May not be able to make it today as my daughter has had her tonsillitis come back with a vengeance 😔

Hoping the week's rest has given the players extra zing to press better than of late. Kaminski & Brittain are nailed on starters, I'd like to see Carter partnering Ayala, sticking with Pickering at LB, a midfield 3 of Buckley, travis & Morton with a fluid frontline of BBD, Hedges & Dack.

Subs of Pears, Gallagher, Phillips, Szmodics, Edun, A Wharton, Vale, Markanday, Dolan

Technically 12 players have left,no argument there, their influence / involvement does not amount to any more than 7/8 players.

Brittain - replaces / improves on Nyambe.

Morton - replaces / improves on Clarkson & / or Davenport, plus provides emergency cover at CB at a push.

Hyam - expected to replace / improve on Lenihan (imagine the pelters if Lenihan had started the season for us like he has for Boro)

Szmodics - has had a slow start obviously, but eplaces role of Rothwell & / or frees Buckley to drop back. Also offers cover for Dack, who himself barely figured last year.

Caulker - does not directly replace Van Hecke, but fills the gap left behind. Provides cover for Ayala when he gets injured, affords time for Carter & Phillip's to improve.

Forward (TBC) - clearly we're in for one, presumably to replace Khadra & / or Poveda. The latter barely figured last season, the former was useful in fits and starts.

That's 6 players in. If BBD leaves I would hope / expect one or 2 replacements, preferably 1 perm & 1 loan.

Factor in that we have youngsters Phillips, Carter, Garrett, A Wharton & Vale now very much part of the senior squad (and fitting in well generally), allied to the return of Carter, Dack & Markanday and arguably the usable squad is at least as strong, if not better, than last year.

Don't forget also, all the existing players are 1 year older & wiser (without any being past it). The marked improvement in Hedges is the perfect example of that. Factor in the tactical & fitness benefits that JDT & his team bring to the table compared to TM & Venus, then overall it's possible to claim improvement.

It's not perfect; LB is still a problem, as is cover at RB. But overall I think a very strong argument can be made that by the end of this window the squad will be stronger. Of course, it may not work out like that, but I can see things moving in the right direction by blooding youth whilst improving on the first 11.

I think there's a danger folk are expecting too much from GB & JDT as a new team from a standing start in a shortened window.  Theres a clear understanding amongst us all that they inherited a small squad & limited funding due to past mismanagement, to expect all that to be rectified in 2 thirds of a window is unreasonable IMO. 

4 hours ago, J*B said:

Caulker plays for the equivalent of Crystal Palace in that league, on loan from Fenebache who are a top four side that haven’t battled for the league in a while now (or at least, it feels like it). He hasn’t even played a game for Fenebache according to Wikipedia

So we're about to sign Connor Gallagher then??

😁

I don't think we need to be too het up about this. Experienced, confident on the ball, cheap. Reminds me of when we signed Tony Gale before 94/95.

2 minutes ago, Ossydave said:

Only just noticed Umtiti has gone Lecce on loan, bit of a couple if he can stay fit and recover some form 😳

Is he able to clone himself??

Markanday!

1 hour ago, blue_n_white99 said:

When you have an injury plagued 31 year old and a 17 year old kid as your only choices at CB, plus no cover for your full backs and being 5 games into a season is criminally negligent. If this doesn't change dramatically we are in for a really tough season.

Thing is, that wasn't the case 3 weeks ago was it? We've suffered injuries since then to Carter, Wharton & Barnes; few clubs could withstand that.

Yes we need players in & sooner the better as JDT has just explicitly pointed out, but to say that where we are is criminally negligent on GB's part with 2 weeks to.go until the transfer window closes is clearly an OTT reaction.

2 hours ago, Kcaj93 said:

If we don't recruit by the end of the window only get in the lad from Liverpool then imo it's been a terrible window. The amount of key players we have lost and mot replaced. It will be a huge struggle this season as we have already seen so early on with injuries. Of course I will judge come the end of this window but based on ffp and everything else I fear this window will repeat itself in the next windows to come.

