Just now, JacknOry said:

So far Johnson, Travis, Buckley and now Evans are better than Reed apparently. 

Johnson is the only one that you could consider on a similar level right now - Travis and Buckley have the potential to be as good or better.

No, imo Travis is a also a better player, and Buckley and JRC will be, I'm certain.

But the point is we needed defenders not an improved version of Elliott Bennett.

I'd still like us to sign Bunn and Skyrtl (haven't a clue how to spell his name)

The pecking order appears to be Lenihan, Tosin, Williams, Nyambe, Grayson. Hopefully it's Lenihan or Johnson as Captain.

Williams had an excellent game against Norwich, and some other solid performances that gives hope he may be a decent backup.

Just now, OJRovers said:

It is a shame that Hart didn't get the chance to go out on loan again and get first team experience. It sounded like he really developed doing that last season.

He's going to go backwards again this season stuck in the U23s.

I don't think so. I'd say Bell will go out on loan and Hart be our number 2 fullback.

Just now, Ewood Ace said:

Bloody hell you really dislike Reed don't you.

No, not at all. I have quite a high regard for Evans. But he just doesn't drive the team forward. I loved Reed's energy, but his signing wasn't critical. I bet he has just been bought as a squad player. 

1 hour ago, OJRovers said:

In 9 months time (next May) the defence will be without:

Walton (end of loan), Bell (end of contract), Cunningham (loan), Leutweiller (contract), Tosin (loan).

We will only have Nyambe, Lennihan and Williams on the books - scary. So next summer we'll need 2xGK, 2xCB, 2xLB

 

 

I'd like to think some of our own exciting young players will step up to fill the void. 

11 hours ago, davulsukur said:

Reed would have been an excellent addition to our squad.

Has a bit of versatility about him, which Mowbray loves.

Beyond Johnson and Travis, our centre mid options aren't great. Smallwood and Evan's aren't particularly good and Davenport is turning into the new Vinnie Grella.

Buckley and JRC are seriously exciting young players, and Evans reads the game better than Reed. Am happy enough with Evans as 5th choice Midfielder. 

Just now, Atko's Engine said:

Defensively our options are:

GK 

Walton, Leutweiler. Potential to be better than last season, but time will tell re Walton.

RB

Nyambe, Bennett, JRC, Travis. I hope in that order, at least this season. IF Nyambe fulfils his potential & is regularly picked, I think that reasonable.

LB

Cunningham, Bell, Downing, Williams, Hart. Plenty of cover there, definitely upgraded.

CB

Lenihan, Tosin, Williams, Nyambe, Grayson, *Magloire, *Wharton. I agree 1 CB short, and reliant on Tosin being good (I'm hopeful given his pedigree). Hopefully this is marginally better than the end of last season. Could be improved further with freebie (eg Lynch).

I think a foursome of Nyambe, Lenihan, Tosin or Wiiliams, Cunningham is far better than what started v Charlton. Or a quintet of Nyambe or Bennett, Lenihan, Tosin, Williams, & Cunningham / Bell / Downing would also be decent for this level. 

I'm not sure either of those lineups will figure on Saturday because good defences work as units. Cunningham has just arrived, so I for one would understand if he does not play on Saturday. 

I don't know why some don't accept that that would be legitimate. It can't be because TM doesn't start new signings because 4 out of 5 started on Saturday. So it must be because he wants his defenders to have an understanding of each other's game & to work as a unit. 

As for the window overall, I'd give it 6 out of 10 just now, which could fall to 4 or rise to 8 as the season progresses. I was hoping to be able to say 7 or 8 at this time, so that's disappointing but I see plenty enough not to call it a shambles / catastrophe / shambolic. I like Johnson, Downing & Gallagher & I'm not bothered that Walton, Tosin & Cunningham are loans. It's the modern way  and it gives our many younger prospects the dangling carrot of a route into the first team in 12 months time, which they wouldn't have if those signings were permanent.

We can't have it all ways. We either buy perms (which risks cutting off youngsters' routes into the squad), or we sign loans & keep the youngsters interested. People want signings but the same people complain if he doesn't play youngsters, but there's only 11 players can play at any one time.

Maybe I'm being too generous to TM. He makes mistakes but I like to be optimistic. I'm not going to say top 6, but I think top 10 is realistic and with a good run that could be improved. With our options & cover, I think it unlikely we'll be struggling against relegation. 

 

 

 

Good signings indeed. Hopefully we can still bring in an old experienced Centre back. I'd give the Window 6 out of 10 too! 

Just now, patrickvalery said:

Not knocking Gallagher. Just prefer Reed as an investment. Seeing as there is an argument we needed neither I'd sooner have spent it on Reed. Graham has another season in him so a replacement wasn't imperative. 

But whatever. I think we all know where the investment was needed. Seems to me our summer window got royally buggered by the final few minutes of the league one playoff final and never recovered. But saying that, the players we are looking for are not ten a penny. Every club seems to be looking for centre halves. A dominant centre back costs a lot of money nowadays. 

If Danny G wasn't 34, I would say Gallagher might not be needed. But it would be a risk just having Ben B and Danny G up front for a season. Anyhow, he has filled out well. I expect he and Ben B to be well among the goals this year for sure. :-)

Just now, patrickvalery said:

I'd rather have spent £5m on Reed than Gallagher.

He'll no! Reed isn't needed. Gallagher looked pretty good when played as striker. Pretty sure he and Ben B are going to have fine seasons.

Just now, RovingRover said:

Easily one of the most humiliating days I have ever experienced as a Blackburn Rovers fan trying to get information out with regards to the clubs deals.

