Presumably Eustace will take it as a chance to rotate from the few players at his disposal. Would assume that Ohashi, Weimann, Batth, McFadzean, Buckley and maybe Sigurdsson will be given a game. Be interesting to see if Szmodics features. Could do with the match fitness so him not being included might say a lot.

So do you think that he has forgotten how to pass due to Mowbray? He has never been a good passer.

Yeah that source has predicted that the Szmodics deal will be completed on about 20 days this window.

Surely whether its domestic or perhaps more likely, we can do better than Dembele. We are talking about someone who Birmingham fans would seemigly be happy to let go, he was dropped from the squad last year. Undoubtedly quick and tricky but no intelligence and poor in the final third

Dembele is starting for Birmingham.

I thought the same initially when I saw tbe table but then remembered. https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.bbc.com/sport/football/68790604.amp

Theyve had 2 points deducted.

But he has made a rod for his own back by making so many mistakes. Now everyone including probably his own defenders is on pins anytime the ball is near him. Id have to see their second and specifically his positioning again to criticise for that.

His biggest error was the one where he rushed out into no mans land. Against quality, they score that. Im also not convinced that a keeper can make what is deemed to be a really good save when facing a direct corner!

We do need to spend some money but I do think a couple of loans could be considered as long as we get some permanent deals too. We could do with also redressing the issue of players contracted beyond this season by also looking within. Dolan is inconsistent and Hyam had a poorer season last season but both are Championship standard and we would be better off if we could get both tied down beyond 2025, added to by say 3 permanent new players. I suspect positionally that Szmodics is already seen as being replaced as Dolan, Weimann and even JRC would be better in central areas. But we need those couple of wingers to then allow them not to be needed centrally.

It isnt them 2 that are funding us. Amazing how many people put the lack of funding on the two stooges. If you ordered a takeaway and substandard food was used, you wouldnt blame the driver. You again seem keen to want to paint others as going over the top whilst maintaining a position as the reasonable one. Ultimately we dont need a goalkeeper because of last night. A poor Derby side posed him little threat. But even then, he had a couple of very nervy moments including charging out of his net and being very fortunate that a poor Derby attack couldnt take advantage.

We definitely should sign a few players on longer term deals. No excuse not to. We also need to be thinking longer term in general. The likes of Dolan and Hyam should be given longer deals (even allowing for the fact that neither is perfect) to increase the number of players contracted beyond this season. But there is nothing wrong with a couple of loans on top of it. You are always dead against them but its a way of picking up quality you couldnt otherwise afford and even the top teams in the division use this market. Problem is, I dont trust that a reasonable amount of money will be spent. When a Championship club makes considerable money from sales, not all of the money should go back in. But a decent chunk should.

Obviously every keeper makes mistakes. The issue is the quantity of the mistakes Pears makes. He made so many goal costing mistakes last season. Tonight didnt require someone "with a notepad" supposedly being over critical of his performance. In a game where a very limited side struggled to create clear cut chances, there was minimal opportunity to make a howler. But he was fortunate when he did run stupidly out and fail to get to the ball that Mendez Laing's execution was lacking and the ball was eventually cleared.

We cant afford to let Buckley go, he is one of only 3 central midfielders we have. If we can get the couple of quick wide men that we need then Sigurdsson and Markanday potentially become surplus to requirements.

Very pleasing and comfortable win, impossible not to be happy after that. Travis was man of the match, brilliant performance with Tronstad a great foil. New signing wise, thought some of Gueye's general play was really promising, holding the ball up, decent turn of pace. Finishing on 2 occasions especially the second was very poor but his movement is also good, in line with what I have read that he is not a natural finisher and misses lots of chances but finds himself in goalscoring opportunites. Ohashi is a totally different player, was a bit loose a couple of times but much more composed in the final third. Weimann will potentially be a really shrewd pick up as a squad player. Lots of other players were 7 out of 10 and its such a shame that Szmodics will leave. Pears is still a liability, has to be replaced ASAP. Out wide we are lacking and our bench was very imbalanced so we need 5 or 6 players in. We also need to be much better at defending set pieces. Derby are terrible and easy to see why most predictions are for them to go down, less so as to why @philipl feared a rout. Full of league 1 standard players and absent of any quality. We wont have any easier games this season but youve still got to win them and we looked much better than them

Pears number 1, Hilton number 13. Problem position sorted.

Its the owners that dont want to spend.

There is a video on the official Rovers youtube.

Gestede has also said we want to bring 3 (then he said 2 or 3) players in during the rest of the window. If that is the case then we are going into the season ill prepared. Eustace has said we are short in net, at full back and in midfield. Plus he also called for a couple of pacy players down the sides. So 2 of those positions we are going to be left well short in. Theres an easy question for Elliott Jackson and co. You said you were short in these areas yet Gestede and Waggott have mentioned 3 additions. Does this concern you that you will not get the full squad you have asked for?

Where is this from? I think that would leave us needing another CB as we would only have 3 capable of playing in a back 4.

I will stop engaging in debates with chaddy if people prefer. We are 2 of the most common posters on the messageboard and when we do debate it tends to involve lots of other posters also adding their opinions and provoking further debates and conversations, its not just the 2 of us parallel to everyone else, but if that is what people would like.

I know we will see in the next 21 days. I specifically said that I dont have in the staff and in particular the owners releasing the required funds to give us what we need. You then picked me up on the fact that I dont have faith as if I was being unnecessarily negative. Yet you wont even say if you THINK (not hope, think) that we will get what we need and thus have faith in the owners etc to give us what we need. I dont see how my attitude towards the young players is negative. I never said that they are anything other than talented. I just dont think we should expect them to come through immediately in the absence of signings, that is putting far too much pressure on them when none of us can possibly know if they are ready. They should be allowed to come through as and when they are ready.

Players like Duru and Tyjon should be seen as bonuses should they emerge this season. Not as guaranteed to come through because they may not be ready, no senior football and both very young, especially Tyjon.

My point was that I don't have faith predominantly owners releasing the funds required, and also the idiots running the show, to deliver the required additional signings to give us the squad we need. In terms of what we need now and also in terms of adding players who can contribute beyond this season. You dismissed that point, and then went off on a tangent. Which is why I asked and will ask again, simply and clearly. Do you have faith in the owners providing the required funds to Suhail and Waggott to then oversee the signings of the quality and quantity we require to fulfill the objectives set out? I know you are looking forward to the season at Ewood Park. It has absolutely no relevant to the point I am making though and the question I have asked. I have outlined the question above, yes or no will do. Yes I agree that a narrative was spun that he saved the day when it wasnt really like that. An inability to win at home at all and a poor points per game tally meant that results werent great. As you say though, it is difficult to judge but the jury is certainly out.

Its a fair point on Eustace. Amidst the off the field shit show, the manager has been forgotten about. I dont think its possible to truly be sure either way, there are signs that he can organise us better and make us harder to beat. But he literally didnt win a home game and we didnt see signs that we can attack teams with any guile. And that was with Szmodics in the team.