Well yes I'd agree that if that was the case it would be a terrible window, but that absolutely won't be the case so it's a straw man comment.

You're wise to judge at the end of the window as to whether or not it's been a good window, but it would be premature to judge the club's new structure or personnel on just the 1 window.

I get the concern & apprehension as we get closer to deadline day and our squad is struggling for depth, but I think there's been as big an overreaction to the defeat on Weds as there was to the 3 wins before then. 

Every team at our level will do plenty of business in the last week of the window. It happens every year, and I'm quite sure we'll be well amongst the throng. I'm also quite sure GB and his team are well along the way to having targets in their sights, as they were with recent signings without any knowledge externally. People calling GB a dud are way off the mark in my view, or at the very least massively premature; it was widely stated when he joined that this was something that would need 2-3 windows to implement the medium term strategy, anything else would be a bonus. Many are expecting instant returns, which would be great but less likely. 

Take a step back; we've had a great start. Clearly today's tough & after the Reading game confidence might be hit, but even if we lose today we'll still be in a far better position than we had a right to expect at the end of July. Nothing will be decided at the end of this window or the next, patience & trust in the new management team, as individuals & as a structure, is required.

After last night's debacle, hopefully this is the jolt the players (and me!) needed to bring us back down to earth.

The players need to react like Reading did to their heavy defeat, just like they did last season after the 7-0 v Fulham. Interestingly it's against the same opponents, so hopefully that's a good omen...

Burnley back to being the shame of Lancashire, looking at the table! 

His time with us was in my early days of watching Rovers so I don't remember much of his time with us,  but it's a very sad day.

MN is a horrible disease but he did a lot to raise awareness & funds for further much needed research, to his enormous credit. An ex teacher of mine had it, everyone feared him but to see how quickly his health deteriorated following diagnosis will stick with me.

Thoughts are with all those who knew Lenny, may he rest in peace.

Time for Ash Phillips to show us what all the fuss is about it seems... we'll be right behind you lad, do us all proud. And search youtube for Phil Jones v Drogba for invaluable lessons on how to handle yourself as a youth in a man's game. 👍

21 hours ago, JHRover said:

I think the big thing for me is the structure. I have faith in it.

I've loved everything about Tomasson so far and long may that continue, says and does all the right things, an impressive resume to back it up. One thing I have picked up on is that he is adept at playing the media and handling them very well. He seems to be one step ahead of questions, can come up with a smart response in inteviews and is no fool. I remember watching an interview of his after Malmo had played Juventus in the Champions League and I detected a whiff almost of arrogance (in the good sense) in the way he handled the media.

But at the end of the day he is the 'head coach' and he's always quick to remind us of that - he shouldn't be integral to the success or future of the club - the structure and setup should see to that.

So if he ultimately turns out to be a dud, or if he gets a better offer from elsewhere, or if he gets fed up after a couple of years and leaves it isn't the end of the world, we task Broughton with finding another one, rather than persisting on easy street for 5 years with Mr Unsackable in the dugout.

Most of the good stuff - the academy, the development of good players, the investment, the signings, the backroom staff - should keep going year on year regardless of who the head coach is - I think this is key.

Importantly his appointment has shown for those doubters out there that this is an attractive club, that good coaches from across Europe - JDT, Carvalhal, Farke - will be interested and will come here and manage in the Championship. This is the market we need to be looking at moving forward no more overpromoting coaches, no more scrapheap appointments

No more of this 'lets never sack a manager because we can't possibly do better' which we were hearing last season. Even the Mowbray worshippers are starting to acknowledge that things are looking good and have now resorted to crediting him with laying the foundations.

Great post and I agree with all it says, and endorse the management style that JDT is adopting & appreciate the knowledge of other posters about where it comes from, how it ut implemented & how it breeds confidence & togetherness.

