He has good games. He is known to sometimes be unplayable for half a match. He contributes sometimes. But when he isn't doing, he's a serious liability. That, his lack of fitness and his high wage are why he gets a lot of flak, but I agree some people are OTT with it. He was described as having no talent and that's not true. But I'd look to get rid if possible and certainly hope we don't extend his deal or rely on him a lot this year.

Truth is we don't exactly know his real position yet, your opinion outstanding. He has been all over the pitch in the u23s and senior team last few years. You'll see plenty of disagreement here on his best position.

Weird thing there is TM has talked a couple of times about players on their list that they think will cost a few million, but Sharpe says we won't be spending one million. Why are they on the list then? Just to create false expectation with fans? In case they come down in value rapidly due to covid? As a possible late begging bowl approach to Venkys? Or Sharpe is just wrong?

Even better, I'm starting to suspect Tony agrees, because we seem to be seeing less of Benno so far.

Recoup what they paid? They're delusional. Didn't he cost about 4 million? Not a club on the planet that's about to pay 4 million for a 29-year old left back who has played almost his whole career at Championship or below and just spent nearly all of last season injured. I'm sure their club are considerably more sensible than your mates. I bet they'd take 2 at the drop of a hat, but that's quite a bit more than I'd feel comfortable paying.

You'd think people would stop saying that shit after Lowe and all the other times professionals got it blatantly wrong. I can't stand that line of arguing, it's just a shutdown from people who don't know enough themselves to argue any better. It's entirely illogical, because professionals disagree with each other frequently about how good players are, too. It implies every professional gets every decision right and that's not even close to accurate.

Arguably, but personally I think he got more shit than he deserved, he was fractionally better than most made out. Out of his depth but his level was probably about Championship, where he scored 9 in 20 games for Ipswich. We are now seeing Lowe's was far lower (pun intended). He played in the Prem too though remember. Plus he stayed in the first team for far longer. It really is mind boggling.

I don't think in all my time watching Rovers there has been a more inexplicable consistent figure in a team for as long as Jason Lowe was. Never his fault that he was being picked by a few managers for so long, but why the hell was he? The level he finds himself at now really shines a light on the farce that was his continued selection, even though many of us could easily see it back then. I'll never understand the fans who defended him by saying he deserved his place. That one goal he ever scored for us though was an absolute belter.

Who was saying quadruple his wages? Edit - nevermind, seen it. I'd say that depends what his wages are. Definitely already feeling uncomfortable that he is only on a 2 year deal. And if he keeps playing like this or hell, improves, and has a real impact over the season then it will take a lot more than quadrupling his wages at the negotiating table in a year.

Aye that's the one I read.

A few weeks ago I saw he was calling himself the most unwanted man in football or something, and basically tweeting a reminder that he is still a footballer. He sounded pretty desperate to get set back up with a club, so presumably his agent is making things difficult (which I'd call 'time to get a new agent' if I were him). You do wonder if he has managed to develop himself a bit of a reputation as trouble or something on the grapevine. He can't be judged off a handful of games at a struggling club. It takes time to settle to a better league. He did score a goal too. Player-wise I'd certainly still have a look at him if the wages were cheap, he boasted fantastic stats for years just a league below, seems impossible that he doesn't have at least something to offer at this one.

I imagine there will be fitness issues. He hasn't played since January was it? And not been properly training lately except for a stint with some minor team (conference I think). I'll be surprised if he is deemed ready for Saturday.

A lot of interceptions there, seems to read opposition players very well. If that can transfer to senior level then he could be just what we need now Travis is out, to win the ball and start attacks. That was 2 seasons ago too, he may have been just 17 in some of those clips. Last season in PL2 div 2 he notched 8 goals in 10 games, so he seems to have added that to his game. That's from DM according to transfermarkt, which is...actually pretty unreal even at that level. Also has played against senior sides in the EFL Trophy last season and this. 3 games, 1 goal, 3 assists. Starting to really think he would be a good fit for us, especially with Trav out for a while. Has a bit of experience for Manure's senior side, sprinkled across Prem (just 8 minutes), League Cup (25 mins) and Europa (283 mins) with no goals or assists but no shame in that and they clearly rate him.

