roversfan99

I would certainly say weaker. It wasnt the plan to lose so many key players and its easy to underestimate how good they were at this level. Signs on the new recruits are mixed as you would expect.

Yeah, I also cant understand the fixation about 4 (well, 6) key players all leaving the club because we cant sort first team contracts out. Only a minor issue.

Yeah if they have big doubts that the manager is right for where they are now, theres not much point allowing loyalty and perceptions about what they "deserve" to overrule that for a randomly chosen period of time. Its a poor example and there will be more obvious ones, but I remember the outrage when Southampton sacked Nigel Adkins and appointed Pochettino. Adkins had done a good job and didnt "deserve" to be sacked, but the choice was still a good one.

Yep, its just a series of individual circumstances and there is no pattern to see here and nothing that the club has done wrong.

It was a penalty against Birmingham. The West Brom ones perhaps but we were really poor that day. Its more the Birmingham one that people are claiming as unfortunate and undeserved whereby it was our own naivety and poor decision making that led to both goals. Especially the 2nd.

Again, you go off on tangents regarding individual players but the fact remains. And obviously regarding Gestede, how he speaks publically. And I am clearly not on my own in thinking that.

Again chaddy, 1 first team player in 2 seasons has signed a new deal at the club. That being a left back who signed on a strange initial 6 month deal that was then extended. That pattern isnt normal and isnt healthy. End of story. You clearly are swallowing everything that comes out of people within the clubs mouths and that is your prerogative.

To be fair, those death spirals seem common at Rovers regardless of manager. Thin squads unable to cope with a 46 game season.

I suspect you know the following and are purposely twisting my point. My issue is not with a policy of selling players with a year to go. Although when we didnt, you also defended the club on that. My issue is with the total inability and unwillingness to offer competitive contracts. Its with one contract being sorted in 2 years. The wage structure is clearly too low. And on your other points. Yes, Gestede is a prick. And why is it when a signing looks good based on very few games, its deemed a good signing. But when one looks poor, its because hes not had enough time? Surely it works both ways? Based on what we have seen before, some are better than others, although things may change in the future. We conceded 2 really poor goals. Not unlucky, not bad decisions made out of control. Fully of our own making. Got what we deserved.

They won 2 nil at Millwall before the break so I suspect he felt obliged to keep them the same.

5 games in. I presume you wish relegation upon them and consider it a disgrace?

I think that West Brom appointment was a sentimental and emotional decision from all concerned. Mowbray had just been given the all clear from such a major illness, it never felt right or likely to work out and didnt. He obviously isnt as poor a manager as made out on here. He did a good job here and did a better job at Sunderland. Both clubs werent as equipped to expect to finish in the top 6 like Sheff United are. But I certainly cant see how he would be a standout candidate now, especially considering his recent illness. Wouldnt make sense to me. Wilder is the obvious and most sensible shout but there is a lot of water under the bridge, and you do wonder if that would cause issues. Also, the squad has had a big overhaul since last season.

Majority? Id say it is a split based on the very little we have seen. Alebiosu, Miroshita, McLoughlin, Miller and Gudjohnsen, good signs to varying degrees. TGH I suspect will be a useful squad man. Tavares, De Neve, Henriksson, big question marks ane Baradji a waste of time. But either way, our issues wont be apparent 5 games into the season as our first 11 is competitive and that has always been the case. Its when the games tick by, the injuries mount up and a lack of depth is exposed.

Obviously getting wages down is very much the plan. But dont let them fool you into thinking this summers overhaul is part of any plan. They wanted to keep all of the players that left and planned far less in the way of a squad change. Do we deserve more than 6 points? The game that seems to cause people to think we are hard done by is the Birmingham game. There was little in the game either way for 85 minutes, just one moment of quality. But it was solely down to our naivety and our poor decision making that led to a defeat. I still dont get how we can end that game feeling hard done by. Otherwise, West Brom and Norwich were deserved defeats. Hull we clearly deserved to win. I would also strongly suggest that we deserved to win yesterday, we took the lead and saw the game out very well. But if you argued that we deserved more v Birmingham, you could probably say that on quality of chances and territory it was pretty even. Your general point at the end is fair by the way.