I also however think the last paragraph was unnecessary. Can we not just appreciate JDT without denigrating TM and his "worshippers"? It's not a fair comparison for a start. The core of your post is how the structure is better, with JDT being just a part of that and who is effectively replaceable if he leaves or is poached. TM didn't have the benefit of that structure, he was not able just to concentrate on being head coach, he had to wear other hats too. Imagine the grief he would've got when asked about transfers if he'd replied "the club is working hard, you'll have to ask Steve."

Also, the concern about who TM would be replaced with was entirely legitimate. It's widely accepted that the club was going down a different, long & winding path to appointing someone else until Gregg came on board. At least someone within the club realised it's structure needed improving.

TM had taken us as far as he could. I was up for him leaving last summer, and he undoubtedly overstayed his welcome. But had he done we wouldn't have appointed GB or JDT.  Overall TM did a very good job in helping bring the club back from the brink of oblivion and re-establishing some pride in difficult circumstances IMO, and was the major part in putting us in a position to be seen as an attractive project with solid foundations in the eyes of a young, up & coming ambitious head coach to pick up & run with under a new, fresh, modern and pro-active management structure. 

All the pressure should be on W Brom on Sunday. They're the ones who have an established manager with a proven track record at this level, with a large & expensively assembled squad (comparitively) with expectations internally & externally of a top 2 finish. They'll be coming here knowing that they lack firepower & if they lose, they'll be 7 points off top spot already with no wins in 3 matches. They'll also be unsure of what to expect from us due to the radically different approaches we've taken to each match under JDT.

We on the other hand have nothing to lose. We're 2 wins & clean sheets in with a young, light squad that is playing confidently, at pace & without fear for 90 mins. No-one externally expects us to challenge the top 6, and even internally there's an understanding that this season is mainly likely to be a transitional one. So Rovers can just go out & enjoy themselves, put in a disciplined & committed performance & not worry too much about the outcome.

I gonna go for an entertaining 2-1 Rovers win, BBD & Hedges the scorers. 

On 09/08/2022 at 22:53, M_B said:

Despite all this, their fans are up and down as if Christmas has come early, and are buying their worst home shirt in history in record numbers. 

This implies that there's such a thing as a good home Burnley shirt... steady on! 

Please, let's have Van Den Berg in quickly to:

A - be available for Sunday;

B - update the thread title, which is starting to look outdated; and

C - to save this thread from itself!!

If he's going to be second choice (which it seems he is, whether we think he should be or not), I'd rather he was as prepared as possible to step in at the deep end if needed. To me, that means playing in relatively low jeopardy matches like at home to Hartlepool in the Carabao Cup.

20 minutes ago, Spartakfenni said:

why Pears, Hilton is a better keeper. JRC should be farther up the park ala Hedges position. Leonard should be on the bench to replace Vale.

19 minutes ago, K-Hod said:

We thought that before we played Wigan (then league one) last season and that didn’t turn out as we hoped!

Both fair points re Pears, but presumably he is considered as TK's understudy having been named as sub keeper in JDT's first 2 squads, would be bizarre to then choose Hilton over Pears for a 1st round cup game v lower league 2 opposition. 

Also, remember that before the Wigan fiasco, he had looked fairly handy (pun intended) & was an important part of the 6 game run of clean sheets.

Pears has to play. I get all the arguments not to, but as our 2nd keeper he needs minutes in case Kaminski gets injured or suspended. He must be able to perform capably v the likes of Hartlepool...

JRC right back, Edun LB, Phillips & Scott W as CBs; not many alternatives really in those areas.

Garrett, Morton & A Wharton as CMs, Dack as a roaming 10 with Markanday & Vale up top. Quite short & narrow, but Markanday & Vale have enough pace to stretch the opposition for Dack to fill in the hole.

That means a mainly experienced bench, with gaps for a couple of others like Butterworth, Burns etc. 

Didn't see the game as I don't get to away matches but it really does sound like JDT knows his stuff. He's putting his words into action and clearly getting his ideas across to a team willing to buy into them. 

