Always interesting when it goes quiet...running out of time for your end of the week prediction pal ?

My point is that IF the manager believes that Bennett is the man to play RB then he will live and die by that decision. I know they believe in Nyambe and Bell. Again, they will live and die by that decision. But what I think many are missing is that the manager actually WANTS to get promoted. He’s stated it publicly (and privately). This is important because people seem to think he’d somehow sabotage his own job and ambitions just to play Bennett or Mulgrew? It’s weird. Why would he do that? It makes no sense. If he’s playing them then he believes they are the best player for the job. Bearing in mind he watches them train, play etc everyday then he is much better placed to make this decision than you or me...and again, he will live and die by those decisions!!

I’m not all over anywhere and I’m falling for nothing. I said at the start of the window that I would judge the manager at the end of the window. That hasn’t changed. It’s unrealistic to believe that we will buy 3 first team defenders and a goalkeeper in one window and gel them into a top 6 side. You (and the other doom and gloomers) are basically backing your initial rhetoric by demanding the club buy two fullbacks, two cbs and a keeper because you know it’s unrealistic. Setting them up to fail. But aside from all that, you haven’t got a clue what is happening with the development of Nyambe, Bell, Buckley, Butterworth, Davenport, Magloire etc. There’s been very little discussed about the impact of Jonty’s promotion and what he brings in terms of providing the conduit between a group of amazing youngsters and the first team. You’re also not aware of the massive changes in analytic focus and how they are looking to develop all of the players immeasurably. Im fortunate to have some access to those ideas and processes. So if they see players in Nyambe and Bell then I will go with that. But let me make something clear for the last time. I’m a Rovers fan, first of all. Whilst I think Mowbray has done a good job, if he does not get a defender and a keeper who I believe are better than what we have, I will lose faith in him too. Please don’t mistake my positivity for naivity.

The window hasn’t shut yet...

I would agree that we do need another couple of cb’s with Rodwell leaving too but I think they genuinely believe that Magloire can fill one of those spots. The fullback situation is simple to me. I wouldn’t sign another RB as I believe in Nyambe. I prob would look to get better than Bell but I do think there’s a player in there. So I can understand them not rushing to buy fullbacks.

???? Yes, because Premier League centre back always come cheap!? It doesn’t matter how much it costs, especially as your second name isn’t Rao. The only thing that matters is that we improve. As has already been said on here Villa gained promotion with 2 or 3 “cheap premier league cb loans”...

Gallagher wasn’t expensive. One season of 15+ goals will treble his valuation. Same with Brereton. That’s why managers and club owners feel comfortable investing money in them.

What you’re asking for is unrealistic. Even if we’d signed two fullbacks, a cb and a new keeper on June 1st I’d be worried about them gelling for the start of this season. Nyambe and Bell have potential and a year on, are certainly worth starting the season with. They have some more time imo. AAK’s post showed how many points we gifted to teams because we lacked game management / experience. Based on this I’d be delighted to go into the new season with what we’ve got plus an experienced CB and GK.

Fantastic post. Our two biggest problems last season were squad depth and experience.

Come on lads, think! The likes of Downing, Johnson and Gallagher aren’t on peanuts like last years lot. The incoming keeper and defender will also prob come ar a premium. Just because we haven’t spent loads on fees doesn’t mean the budget isn’t being eaten up!

It will absolutely be acceptable so long as the players we bring in are better than the ones we have / have replaced AND there is a long term plan to move the excellent young players we have into the first team. People’s obsession with owning players is so outdated. Let’s plug a gap with a better player ??

Wow, fantastic piece of information if correct. Thank you ??

Yes, but if you have a plan, bring their mentor (Jonty) into the first team set up and explain that plan then those players understand your belief in them and can work towards a holistic plan.

He struggled under Kean but who didn’t? Iv read articles suggesting he is their best ever premier league signing, pound for pound.

I think the movement towards players in their 30’s is in order to allow the likes of Buckley, Butterworth, Magloire etc a route through. If the new signings were 26-28 there’d be an obvious block. Moving Jonty into the first team set up is a massive indication of what they’re looking to achieve with the young lads. Downing, Johnson, Carson?, Dann?, Skrtel?, Graham and Mulgrew will be expected to make an impact this season and potentially assist those young lads into the team.

Keepers are always subject to opinion. Is Carson going to get into the top corners like Raya? No. But the manager has decided he wants a steady, experienced keeper to Marshall his defence and dominate situations. Is Raya going to deliver that over the likes of Carson, Forster, Ruddy, Hart or Adrian? No.

Carson Dann Skrtl Be happy with those!!

Carson was dislodged at the back end of last season. They have another keeper

I don’t know if Carson is the one but I do know that he is unequivocally a better keeper than Raya right now.

I’ve said so many times on here that the order in which players are signed has nothing to do with the buying clubs priorities. They set up several deals and wait to see which one drops. Downing and Johnson were out of contract and were obv keen to join so it happened around 1st July. Gallagher was pushed to leave by Southampton who want to reinvest the money.

The defence needs significant improvement in terms of personnel and tactics. I’m confident we have the creativity and forward options to challenge for the top 6. So solving the defensive problem is key to achieving that now

We still hold his registration by the looks of it. Plus the timing is so close that I think he’d still conceivably be referred to as our player. I hope it is Evans and I’d take £1m. I’d rather it be Smallwood though.

Nyambe, Bennett, Bell and Downing are more suited to being wing backs than full backs imo

Rangers haven’t got the money to pay us a fee and take his wages. I’m almost positive it’s Rodwell. Liverpool connection, cheap, great pedigree and would piss the Scottish prem.

I don’t think I’ve seen anyone on here with that mentality. It seems most of the ‘positive’ crew (me included) just want to give the manager until the end of the window to judge him on the window. Of course there will be differing opinions on the business we have done already and the glass is half empty crew will no doubt see a completely different picture than the half full crew. That’s life.