On 09/03/2024 at 23:19, alcd said:

How in God's name can they not make a significant ie £10m+ profit this season having sold Wharton for £18m and summer sales of £5m?? Anything less than that makes me think there's some nefarious dealings going on. 

Given that we lose 20 million most seasons (apparently...though I do think this looks suspicious in itself given we constantly slash the wage bill and rarely spend whilst selling a fair few assets), that 23 million, minus about a million spent on acquisitions, would theoretically change the picture to about 2 million profit, not 10 mill plus. Ignoring any loan, signing on and agent fees. When you factor in that the money received from sales won't come all at once and will be drizzled over at least 3 seasons...if the slim possibility of Venkys being refused the right to send us money in this hearing transpires, we will probably end up declaring a loss! Which is sickening.

5 hours ago, windymiller7 said:

I was queueing for a burger with my daughter on Saturday at the burger van behind the club shop when a young woman with a pram and another little girl in tow needed to get through making her way from the car park towards Nuttall St. Naturally I shuffled back a bit & allowed her to pass through, she said thank you & went on her way.

It was at this point my daughter said "do you know who that was?". (I don't do all this SM stuff) "No idea love, why?". "That's Sammie's missus & *insert kids names*"

The point I'm making here is that this could've been any young mum, not glammed up like most footballer's wives would be & I think that's a fair reflection on Sammie & his principals. No airs & graces, what  you see is what you get, work hard & pick up the rewards you deserve.

Absolutely love Sammie. 100% all the time, nothing less will do. Unfortunately I wouldn't be at all surprised if he's not here next season, regardless of what division we're in.

In fairness, a factor in that may be that he hasn't earned the vast sums many have. Until he came here he was probably never on more than about 5k per week, and that would have been relatively recently too. It's great money to the man in the street, but if he's become a millionaire yet it will have been inside the last year I expect. Short career, and already coming into the last few years or so of it on a good wedge (relative to the footballer life), with a family to raise...yes other footballers might still feel the need to be silly and flash with it, but a bit of financial prudence is to be expected of someone with a brain. If they're still keeping it low-key after his inevitable big move then it'll be more of a testament to character.

That said, I do agree he seems the type to focus and work hard without getting distracted by all the other trappings of the footballer life. Big fan of the guy's ability and application. It's scary to think where we'd be without him this season, probably in Rotherham's position. Which is a real shame because we do have other talented players. We just lack proper depth and a cohesive unit (largely stemming from having a manager who was fed up followed by a manager who seems to be shit, but also just characteristics we lack as a squad such as height, bottle and enough pace).

8 hours ago, simongarnerisgod said:

szmodics is a better player than armstrong,he`s more aware,holds the ball up better and is a constant menace to defenders because he`s never still,you never see amstrong working the flanks or tracking back

I think Szmodics is probably the best all-round player we've had since we came down under Venkys tbh.

8 hours ago, roversfan99 said:

Armstrong appears to have become a more rounded player as he has aged. He has 11 assists and often plays from a wide position.

I never fully was having the criticism of him being greedy in that last season, I dont think you can question someone too much who scores 28.

You could certainly question it by the end, where he was just taking stupid pot shots instead of playing people in. A lot easier to score 28 when you rarely pass. Szmodics has a decent chance of hitting the same figure in a worse team, often from a deeper position, but doesn't have that failing.

Armstrong was still very valuable to us, and we weren't better off without him as some suggested, but it was a definite weak point of his game. Good for him if he's moved past that. Probably been forced to, playing in a better side and spending time in the Prem where he couldn't just do what he wanted.

16 minutes ago, Ossydave said:

Has anyone seen much of Leo Duru?

Another 2 assists and a goal tonight, impressive return for a wing back.

I was about to talk about him too. I've only seen him in highlights I think, but his contributions recently seem to have improved, at least at the top end of the pitch. Hopefully one that's developing well.

8 minutes ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

I like the lad a lot but he’s not a Prem player. Adam Armstrong was better equipped for the Prem than Sammi because he was quick and was an equally good finisher but he never reached the standard required either.

Needs a lot more than just pace and finishing to be a Prem player. Armstrong was selfish and not particularly smart in his decision making. Besides, any move can go wrong.

We'll just have to disagree, there's no way you're convincing me Sammie couldn't play for someone in the Prem and be at least useful, and I'd imagine there's no way I'll change your mind either so we'll leave it there.

1 hour ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

But he’s not 23.

