Will be interesting to see if:

a) Hyam is starting/Bench

b) Van Hecke is on the bench/ 

c) Sepp Van den Berg is on the bench 

d) Brereton is starting for us

might Get some answers today 🙂

4 minutes ago, JHRover said:

Van Hecke and Lenihan big misses - so far neither replaced and if Caulker is coming in that's a downgrade IMO

Khadra - not replaced

Rothwell - not replaced 

Both of these provided much needed creativity and a goal or two.

Brad Johnson - not missed in so far as what he delivered on the pitch last season - but missed as experience and an option to call upon especially late in games when an extra body needed - not replaced.

So even if we leave it at that - there's 4 or 5 that contributed significantly or were at least useful to have around the place who haven't been replaced.

That's on the basis we are directly comparing to last year and not looking to improve on last year - I'd actually like to have MORE options than last year

Is the height of ambition here just to try and cover for these departures with as few additions as possible? Or is it to improve on what we did last year?

 

You seem to be mixing two things up here. I'm not arguing that all or even most of those that left I wanted to keep - I didn't - I was and am quite happy to see some of them go, and yes their contributions last season may have been minimal. But that doesn't mean we just head into a full season without bringing replacements in and hope the youngsters are up to it - which looks like what the plan is. Sooner or later for example we will need someone else to come into midfield - suspensions will come- and as soon as they do we are struggling and down to the bare bones again.

Two a stretch you could say 

Rothwell - Hedges

Khadra, maybe Markanday?

Markanday, Dack, A. Wharton, Edun

smodicz who was the Rothwell replacement - the jury is still out. 
 

several players who could do a job is coming back. No need to pile up with journeymen. 
 

Neal Maupay ready for Everton. 15m 

6 minutes ago, simongarnerisgod said:

i wonder if jdt is planning to go three at the back with the addition of hyam,with that area of the pitch sorted,bowler and a nippy mobile striker needed

I think he is and it makes sense 

Ayala, Hyam, Wharton, Carter and Philips.
 

With Edun, Pickering, Brittain, JRC as wingbacks. the wingbacks isnt good enough imo, but it is What it is. They might develop and I think LWB suits Edun better than LB. 
 

we need a Striker and I think we Are sorted. Depends on Brereton of course 

4 minutes ago, Wing Wizard Windy Miller said:

He hasn't been in England for 5 years. During that time he's floated around a rather poor Turkish league. 

He's a body through the door, in a position we are short in.  He may turn out to be ok, he may be useless. Let's not kid ourselves that we've played a blinder to get him though.

It only makes sense if the money goes somewhere else in the team. 

Not a poor league compared to Championship. Almost every season there are at least one Turkish team in the champions league group stages. Galatasaray, Fenerbache, Besiktas, Bursaspor are not bad teams. 

Steven Caulker (ENG) is a a ball playing defender and currently plays for Fenerbahce. Steven Caulker is 30 years old (1991/12/29) and he is 191cm tall. His preferred foot is Right. His jersey number is 45.

Caulker Even has an England cap. Crazy.

Is he like Hyam? A ball-playing CB who can play in a 3? 

17 minutes ago, Gavlar Somerset Rover! said:

Boro after Ampadu on loan from Chelsea. We need to at least have a pop at that. He’s top class.

The Wales link to Gus Williams could give us an advantage? 

7 minutes ago, BankEnd Rover said:

Van Hecke looks like he’s off to Sunderland. At least we have some sort of closure on this now.

This one looks quite settled now. On loan. Lots of different sources reporting is done deal. 

6 minutes ago, Rochdale_rover said:

He was there worst player by a mile.

Kept making wrong decisions and didn't het his head up 

 

That was my thinking as well. Honestly I can't remember that he played and as a former Rover I would definitely remember if he did well. 

https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/would-be-a-much-welcomed-addition-blackburn-rovers-make-bid-for-coventry-city-player-the-verdict/

Interesting article 

8 minutes ago, Gav said:

To be honest Mowbray worked wonders in the final days of last seasons transfer window with only £1.99 to spend, but your main point is spot on Wing Wizard.

