bluebruce

Played a single game there last season.

He played a League Cup game for them on the 5th, and scored. Left out of the league opener though and their manager apparently saying he won't play him til the contract is sorted (I don't see a direct quote on that though, looks like inference) and that there's no breakdown in relationship with the player. Seems to have only ever done about half a season of games with QPR until last season, when he notched 5 and got 5 assists in 35 assists from LB, with another 2 assists from 5 games at LW. Would be great to have a goal threat from the flank like that, and if he can defend even a bit better than Bell, which shouldn't be hard, it would be a huge upgrade. Wondering a little why he doesn't seem to have any ROI caps if he's that good though, something our own Del has managed God knows what QPR or the player want, sounds like a budget stretcher if he is someone we want. Be worth it at this stage. Of course its entirely speculation at this point before anybody gets carried away or asks why we are talking about him.

Reports range from 10% of profit, to 20%. Brentford have played a blinder if it's true and they get 15 million plus get to loan him back. I'm not sure what that achieves for Arsenal though since they're in for him cos they're looking for a backup keeper. Then again there was a report they were getting some other guy for 2 mill, so maybe the idea is that guy fills the gap for a year. If they pull it off they're definitely showing us again how you do business on an asset.

In fairness though, under TM we have only had one loan from a top club that I can remember, so that's a 100 percent hit rate when loaning them. Other loanees have been from lesser Prem sides and one Championship side. Reed, great success from Southampton, Cunningham, success until injured, Walton, dogshit from Brighton, Harper from WBA who was dogshit, Antonsson from Leeds who did an alright job, Payne from Hudds who we didn't really need but was ok, and Armstrong who was a success and made perm. So the notion that we only really try from the top top clubs doesn't really add up. Also, with a small sample of one player from a big club who did well, the results have been better, although that's a very limited sample to go off! But our non top club loans have been a mixed bag. I might be forgetting some. We had some other lad on loan from Manure I think, years ago, was shit but the name escapes me. Think it was just before TM though.

https://www.lancs.live/sport/football/transfer-news/blackburn-rovers-loan-market-transfers-18950336 I'm annoyed by a couple of things in this interview. One being Mowbray's insistence on being honest that players won't be automatic picks. Sure, they shouldn't be, but just blag it like every other club who pretends they'll give them guaranteed starts and then doesn't if they're not up to it, you're hampering us here. Different if the club wants financial penalties for not playing them obviously. Also, he told Reece James, who recently started and scored for Chelsea, that he would have to get the shirt off Nyambe. Whilst the standard of competition is higher in this case as Nyambe is a good player, it's very reminiscent of when he told Reed he needed to learn from Smallwood and Evans, and told Bauer he would have to compete with Del and Mulgrew. Players don't want to hear that shit, especially when they're really good or need game time. You can be honest and still present it positively. "I do see you as being first pick in this position because I really rate you as a player and I'm excited to bring you in. You'll definitely get a proper chance to make the shirt your own. Just remember we have very high standards here and you'll have to maintain them to stay in the side." Versus "Well if you work really hard in training I'll give you a chance after a month or so." I definitely get the impression these meetings with Tony are closer to the latter than the former. One more thing actually, he said players have to prove themselves on the training ground first, 'especially' young players. No Tony, not especially young players, it should be all players the same. If anything, especially older players, because they're probably not going to improve whereas young players need games to do so. He isn't resistant to playing youngsters of course, we have quite a few in the side, but I definitely think this attitude towards them has held him back at times. Senior players get easy street comparatively.

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.