Hedges looks like he could be a real positive, I thought he showed snippets last season, had a good game v QPR & was instrumental yesterday.

The major concern for me (as in, I don't see the Dack situation as being worrying yet, and am confident JDT & GB can bring the right players in to bulk up the team), is BBD. He suits JDT's tactics perfectly & clearly is still enjoying himself here. I can understand why he might not want to sign a new deal but if the owners are happy to take the risk of losing him for nothing whilst also missing out on promotion (which is worst case scenario) then I hope it is done so with their eyes fully open to the potential consequences & with the full support of JDT.

2 hours ago, Colt Seavers said:

Thank you for posting that. Very interesting to listen to a manager so wedded to his principles that he can't see the wood for the trees. It reminded me of Mowbray who frequently doubled down trenchantly on his preferred style of play and stubbornly refused to change direction, adamantly persisting with his intransigent approach in the midst of an almost unprecedented run of disastrous results. 

Martin talks about watching us against Qpr and expecting us to play a certain way. He is then surprised when we adopt a totally different approach and he finds himself unable, or unwilling (remind you of anyone) to do anything about it.

Clearly, what we now have in JDT, is a manager cut from a very different cloth to our previous incumbent. A manager who does his homework, sets out a plan and ruthlessly goes about his task. We have seen two very different tactical approaches in two matches. This unpredictability will cause uncertainty when future opponents assess us. We are no longer one dimensional or easy to pick off. 

Our manager looks to have a cold blooded steeliness about him. He is intense, tactically savvy and focused. Past reputations count for nothing. He has taken a player I have been unsure about (Travis) given him a sense of responsibility and unlocked a talent previously only hinted at. Look at his overlapping run leading to his goal in the latter stages of an energy sapping game in which he tore around the field largely out of possession. It just shows the difference between a true motivator of men and a man scarred by past failures, playing it safe and shackling his team's talent and thrust. Travis would run through brick walls for Tomasson.

With additions to the squad (for me a left back, centre half and goal poacher) we could be an absolute force to be reckoned with. Next Saturday against a tougher opponent will give us a real insight into our potential for the season.

I can't wait!

 

Top post, I'm really enthused by what JDT is putting together. Another couple of wins & 2 or 3 new men in before September & the future looks much brighter than it has for a decade. 

1 hour ago, pomster said:

WHAT ..... Gallagher is a forward 😮
Well, i’l be buggered. I would never of guessed that with the way he plays

Iirc similar things were being said about Armstrong when Graham & Dack were banging in the goals; and then about BBD when Armstrong was banging in the goals.

Gallagher scored 7 league goals last season in 30 apps (as many as BBD the season before), mostly whilst playing wide right. If he is part of a functioning & fluid front 4 (as seems to be the plan) and can be available most of the season, he's more than capable of comfortably doubling that goals tally; he wasn't far off that when he played for us under Coyle in fact.

Hopefully this season can be when he comes into his own & we are all thankful that he signed a contract extension come next May.

Accy Stanley have something decent brewing in the women's game too. My 17y/o niece plays for their open age women's side, about 4 divs below Rovers Ladies but seem to be investing a lot of time & effort into them.

I've seen a few games these last 12 months  and there no shortage of ability on show. My niece would run rings around me if I gave her the chance (I wont!).

.

We now have 8 interchangeable forwards of:

Gallagher 

BBD / ANOther

Vale

Dolan

Hedges

Szmodics

Dack

Markanday

It's reasonable to expect that as an average, each of those can score 6 goals across 46 games (i.e. 48 goals). Add in another 15 from midfield, defence and og's, that's 63 goals.

Last season we scored 69 goals, conceding 59. It's the 59 figure that most needs addressing, but if that can be reduced by 10 and we can match last season's goals scored tally, that will see us top 6.

I know that's rather a simple way of looking at things, but I don't think it ought to be considered unachievable with the right investment in defence this window.