I haven’t posted in a while and probably can’t add anything new to this debate. I’m torn in my thinking at the minute about what GB has said that happened and what I think happened. If what GB has said that happened is true then we were desperately unlucky and should be encouraged that we are at the very least looking for the right players. O’brien would have been a top top signing. Unfortunately thanks to the owners everything that happens at rovers is always treated with suspicion. I’m finding it hard to believe we were willing to pay 30k plus per week for a loanee. One thing is for sure, if I was JDT I would be absolutely furious and would be seriously considering my future 

13 minutes ago, superniko said:

             Kaminski

Carter  Hyam Ayala  Pickering 

    Morton/Buckley   Wharton 

Hedges     Dack      Brereton

              Gallagher

Actually play some Football for a change

This looks good on paper. I’d nearly be tempted into playing Trav at right back as whilst he’s been poor recently, I genuinely don’t think carter is championship standard at all. 
 

Oh and bucko over Morton, Morton has done absolutely nothing recently to warrant staying in the team.

I absolutely loved Moran, what a warrior he was. 

With regards to free transfers, I'd have to say that big Brad eclipses him ever so slightly.

I would be absolutely delighted if the January window passes with our squad exactly the same as it is now. 

However I don't think that will happen, I'm convinced Dack will go and we might surprise people with a good replacement. If we lost Dack and Diaz in the same window it would be absolutely devastating. Not only is Diaz our best player, but you can also tell he's such a big character around the training ground.

Keep him at all costs and challenge for promotion and if we don't go up, he goes for free. It's a risk worth taking considering our current position 

1 hour ago, BigBar said:

He made some unbelievable saves too though and was young. I was sick when he left and for peanuts. Luckily TK is very good but for awhile it looked like we would be forced to endure the Steeles and Keans of this world.

I couldnt agree with this more. I was absolutely devastated when he left.  I think it was very obvious that we had a top keeper/ asset on our hands and we practically gave him away to Brentford. His treatment at the end of his last season by TM was disgraceful, and the way we allowed him to leave without an adequate replacement was dire. I dont know the ins and outs of what happened behind the scenes but i am 100% certain that if he had stayed another year or two we would have got a much higher fee for him. A

10 minutes ago, J*B said:

I fear we will sell him without giving him a chance. We’ll be lucky to get a million for him based on 2x ACL and no game time. If he can have a semi-decent season and prove his fitness it would benefit us and also increase his value. But I think his time is up now with JDT. 

Definitely agree, I can't see any way back for him. A loan to Sunderland in January with them having an option for a permanent deal. Is what is going to happen lol 

13 minutes ago, J*B said:

Agree with you on Dack, I find it really really harsh. 

If we can find a way to turn these L’s into draws we will have a chance. 

Something has definitely happened, part of me is thinking that he needs rid of Dacks wage to bring in his own players. But it's hard to stomach at times seeing him sat on the bench lol 

Hi all. This is my first post in a long time. Hope you are all well. 

I'm sitting at home several beers deep and trying to honestly analyse our season so far. Practically 1/3 of the season has gone and it's been a real roller-coaster. 

Thoughts. JDT clearly in his own head has a plan of how he wants us to play. When it clicks it looks good, see first 45 today, Rotherham and Watford performances. But when it dosnt click its dire see Luton, Wigan, Reading. 

But to be where we are in the league after 1/3 played is a better return than I thought, when you look at the threadbare squad he inherited. 

Positives, some great transfer business in hyam and Brittain, Morton is a good loan and the jury is still out on smozdic. Hirst well we have got to say dosnt look great. I also think that Dolan has improved massively under JDT. 

Negatives. The treatment of Dack is hard for me to take. Something has definitely happened behind the scenes, so many times this season have we been craving a creative option Luton away for one and he just gets overlooked. I fully expect him to join Sunderland in January. 

But overall I am happy with this start and if I'm honest with myself, do I think this squad is top 6? The answer would be no. So of the gaffer keeps us in and around those places then he has overachieved in his first season in my opinion. 

Just my thoughts and I am happy to discuss with anyone who could be bothered reading the above 

This is really frustrating, after a nice lift with a new manager who on paper looks an excellent prospect. He already has had a good start to his managerial career and no doubt he sees us as the next step on the ladder. 

In the past we have done well at keeping transfer deals quiet until they are completed. I can only hope we have deals being done in the background. 

I find it hard to believe that JDT would have took the job knowing that he had no budget. Unless he's been promised every penny of the brereton sale, it just dosnt make sense 

Not sure if he's been mentioned on here, but personally I think Assal at afc wimbledon would be a great signing. 

I am no ITK in the slightest - in fact I couldn't be any further away from being ITK. 

But I did get told this golden nugget yesterday and was sworn to secrecy not to reveal my scource. Chris Houghton. Has already been interviewed for the job one day last week. However Carvalhal is very much first choice, but going to India with the begging bowl for the required financial package would be be needed to get that one over the line. 

