Just now, DE. said:

Two shots on target in 180 minutes of football. One goal. Four conceded. No points. 

Great start to the season.

Which was an own goal.

Rovers commentary team having a laugh at the moment.

"Encouraging signs from the game today". We haven't had a single shot on target with four forwards on the pitch.

Referee is having a nightmare in the 2nd half.

Bennett was fouled for the 2nd goal and he's just booked Bennett for a tackle in which he fairly won the ball.

2-0 Fulham.

Just now, davulsukur said:

Too late to be flogging him now.

Even if all the money was reinvested into the squad, we wouldn't get a deal over the line in time.

I think we would.
But the clubs selling would have us over a rope. They could dictate price and terms because of the late hour.

Crystal Palace might be interested in Bradley Dack.

£12 million seems to be the asking price.

Just now, Trinidad Rover said:

It's the hope that kills you, but based on the last 20 minutes we could be looking at:

 

                                                                      Gallagher

                                                  Murphy           Dack         Armstrong

                                                                Travis   Johnson

                                                       Bell   Hanley   Lenihan   Tosin

                                                                        Walton

 

He wasn't signed to play right-back.

Tosin was told he would be playing CB.

Just now, Madon said:

Just heard Hanley is on. Different source than normal but I'd still say trustworthy. 

Can't say I have heard anything along those lines myself.

A couple of weeks ago I would have gagged at the prospect.

Right now I would be cheering if it displaced Mulgrew from the Starting XI.

1 hour ago, Vilesinner said:

Perhaps to better understand things you could actually listen what the manager has said. Tony has stated that after his excellent preseason Hart is going to remain here; similarly JRC hopefully. 

Mulgrew at left back and Bell on the wing sounds awful. We have so many fine attacking players it's amazing you would even think Bell would a winger.

Surprised there is such negativity around our fine young players, when many criticize Tony for not playing them.

 

What the manager says in public and what Rovers representatives are saying behind the scenes are very different things.

I didn't suggest the switching of players around in the same team.

It's worth noting that people laughed at the prospect of having Martin Olsson at left-back and Marcus Olsson at RW/RM. It did work for a time.

We need some pace on the wing and Bell has that somewhat. If we lose a chunk of games testing players, it could be the difference between 15th place or relegation.

2 hours ago, Theaxe15 said:

Mulgrew would be even worse than Bell at LB. At least Bell can run, mind you that's his only strength.

CM pairing of Johnson and Travis is arguably the only positive thing to come from the first game, however what happens when one or both of those two can't play due to injury/suspension? Huge drop in quality from whoever comes in.

Agree on Nyambe, he isn't the complete right back people seem to be strangely suggesting he is. He basically cost us a couple of games at home last season due to his poor positional play. Though I'd still rather he played there than Bennett.

Tough tough season ahead. Can't see us improving on 15th place...

He has played LB for Scotland. Mulgrew is a disaster at CB, and if Mowbray is so obsessed that he has to play Mulgrew then I'd rather he did so at LB than CB.
I think that considering how teams who expect to be around us come the end of the season have improved relative to us not really. We would be lucky to finish 15th.

Just now, chaddyrovers said:

 

Can you post who these players are? Mulgrew, Smallwood, Hart, Luetwiler, Samuel? 

 

The idea was to bring in 2 goalkeepers and I would have thought that Walton was going to be the understudy, then alarm bells started going off when he was referred to as the Number 1 keeper. We were looking for an experienced goalkeeper to replace Raya. Walton does clearly not meet that description.

From what I had heard, we were trying to find suitors for Smallwood, Samuel (loan), Leutwiler (2 keepers signing required), Evans, Hart and maybe let a few other younger players go out on loan.

Remember a while back Mowbray said he wanted 3-4 signings. But that was before the departure of Nuttall, Wharton and Raya. Whether he had factored the four into his number before the departures is a question mark. You could certainly say that Gallagher is a sort-of replacement option for Nuttall and maybe even argue that Downing is a sort of replacement for Conway. But it is obvious we are lacking in some key areas depth and squad quality wise.

My honest opinion:
GK: I am unconvinced by Walton and would have liked a veteran keeper brought in who's experience is higher than League One.
LB: Bell is obviously not good enough. Hart struggled to match League One level. If money is tight. I wonder whether Mulgrew could go out to left back and a more commanding CB be brought in alongside Lenihan

RB: Nyambe would work at a push. But I see this as another weak area. I honestly never thought I would be longing the day where Williams returns from injury.

CB: Mulgrew for me is a liability. I actually think Williams is better a CB than Mulgrew and Mulgrew's goals somewhat saves his defensive blushes

CM: Yes I know the jokes about having to many CM's. But I really think we are going to miss Harrison Reed this season
Wing: We lack pace which makes us very containable for better teams. I had mooted the suggestion that we should try Bell out wide considering his attacking movements. But I am unconvinced he is a complete enough player even at the age of 25.