I watched a Sheff Utd side rip us to pieces last Saturday, they've already done there business, a side going places which included a very lively Khadra that we got nowhere near all afternoon.

Apathetic is the word, it starts in Pune, why should anyone give a toss if the owners don't.........

I didnt even notice Khadra. 

What a deadline day it’s going to be! 🥳
 

who is going to replace Brereton then? 
 

if we are looking at Coventry for players I would like Gyokeres 

another name worth looking at is Keinan Davis and also maybe Mark Harris who our head of recruitment know well. That would maybe include Luke Jephcott. 
 

it isn’t very inspiring. Not many strikers out there 

1 minute ago, roversfan99 said:

No, Ayala doesn't have pace. Ayala is limited on the ball and is massively injury prone. Excellent defender at this level though.

From the limited times I have seen Hyam and what I have gathered, there are numerous positives and negatives to him too:

Good injury record, probably the best defender at a similar Championship club, good experience, good age, permanent transfer

Not the quickest and limited on the ball which goes against our supposed intended style, potentially harms the Van Den Berg deal

Problem being, you only consider the positives, and shout people down who dare suggest any doubts, whilst repeating how your "glass half full" attitude has seen you do so well in life.

I think Ive read that he is good at bringing the ball forward from CB position

There Are no good YouTube videos about Hyam. Dont want him. 

I think BBD to Villa has legs. Hopefully we will Get Cameron Archer to us as part of the deal. 

4 minutes ago, Exiled_Rover said:

All this talk of following the Brentford model (yuck) - it's not possible now post Brexit.

Its crazy. Look at the prize of Anthony Gordon (60m?????)

Demand and supply after British players is totally fecked because of the strict rules regarding work-permits. Suffering as always are the smaller clubs with smaller budgets. 

Whether or not we got Marius Lode. One thing is for sure. We are doing our business very quietly. 

4 minutes ago, Iceman said:

He isnt good 

I didn't say he was good or bad, just that I think our name might be linked to him. 

Norwegian leftback Fredrik Bjørkan who was sold to Hertha Berlin from Bodø Glimt is being linked with a loan to Norwich. 

Will be exciting to see if we will be linked as well due to Greggs Bodø Glimt history and having worked with Fredrik for two years. 

https://www.getfootballnewsgermany.com/2022/norwich-city-make-enquiry-for-hertha-berlins-fredrik-andre-bjorkan/

2 minutes ago, JacknOry said:

Yes, they did 6 days ago

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/aug/17/everton-and-bournemouth-enter-race-for-blackburn-striker-ben-brereton-diaz

Gus Williams is head of recruitment; 

Our biggest problem I think is the timing of the different roles. 

Everything should be in place earlier, but sometimes the recruitment process takes time and look at more prestigious clubs also having troubles getting the right head coach and structure in place.

It is okay to be negative and don't buy in to the project. I for one enjoy Rovers as a club with a crop of players from their own academy sometimes losing instead of Danny Murphies looking for a last pay-day. 

32 minutes ago, Exiled_Rover said:

This is just PTSD from Mowbray.

I'm fine with a project as long as there's a clear end point (to be an established PL club) and clear improvement year on year. 

It's way too early to judge Broughton and JDT - there's a lot of promise so far, but obviously clear frustration at the lack of signings. I'd rather make the right signings than just signings for the sake of it. 

Agree and as I pointed out earlier. It was this improvement of homegrown players Gregg did at Bodo Glimt. Putting together a structure and leading a academy which long-term provides good money and makes the money self-financing and in a good financial position. 

However most of the money from player sales came from a crop of players who went through the academy at Bodo Glimt and it is a bit early to deem it a success. 

I refuse to think its possible to spend 7 days to get permission to conclude a deal. IF so then its micromanagement at its worst