Our biggest signing, in terms of influence, was a loan and Beck could, depending on terms of the contract, be recalled in January by Liverpool (though, no sign of it at the moment). I expect Cantwell to be good but it’s not enough. And confounding the lack of investment is that the youth programme isn’t delivering at the moment, aside from, perhaps, Duru. The signings tell me that Eustace’s remit is to keep us in the league and little else. I think he’ll do that. Though putting Weimann and Carter against in-form Cissoko was not clever. I would seriously consider phasing Travis out with a new signing in the near future. Perhaps, he could play RB or serve as a back-up. I think he’s never recovered from earlier injuries and I think it might one day come out that he is forced to play within himself because of it. Finally, at least Carter’s Tyler Magloire-esque RB performance (respect to Magloire who has just returned from a really terrible knee injury to get on the bench today for Northampton) might put off prospective clubs. As a CB, I think Rovers will get bidders. Edit; I wonder if Eustace’s playing era is reflected on the pitch. Ability is vital too, but our side is worryingly one-paced across the pitch.

No Whitehall, Gilsenan or Baker, again. Looks worrying for their futures here but most of all Isaac Whitehall who had such a bad injury and 18 months out, I think. Hope it’s not a serious set-back.

A few leaders (and a left back) short of success. Put a Roy Keane in the middle to organise and knock down some of the egos and there might be a team. Who knows maybe Carsley could do it from the sidelines but not sure. Gallagher is being treated as a DM. He looked dreadful there in the Euros - and if I’m not mistaken, his best times at Palace & Chelsea have been as a box-to-box player. Seems wishful thinking is at play.

Not sure who is going to be at RB but based on their last game, both of Plymouth’s left forwards, Obafemi and Cissoko, seem to be in form. The right forward choice for Rovers could also be significant.

Gallagher has his moments and some can be very good - when fit. He scored with a push and run past the full back last season which was very impressive (albeit against Wrexham in the cup). Playing him in a two man forward line with Cannon may be a good idea as he has more support. Too often at Rovers he’s been stranded alone up front or out wide and though he tried, his technical deficiencies were exposed. Moran’s an interesting one. He finished top assistor, I think, at Rovers when he was here even though he lost his place in the team. He played wide but was effective in central midfield in a game or two and then made big mistakes in another and, I think never got back in the starting line-up. But, Rovers have been a very unstable team, and loanees can be affected by that. Will be interesting to see how he does.

How is Duru defensively? He's not on the bench but given his relative pace compared to other defenders, he might be an option in coming games, at least on the bench.

Based only on a few highlights of Chesterfield, their forward James Berry-McNally looks a prospect in their side. He's the same age as Markanday and has 5 goals this season. Though, Markanday is new to the team and adapting and if he holds done a starting role, he will hopefully improve. Overall, I think the standard is not great at Championship level once you go below the first teams. Would Harry Leonard or Jack Vale score goals in L1 or L2? I'm not sure, though, of course, Vale did ok at 'Well and Leonard is still young and has had injury issues, so perhaps, will show his mettle when he comes back. I noticed Hull City's line-up the other day consisted of almost half non-British names. It does seem like clubs are recruiting from abroad more to try and stay in the same universe as the Premier League. Sheff Wed have some former PSG youth winger in their side. It is reminiscent to me of the SPL of a previous era. On a different note, Lorenze Mullarkey-Matthews is also out on loan at Bamber Bridge. I do question whether these players should be getting U21s experience before loan moves to non-league but we'll have to see how it pans. It could be that he's just not in the plans as his contract expires next summer, it seems.

It's sad that it seems we are in the situation that a "win" is to have loanees come in and help us stay in the league - and then move on to become valuable assets for their Prem clubs. In some cases, such as Ayari, he didn't contribute much here at all but is playing Premier League football now (albeit, he's not been involved in most recent Brighton games). Ben Chrisene earned Villa a speculated 1.5m transfer fee to Norwich. A real success would be the Tom Cairney deal, when a loan was turned into a permanent deal. However, I understand it is more difficult with topflight players, but, I think, it should be the aspiration for some loans, though, costlier.