Just now, JoeHarvey said:

Further to point above about defensive squad depth, here's a basic list of our squad depth right through the whole team.

Magloire and Wharton both out on loan for the season so I've listed a few of the 23's at centre-back below the first teamers.

When you adjust for players with experience at 1st team level.

Just now, Bigdoggsteel said:

The 7 games includes sub appearances. 

So have you actually seen him play? It's just you sounded very adamant that he was a huge upgrade on what we have. Doesn't really sound like one to me. 

I trust the scouting data I have reviewed.

2 minutes ago, Bigdoggsteel said:

Where have you seen Pearce play? He has started 2 championship games in his entire career. 

7 actually. He also spent time out on loan at Scunthorpe.
I have seen some scouting data on him. He was the subject of some transfer interest in Greece and is highly thought of.

Just now, chaddyrovers said:

Can you say who we put in for? Would PSV centre back Trent Sailsbury be one of those bid on? 

Trent Sainsbury?
Honestly don't know if he is a player we have shown interest in. I don't know who the Holland based player is. I only know 2 of the names of players we have shown interest in, in Germany. One has been made public and the other I listed some pages back but is out of our price range

Just now, Hi Mack said:

I agree, it's not even like it's a discussion regarding defenders. I am yet to talk to a fellow Rover who is happy with our defensive options.

Either A - TM and MV have totally lost the plot. Or,

B- we are playing down or defensive requirements to stop clubs hiking the prices for their defenders.

 

C- The club are lying about the available budget in terms of transfer funds and are constrained on wages.

Whilst Mowbray has been saying he wants to retain players, I know for a fact Rovers have been trying to find suitors for several players both on long term deals and out on loan to reduce the wage bill.

There is a reason Mowbray said one thing in May. Had his meeting with Venkys in June and then does something completely different in July/August.

Just now, Hi Mack said:

While we are at it, who does everyone see as Realistic CB targets? Given the fact we've got just over 24 hours.

The European scouting missions seem to have been a bit of a joke.

Hanley? 

 

My suspicion is nobody.

I reckon we will end up doing what we did last season. Sign some League One/League Two player on loan with a view to sign them in January. In January that player will return to his club.

I maintain this club needs at least 3 defensive signings to stand a chance of having a successful season this time round.

Just now, SkipDonoghue said:

The only 2 in the United team who could be classed as u23 are Greenwood and Chong

Also Gomez who came on 2nd half

They also included Jones, Smalling and Darlot who've been missed off

It was classed as an U23 team. I listed the players I was made aware of playing.

An U23 team featuring Lutwieler, Nyambe, Magloire, Grayson, Rankin-Costello, Evans, Vale, Smallwood, Chapman, Buckley and Brereton were on the wrong side of a 4 nil drubbing at the hands of a Manchester United U23 (behind closed doors friendly) team today. 

The United team featured Paul Pogba, Alexis Sanchez, Jesse Lingard (2 goals), Mason Greenwood (1 goal), Tahiti Chong (1 goal), Sergio Romero, Matteo Darmian and Axel Tuanzebe.

Worth noting that Rovers U23's are still not playing with a permanent Head Coach.

Just now, AdamRochina said:

i agree with sparks tbh, dack just dosent look the player he was before,  i would prefer rothwell over him right now,  give him a kick up the ass maybe

So ditch a player who got us 15 goals, and 12 assists in the Championship last season and replace him presumably with Joe Rothwell who got 2 goals and 2 assists last season.

We have already clarified that the owners don't reinvest money gained from sales. But hey... What the Hell... What could go wrong when were are struggling to defend right now...

Reading the managers comments post match yesterday, I have absolutely zero faith that he can recognise the problem we have.

Come January people will be able to point to the date very clearly where we chucked away any chance at the play-offs and instead find ourselves in a relegation battle.

Quote

"It’s a bit simplistic to say ‘same back four, same results’."

Tony Mowbray's conclusion of the home defeat to Charlton Athletic. ?

Mowbray slammed our defenders at the end of last season. When he spoke at the fans forum on May 2, he said that the defenders knew they hadn't done well enough last season and new ones would be coming in.

Yet we are days away from the end of the transfer window and we have lined up with the same defence as we did last season. In fact with the exception of Mulgrew taking Williams place, it is exactly the same defensive lineup we fielded against Swansea on the last day of last season.

Now I obviously know Tosin couldn't play today. But does anyone really think he would have made that much of a difference?!

If we don't get AT LEAST a CB, a RB and a LB before the window closes. We will struggle.

It's just not good enough. Unless somebody has stopped him doing what he said he would do. He really has no excuse.