Bethnal

26, so not too old, not too young.

Apropos of absolutely nothing and with no knowledge other than they’re at some kind of impasse with him, but… if Mowbray has guaranteed playing time to Gelhardt and Leeds (as is being suggested “online”), what happens with Ross Stewart? I read they’ve offered £10k/week to him, which is three times his wage currently. Even with our limited wage structure, we could beat that. They’d want a lot of money and both Bournemouth and Brentford are supposed to be looking at him. Remote hope of this being incredibly under the radar? Fanciful, but I do fancy it.

How far down the option list was Thomas? Was Gelhardt ever on? Do we have a tough time landing targets? A bit nonplussed by it but obviously I hope he makes a huge contribution to the rest of the season. Recruitment is stat-driven and the stat shared above about crosses is very telling. Wonder if Sharpe dug that out himself or it was furnished to him by his source.

Lewis Travis to Millwall would be staggering. Named captain 6 months ago. Can understand being dropped for performance reasons, it’s not unprecedented. Being sold would be a real escalation. Not a good sign from the outside, looking in.

Bristol City’s home form is very patchy for the past couple of months and they tend to score late. Generally do well when they score early. We need to settle and keep it very tight when doing so, build into the game and aim to attack the goal in the second half of the first half (🤨). It wouldn’t be my starting lineup, but you’d think Vale alternating between coming deeper for flicks to Diaz and playing as a poacher, with Dack making occasional runs from deep and Hedges crossing from deep/playing diagonals to Diaz are the routes to goal. If that’s the plan, we have time to build into that over the 90, but we simply cannot concede early, it’ll totally kill the game for us.

Eh up, dad’s had a beer.

Naturally I’ve spent a good 20 mins or so watching the dreaded skills YT videos of Undav, some more insightful than others. Really hope this comes off as it indicates that coach and DoF have identified what we all probably feel we’re missing. He’s a goalhanger/poacher type with some obvious technical ability, but clearly not a world-beater (hence why we’re in with a shout). Passing facial similarity might be at play, but he reminds me a bit of Mitrovic, in that he always wants to find a position to score from but seems to have enough intelligence to see better-placed players. Part of me questions the motive, though, as everyone playing through the middle to date has been seen to press incessantly and come deep for the ball, which doesn’t appear to be this guys preferred style of play. He seems to sit on the shoulder of defenders. We’d also need to embrace cutbacks from the byline/drilled crosses a bit more than we do currently. Seems a drastic tactical shift, although we probably all would like to see it. This one is the only one of the three mooted so far that I see solves an immediate problem (goals), so it’s the one I’m keeping fingers crossed for.

You have to wonder what anyone who has actual insight into what’s happening at the club on the transfer front would make of how we discuss the windows in here. We’re a chaotic bunch.

Totally unacceptable performance. Gilt-edge opportunities first half should’ve had Rotherham at least two down, even with the sliced effort from their right winger. They’ve essentially scored three wonder goals as a normally abject side. They’ve had three games’ luck in one. We’ve missed three near-enough nailed-on goals. Those are fine margins for execution and if each go the other way, we’re 3-0 up at half time and coasting. The concerning bits here: Gallagher was a shambles, looked like he was coming back from a long lay-off. Hedges looks to have slipped back a gear after a promising start to the season. Morton is guaranteed a game when he makes too many small errors that cost us and he can’t seem to be dislodged. Needs time out and to earn his spot back. Buckley and Travis have been dropped for the same. Slight concern with JRC, as he’s had a poor game. Don’t want him slipping back. JDT at least responded to going 2 down, but it’s concerning that he and his tactical genius Remy aren’t able to look at opponents and see the opportunities. Markanday has caused all sorts of problems, how can they not see players that provide more within their own squad? We should all be livid with this (4-0 now) but I’m not shouting for change at the top just yet.

This is a great listen and appreciated insight into process. I know a lot are justifiably jaded by talk of “journey” or similar, but there’s no lack of ambition in what he’s talking about. It’s practical, realistic, cautious and responsible. It’s very much added weight to the argument in favour of patience, for me. Crucially, it’s geared towards success and sustainability. Who’s to say what level that was at with previous management, but it strikes me as novel for Rovers, certainly in the Venky’s era. He’s got my support through the foreseeable.

