Goozburger

I helped a friend with mobility issues change his seat by emailing the club. Lyndsey was helpful. I'm not sure how that makes me a club plant.

Where did I say that? I said it's nicer when I don't focus on off-field matters. You'll no doubt take that wrongly, but when I do "switch off", at least I'm not thinking about what is going on behind the scenes. When I'm here talking about it, it gets me down, just as I'm sure it does everyone else. But Rovers are insidious (not a nice way of putting it) these days. What can I do? 🙂

I think Ismael is going to need to get them playing well consistently much quicker than that! Everyone has their own viewpoints and limits, but I think we're really at it now based on the feelings I'm reading.

The big worry is losing Championship experience. The new players have a huge job on their hands to show that they can step in. I can imagine they will want to prove those worries wrong. Whether they will or not is another question. What I do believe is that footballers have the same mentality as any of us that work when it comes to wanting a move. You don't move for less money than what you're on unless there are extenuating circumstances, and I doubt the players really feel the Venky mishandling that we as supporters feel and have to continue to deal with. My guy instinct tells me that it's fanciful to put it down to anything else than the players that have left knew that they could get bumper deals next summer if leaving for free. That's always been the case, and Rovers aren't the only ones affected by that particular state of play. But whatever the reason, or even if contract renewals aren't being offers, the club is then left with the choice of doing what it's done in the past (far too often in my view), which is to let them go for free in a year's time, or get a few million for them now and try to deal with the problem. I'm not against the latter, and many have complained about the club not doing that in years gone by. Well they're certainly doing it now. Whether the replacements work out is another matter.

After the Birmingham game, I had that rare feeling of being punched in the stomach. I was pretty gutted we threw it away at the end because I honestly thought we were the better side (by how much or how little doesn't really matter). I'm not saying we were outstanding, but I think Birmingham came to Ewood with a lot of momentum and didn't really do much until the silly mistakes we made at the end. It's worrying to lose a game like that, but I don't think the performance was bad. Last weekend against Hull, we were superb. On the pitch, the results aren't coming off, but I'm not alarmed by the performances. The bad one was against Norwich, where we sat off them far too much (we seem to start too negatively in all our games under Ismael), and it dug ourselves a hole that we couldn't get out of.

I find it extremely difficult to believe that a woman was fired because their sleeves were uncovered on the training ground. Surely that news, and the inevitable legal action, would be everywhere in the public domain if it were true.

I can only watch Rovers from afar. From what I can tell, most do get behind the team at Ewood, but the atmosphere seems totally flat. I think everyone, even those that still go, are worn out by the chaos under the Venky's. You don't have to turn up for that to happen to you, actually. 😄

I wasn't going to call your stuff crap, but you're the boss.

I'm talking about the paranoia in thinking I'm a club plant.

You said my views of what happens on the pitch must converge with Glen's. They don't. As for your second sentence, that's just not very nice.

I think we've performed ok given the upheaval in certain players leaving. I think results will start to get better. Ridiculous, I know...

Exactly what about my posts suggests to you that I'm a club plant? That they're different from the common opinions on here? Are you really that paranoid?

I think these players will gel together. Results have been poor, but I don't think the performances have been that bad. Against West Brom, both teams were as good/bad as each other. We were the better side against Birmingham and definitely against Hull. Norwich we were dreadful. Why do my views have to conform to what other people think?

I don't know Glen personally. I have no idea what he claims is true, and so because I can't take those stories at face value on that basis, it's beyond him how anyone can defend the club? Glen may be right. Probably is. I get a bit perturbed by the mob mentality that, unless I believe him and base everything I think on what he says, that my opinion is unfathomable. I don't even really have an opinion because I don't know what goes on behind the scenes. Has Rudy given his account of what has gone on? Or is it Glen's side of the story and that's that?

It all sounds plausible, Glen, but you're expecting us to take your word for it given you're the one airing the accusations. I'm just a supporter with zero inside knowledge. People post stories, like this one, online, and I've no idea how true it is. I don't know how you get this information or what puts you in this sort of position to do so, if what you get told is hearsay with added VAT, or if it's wholly accurate. While it certainly fits the narrative of nasty owners and people within the club, I can't just take your word for it. The only thing I can judge the club on is what happens on the pitch. The rest is hearsay.

I've never thought much of Hyam. He's too soft and not aggressive enough as a defender, and while he's had some good performances, I've seen him easily bullied far more times than not. He also made for a terrible captain, and it's got to be a bit humiliating having it gifted to you and then taken away so easily. Getting £2.7m for a player we paid £1.5m isn't bad business, but the timing of it is really poor. Unless we've got something miraculous lined up in the next hour. I can't see it, though. I don't think Miller has made a good right-back so far. The Birmingham game is a key example, and he seems technically clumsy. However, I think he'd be better suited at the back given his physique. Maybe he'll get better and make that position his own with a bit of time.

Apparently that's what we've offered. As usual, when a player gets into the last year of their contract, they know they can play the waiting game and get a better contract without commanding a transfer fee in a year's time. I think accepting a bid for Hyam must certainly ride on knowing if we can get a replacement through the door in time.

The pattern of the board has been to sell players this summer who aren't signing contract renewals. I expect the same to happen with Hyam. We need to pull a rabbit out of the hat to get a solid replacement in within the next few hours if that's the case. Throw money at Kapuadi, perhaps?

After Christmas he'll have 2.5 years left on his contract. The figures I read are that it's about £500k per year. It's not a colossal amount to pay up, and I think they are often less than that with mutual consents, aren't they? Well, we're not at that stage just yet. I'm an optimist, and we'll get better.

Hedges has played well in the last couple of games but the cynic in me says that it's no coincidence after reports of us looking for competition on the right hand side emerged. His position is under threat, but unless we do something in the next 24 hours, he might be sitting comfortably in the starting line-up which is never healthy.

I'll give Ismael a month or so after the international break to steady things. I don't think it's unfair to say he's had a toxic situation to deal with this summer. However, as football goes, he won't be afforded too much longer than that.

I posted my opinion. I'm not telling you what to do if that's how it came across. I think it's daft to take an opinion as an instruction. Take it lightly. They are just my thoughts.

Then perhaps a message board isn't for you if you can't handle other people that are of the opinion that we should be patient. How about letting the discussion unfold instead of dictating how it should.

Unbelievably childish response.

A bit of patience required given this is the first transfer window under him and we are still bringing players in. We've brought 9 players in who are, for all intents and purposes, first-team starters. It's an unusual amount to have to bring in but clearly the Brittain and Travis elements have played a big part in causing some chaos in the squad. Let them settle for a month or two and then see how.