That really wasn't my point whatsoever. I believe he's good enough right now. The point about his age was merely to say why there's not a large queue for his services from the Prem. They rarely spend big on any 29 year old, which is what he'll be soon into the next season. But I could definitely see someone plumping for him at about 8-10 mill.

8 hours ago, 47er said:

Will leave for a low-placed Premier league Club or a Championship club looking for promotion.

Given the state of our finances and his age---£10M?

I keep thinking this myself, that due to his age etc, we would probably be looking at a fee in the region of £10 million for him to go to a Prem club, or about £8 million to go to a Championship club (would have to be one of the recently relegated ones, nobody else has that dosh really). Give or take 1 or 2 million in either case (probably take, if we get relegated).

7 hours ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

He’s not Prem level but he’s a real asset for a top team in our division. Luton, Sheff Utd etc.

I firmly disagree with that assessment. I think he's definitely Prem level. Not absolutely smashing the goals in at Prem level like he does in the Championship of course, but I'm sure there are a few teams he could start for and several others he'd be a good squad player for. His game isn't missing much. Works his ass off, reads the game well, can pass, can score. He's short but that isn't the be all, and he's not lightning but he's not a slouch. He has also scored twice in two games against Premiership opposition in the last 12 months in the cup. If he were 23 we'd have Prem clubs all over us trying to get him.

On 09/03/2024 at 18:39, Andy said:

I genuinely couldn't get past the first sentence of that post-match interview:

'The effort the group put in to limit them to very few chances was amazing'

Does he think that the game was played behind closed doors?
We saw Plymouth have about 17 efforts on goal with our own eyes - and they should have been out of sight by HT.

Baffling.

Jesus Christ...

According to the stats on google, Plymouth had 21 shots, 7 of them on target. Premier League Newcastle had less! In fact in the league, the last time another team had more than 11 against us was the Preston game on 17th Feb (16 shots). In what universe is 21 shots and making your keeper perform 6 saves 'very few chances'?

Preston was also the last time we had such a horrific pass completion rate (59%). In all other games inbetween we've had over 70%.

6 hours ago, chaddyrovers said:

Haha. 

At least I know we will stay up. I have faith in Eustace and these players. Simple as. 

If you don't faith and don't think we will stay fine but that's your opinion. 

Oh you know the future now? Incredible. Can I have this week's winning lottery numbers please?

33 minutes ago, superniko said:

I’ve still no idea where this myth of our “shored up back line”, “tightened up” and “back to basics” has come from. 
We look just as horrendous defensively and that’s with an extra CB and to the detriment of any attacking/progressive play remaining. 

Not a clue what some of you have been watching this past month.

On the attacking front we’ve had an xG above 1 just once in his 6 league games and that was 1.01 against Norwich. Those matches include Millwall, Swansea, Cardiff, Norwich, Preston, Birmingham - all outside the playoffs and we’re not even coming close to troubling them OR looking good defensively. (If you hate xG I’ve just used it to show how dire we are at creating anything now too)
 

I think the idea has come from us conceding a lot less goals.

36 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

Pears out with concussion,

Concussion? I thought they said he was ill?

2 hours ago, Upside Down said:

If he's learnt anything from his time here it's how to run down your contract and sign wherever you want on a free.

That will only work if Waggott is CEO at his current or future club...

1 hour ago, MB Rover said:

As I said when appointed, Eustace is a step down from JDT.

We were bad under JDT, but at least under him we drew with Rotherham, if we played them tomorrow at Ewood I've no doubt we'd get beat, we're the worst team in the division right now.

I'm not sure why you're so certain we'd lose to a team who have lost their last 8 games straight, after we just drew with a team who had just won their last two, and we've recently drawn with other teams who are also better than Rotherham.

'At least we drew with Rotherham' has to be one of the most backhanded compliments imaginable. They're the absolute whipping boys of the league. We're merely draw specialists right now, and playing turgid stuff. As depressing as it is, we're actually in better form than we were in the latter days of JDT's reign, a patch including the Rotherham game you mention. We could have done with more draws back then.

15 minutes ago, WacoRover said:

This is either a sitcom, or a horror pic. I’m not sure which, & I hope we don’t have to find out. 

I'm going with horror. Given the budget has been repeatedly slashed.

We all also Know What They Did Last Summer (and Last January...and this January, and...)

Although it could be both and be a horror-comedy. I certainly find myself wanting to Scream.

56 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

Still hasnt won a game and is dishing up some Appleton esque football

Funnily enough, I thought within a day or so of appointing him 'this guy gives me Appleton vibes'. I didn't post it as I didn't want to jinx it, speak too soon, or be too negative about it so early, but as the matches keep coming the comparison seems more and more apt.