Each to their own, but I don’t watch for the outcome. The outcome is something to hope for.

With Cantwell: as I understand it, Rangers are free to agree a pre-contract with him from now, as foreign teams would be with BBD, because Scotland’s a different association/nation/not a domestic club, so that’s a free transfer, save any solidarity payments that a tribunal might decide (not sure how his age of 24 affects it, I think it depends on DOB), meaning more in the pot for the player and agent to extract. You have to assume this is what’s happening. Advantage of us offering money now is Norwich get something for a player they probably won’t renew with anyway, but Rangers could just as easily agree a contract and then haggle over the window to arrange a fee to bring the move forward. Rangers are objectively a better proposition in the here and now, but I actually think it’s riskier for him. If he doesn’t make the most of it, he’ll be viewed as finished and it’s unlikely the big move comes anyway. Look at Scott Sinclair who was on fire for Celtic, before moving to PNE(!) and now Bristol Rovers. Equally, the bright lights of Sauchiehall Street could be a road to ruin for him, if his off-field behavioural rumours are to be believed. Trying to look at it from JDT/GB perspective: he’d be a risk but GB must feel enough about him to get him focused on playing again and he’s not a direct replacement for BBD but he’s at least outperformed BBD (when at his previous best) with scope to improve at his age. It’s pretty sound logic, before you consider the subjectives, which probably outlines why we’ve gone with a bid of £2m. It’s a weirdly fair price for the player. If you sell BBD, you can look at bringing in a player to benefit from his creativity and if you keep him, you’ve a rotation option all across the front that beds in for integration by the beginning of next season. Club management don’t expect promotion this year. anyway, it’s moot, but it’s nice to game this kind of thing out. Wild and flawed speculation is what the transfer window is about for fans.

You might think that but the info making its way around is that he’s being kept out of the side for attitude reasons and - having heard the reasons - it’s poor on JDT’s part not to have perspective. Garrett and Travis were thoroughly ineffectual today. Dack having to drop as deep as he did throughout is down to having no quality for balls forward from the middle. We have someone - albeit raw - who has the natural ability in spades and needs to learn the rest. Not starting him is fair enough, it’s an away game against a generally strong team in our division on a new manager bounce. Bringing on the guy who’s ostensibly ahead of him in the pecking order is what makes it petty, to me.

I don’t think he is, though. Not a better tackler, anyway.

Morton on instead of Wharton seems like a pointed message to the latter. Weird thing to hold a grudge against a teenager when you’re JDT’s age.

BBD should be burying that but the build-up was incisive and the little backheel switch was excellent. We look good here, although I’m conscious Norwich are abject at the minute. Their fans are silent.

Yeah, I did see and the fairly “fluid”/totally amorphous shape in front of the back four probably isn’t helping that. He’s not yet a starter but when we’re trying to break down a team late on, he would be very useful. Ironically, he’s just been instrumental in that goal with his press!

Luckily I’ve got the Cardiff game on in the background, which is a good watch.

Markanday is a very silky player. Norwich can’t get near him on the ball and he releases in good time. Has to be getting more game time.

Honestly such a visibly lazy player. Not got much pace either, so it’s not like he’s preserving himself for anything. If he is, then he needs a lot of work on the fitness front.

Madness, really. Last week, they were talking as though they’d be there and Szmodics offered to do commentary. There’ll still be those wanting to watch via the Int’l pass in the dark markets. Why not have the stream set up?

Anyone else looking at a black screen in RoversTV?

Agreed. Loved watching him score goals for us but without a lot of other investment and some considerable change to his approach, I don’t think he materially improves the potential of the side. Undeniably, he would score goals, but the shift in dynamic means throwing out the current philosophy. While a lot of us would be in favour of that, I’d expect performances to drop off a cliff and his goals to then dwindle.

Certainly not sad for them. I’m pleased for Brighton. Living in London, I have a fair few Brighton fans as friends and it’s a good club, run well. Good day out for a neutral, as well. A guy I play football with works for Tony Bloom and could not speak higher of him and the operation he works at. A sophisticated, progressive and considered approach to football club ownership. We should be happy for them, really, much the same as they are sad for us. It’s a good thing for football, generally.

Never treated the BBE as a fountain of wisdom.