Just now, MarkBRFC said:

Didnt he also come out and say that we're not going to play anyone "down the middle" anyway?

I thought I was baffled anyway, but If he brings in another forward I'll just admit defeat, not criticise and just see watch the car crash unfold in front of my eyes.

I’m certain it’ll be striker for the u23’s, nought to fret about.

Just now, bazza said:

“We work to a budget and as I’ve done throughout my career I’ve tried to stick to budgets.

“I don’t go back cap in hand to the owners asking for more money.

“When you have to wheel and deal you have to wheel and deal.

“We sold our goalie so we could put the money towards a centre forward and a central defender.

“Sometimes you have to sell to strengthen other parts of your team."

 

Can you imagine Kenny telling this to the press when Uncle Jack owned the club?

So much for the billionaires in India. I know we'd have gone under like Bolton before now if it weren't for them, but surely they can support the club better financially than they do. And don't start all that FFP crap to me.

FFP crap !! Crawl back under your cave batman. We’ve fell foul of FFP before and there is no chance our gem of a manager will let it happen again. 

Just now, FGS5635 said:

You have to realise that everything TM says isnt for the fans ears. Some of it is smoke and mirrors imo for other ears. Like sometimes its like he is talking to the owners through the press.#

Other times it will be a game of poker trying to push a deal through hinting we have no money etc.

Then its trying to squeeze extra cash out of another club by hinting we have a good budget and dont need to sell etc.

Im not saying his isnt changing his mind from time to time, but to think everything he says is for us is a bit short sighted

Amen, clearly you see the light rather than dark.

Just now, martonrover said:

 

 

 

 

 

Slightly different than last week's insuation that Raya had instigated the move.

His ramblings change from one day to the next. Tomorrow he will have another version of events, when he forgets what he said today.

Just like how your ramblings change from one day to the next. Shit happens and things change, I’d like to see how you would perform with a microphone shoved under your nose everyday. Continuity would be very difficult.

I mean I’ve read pages of this topic and you lot just seem to want to bicker with each other without looking at the bigger picture. It’s either all Venky’s fault or Tony is a waste of space and useless. Maybe we sold our goalkeeper so we could comply to FFP and top up our already healthy budget. We are clearly gonna spend 10 mill this window once we have bought a centre half, if you include wages for the free transfers then that is healthy budget for a club with our income. We are obviously very well managed and I for one am glad the club is being run this way. 

I find social media really frustrating! I really want to like it and get involved but in the end it just really winds me up. Maybe I just don’t like people that much?

Just now, Mercer said:

A top class goalie?!?!  I don't think he's even played professional football.

There was one match in the latter part of the season when Benson came out shortly before the second half was due to begin and he stood there at the Darwen End waiting to put Raya through his routine.  Raya strolled up two minutes later and Benson kicked one ball at him and then the second half started.  To me, there was very little respect there for Benson.  I flagged this at the time on this MB.

IMO, Benson has no stature in the game, has no personality, no presence and frankly I think he looks like a little boy lost.

Can you imagine dealing with and coaching a Joe Hart or a Scott Carson - 'so what have you done in your career Ben and what can you teach me?'

To me, the bottom line is Raya's development stalled and, IMO, a big part of the responsibility lies with Benson.

Imagine if Mourinho wasn’t good enough to coach Ronald or Hazard purely because he hadn’t played professionally. My god your way of thinking is very blinkered. A coach can only polish a turd so many times before that turd becomes unpolishable.

34 minutes ago, Mercer said:

1. Played behind a shyte defence.  We were ripped open time and time again - what do you think that did for Raya's confidence?
2. IMO, Benson incapable of giving Raya the coaching and learnings to assist his development and make him a better player
3. Think Mowbray made him a scapegoat.  IMO, Bennett should metaphorically been blasted out the club - a joke of a right back yet can't recall Mowbray ever criticising

If you were Raya, would you want to stay?

What info do you have to be so critical of Benson. Please don’t say he is young /not a professional player. If that was the case some of the greatest coaches/Managers in world football wouldn’t exist. Unless you are/were a qualified coach who as watched him at close quarters then I’m not sure you are in a position to pass judgement on Benson. I’d love to hear your feedback on this.

Just now, Stuart said:

Is that code for “I used to post on here under a different name before I was banned”?

Just now, Stuart said:

Is that code for “I used to post on here under a different name before I was banned”?

I definitely used to post on here under the name spackwaft, I’m sure I didn’t get banned though....or maybe I did?

15 minutes ago, Vinjay17 said:

Transfer thread not Stanley House free advertising.

I remember you from Twitter. Did you not become a Man City fan.