1 hour ago, yankfan said:

Seems like Lenihan and Naymbe will not be fit.  That helps TM as we will surely play with a back 4.  I’d go:

 

                           Kamenski

Zeefuik  JVH.  Wharton.   Pickering 

                  Rothwell.    Travis

Dolan.                   Dack.              Giles

                             Diaz 

 

 

Zeefuik is definitely inured. I think you're close enough with the starting 11. Lenihan will play rb I think and Buckley will start instead of dack. 

4 hours ago, rigger said:

Or the best prospect on our books, Ash Phillips

Injured for the u18s tonight. Praying injuries don't hamper his progress as he's had a few already. But looks a real prospect 

13 hours ago, joey_big_nose said:

Rovers seem to have a very good conveyor belt of talent over the last 3 years - anyone got a view on why that is? Down to certain individuals in the Rovers heirachy or more of a structural thing?

Club gets a lot of stick for "mismanagement" but in this critical area of youth development we seem to be doing a fantastic job.

I'm sure it's a collective thing with all the background staff. Interestingly on one of my last visits I was talking to a few locals, real nice fellas and very welcoming. Anyhow.....one of them claimed to have worked for rovers at a stage and said that Andy Taylor is highly regarded by everyone at rovers and has a real eye for talent and plays a major role in everything that goes on in the academy. Tbh after the conversation I had to Google exactly who Andy Taylor was as I'm not up to speed with all the background staff.

13 hours ago, Devon Rover said:

Leaving aside for a moment some of my negative feelings about him over recent years; full credit to Mowbray for what he is doing this year. Having just seen his post match interview, and watched him during games, he is a completely different character to the one we've seen in the previous few years. Mojo in place and coming across as an ambassador for our club.

Similarly, what a brilliant, honest speaker Wilder is.

Imo Mowbray has always acted like a ambassador for the club. growth, journey, building a team the supporters can be proud off, all words directly from the Mowbray phrasebook that have been used to batter him with at times. Last season aside he has done a fantastic job at the club. 

This season we are witnessing a young hungry team that he has assembled busting a gut for him and the club. 

By God that was nerve wrecking lol winning ugly is something we haven't done in a long time, great to see us grind out a result. 3 more points in the bag, if the Hull game had of been played I'm 100% confident that we would be top of the league now

What a bloody performance. 

I still have to pinch myself every now and again to make sure I'm not dreaming lol 

Harry Pickering has been an absolute revelation this season. The commentator made a very valid point today. Saying that nyambes game has massively improved since HP arrived. He's watching what HP does and is busting a gut to get more involved in the attacking side of things. As per buckos goal. 

Anyway have a good evening and enjoy the weekend 

I pray to God that we don't see any formation tinkering tomorrow. Let's just go toe to toe with them and see what happens. 

TK

Nyambe

Pickering 

Ayala 

Lenihan

Wharton 

Trav

Bucko

Rothwell 

Diaz

Khedra

29 minutes ago, TruRover said:

Hey guys - I’m London based and going to the game tomorrow. I ordered tickets on Wednesday and was told they would come Thursday/Friday however they haven’t arrived. Will have to leave at like 11 tomorrow. 
 

Anyone else had this issue before? I assume it’s best to call ticket office first thing tomorrow?

Yes it has happened to me before for a Leeds away game and I phoned the ticked office at rovers and they got me to collect the tickets directly at the ground 

8 minutes ago, bazza said:

Tyrone, you are old enough to know football doesn't work like that.

I've heard the Boro game has been moved to Monday night on Sky

Yeah it has. Worked in my favour as I got dirt cheap flights and hotel 

21 minutes ago, Neal said:

Well, I've given criticism when it's due so I'll give praise where it's also due as it's only fair...

 

Tip my cap to Tony Mowbray, well done fella. My main gripe is that he's never seemingly got consistently the best out of his team, especially the back 4, at the moment he's definitely getting the best out of them. Lennihan was immense, won absolutely everything and deservedly MOM. 

 

The conditions stopped us from playing how we like to play and took Buckley and Rothwell out of the game but everyone did their job and turned up. 

 

Oh, Preston were sh*te. 

100% accurate. I think we have all been guilty of hammering Mowbray on last seasons nightmare.

But each and everyone of us should be big enough to give credit when it's due

15 minutes ago, SIMON GARNERS 194 said:

Thank you for your support...safe journey our blue n white brother!

Love your user name BTW I had a table at my wedding by that name lol 

7 minutes ago, Bad Boy said:

What a cracking post.  Safe travels.  

Thanks mate. But that was brilliant today. Absolutely brimming with pride 

15 minutes ago, 47er said:

I think the answer to that is obvious and stated so any times. In a nutshell its the quality of the football and the money wasted on players who shouldn't have been here. Add tactics, tinkering, subs etc and he's been the complete package.

That's his share of the blame accounted for.

Can't deny things have been much better this season.

 

Maybe we see things differently. He is given a budget surely and wether the quality of the signings are good and not, he still should be operating within a set budget. 

The fact that it leads to an overspend every season is something for the owners to look at. 

But we all know, if the owners cut that budget to match what our current revenue is, I would say things could be much much worse than they are currently