Got to be playing Ayala really. Needs a bit of sharpness for when he's called on in the league. Wharton I'd rest, don't want him getting injured. I know that seems ironic when I'm saying play Ayala, but Wharton is part of our winning run and Ayala isn't. He has also been playing whilst Ayala hasn't...Ayala should be fine to play a game at this point. Brown won't play, I'd put money on it, and I probably wouldn't start him yet if it was up to me either. Apart from that I'd go for something more or less as you've suggested. Maybe swap Dolan and Butterworth around, as Dolan is better at nicking the ball like Buckley has been doing in that role. I do worry the midfield two might be too pedestrian without a Rothwell, but we don't really have a like-for-like and he's probably best rested. In reality, I think Tony will play 2-3 more of the first team than this though.

Lol very similar impressions to myself but posted just before I was finished! Another thing the video revealed that I meant to mention - you pronounce it Zay-fuck. Ample opportunity for chants... I also found myself wondering what has caused him to struggle breaking into the Hertha side. I think the clips were from his Groningen days.

Interesting video. Seems to be as fast and strong as Nyambe, whilst having a few things in his locker that Ryan doesn't. Most notably some ability and conviction with crossing and shooting. 6 assists (just one goal though) in I think it said 73 appearances for them. I know it's just a highlight reel but I'm not sure you could find that many decent crosses from Nyambe over that length of games. He is also ruthless in the challenge. Sometimes to the point of rash. Not many highlight vids would show you a couple of fouls too. 2 red cards and I think it was 19 yellows in that 70ish spell shows he doesn't always get it right. Some of his successful tackles on there, I thought the player was dawdling on the ball a bit too much, and quicker thinking players in our league might draw the foul. So seems fast, strong, uncompromising but possibly rash. Probably as capable as RN defensively but prone to giving away fouls. With a bit more to offer in the final third. No signs of what his aerial ability is like, which suggests it won't be great (not a strength of Nyambe's either tbf). First impressions from that video anyway.

For anyone who wants to see it in an actual article (albeit a short one) this was posted about 2 hours ago. https://bulinews.com/news/11141/report-blackburn-closing-on-hertha-defender 23, good age.

About 3 times for me (from Chesire Rover's post) before I said 'I don't get it' and scrolled down to see if it was real or someone else got it. Loan with a buy is a good way to make sure we have quality cover this season for Nyambe, which we needed anyway, and that if he leaves in the summer we are already covered. Although questions remain over whether we could agree terms with this lad at that point, especially if he does really well. Hopefully we have an idea of wage demands. I suspect it's also being done as a buffer against someone making a Nyambe bid this Jan that we feel we have to take. That could be where the problems kick in, as I would then still feel we needed experienced RB cover. We would be essentially replacing the known with the unknown, and a player who hasn't adjusted yet (anyone know if he is in match shape?). That could damage our promotion charge. From the 4m euros move he has made before, I'm going to assume he wants more wages than Nyambe does, and comes with a fee, so presumably we think he is better. Unless the fabled wage structure involves never paying past a certain amount for graduates and we are cutting off our nose to spite our face. (I'm not assuming this deal is actually happening btw, although I do get the vibe it's real)

I don't see a dilemma. Not this season - it has to be fringe players in the cup. Unlike previous seasons we are clearly going to play our best side in the league as often as possible. This means a few fringe players will likely be in need of minutes, and even if injuries squeeze the squad I'd prefer to see youth players given games. Ordinarily I'm all for a good cup run. Some look down on them but I love both cups. However this season is looking far too big and the squad too small, to get bogged down in a side quest. Obviously I want us to win every game and go as far as we can, but with fringe players as much as possible. If we somehow get to the later stages, then there is a dilemma. One we can weigh against how the league campaign is going at that time. Tbh though TM has always shown himself to be a terrible cup manager for us, who has bowed out at the first or second opportunity on nearly, or perhaps all, occasions. Even when he plays a strong side, so even less reason to risk a lot of first teamers. The worry for me is if we lose this one I fear it could hamper the momentum, especially on the back of the Hudds draw. The side will inevitably feature some first teamers, perhaps quite a few, and their confidence could take a knock if they bow out to a lower league side. Hopefully they're mentally stronger than that, but a lot of it can be subconscious. The ideal scenario is, of course, as many fringe players fielded as possible, with a win by hook or by crook. Keeping momentum going and allowing the fringe players to show the first teamers their spot isn't safe and they can't relax. If I'm honest, my prediction is a weakened side under a manager with no nous in the cup gets knocked out in this one. I expect Wigan to be up for it, to prove their Championship credentials against a local side. Hopefully I'm totally wrong 🙂

I don't see it. The Irish season ended in November I believe. He hasn't played since, and will have only started training recently. He effectively hasn't had a preseason...we all know how Tony feels about that, and how long he likes people to bed in in general. That's before factoring that he has never played at anything like this level and the manager has said he won't be playing. Add all that together and I think it will take an injury, maybe two, for there to be any chance of it at all.

