roversfan99

It cannot be underestimated how ridiculous it is to go into another long and tough season with only 3 centre backs, including one who is made out of glass and has spent much of the last 2 or 3 years injured, and another who is just back from spending 16 months out injured in what is the second long term injury of his career. Even if the rest of the squad was well rounded, which it isnt, that would undermine us. The contract situation was always going to rule this transfer window and not being able to get one single one sorted in our favour has totally ripped the side apart, stripping it of experience and quality. The one positive is that we have signed players in the main for a few years. The question is, it will be a downgrade on last seasons squad, and on last years manager, but how much? Relegation is a massive possibility. A weak, imbalanced squad full of question marks and totally lacking in know how and experience may fold as the season develops. The defence was really strong last season. Our best back 4 has been taken away as has the man who had us so well drilled. Our attack was poor, we have lost 2 of our better performers there and im unconvinced in the main that weve suitably added goals or speed, we still look slow. And our captain in between that has now gone.

Yes but that pales into insignificance when its not one, two or even three contracts but ALL of them. Not ONE of the first players that we wanted to keep, or the manager wanted to keep, whose deals were coming to an end (this or next summer) did we actually manage to extend the contract of. The only one we have kept is Tronstad who will leave on a free, dont delude yourself into your usual "well he might sign a new deal" crap. Thats Travis, Brittain, Hyam, Dolan, Batth, Weimann, all gone. As I said earlier in the summer and you shot me down for "banging on about it." The contract situation has predictably blown apart the whole transfer window. If its the odd player who wont re-sign, then sell and replace, agreed. But theres a considerable underlying pattern that will sooner rather than later lead to relegation. You are clearly lying when you say we are only short at centre back. You wanted and expected 2 before we had any idea that Hyam was going. Presumably one was an attacker, you also wanted a senior goalkeeper. You clearly wanted and felt that we needed more. Where do you see us finishing now with this squad and this manager? Just a prediction and no cliches or sitting on the fence.

Fair play. Do you still believe everyone is totally aligned? Do you think Ismael will be happy? Ismael wanted to change 6 or 7, we will have signed 10 and still are short in certain areas. He wanted to keep Travis/Hyam/Batth/Brittain/Weimann/Dolan and hasnt kept any. Didnt want loans and now weve resorted to 2 including one on deadline day scrambling around for bodies.

All last season he was very good, one of our best players. In his first season, he was our player of the season. He isnt easily replacable, certainly not for cheap, hes a top half standard Championship centre back. We are going into the season with 3 centre backs and 2 have serious injury issues. We signed Miller as a right back clearly and are now scrambling around to loan an unwanted Birmingham utility man, there is no way it can work to come close to sufficiently replacing him. Value in a deal has to include the timing you admit is terrible. £2m a month ago with a replacement signed is much better value to us than £2.7m hours before the deadline. Well, to the team. Not the bell ends who have probably confirmed our relegation with this last day.

Even based on my low expectations of this club, this window and this deadline day has fallen well beyond it. We are responding to losing our best CB and being left with only 3, 2 with big injury issues, by loaning (which throughout the summer we have been against) with a crap utility player who sat on the bench for a League 1 club last season. I have underplayed our likelihood of relegation in the past as there is some right shit in this league near the bottom but I cant forsee any other alternative reality. Weve stripped the squad of the majority of its quality and experience and have a dud as manager. And for people who have said its been a good window, or that things are aligned, have a word with yourself. Ismael didnt want a summer of "transition" and such a turnover of players, so many players have left that he wanted to stay and weve not managed one single contract extension. We will have signed 10 instead of the 6 or 7 he asked for and will still be massively lacking in various areas. We have dipped into the loan market purely out of panic today. He wont say anything because hes failed at his last 3 clubs and is sat on a cosy contract, and fair enough, most would sit and take it. Venkys and Suhail, fuck off. And anyone who thinks that Gestede and Owen have a good plan and are competent, again, the proof has been in the pudding.

For worse, clearly.

Elliott Jackson confirming that Gardner Hickman on loan will be almost certainly our only signing if we get it over the line. We have had some dreadful transfer windows under these wankers. This is as bad as any.

Hyam's departure always felt on the cards considering contract "talks" broke down and they seem desperate to gut the place of anyone on reasonable wages with any experience. A stopped clock is right twice a day.

Comments on twitter suggest that the common consensus on Gardner Hickman is a hard worker, versatile, technically poor and a League 1 standard player.

We came into today thinking we might frustratingly not bring in anyone of note without factoring in major sales. To sell our best centre back and to loan a cheap utility man aswell as not addressing pre existing issues would be a catastrophe.

Replacing a centre back with a jack of all trades on loan?

Leaning into relegation.

To be fair, I thought youd be buzzing that we might sell Hyam!

Ismael was insistent that Hyam wouldnt be sold. A real test for the alignment.

That isnt well stocked. Losing by far our best centre back with that mixture of injury prone, a full back and a young lad out on loan.

If we sell Hyam at this point in the window then we may aswell start planning for league 1 away days.

Ideally we would get rid of that waste of space and buy a replacement. Neither will happen.

They only care about "player development" now.

Wheres that from?

Wheres that from?

Hes on to you. Changed it.

We would get ripped apart.

Cantwell can not play in a midfield 2, its not his game and he has never done that before. He is better playing where he has been.

Just waiting on that confirmation that Elliott Jackson has had it confirmed from the club that we are 100% done. Then we can enjoy the push of ignoring the gaps in the squad. Phrases like happy with the numbers, dont want to upset senior players and creating pathways can come out.