Obviously we are basing opinions both positive and negative very early on here, as its all we have to go on. For example, Gudjohnsen on a promising half an hour. But it appears a mixed bag. Gestede also comes across unprofessionally and arrogantly. Alebiousu, Morishita, McLaughlin and Miller to varying degrees also appear promising additions. But equally, he has signed a player out injured for months and also De Neve and Henriksson have appeared to be well off the standard so far. Tavares has also really struggled. But obviously the main issue has been the abject inability to hold on to any of our existing important players, with pathetic offers of the same wage and just an extra year. I suppose he isnt the main person to blame for that but Broughton managed it.

I think Ohashi is best suited to being a number 9. He likes to run in behind and he can use his body quite well. I think because of his frame, its easy to assume that he would be more effective deeper (hes hardly got the physique of a typical old fashioned number 9) but I dont see what skills he has that would be better suited there. I just dont think he is anything special. Hes a decent Championship striker but hes not one that cant be improved upon or one youd have faith in really making the difference. I liked the look of Gudjohnsen although he did have a specific job to do of helping to see a game out and he really did help in that. He has attributes that are really promising. That being said, the acid test will be what he offers in terms of helping us get more goals.

He hasnt been in the last 2 years. When he has played, he has looked really shaky and error prone and often seemed to evade criticism which was unfairly put on Hyam. I have always seen suggestions of the Premier League as unfounded but he has certainly shown before that he can be a good defender at this level and perhaps it was just those fitness issues that meant that he struggled to perform to his maximum during those 2 seasons. So the question is whether he can stay fit. Not only is it critical as he is our only natural right footed centre back but its also important to allow him to get some rhythm back.

For Wrexham in particular, it almost feels like a totally new team. With Parkinson's track record at this level, I do wonder considering that they have built a team of good Championship players, whether you just would be ruthless not based on what Parkinson deserves as it would feel unjust, but you make a tough managerial decision with similar ambition that they have shown signing players to try and get the best from them. If you arent convinced now but wait and see, you could be wasting time and leaving it too late to have a real push higher up. Im unsure if their owners will do that. They are seemingly incredibly ambitious and invested but they also seem really loyal.

Hes started really encouragingly and I really like the look of him. But Brittain was an absolute stand out for all of last season. No way is he an upgrade. Nor is that a criticism of him 5 games in.

I certainly dont think it is dire but many of their new signings didnt start either for fitness reasons or because Parkinson presumably tried to be loyal to the side that won at Millwall. Hyam, Ben Sheaf, Josh Windass, Nathan Broadhead, their new left wing back who they signed from Empoli and Issa Kabore all didnt start. They need to all gel and I suspect they dont have the manager needed to get the best of them but they certainly have some good players.

Excellent result and away performance. Arguably more pleasing than Hull in a way as there was no jeopardy at 3 up against a side ravaged with illness. We managed today really professionally and comfortably. Wharton was man of the match, absolutely brilliant. Both him and Carter did very well considering their lack of fitness. Tronstad was also excellent until he went off, getting back to his best. Alebiosu again was very good too down the right. Morishita certainly had an impact on his debut and looks a talent. Not convinced he is a wide player though, there are a number in the squad who I think would be better suited to a back 3, but selling Hyam with no replacement (and pretending it was the plan all along) robs us of that as a serious regular option. Gudjohnsen showed some really nice signs off the bench. Obviously until we see what hes like in terms of when we need a goal, then the jury is out, but he did well today and I liked the look of him. Kargbo as he often does didnt offer that same intelligent play. Miller did well coming on in a back 3 and that position suited him. Tavares was poor again and with the Tronstad potential injury and bizarre Baradji situation that position is a concern.

Ill take that as no, you just take everything they say at face value. Based on your general posting, its a fair assumption.

Ohashi has never played on the wing before. Ismael suggested that with Gudjohnsen adjusting to the league and having only trained once, that he is unlikely to need to be chucked in like Henriksson was.

Also @chaddyrovers was there any point in the interviews whereby you felt that they were not telling the truth, spinning the situation or any points where you felt that further questions were required?

Even if we cant afford to compete with then in particular. A bigger question would be, why are we not in a position to even offer these players better terms than what they signed years ago? Gestede said 2 of Travis/Brittain/Hyam were offered equal wages but with an extra year. They all signed contracts 3 seasons ago. Why is our wage budget capped at such a low amount? Why hasnt it even increased for inflation? Whats the point even bothering with such pathetic offers that they never would sign?