Again, the 6 second rule for goalkeepers is not one, as far as I know, that is a huge issue in football. I haven't heard much about it and yet, the technocrats want to solve the problem of goalies holding the ball for too long and referees not wanting to enforce it because apparently, short-range indirect free kicks are messy and also too harsh (from a quick read of the summary). Apparently, "(t)his behaviour often also leads to frustration for spectators." This new corner or throw-in alternate penalty for goalies is only a trial in PL2, it seems, and might go nowhere but I think it's further sign that the technocrats' seek to mess around with the rules of the game to serve their own personal interests, distracting, perhaps, from the real problems in the game. This debate about excessive games and demands on players will be used by the oligarchs of the game as an excuse to dispense with the domestic game and expand the most lucrative tournaments - Champions' League, off-season tournaments in the US and, perhaps, the World Club Championship. We are already seeing changes/reductions to the League Cup this season with the Champions' League & Europa League clubs seeded to avoid facing each other early on and no extra time in games, I believe, until the semi-finals. The devaluing and diminishing will only continue and affect the FA Cup and, perhaps, league games too. Meanwhile, the Champions' League expands. The players, clubs and fans have to act together to decide what the future football calendar will look like, which competitions to safeguard, otherwise the oligarchs - the super-rich multi-owners - will write out the rest of the pyramid even further.

A youth football nugget I came across, Lewis Baker was in the Chelsea U18s side that beat Rovers U18s 4-1 over two legs in the FA Youth Cup Final in 2012. That match, 12 years ago, was, I think, the last time Rovers reached the finals. Rovers have reached the semis twice in the past decade, as far as I can tell. The 2012 Rovers finalists side included: Urwin, Wylie, Edwards (c), O'Connell, Beesley, Hands, O'Sullivan, Fernandez, Curtis Hanley, Osawe and Haley. Subs: Dilo, Lenihan, Cotton, Payne, Daly, managed by Terry McPhillips. Victorious Chelsea had the likes of Nathan Ake, Todd Kane, Nathan Chalobah, John Swift, Piazon as well as Baker. The last time Rovers reached the semis was, I think, 2020, under Mike Sheron, with this side losing 4-0 to Man City: Eastham, Cirino, Saadi, Garrett, Pike, Brennan, Whitehall, Harlock, Durrant, Burns, Lonsdale Subs: Callaghan, Wyatt, Connolly, Pleavin, Weston, Alex Baker, Harrison Wood City were some side that year with a forward line of Morgan Rogers, Cole Palmer, Liam Delap, James McAtee, with Oscar Bobb coming off the bench. Harwood-Bellis in defence and James Trafford in goal. Going back, the 2015/16 Rovers FA Cup Youth team might've been one of the more talented, led by Billy Barr, but they fell at the semis- against Chelsea with Tammy Abraham, Mason Mount and Tomori: Andrew Fisher, Lewis Travis, Josh Askew, Lewis Hardcastle, Matthew Platt, Scott Wharton (captain), Tre Pemberton, Joe Rankin-Costello, Lewis Mansell, Ramirez Howarth, Willem Tomlinson. Subs: Steer, Magloire, Fawns, Ascroft, Grayson

I made myself listen to Gary Neville review the City v Arsenal game with Jamie Carragher. Two notable points - they did not mention the Rodri injury (as far as I noticed) and left the red card incident until the end of the review - almost as an afterthought. They both agreed it was a red with only Neville raising some doubts about the apparent new and harsh approach. To hear Carragher and Neville, and SkySports generally, to be hesitant to even address such a key refereeing issue does not surprise me. Carragher was adamant it was a red and had no sympathy for Trossard which is bizarre to hear considering the player Carragher was. The two did a feature, last year, with the PGMOL (Professional Game Match Officials Limited) where they were invited by Howard Webb to have a go at VAR training. Whilst mutual understanding and insight is helpful, there is a clear risk that lobbying and schmoozing will result in media capture and threaten independence of thought. I think the signs are there and with tech corporations allying with the referees, their influence will only grow. The Rodri one is more speculative (and I was sometimes half-listening, so maybe, they mentioned the injury and I missed it). It could just be poor analysis from the two to overlook a key moment in the match. Or, a fear from Sky and the pundits, whose personal interests rely on the mass production of football, to touch on the debate over excessive demands placed on players. Not sure which.

