Quite possibly the usual supposed ITK scramble of rubbish on deadline day, especially as McGuire seemingly isnt there yet. Its deadline day, if you say players are at the training ground, if anyone signs, great, if not, they must have broken down/ran out of time.

You have missed something. HITC reporting that we asked late on for Wharton back on loan. That Rak Sakyi is injured I think anyway. We are on plan A though. Sell Wharton, Venkys pocket the cash.

https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2024/02/01/sources-crystal-palace-turn-down-request-but-22m-deal-will-be-done-today/ The disagreement was due to us trying to loan Wharton back.

Not that we will sign either, or likely anyone else. But I think McFadzean is permanent, albeit short term.

Thats what I mean. To say deal off is beyond that there is a potential snag. It seems to have caused terminal damage to the deal.

He has also listed a series of positions that we may or may not look to strengthen.

The American sources wont be abrest of the Wharton situation. They wouldnt have known about a potential snag that has since been ironed out, so if that had fallen through, then that could in theory explain why we may have no longer been able to spend fees. But as others have touched on. Why would be specifically say deal off mid flight and be so definitive? That suggests maybe its not as simple as a snag that has been ironed out.

Whilst you would think they should, they will be on decent contracts so its not as simple as that. They arent Rovers fans, and not choosing to becone unemployed with uncertain futures doesnt mean they have a guilty conscience.

Broughton and Waggott got basically all of the blame for that. Rightly so. This idea that Venkys got it all is simply not true.

The problem is, the protests will never be widespread and even if they are, sadly they are too detached to even seemingly notice. So nothing will happen anyway. We are just stuck. Itd quite incredible how anyone defends them, deflects blame from them or thinks that they are good for the club, but even if they didnt im not sure it would make a difference.

I think the 2 cases may have been different, there was clearly some sort of collective cock up last year. But this one seems more cut and dry. Theres no logical reason to blame Broughton if the deal was agreed and then Venkys have vetoed the deal.

The owners have blocked any fees being spent despite a club record sale and you still deflect?!

@RevidgeBlue seems like this is on the owners.

Why would that cause the deal to collapse?

Not that it makes any difference to us but thats not a real account.

Where is that from?

If we did sign another CB, something I doubt we will pissing around with loans. I would get potentially playing a back 3 as a means to getting more height in, but I really hope it isnt with attackers as wing backs.

Ive wondered this. Our local journalist must not be keen on asking questions.

One of the most underwhelming signings I can ever remember almost certainly to be followed by a depressing sale whereby all but a couple of million will vanish. What a window. (Of course we are "keeping our powder dry" until the summer)

Loan bids for random players in the Swedish league with 20m burning a hole in our pocket.

You are right about needing a central midfielder, but you underestimate the loss of Travis. He wasnt better than Tronstad and Wharton but with the latter leaving its immaterial. He was the third of 3 Championship quality midfielders we had, then theres a huge drop off. Captain, proven regular member of sides that have finished 7th and 8th, attracted a move to a top 2 side. Him and Garrett on current ability are night and day. Now we have 1. As @Miller11 mentioned, Hill (and at a push Carter who is out for the season) could cover full back. Our squad was desperate for help because its too small and lacking in certain areas. Now its even weaker. We are stronger up front IF this new striker signs and with Gallagher back. But our strongest area in midfield is now our weakest, we are an injury away from a crisis at full back even if Chrisene is up to it too.

A further area of weakness is full back. Brittain and Pickering are out for at least a month each. We have JRC just back from injury and Chrisene who is a question mark. I guess there will plenty of the attackers playing wing back bollocks potentially.

The thing is, even if we run with this naive theory that we are saving for the summer. Why are we writing off the season completely? Why are we even bothering signing a third loan of the window if the season has been written off? Even if we loaned a midfielder, which would still not suffice considering the Wharton fee, there would at least be an admission that we are massively short in midfield having lost our best and third best midfielder, leaving only one good CM, a young lad who isnt ready to play week in week out, and injured underperformer and nothing else.

I will judge any player on his team in a Rovers shirt. But I will have opinions before, and if you don't want to, fine but I am unsure if this thread is the place for you.

Even if that is the plan, we would rather trade in the summer. You cant just leave your midfield so neglected in the meantime. Not as weak as we will be there.