We are in managed decline and there’s nothing positive to draw from Venkys reign….but I still can’t get comfortable with anyone be “sure” that we’ve had a bad window. And just because you don’t know a player, and he doesn’t cost millions doesn’t mean he’s rubbish. It’s different if the club hadn’t signed anyone or if they were signing players we’d been watching for years and could say unequivocally that they were crap!? But I’d put money that most of us haven’t seen any of them play before, including McLaughlin. So I just don’t see how anyone can be so sure that we’ve had a bad window.

Disclaimer - I’m not saying we’ve had a good transfer window. I still believe we’re in Managed decline and Venkys need to go! But - How do we know that recruitment has been poor so far? We’ve signed 4 players, and haven’t seen much of any of them yet. Surely we’d have to watch them play before deciding if they were better or worse than what went before them?

Bearing in mind most of the players signed were / are unknowns (to us), I’m not sure how anyone can argue we’ve strengthened or weakened those positions. Add in the context of a managerial change and the fact that we’re clearly not done buying or selling, I think it’s virtually impossible. At this stage last season under Eustace, we were massively weaker (on paper) than the season before having lost Szmodics. The outlook appeared bleak and no one predicted the season we ended up having, the notion of finishing one place outside the playoffs would’ve been laughed and ridiculed out of here. Now there are obvious gaps in the squad and the manger has said he wants a CB, RW and AM. To my mind, all we can do is see who we sign, review how they play when watching the matches and THEN judge if we’ve strengthened or weakened in any position?

I don’t see Cantwell as a #10. He doesn’t assist regularly enough, or have the composure in front of goal to score regularly. I think Cantwell ‘assists the assist’ more often than not. He’s very good technically and I think he would play best deeper as part of a midfield three, alongside Trav with Sonny sat slightly behind.

He is actually a CM tbf. As in that’s his natural position.

This is a fair assessment. I don’t think you’re far wrong. The one which is causing the most discussion is probably the CF. Personally, I saw enough from Yuki and Big Mak last season to believe one or both of them could get 15+ goals this season. Seems VI has a similar opinion. So, who will back them up? Listening to the manager and RG, it seems they aren’t targeting one, which means they’ve seen enough from one of Tyjon or Leonard to give it a run. My guess would be that they’re banking on the former rather than the latter and I can see Leonard getting out on loan. For me, you’ve gotta trust the manager, the guy who’s watching them everyday and if he believes they have enough, then we crack on! It sounds like they really fancy Montgomery as the 4th / 5th cm behind Trav, Tron and Tavares. In rank of need, I’d say RW, CB (Cheap foreign), and Baradji will be our lot, assuming no one leaves. If / when someone leaves, we WONT reinvest the money (as per RG’s comments early in the summer). So I’d expect us to bring loans in to cover those sales. Maybe a freebie or two.

Yeah, assuming no exits, a CB, RW and an attacking midfielder (Baradji) would do it. Im keen to give Yuki and Big Mak a chance up top. Any exits will be covered by loans is my guess.

Correct. 😁

Mate, ffs….since when was there an “expectation that people hold their hands up when they’re wrong” ?? The amount of absolute shite that gets peddled in here and then is consigned to history the day after is huge. I can count on one hand how many times I’ve seen anyone accept anything! 🤣 One thing is for sure though, a low risk (basically free) move to Espanyol is NOT proof that Dolan is any better than Rovers or any other mid table Championship team, and with due respect I trust my own eyes over 100+ games over your opinion. On a personal note, I would’ve been 50/50 on whether I offered him a contract at all. Same with Hedges. Poor players. So once again, why don’t we wait and see if this all works out or he’s on loan at Derby by January.

Crazy, you spend your whole life preaching that everyone is entitled to an opinion and then suddenly because Dolan gets a move to Espanyol, then the people who doubted him are “wrong”. Listen, for the very last time. I hope to god I’m wrong, because there’s no doubt he’s a great lad. But in 100+ games, I’m saying he’s crap. He won’t be the first crap player to get a great move. He’s extremely low risk in terms of wages and fees so it’s probably best if everyone sits back and sees how things work out for him there before we start deciding whether anyone was right or wrong. Eh?

