6 minutes ago, Bbrovers2288 said:

All quiet at Ewood today, few meetings outwith taking place...

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

1 hour ago, bluebruce said:

Do you also believe in Bennett? And do you want to run with 'there's a player in there' all season at LB, with Derrick 'A Player Is Nowhere To Be Found At Left Back' Williams as the backup?

I can stomach us running with potential weakness on one flank, but not both.

There's also the issue that whilst you and I believe in Nyambe, it's under serious question whether TM does. He does, however, believe in Bennett, whose other positions have seen competition arrive since January. It seems likely Bennett will be first choice at RB at the start of the season and possibly much longer.

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!!

2 hours ago, 47er said:

So why did you say it was unrealistic to expect full-backs now then? 

You're all over the place on this one, except in one regard----anything the manager does is acceptable to you.

We really are not going all-out for promotion or even the play-offs are we because we haven't sorted out the defence and we won't? Keeper and centre-back not enough to plug all those leaks of last season.

Tony falls short but does just enough to make it look like he's trying. And you fall for it.

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.

Just now, AllRoverAsia said:

Dean Smith spotted their weak areas and cured them whereas we appear to admit we are defensively unsound and then change our mind.

The window hasn’t shut yet...

Just now, bluebruce said:

It's probably unrealistic now, unless there's a lot been done in the background and more budget than we think. But it should have been a goal to bring in at least 2, I'd say 3, defenders this summer. This isn't a new expectation people are springing on the manager, it's what they've wanted all summer. It staggers me that some people truly think just one centre half and a different goalie will fix the woeful defence we had last season to a degree where we can expect playoffs. The vaunted new system may ease some pressure but I think people are forgetting just how many atrocious goals we conceded.

At this stage, we are probably going to have to accept one CB (having lost two). As long as that's a good centre half (and the goalie is good) I think we can expect around mid table to top 10. Then we will be lamenting our defensive options by the January window. Maybe we will reinforce there at that stage and kick on.

Someone who can effectively play either full back position would be ideal, but I accept they're very rare. Or a CB who can do a good enough job in one of the full back slots, to act as cover almost wherever for when injury or form necessitates a change. Like a better Williams.

Another problem with signing only one defender - what if they simply aren't as good as we expect, or they get injured? Yes all signings carry those risks, but it would leave us with last year's defence effectively, who weren't effective.

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.

Just now, JHRover said:

Not really, it's as expected. Ever since Mowbray came back from India it has been going one way with regards to new defenders.

I believe we are waiting for a generous Premier League club to send us a CB on loan for the season on the cheap. Good news for the money men, bad news for getting someone in now to establish at CB and organize around.

???? 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”...

Just now, briansol said:

Regarding Gallagher being expensive at 5, I see Zohore going for 8!. Similar stats which makes the Gallagher fee look better

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.

Just now, Ewood Ace said:

If our full backs our for the coming season our Bennett at right back and one of Bell or Williams at left back then we can forget any talk of top 6. 

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. 

15 minutes ago, AAK said:

Was having a good season last season until he got injured (played 30 games). The keeper who then came in also played well, so Lampard kept him in the team. He's been doing pretty decent at Derby. I'd be happy with a more experienced and vocal keeper.

Youngest average age of the squad in the Championship season 2018-19:

1) Blackburn - 24.55
2) Wigan - 24.73
3)Swansea - 24.76
4) Reading - 24.95
5) Ipswich 25.03

Ipswich were bottom, reading were 20th and in a relegation scrap until last couple of games of the season, Wigan 18th and same as Reading. Then us and swansea were decent at times, but far too inconsistent. There's a lot to be said for chucking in some experience leaders. That extra expereince from Downing and Johnson, and hopefully someone like Carson will be very good for this team, at times last season we really lacked the nouse in games, e.g.

1-0 at Bristol and losing 4-1
2-1 up at ipswich (a very poor side) and conceeding in injury time 2-2
1-0 up at home to villa and conceeding in injury time 1-1
1-0 up at Swansea and losing 4-1
2-0 up at home to brum and conceeding two late goals 2-2
2-1 up at leeds in the 91st minute and losing 3-2
2-0 up at brentford and losing 5-2
2-1 up at brum and conceeding with a few minutes to go, just after we'd taken the lead 2-2
 

There were a few other games were we were leading and didn't win, but these are the main ones, 20 points dropped here, in games of which we were controlling and then just fell apart, or didn't have the nouse at the end of the game to keep the lead. We finished on 60 points, even taking just half of them points that we chucked away (10) that would have put us on 70, granted that wouldn't have been enough for play offs, but in a lot of season it would see in the play offs or very near.

 

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

1 hour ago, JHRover said:

Don't recall saying we wouldn't spend this summer. Either way it doesn't look like we have spent this summer given the figures quoted on here with Raya.

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!

Just now, rigger said:

Why? As long as the problem is cured I don't care how it's achieved.

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 ??

22 minutes ago, Angry_Pirate said:

John Ruddy. (Not my opinion).

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

11 minutes ago, Ewood Ace said:

If the likes of Buckley, Butterworth or Magloire are good enough then they will get into the first team regardless of the age of other players.

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.

Just now, RoverKyle said:

Wasn't impressed by Scott Dann when we had him. Plenty of Prem experience though and you'd imagine he'd be a good player at Championship level. Would be interesting to see how he got on. 

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!!

Just now, JacknOry said:

Also, back to the keeper. Surely we would have to be waiting on Carson to be replaced at Derby, they have nobody of note behind him.

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.

Just now, Tugayisgod said:

http://c.newsnow.co.uk/A/992755447?-11198:839

 

TM wants more faces

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.

Just now, bluebruce said:

I already explained why I would be unhappy in detail, so why are you asking me why I would be unhappy? Treat my question there as rhetorical, you're obviously happy for us to go through the whole 'our defence needs rebuilding' saga again next year, I'm not, so there's no point us discussing that further.

Would you at least agree our defence needs more than one player as reinforcement?

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

Just now, Bigdoggsteel said:

I wouldn't call him a Blackburn midfielder though, he is an ex-one. Agree it would probably be a good move for Rodwell if it was him 

Rangers must have a few bob to be able to pay wages for the likes of Defoe. How much would we be looking at for Evans anyway? £1.5 million?  

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.

Just now, JoeHarvey said:

You don’t HAVE to, sure a lot of teams do, but it’s not like Downing didn’t spend a season playing wing back ??

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

Just now, Bigdoggsteel said:

Has to be Evans 

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.

Just now, Bigdoggsteel said:

Ya, blind and blinkered optimism to the point of not seeing the issues is also annoying, I agree with you there. 

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.