It's not just too many games which the players are complaining about - which is true - but clubs with huge squads insist on playing unfit/struggling players. It strikes me as madness that you play a struggling Wharton when you have in-form Will Hughes and, also Lerma (who came on) on the bench.

I've seen some of those moments and it does seem that he likes to go to ground to make a tackle when trying to retrieve a situation, such as when a player has initially got away from him. I recall that Jake Garrett likes to do that but overall not sure what 'the midfield instruction manual' says. I can imagine Wharton will win quite a few by doing that too, so hard to judge. I do think his positioning may be an issue defensively. sometimes, and notable that his best midfield partner has been Will Hughes who is a very energetic player who, perhaps, compliments Wharton's more languid style. The beauty of Wharton as a player is he is pretty fast and tall, with his technique, he literally has it all, if he avoids injury. There is also a question about his role. Given that he is so creative and technical, some might urge him to play less one-touch and hold the ball a bit, to draw players out and even run with it a little. On the other hand, the one-touch or two-touch player sets a rhythm for the team and urgency - and it's what he's caught the eye with. It'll be interesting to see how he develops.

I think I mentioned him before, but Gary Harkins is one of the obscure former Rovers players that is memorable to me, as he sums up what "finding yourself" as footballer is all about. As a youth/reserve player at Rovers, during the early 2000s, he was a defensive midfielder or centre back. However, he made a career for himself back in native Scotland as a skilful creative midfielder. This is an interesting account of his career in The Herald, from 2020 - though, as always with these kind of celebratory profiles, I'm sure not the whole picture. He says in it: "I got to a point when I’d left Blackburn and went to Grimsby – I had a year at Grimsby and I hated it – and I thought, ‘I’m not playing football this way. If I’m going to play, then I’m going to play the way I want to and enjoy it’. : "Jester, genius, maverick, maestro: Gary Harkins reflects on a career less ordinary" https://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/18544195.jester-genius-maverick-maestro-gary-harkins-reflects-career-less-ordinary/

I'd not heard of him before but came across the fact that Bolton's Portuguese defender, Ricardo Santos, has been selected for four teams of the seasons in a row, once in League 2 and rest in League 1. He is 29 years old, which makes me wonder why another club, possibly, in the Champ hasn't signed him. Though this season doesn't look to have started too well.

Dundalk will, it’s reported, go into liquidation today if last minute investors aren’t found.

Regular reminder that Dolan is clearly heading for the exit on a free next year. Will be a loss in more ways than one. Would hope the club have a plan.

It would be interesting to know what influence Tomasson & Co. had on Adam Wharton. He’s a dream player for the minimalist touch possession football and, yet, if I remember rightly, Wharton did get rotated a bit by JDT and wasn’t a guaranteed starter, with Morton preferred at times. I wonder if JDT influenced Wharton’s style positively, as flourishing now at Palace, or conversely, he misunderstood Wharton and didn’t get the most out of him, like, I believe, Mowbray didn’t get the most out of Harvey Elliott - though he still did well. I’m really not sure. I suppose both are possible. Different note, Amari’i Bell captained Luton today. He’s had an unbelievable time there after looking, for much of his time at Rovers, a lower league player. I think he might’ve been behind that very slow Scottish left back, at Rovers, whose name evades me at this moment. Bell got a call-up to Jamaica, had a really good final set of games at Rovers, left the club and has not looked back, defying all expectations to play in the top flight. A costly deal for Rovers, though as I think a few hundred thousand pounds were spent to bring him in when he had only months left on his contract at his previous club.