To say it was a shambles would be an understatement.

This club is in big big trouble.

The attempt to sign Harrison Reed for instance has really shook me in terms of how low we have fallen.
Fancy trying to sign a player on loan at 30% supplemented wages and offering to sign him at the end of the loan for under £3 million. Soton laughed it off and got the full 100% wages plus an agreement to sign for £5 million come the end of the season with add-ons from Fulham.

The Cunningham deal which has been apparently worked on for 48 hours couldn't even be completed with an agreement to sign him at the end of the season should he do well for us.

3 CB's were bid for along with a goalkeeper. Haven't a clue who they are. But they were all laughed off as being too low cash offers.

We are now categorically left with a weaker defence than the League One defence we had, let alone what we had last season.

Mowbray know's it. Everyone in the building knows it. Whilst I don't rate Mulgrew, not replacing him with an experience 1st team CB is absolute suicide.

I expect Mowbray will pay for this abject failure with his job before the end of the season.

Notice Cunningham has very clearly been listed as a "left-back" on the club website.

As I clearly outlined the other week when we signed Tosin. The condition was that he would a) be played in the 1st team and b) be played at CB.

We are left with Derrick Williams, Tosin Adarabioyo, Darragh Lenihan, Lewis Travis, Joe Grayson and at a push Ryan Nyambe for CB.
 

I expect Bennett to be handed the captains armband by the way.

I think £3 million for Reed is fair enough. Not sure I'd pay £5 million for him. Johnson, Travis and Buckley are all be better than him. 

Cunningham, Johnson and Gallagher are excellent signings. We are stronger now imo, with much more height and heading ability.

Just now, bluebruce said:

I've seen you wax lyrical about some of our dross (no, not Travis and Johnson), yet you're dissing Reed. Think it's fair to say from this and the general pattern of your posts that you'll basically back whatever the club do or fail to do, regardless.

Not dissing him. Just don't think he's a right back and we don't need another Midfielder.

Just now, Ewood Ace said:

You obviously weren't at West Brom if you think Reed is lacking in skill, the best individual performance I have seem by a Rovers player in many years. But of course the next game he was moved back to playing out of position. No surprise to see Reed go to a side with aspirations of promotion he was to good for a side like us who will be nervously looking over our shoulders.

No, but I saw a lot of very average performances also. I like him, but prefer Johnson and Travis.

Just now, OJRovers said:

£1million loan fee in for Mulgrew?

We paid them £1 million to take him you mean? Lol! 

7 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

I agree that he has gone, but out of interest, would you be happy with only Lenihan, Adarabioyo and Williams as CB options, and only one right back?

And Nyambe.

8 minutes ago, JHRover said:

Reed is better than anything we have hence he's joined Fulham, a decent side. He is genuinely versatile rather than 'can do a job' in more than one position.

Sickening to see him join them but not surprising. Another one we wasted and ensured wouldnt come back.

A jack of all trades master of none like Bennett. Both put in a massive effort but both lacking in skill.

Maybe Bennett and Bell could start their own Solicitors firm. :-)

Reed had energy in abundance, but I am very happy with Johnson and the likes of JRC coming through. We didn't need Reed. 

Fair play to Tony for moving Charlie on, he could get a drug dealing job at the Amsterdam Red Light district with a selling ability like that.

Lenihan, Tosin, Williams and Nyambe are our 4 CBs by the sound of things. With Nyambe/JRC at RB and Cunningham/Hart at left back. 

Doesn't look too bad to me.

11 minutes ago, Tom said:

I’d never heard of Cunningham till this week but people seem to rate him 

Some awful quotes from Mowbray this morning through, this is a bit of a kicking for Tyler 

 

With total respect to Tyler Magloire at this moment in his career we are not going to beat the top teams in the league with Tyler in our team

We aren't gonna beat any teams with Mulgrew and Bell in the team.

Just now, Mercer said:

If it was your money, would you buy Dack for £12million?

Yes! It's peanuts for Premier league teams.

Just now, Bbrovers2288 said:

Regardless 12 mill is a drop in the ocean to a prem team 

18 million would be a more fair amount I'd say. 

12 minutes ago, rigger said:

No it is totally an opinion and one I am entitled to.

Indeed, I don't see what we have got to lose by playing young folk that have been impressive.

Williams did okay at centre back, but he is terrible at left back, and Bell is way too indecisive. 

Just now, Madon said:

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

I sure hope so. That would make this window very solid imo. 

Just now, Stuart said:

That’s not an opinion, it’s clairvoyance!!

Not really, I'd give the Tea lady a game at left back before Williams and Bell. Hart has been excellent preseason and very solid while on loan in a high pressure situation. 

1 hour ago, bazza said:

Eight Bells on hands and knees to Craven Cottage.

3 hours ago, rigger said:

I would suggest-             Euston on Victoria line to Victoria.

                                       Victoria on district line to Earls court.

                                       Earls court on district line to Putney bridge.

                                       Putney bridge on foot to Eight bells (on the lash)

Good to see some transfer activity! Ha ha! 

Good for you helping your fellow Rovers amigos. :-)

59 minutes ago, RV Blue said:

And just how do you work that out? 3 of the aren’t left backs, and one did no better than Bell did in league 1 (and he’s injured).

I'd say only 2 aren't known Left backs, and Grayson better suited to that role than CB. Hart should be back very soon fortunately. Hart was popular at Southend, not sure Bell has ever been that popular here. Bell is the most ponderous player I have ever seen; not a very good trait.