Just now, BlackburnEnd75 said:

Johnson I’m broadly happy with. Lots of Derby fans seemed to think he was worth another contract although the one I know was pleased to see the back of him. Seems like he struggles playing with his back to goal. 

Gallagher id be happy with depending on how sensible the price is, think it says a lot about Brereton though that we’ve gone in for another striker. Gallagher would offer a more mobile target man option to Graham, he’s decent in the air, quicker than you think and works hard (great for a high press). Not the most prolific but he showed where that he does have some technique.

Raya I would’ve kept at the price we’ve sold him for but it all depends on the replacement, if we noticeably improve in that area then fair enough. I’d have got rid of benson and given Raya another chance but we haven’t. Hopefully Benson will be demoted and we’ll recruit  someone else to be goalkeeping coach.

Charlie Adam id stay well clear off, legs have gone. 

If we don’t get a centre back then it doesn’t really matter the other business we do as it will automatically class as a failure.

One thing I learnt at a very early age is to never pass judgement on somebody without being in a position where you are close enough to know what their breath smells like.

1 minute ago, Stuart said:

Send her a photo of a Darlow to get an ID?

Sent a photo of Darlow and Bradley Johnson, she says is neither of them. She reckons it was deffo a footballer purely for the reason he was wearing a dsquared t-shirt. She really is clueless!!

Rather tall athletic bloke seen hovering around Stanley house last night/this morning. Sat and had his breakfast with 2 older men in suits. Last seen half a hour ago heading off in the passenger seat of a dark car. 

Source - my sister. She said he had dark hair and looked about 30.

Anyone off upto Barrow today?

Just now, Exiled_Rover said:

At one point Rodwell was PL standard, he isn't anymore.

He also can't string 3 games together. 

Also Rodwell was brought in as a defender not a midfielder. Johnson was brought in to bolster our midfield. Rodwell is yet to be replaced, when he is I’m sure it’ll be an upgrade.

Just now, Mercer said:

For me, an underwhelming window so far, but not a surprising one.   

Raya a keeper full of promise being sold.  Feel sorry for the lad.  IMO, he's had to play behind a shyte defensive unit and put up with a goalie coach who I think would be best suited to his old job back with Carlisle in the community.  As for Darlow, can't get excited.  The lad's barely played 50 games in the last four seasons which is no good for any player, in particular a goalkeeper.  He's almost 29 and is some way short of having made 200 starts.  At £4million looks ridiculously over priced - you don't suddenly become good at that age.

The signings of Downing and Johnson to me are reminiscent of the signings of Murphy and Etuhu and we all know how they turned out!

Gallagher at £5million vastly over priced and overrated.  There was an excellent earlier post of last season's successful strikers in the Championship and where they came from and what they cost.  Our recruitment leaves an awful lot to be desired.

Other than Rovers, there doesn't seem to be much interest from other clubs in the £9million Gallagher and Darlow.

Sadly, I don't think our sales are finished yet either.

Other than Dack, and possibly Rothwell, I think Mowbray's player trading record is miserable and it doesn't seem to me that things are about to change.

My god you really are a glass half empty kind of bloke aren’t ya! TM obviously wants a more commanding keeper than Raya, I trust his judgement. Downing is a like for like replacement for Conway but with a much better pedigree. Johnson is definitely an upgrade on any of our midfielders, so that can only be a good thing.  In regards to Gallagher, TM had the chance to work at close quarters with him for a few months and obviously liked what he saw, that is good enough for me. Hopefully on top of that there is gonna be at least one defender through the door. I’m feeling like the glass should be more half full than half empty my great pal.

45 minutes ago, J*B said:

Just texted a good friend that tends to know about this sort of thing... direct response below:

Rovers transfer policy is chaos.

They have lost control and now going back to targets they considered last year.

Mowbray wanted to stay calm and wait until deadline day to get his #1 targets but Venky's are panicking and saying that money needs to be spent ASAP to avoid not getting players on deadline day.

Assombalonga one of many being contacted.

Even if Venky’s are gonna splash the cash I’m sure Tony just like myself will be worried about FFP. I’d much rather us play it safe and not suffer a punishment further down the line. Our squad is quite strong, Chapman especially will be like a new signing. If we could loan a decent centre half I’d be happy with that.

Just now, K-Hod said:

You’ll have to get him on Twitter mate, he’s not on here any more...

He’s blocked me on twitter for no apparent reason. So I thought if I could contact him on here I could maybe get him to unblock me, thanks anyway.

Does anybody know if Jim/James Wilkinson posts on this forum? If so what is his username? Thanks in advance!