I like Gueye, but any gulf club could offer him 10x more wages, and probably give Pasha a profit on resale which is all he cares about; ditto for Brittain in that regard. Been rumors all summer that Ismael didn't think Gueye fits his style, based on games last season rather than actually watching preseason. I think it would be a shame to lose his power and size as an option up top, and he's a great personality to have in the squad. We were linked to a Nkada from Ligue 2 in France earlier in summer so might be him; or even we go back for Guebbells.

At risk of sounding like Chaddy, I think preseason has been promising, building on end of last season. Ismael has impressed me more than I expected when we signed him. De Neve and Alebiosu both got full preseason with team and look useful players who fit the style. And its been good to see Tyjon get first team action. McGloughlan is more of a known, but good competition for Wharton. Taveres who knows. We still need signings, especially if Brittain goes. RW is a disaster with just Hedges, and we could do we support at RB/CB/ST. I 100% reject the cost cutting and club killing actions by the ownership, but the scouting system does seem to be doing its job at least, they're just hamstrung with a budget of two peanuts.

If, and only if, we bring in Miller to replace Brittain, that is an okay deal. Seems like a decent player and has international experience, alongside covering CB while Carter is injured. Suspect Alebiosu is the starter, certainly RoversTV has been pushing him, and from what I heard of preseason he seems decent.

Transfermarkt lists his game time at Yverdon as box-box CM/DM and some games on the right wing, presumably for his engine and coming inside. Would be typical of us to have him cover both and not sign an actual winger. I think we do need a proper right footed winger, as Hedges will already cut in on his left. The aim should be what we in theory have on the left, where De Neve uses his pace to get past RB and then cross with left, while Kargbo can come on and cut inside on his right.

I'd agree that CB must be low on the list, Wharton may be off injury but has probably been the best in pre-season and they will want a "pathway" for Atcheson/Litherland etc

The 12 year old south African kid

Hat Atcheson had any gametime during preseason? And are they testing Mularkey as a 3rd RB in case they decide to sell Brittain? I would worry that we plan to rely on youth for roles like that, RW seems to be the only position I can see us actually trying to bring in a new starter now, anything else will be cheap back-ups.

Think the lack of transfer news has sent this thread into a bit of a tailspin of in-fighting over ex-Rovers. Can we perhaps get back on track to our transfer mediocrity? The French guy Nkada could be a decent signing, but I wonder what it would mean for Gueye. Baradji I think we have to avoid, others have highlighted to potential long-term problems with the foot issue and we can't waste our no money on a crock. Right winger I wonder if we sign a right-footer so we have a right/left option on each wing (DDN = L, Karg = R; RH = L etc)

Not sure why this discussion of Beck has turned into a roast of Williams. He was a more than solid servant to the club, always tried and covered multiple positions at LB and his better LCB roles. Beck I am not too bothered, he was talented but injury prone and honestly there was no chance he was coming back to us so why care? Ribeiro and Pickering is a solid LB duo to have, and if we want wing-backs, then Hedges and De Neve can both do that as well.

Clarkson didn't do much with us, but I wouldn't be against bringing him back. Done pretty decent at Aberdeen, still young and he's a fan of the club.

A couple of years ago when he was at Vitesse, Jonathans would have been well beyond us, but injury and not quite kicking on meant he got shunted to Utrecht on the cheap. Wouldn't be opposed as a buy-low if he is over injury.

Maybe that's was suhail thought he meant, tragic

It's such ab obvious smokescreen to try and deflect from the failure with Brittain. I for one do not see a scenario where we sign a replacement for Brittain, we already have him in Alebiosu, who while I thin might be decent is a downgrade.

They really must think fans are thick

Not to mention Dolan, and they want Beck

Montgomery will be the back-up RB by look of it, can't see them bothering to sign Drameh

So far from being a back-up, it seems Alebiosu is the new starter. They must have known Brittain wanted to leave because they didn't offer his a fair contract. I bet we lose Trav and Tron too now, replace them with more cheap relegated European players. We're a basket case of a club.

I said earlier in the window that I thought we might spend a bit more this summer to quiet unrest and that is what they've done, even if they are inflating the quoted fees. The longer term damage being hidden is the wage cap, which is definitely being implemented, hence no new contracts and a reliance on relegated European talent. That said, I have a more positive view of the signings so far than some here, and I the club does seem to be at least trying to copy a Brentford model of unheard European talents on the cheap. Whether it works remains to be seen... I still think we will struggle this year, unless we bring in three or four more players, and offload guys like Buckley and Pears. CB and RW are major needs.

Consensus seems to be Toth, Kargbo, Mafoumbi and now Baradji as the ESC, though Mafoumbi is a confusing one, surely we plan to offload him if he is taking a slot.

If we are signing Football manager players, I belive someone joked about Derreck Kutesa as a Swiss winger.

That'd be me, so just see above for a mini-version.

So where are we at squad wise now? I do agree that we might be trying to transition to 3-4-3 based on the signings. I'd guess: Toth Hyam, New CB?, Pickering? Brittain, Tron, Trav, Hedges Cantwell, Ohashi, Kargbo Backups: Pears Carter, Wharton, Ribeiro Alebiosu, Tavares, Forshaw , De Neve Tyjon, Gueye, Leonard We definitely need strengthening in the forward areas as backup for Cantwell/Kargbo, we can't go into a season relying on Tyjon and Leonard. Likewise, CB is a little weak until we sign someone, I also don't quite trust idea of Riberio/Pickering at CB.

To be fair, Alebiosu looks like a decent back-up to Brittain (assuming we keep him), and 500k amortised/including add-ons is a good buy. If we sell Brittain, suddenly I am a lot less happy...

Loss is normal for almost every football club in the world

I think it's more that everyone expects wages to be included in the budget Venky's send each year, not reliant on players sales to fund. As you say they can afford to and just aren't but the outrage is justified. Every other club manages to re-invest at least some of their outgoing transfer revenue into a transfer budget, we just use it as an excuse for Venky's not to send money. Add to that, the fact that they seem to actively cutting the wage bill to save more money and you wonder what the point of owning the club is anyway.