47 minutes ago, Sparks Rover said:

And we are on the brink of relegation, go figure.....

I'm sure that's because we bring Markanday off the bench on occasion, yeh.

58 minutes ago, tomphil said:

6 months pay for Fleck out of the first Wharton instalment.

I'm a bit puzzled you would assume i was thinking it had all gone on him, come on !

Anyway if it's a long term thing there'll surely be insurance to cover it but how much would they have had to shell out for that policy and knowing the level of incompetence will they even have bothered.

I'm a bit puzzled that you're a bit puzzled, your initial post seemed to be very much saying the first 6 months of money from Wharton was spunked on Fleck. If that's not what you were saying fair enough but it's very much how you put it across.

Agree on the insurance and I had the same thought. When a risk is high you tend to pay out a huge portion of what your payout might be, so most likely we either thought it wasn't worth splashing out on, or the initial outlay was even bigger than suspected but at least much of it will be reimbursed.

1 hour ago, RV Blue said:

Must go down as the worst transfer window in the history of the club?

It's a struggle to think of a worse one. A few are comparable, until you factor in making our club record sale in the same window (so really should have been able to do better), and the fact this all happened whilst blatantly hurtling towards a relegation dogfight!

So far there's been one signing that's looked decent, and that's an ageing CB who can't have long left in him, and already looks tired. O'Riordan might turn out well, but we've not seen much of him yet. The rest look crap or pointless and all except O'Riordan will be gone in the summer.

A reyt farce, basically.

4 hours ago, tomphil said:

6 months worth of the first Wharton instalment flushed straight down the bog.

 

It was a total failure of a signing, but I can't imagine that's accurate. Wharton was sold for 18 million guaranteed. I know it will be paid over a few years, but I can't imagine how 6 months worth of it would equate to the wages and fees paid for an injury prone 32 yr old who hadn't played for his prior club since 6th December, on a 6 month deal.

Fag packet maths, let's assume the 18 mill will be paid over the length of his 5.5 year contract (which I'd be surprised by given our need for urgent cash due to the India situation), it's 3.2 million a year. If we paid 1.6 million to Fleck for 6 months work that's about 61k per week. That would be beyond scandalous even for us. It probably equates to more like one month of the Wharton money, two at most, which is still an abject waste given we got 17 minutes out of it.

33 minutes ago, roverblue said:

He must have started about 5 games for us so hard to say if he was any good or not. Just a completely bizarre signing and re-selling of a player. Add it to the list since the Venkys showed up

I wouldn't say the re-selling part was bizarre...

45 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

Has he improved the death spiral? 3 points from 5 games.

The JDT death spiral was 2 points from 8 games, so yes, it has improved. It's still shit but like I said, he's improved the death spiral form a bit.

3 hours ago, roversfan99 said:

If we went down, then probably not. We had was it a 7 point and 7 or 8 team buffer when he came in. With last time, it was a bit different, we massively improved under Mowbray but not quite enough.

True, although he has so far improved the death spiral form a bit. Like Tyrone said, I think a lot depends on how he goes until the end of the season. But turning a 7 point buffer into relegation has to be seen as a failing...one mitigated a bit by inheriting a mess. I think I'm likely to want him gone if we go down though.

My personal prediction is we scrape staying up, but go down next season.

19 hours ago, alcd said:

Perhaps this thread can be closed down after today's all too typical feeble flap in the air in the build-up to the first goal?

Pears has played really well recently, and I hoped his club-best showing against Newcastle would spur him onto some confident keeping and new heights. Then I watched the goals from yesterday and realised I was being too optimistic.

I'm confused by his showing yesterday tbh, as I've long felt he's a confidence player, so I'm not sure why after impressing on national (and international) TV he played like he's been leaking 4 a game. Hopefully just a blip, because if we get the Pears of yesteryear again we are as good as relegated.

I do think he was fouled for that first goal though and likely would have saved it otherwise. But the flap was pathetic and he moved in the wrong direction for the second goal, which really wasn't aimed far from his starting position.

On 01/03/2024 at 12:45, Sparks Rover said:

He's had about an hours first team football in 2 years , think that says everything really. Aberdeen wouldn't play him....

 

Actually, he's had 15 hours first team football just this season. 10 of them in the league. Last season he had a little under 8 hours first team football between us and Abderdeen. So you're only off by about a factor of 23.