KentExile

used to be an out and out striker a few years back. Now more of a versatile forward (mainly wide & central AM). Pretty good with pressing/work rate Would imagine he will be a rotational option rather than a nailed on first choice

You are not alone, I can genuinely see him as a Szmodics type player given time and opportunities. Did ok and got a few goals in that role in the early cup games against League 1 & 2 teams last season

Bristol Rovers

Those notes do not however state 1st choice GK, so it could just be someone to replace Wahlstedt on the bench "Key positions" implies 1st choice, but does not explicitly state 1st choice. And we do have to remember this information came from Waggott, so it will of course be talked up to the max (like the bus)

I remember Ray Harford (I think it was him) talking about balance when he signed Chris Coleman for Rovers as a left footed centre back in 1995/96 24 year old Pep must have been listening

Thanks for that. You are right about his contract not expiring, he was given a free as you state on transfer deadline day https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/danny-batth/profil/spieler/129049 Mowbray was still in charge at this point though, who was his manager when he got his player of the season award. he wasn't sacked until December, so Batth was gone over 3 months before Beale arrived https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11695/13023143/tony-mowbray-sacked-by-sunderland-after-15-months-at-stadium-of-light

He was player of the season 22-23 https://www.safc.com/news/team-news/2023/april/season-awards/batth-wins-poty Then left at the end of his contract in June 23 was given a free transfer on transfer deadline day (1st Sept 2023), and was at Norwich last season

If that is the case I would question Eustace's sanity

It will be a left back who can come inside and play as a left centre back whilst we are attacking, rather than a left footed centre back. Essentially an understudy to Pickering. Currently we only have Batty who could even remotely play that role, and he isn't ready and needs loaning out

Rovers didn't post the result of the PNE U18s game from Tuesday, but there are apparently 2 games this weekend

He is doing, but it hasn't happened yet

Just copy the URL and paste here

and Carter, Buckley, Garrett

Will say that Hilton is not unknown, he is behind Pears for a reason, you need another colour for him entirely

Putting my earlier effort to shame with fancy colours you flash git! lol

Which explains why Eustace has effectively been using Pickering & Carter as wide CBs in a 3 when attacking

The plan, not what will actually transpire, I do think we will sign a keeper, but he will not be first choice and Pears will be

I would imagine this is "the plan" GK NEW Pears Barrett LB/LCB Pickering NEW CB McFadzean Batth Wharton (although injured) RCB Carter O'Riordan Atcheson RB/RWB Brittain Duru CM JRC Garrett CM Tronstad Buckley Saadi (only because he has been involved in pre season) RW/RAM Hedges Markanday CAM/LAM Ohashi Weimann? LW NEW Dolan Gilsenan CF Gueye Leonard Tyjon Vale (kept whilst Leonard is injured) sold - Szmodics, Travis, Hyam, Sigurdsson, Gent, Hilton, Eastham (all high earners and/or last year of contract) loaned out - Gamble, Batty (ideally both need a loan, although may be kept as cover)

I can see him as the Carter understudy at right sided centre back, mainly because nobody else can do the job

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/68088450 O'Riordan was a 4.5 year contract 7 months ago. Albeit much lower fee and wages than Hughes will be for whoever (not Rovers) picks him up

Its was a busy 24 hours or so, McFadzean is back and young French lad also signed yesterday. Batth having a medical & Also signed Gueye the day before Gent on his way to Barnsley on a permanent

You are 24 hours late 😉

Assuming Szmodics is gone/going Next highest earners are Hyam, Siggy, Trav

Starting to wonder (or at least hoping) that the Gent sale is in order to bring in someone who more fits how Eustace has been setting us up in pre season Our first choice back 4 has been Pickering Hyam Carter Brittain Which when attacking, becomes a back 3 with Pickering sliding inside and Brittain moving forwards. Whilst Duru could in theory offer what Brittain does, Gent could probably not do the Pickering role. The signings of McFadzean and Batth do make me wonder if Hyam is on his way out (high earner in the last year of his contract) which would then leave us with Left Back/Left sided centre back - Pickering, NEW Old steadying head CB (central in the 3) - McFdzean, Batth (Wharton to probably slot in here in a years time when he is fit and Fadz retires/moves on) Right sided centre back - Carter, ORiordan Right back/wing back - Brittain, Duru, (JRC in emergencies) Gamble and Batty to both be loaned out to see if they sink or swim, and Atcheson (who looks very useful but is still only 17) to be the emergency cover centre back and eventually take Carters role when he is inevitably sold within the next 2 years The sale of Gent probably indicates that the back 5 is not in Eustaces thoughts this season, as he would surely have been a useful back up option at left wing back, and that it will instead be this 4 at the back when defending, 3 at the back when attacking hybrid for the vast majority of the season I am not saying this is a good, or bad thing, just trying to predict what we may see in the last month of the window and how Rovers may set up this season