He's still a very loose player in my view. Still prone to heavy touches. Think he should've scored with that second half header that he ended up pulling back across goal. That said I think overall his contribution has been good in the last week. Take your point about relying on physicality, but that can go a long way if you've got the sort of attributes that Gally has.

Think this will be another game with Graham on the bench. No point playing it long to a target man if you're playing a Warnock side with two massive centre halves. Will be a good test for our possession based approach. Very important to be getting the first goal in this one. I'm going for an optimistic 2-0, Armstrong & Gally. Walton Bennett Lenihan Williams Bell Travis Johnson Armstrong Dack Downing Gally

Be very surprised if Evans plays. Didn't even come off the bench last week.

Emotionally, I'm sad to see him go. He was one of a few players who obviously cared in our relegation season, had he managed to get on the park a bit more we might very easily have stayed up. In League One, he was so much better than almost everyone else in the league it was embarrassing at times. Oozed quality on the ball. Fact remains, as others have said, that he has been found wanting as a centre half in this league. Not as often as some have made out, but enough to make this - head over heart - the right call. Even so I'm going to remember very fondly his time in a Rovers shirt.

I'd be surprised if Tosin isn't centre back. I think you could well be right with the other three.

Changed it for you ?

Some of those have had huge upheaval. They may have brought players in, but at least a handful have had to by losing their big hitters. I'd happily bet here and now that we'll finish above at least a few of those sides.

Again, fair enough, but there's a difference between bringing in Samba when we already have recognised defenders who are up to it and signing an albeit promising young lad to plug our biggest weakness. Not saying it's not going to work out or that I don't recognise the overall job TM has done, and I'm certainly not falling for some of the more laughably pessimistic statements. Even so, I'd feel much more relaxed if we brought in a proven defender, if we had I'd have no problem in saying that we've had a good summer.

I'm very much in the TM has been amazing for Rovers camp, I agree with basically all of your points, and also think that plenty of posters on here have been harsh in the extreme on players that broadly have contributed well for us. That said, I think it's totally fair to point out that this window can be at best described as a gamble. Centre half was clearly the position which needed improving. Collectively Tosin and using Williams as CB might make the world of difference, but if they don't work out then we have to say we look very exposed in the area which cost us from going for the top 6 last year. Totally agree that his job since taking over has been very good, and and suggestion of getting rid of him (or that we'll be in a relegation battle) is ridiculous. I actually think 70% of our business is good/promising. But I'd be lying if I wasn't concerned about failing to sign a proven centre half.

With Cunningham coming in, it's a risk that may pay off. Without Cunningham, total madness.

Just in time, by the sounds of things

Nixon reckons Charlie is going to Wigan on loan. Busy 15 minutes!

Fair chunk of those would have been post Coyle's sacking, no?

Should we get, say, £500k, I think that would suit all parties. I would like a decent sell on clause though. I never think he's going to be a world beater, but in a world where Martyn Waghorn can go for £8million, it's feasible to see Nutall bang them in at L1 level and go for a decent whack. Would be a shame to miss out on it!

That's true, but I don't think that's where Tony sees him getting his chance bar the odd game. I haven't had a proper look at Rankin-Costello to be honest, but everything I hear points to him being a Ben Marshall type (only hopefully without his mental barriers to doing it consistently). Can play attacking right back well enough, but is a midfielder first and foremost.

Done well at that level, but can't have them all. I know it's been said that we're after another winger, but after signing Gally it seemed unlikely that we'd be going for someone with stock as high as Lowe's.

Think it's both good and bad. If Rothwell doesn't play, then that's the wrong call, but in fairness it's been a long time since we've had the options there that a call like that can be semi-justified, which it can be with the curren squad.

It's not exactly uncommon for new players not to be thrown in the first game after they've signed. Santa-Cruz didn't get in before Roberts straight away!

I think for the most part it's semantics. We play wide forwards, as you say, which is the more popular role of wide players for 90% of teams at this level and above. It only becomes more than semantics when you're looking bring in a player specifically because they play the position in more of a traditional style. Basically: i) I think the way we use wide players is fine ii) They are not wingers in the traditional sense iii) We have plenty of them. So there is no reason to bring in more unless we specifically want the option to play in a different way to which we do currently

Me too to be honest. I wonder if, with TM being recently impressed with Rankin-Costello, that might've been put on the back burner. I suppose we don't have that much in the way of out and out wingers other than Chapman, but then again we don't play with wingers!

Interesting how other teams perceive us versus how we perceive ourselves. I think alll fans can get a bit doom-and-gloomy at times, but this is a league that's full of sides taking backward steps this summer (I don't think we can really say the same about us).

Over the course of the season, would have to agree with you. Some very difficult choices to be made about leaving out one of Rothwell, Gally and AA assuming that Graham or BB play as a lone out and out striker. That said, both Rothwell and Armstrong have done enough to warrant starting berths for me. Gally on the bench for round one, let's see how quickly he can earn his place.

Their main forum has a pretty long thread from the start of last season to the end which has a very mixed set of opinions. Some don't rate him, others say that'd he was worth signing for a few million quid. Plenty saying that he was played out of position.

Certainly think it's going well so far. Caveat would have to be the defenders are partially unknown quantities, and are probably the more important signings, but definitely plenty to be optimistic about.