Dack won't play against City, according to LT, too soon. JRC expected to.

That would be a very fair offer. And one we should reject.

It wouldn't be the first time he has pushed someone back into the team before they're ready...or even the first time he has done it to JRC.

Or, it was punching below its weight previously.

If by catch your drift, you mean he spotted your exaggeration, then yes, you are correct.

In the running for league player of the month. As in, officially.

https://www.teamtalk.com/leeds-united/exclusive-west-ham-leeds-record-level-fee-sign-brereton-diaz-blackburn?fbclid=IwAR1vKSREL2LrQ6Jrg1X7Qxt1-WT0LT_xffGAabCJnvw4o0yOyAZ1mzXvmx8 More than 30 million to even think about it. If true, that should hopefully do the trick.

No what I meant was, if we don't go up AND these lads all leave on frees, that's a potential disaster. We don't appear to have the budget to replace them all adequately at once without sales and the squad is already a little thin, especially when our loanees go back. Not sure about this dozen u20 players coveted by Prem clubs, first I'm hearing about it, but I absolutely agree we need all of our promising youngsters on long deals. I've never understood why it isn't done as standard given the finances involved. Lengthy deals when a player is early in their career are much cheaper than when they break through a year or two later. Some won't make it but again the loss isn't that big in the grand scheme and you at least have a u23 squad that can afford to spare sending players on loan.

I dunno. I'm not sure if our league position is a plus or a minus for keeping them. Obviously it's a plus for the players seeing a future here, but it's a minus in the sense that we, and the players who have made this run possible, will have attracted more attention. There could be a few clubs who can pay better wages than us who spy the opportunity for a bargain. I suspect we will be safe from the predations of anyone in the Championship, as wage offerings won't be orders of magnitude higher, and we will probably hold out for a lot more from anyone who is a potential promotion rival (probably the only clubs who could tempt the players). Slimmish chance one of the parachute clubs goes a bit beyond in order to try to derail us (and add to their own options of course), but I don't see too much risk of this. The danger to me seems to be that a Prem club might want a squad filler on the cheap, who if they're lucky might be able to step up to be a bit more. We can say what we want about the grass not being greener, but even squad Prem wages blow us out of the water. We know footballers often follow the money, especially when agents are leading them as seems to be the case here. Lenihan at his age as you say, would probably actually be best advised to take a 4 year deal on far better money than we can offer. Might be the last big deal he is on for. IMO it's the youngest, Nyambe, who should think more carefully about his next move than just what money is on offer. Hopefully, they haven't impressed any Prem sides enough to think they're the best options they have within their budgets. Gotta say, if we don't go up, it's going to be a bit of a disaster if these lads don't sign on. We will probably need to then sell BBD to be able to replace them all adequately. We can probably stand to lose one in the summer, but two or more would be a real problem. It's not like last summer when most of the departures were has-beens or not-quites.

It's the same in the acting world. Even at the lowest paid end. Probably the same in any industry where agents are a thing.

A couple is two. He isn't leaving in a couple of months. It's more like triple that.

I knew something was off when the last contract he signed with us, not even all that long ago now, was stupidly short.

A million quid for a 19 year old is an absolute fortune to fans of a club that size and history, bless him.

We have even admitted it is happening, so it's especially weird it hasn't been announced. Perhaps something being held back for timing purposes.

Might as well stick Nyambe up there. He at least could defend from the front!

Think I actually had this. My memory of my teens is a bit shit though. I either had it or saw it. I know I had an England case at one point which I'm fairly sure was for the same phone, so I probably didn't have this too. I got the book in the OP for xmas, but truthfully I don't really sit down and read books often anymore, and definitely not football ones. People like to buy them for me though. Which is a shame. Good idea but I just won't get the use. The Rovers gift I was happiest with this xmas (thanks BRFC for totally failing to stock the home shirts btw, you incompetent fucks) was actually just a Rovers lanyard. That will be replacing my company one at work shortly. We can't wear football shirts, so this is a good way around that to shout out my allegiance! I also got the Ewood Park themed xmas jumper, which is a bit snazzy for a xmas jumper.

As much as I agree it would be good for his progression to go on loan, we are in danger of the u23s being relegated which would have a detrimental effect on the development of the whole youth squad. Leonard can still be brought through without needing to play for the u23s every game. He sounds talented but probably not the time to make him the only real forward the u23s have. If they were comfortably midtable it would be different.

Ahh knowing he had injuries paints a clearer picture. Wasn't the problem for Vale at Rochdale something to do with covid getting the games cancelled for a while just after he arrived? Or am I thinking of a different player/loan?