyambe. Who I think could be a top player. As things stand I believe we are weaker than when we started last season (no reed) so we’re gonna need some real progress on the transfer front in the next couple of weeks if were gonna get anywhere close to the Playoffs

Who actually is O’Neil ?

Hugill would be a great addition in my eyes. Played a lot for Boro last season and does the hard work aswell as get goals. Would be a class replacement for DG or someone to share that target man role. I am abit concerned however that it has been mentioned that Bauer might be our only CB signing this summer as the LT mentioned recently. This is our weakest area and one which needs investment, if we are really looking at a free agent who doesnt have championship experience to solve our defensive fratalities then we won’t even get close to the playoffs imo.

Seen that Mo Diame has been released by Newcastle, would love to see him here, the kind of player we’ve lacked for years. Proper box to box Cm. On a free would be a good signing. Imagine he’ll have more attractive offers tho.

100% agree. Perfect replacement for DG and could imo do a better job along with a fairly reasonable transfer fee as Southampton are trying to get rid, only issues I can see would be wages, which I imagine would be out of our budget. Sadly I could see him ending up at a Cardiff or Sheffield United. In terms of the priority signing of a CB I think we need abit more quality to fix our defensive issues than a Bauer if I’m honest, hoping we go for Lindsay or Cooper.

5m would be too much for Gallagher imo, we need to be abit smarter in the window than that. Reckon anything around 2m would be good business but wouldn’t stretch beyond that. Would much rather us try and get Austin whose allowed to leave this summer although I can imagine wages might be an issue. No doubt that reed was the best midfielder at the club last season, and I like many would love to see him back, but I also wonder if he is too much of a similar player to Travis to fork out 5m+ on. We really do need to a cm who can do the defensive side of the game while also set the tempo and dictate play, and I’m not sure that is reeds game, which is why I think TM is after a technical midfielder.

Of course it’s possible, but it’s not something I expect to happen like a Leeds or a WBA would as their squads are streets ahead of ours currently. TM isn’t gonna come out and say we’re aiming for mid table, esp as thats where we have been for majority of last season. He’s not going to be able to attract better players if he’s saying he wants to aim for midtable. Ofc course plays offs are the aim otherwise what would we be playing for. But it still shouldn’t be expected and he can’t be classed as a bad manager if we miss out on top 6, especially if we’re up there and close. I agree with you that he defo has his flaws as a manager and he may not be the right manager to take us up, but I wouldn’t expect any championship level manager to get us into the playoffs with our current squad when you compare it to others in this league, which is why It would be a great achievement if we could get there.

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

I can also offer advice if you have one

Looks like 4-3-3