We shall see. 👍🏼

Brilliant move for TD. He’s obviously a great lad and what an opportunity to be the player he believes he can be and to experience another culture. After watching him play 100 times at least, no one can convince me that he’s anything other than a mid championship plodder. But as I’ve said before, I’d be delighted to be wrong this time. Time to step up Ty, no hiding out there, the white hanky’s will be out before Halloween!! 👻

Awwww….you ok hun? 😩🤣

We had 200 games to judge him. I’m completely fine with mine. Respect you may not agree. That’s ok.

Come on Kenny, who’s the mystery winger!?

7 goals and 6 assists in 44 matches from a guy who thinks he’s SOOOOO much better than Rovers and is expecting a move to a ‘lower Premier League club’? Please. Mate, I saw your assertion about Dolan’s “output” and tried not to emphasise it because quite frankly, it’s embarrassing for you and TD. Dolan is quite simply an Instagam’able Ryan Hedges. A mid championship, average player, and at least Hedges knows it. I’ve seen very little of Kargbo but I’d bet everything I have that if he was gifted 200+ games in the championship, playing for Rovers his “output” would be considerably higher than Dolan’s. He’s obviously a great lad and I’ve never wanted to be proven wrong more. But my bet is that he’ll eventually sign for Bristol City (yawn) or the like, job about for a year or two and then disappear into League 1. The end.

Honestly, I don’t wanna bore everyone on Dolan. But in 40yrs I haven’t seen a player flatter to deceive more than him. Takes 5 touches, when he needs just 1. Crosses when he should pass, dribbles when he should cross and is soooo slow. People focus on his supposed output with rose tinted glasses because he does work incredibly hard. For me, he’s a mid championship squad filler at best, if he accepted that then I’d be happy to have him come on to see games out and chip in with 5 goals a season. The only reason he hasn’t signed for anyone yet, is because everything that has been put across his agents desk is on less or the same money and involves a side ways move. Dolan is Nyambe mk2. And just like when Brittain turned up post Nyambe, a decent winger will come to the club this summer and suddenly folk will be like “Ahh so THAT is what a forward should do!?”

True, just REALLY badly! 🙈🤣

If they loan Leonard out then it means they’re probably looking for another. I also think there’s a chance that Big Mak is less suited to VI’s way of playing too… But, I would prefer to spend the money elsewhere. I think Yuki and Big Mak are both capable of getting double figures this season and 20-30 goals between them is solid. We only play one striker so we could back those two up with Leonard who needs an injury free, breakthrough season.

Yeah - I don’t see Bamford as a VI type signing at all. Much more likely to join Eustace at Derby.

I think we need the following, in this order assuming no sales of key players: 1) RW - Dolan replacement / better than Hedges (easy to find as both are average) 2) CB - We need one more. Carter is made of glass and Wharton early back from a long injury. 3) CM - Trav, Sonny, Tavares, +1 Fwiw - I don’t think we need another striker. I would be really inclined to put my trust in Yuki and big Mak who I think will get better after a year in the league and a full preseason.

Exactly….its been reported by multiple outlets that the fees are: Tavares - 2m DeNeve - 750k Alebiosu - 500k Baradji - 1.5m Us “Naaaaaahhhh, utter bollocks!” 🤣🤣

Over the past few seasons they’ve sold loads and invested little… I can’t see that they’ve bought these in anticipation of sales. They usually just set a budget and basically make do, whatever happens.

Maybe - though they could be direct replacements for JRC and Buckley?

Agreed. But the club haven’t reported the fees. The club rarely reports anything. News outlets have. Listen, I’m not saying we’ve spent £4.75m, but we can’t have it both ways just to fit our narrative / hatred of Venkys. It would seem that the club are backing Ismael based on the widely reported fees they’re spending on these players!? Right?