We weren't dispatching these sides at home last season, as you highlight, and we weren't anywhere near the bottom 6.

Which is kinda funny as I suspect he would be better further up. Has all the tools to be an Nzonzi type player, defensively he is solid but not convinced yet he is ever going to be truly top drawer at stopping the ball landing in the net. Has a lot to learn, but he can really slice a defence from deep if he was a DM.

Of course we shouldn't be debating it. But we've all seen this script before, right?

I'm certain he wouldn't work as a number 9. Maybe with about half a season he could get used to it, as he's an intelligent player, but apart from goal poaching it's not his game. However I think TM would either stubbornly play him there anyway as you say, or more likely, shift him around the other 5 attacking roles until he finds one that works. His best role is behind the striker in our old formation, but I really don't think Tony has any intention of returning to that formation even for Dack. He has us playing the style he always wanted us to, I think only a terrible run of form would see a reversion. Hopefully we start having a cutting edge with that style and become less porous.

Who?

You literally can't help yourself can you? I think this will be a draw or defeat for us. Because they only played another freshly promoted team last time, I consider this like playing a newly promoted team on their first game of the season, which is the absolute worst time to play them as they still have confidence from promotion and want to show they can hang with the teams up here. We just tired most of our first team out giving Newcastle our best shot and suffered an injury to the man who is our team's engine. We will ineffectually pass the ball outside the area for most of the game and Wycombe will be content to let us do this. I reckon we will have upwards of 70 percent possession. They will then look to hit us on the counter. I don't know their players, but if they have pace and someone with reasonable finishing, they'll probably succeed in this. We are also pretty much traditionally bad at seeing off crap teams at Ewood, especially if they play like that. I read this is Wycombe's first ever season at this level. I've supported Rovers long enough to know that means we are probably about to go down in their history books as their first point/s at this level. It goes without saying, but I desperately hope to be wrong in all of this. It's not beyond the realms of possibility that we notch one and they open up to attack us and get roasted. Hopefully Mercer gets his free season ticket, but I think it's more likely he will nearly triple its price! Wycombe to finish bottom of the league, probably even below Sheff W with their deduction, and ourselves to be talking until the end of the season about the missed opportunity for crucial points, a la Charlton last year.

Or less than what Brentford actually want. I get the sense reading between the lines that they want more than 10 but 10 is about Arsenal's valuation.

I think him reverting to 4-2-3-1 might be the wishful thinking.

You're right that Tosin was fairly decent defensively but we weren't spoilt. However, he did bring a lot of height and pace. Ayala is 2 inches shorter, but still 6 ft 3 and meant to be very good in the air, so could still be an upgrade in that sense. He isn't as quick though and I still have concerns that our passing game high up the pitch already leaves us vulnerable to counter attacks. I think we need to modify our overall game. Not just for defensive reasons. If we won't though, I hope the backup CB we aim to bring is a quick one. That's obviously Magloire's main attribute though.

Scintillating again tonight. Beginning to relax the guard I put over my early optimism, because the boy definitely has talent and can show it against decent senior players. We will have to see how capable he proves as a 90 minute player over time, but I've not seen that kind of footwork here in a while, and he has pace and tenacity to go with it. With him only being 18 as well, I just get more amazed that Preston let him go each time I see him. Would be a nightmare to play against because he can have you chasing your tail and looking daft. Looks like a player for who the crux is going to be how much end product he can deliver - like Rothwell. But my money is on 'a lot more of it'.

Travis' injury may actually help us get a loan like Garner, as it now means whoever we bring in is more likely to play.

Was that the one around the 70 minute mark, where he was down for 5 seconds or so, then got up and carried on? Given his importance, the game's low importance, and that he hasn't looked quite right since his last injury, that moment should have been all TM needed to bring Davenport on tbh. But Trav will play on through more or less anything I imagine, so hard to tell if he really needs to come off. It is what it is now. We are going to need someone to come in, and I really hadn't considered that area a priority until now. I reckon it just leapfrogged backup CB and backup GK in the importance stakes, but still behind LB. Edit - we may have already used our subs at this point, but that's exactly why you don't use all your subs by that point, which TM loves to do and has actually been lucky to get away with so often.