Having seen a some players come on loan to Rovers and not excel, only to do well at a higher level, like Branthwaite, it does make me wonder whether higher levels can be easier for some players, alongside better players, having more time on the ball, possibly, with possession football. Conversely, I wonder if a player like Dolan or Buckley would be exceptional at non-league level. They would surely stand out technically but I just wonder how they’d fare given the very different and more physical style.

A concern for Rovers as we are rather dependent on youth players developing and filling out the squad. There’s still some promise in there and time to develop. I wonder if the new PL2 format is negative for Rovers. I don’t follow it closely but my instinct is that not having relegation may lead to reduction in sense of jeopardy and competition. And a risk of complacency? There may be logistical reasons for it but I can’t really see the pros.

I only saw the highlights which showed forward passes leading to chances or goals. It seems that Gomes and TAA were key to them. However, reading the reviews, it sounds as if much of the play was slow and sideways, otherwise, albeit, faced by a defensive Finland side. Harry Kane's first goal was very impressive and helpful reminder that he has some mobility still. If I'm not mistaken, some of the peak heights of tiki taka was the Spain sides under Aragones and then Del Bosque with Xavi, Iniesta and David Silva. Their possession football, as far as I could tell, was varied and attacking. Players made creative forward passes and would shift position, accepting a risk of losing the ball for the opportunity to open up defences. Much of the modern game is a far cry from that, even with the best sides. It's risk-averse and about creating an overload with sideways passing and, often, scoring a cut-back. It's bizarre to see four or five attacking players on the defenders' shoulder, waiting for something to happen, rather than finding spaces, as was the norm for midfielders before.

All the best to Saadi and he seems to have made an interesting career move on loan in Cyprus. However, the decision to contract him and now loan him out looks concerning as to how the club is run. After he was given a new deal, I think the rational thing to have done is to ask Saadi to do a job in the U21s this season to help the youngsters adapt. His versatility, relative experience and French language would've helped a squad somewhat weakened by loans and inevitable injuries. Now that he is off on loan, the contract extension makes even less sense. But, again, best of luck to him and his and his representatives' good fortune. On good fortune (and, no doubt, effort, having recovered from injuries during his time), I noted that recently released LB, Lenni Rae Cirino came of the bench to replace his brother(?), Rafael, for Montserrat in their defeat to Ecuador. As far as I know, he's not found a club but quite a turn up to have a chance to play international football at that level.

The quality is evident with England but the cautious walking football and back passing is really hard to watch. I suppose the players are inevitably going to play within themselves to some extent to avoid injury, but this team could be so exciting to watch.

DIdn’t realise Beck was in the Wales squad. The fact he got into the SPL team of the season last year and at 22 years old, seems not to be in Liverpool’s immediate plans, means he might well have been an astute transfer target for Rovers, after we sold our other left back option. Maybe not feasible - but would’ve been worth a try. It does seem that if he does well at Rovers and for Wales, he’ll be out of the club’s reach - though, you never know. I have a feeling, just based on his recent form and barring injury, he’s going to have a good season. Edit; In my opinion, Rovers should be using some of their loan signing to convert to permanent, as we memorably did with Cairney. Especially, as we are selling players. Loans can patch things up and give a boost but, financially, they are often a sunk cost, with no return (but can add value for the other club). Ayari, Chrisene and Moran’s careers and values seem to be pushing on this season, as they make breakthroughs, but what value did Rovers get out of the deals? To be fair, Chrisene started that last crucial game and Moran might have finished top of our assist charts but they were far from regulars. If we had them this season, I reckon they’d be starting or close to.

Highlights, again, how much international football has devalued. All manner of players pulling out with vague conditions - not to claim that they’re not real, but I’m sure some are precautionary. I don’t blame them as they’re under pressure from their clubs and also face an ever expanding fixture list. I really think international football and domestic cup football faces a serious threat of heading the way of the Olympics football tournament, an afterthought, as players and fans are simply saturated by games. An exciting part of international tournaments was also discovering new players and styles of play. But it’s all becoming rather the same, though, no doubt that being there as a fan is a different matter. Edit: Olympics is overstating it, I think, but the devaluation seems clear.