roversfan99

Its easier to trim a squad packed full of quality than to rebuild one lacking in it. Hopefully they go down the Lampard route, hes a shit manager. But if they get a good one they unfortunately have to be favourites for the league. They still have Beyer, Muric, Zaraoruy, Benson, Roberts, Vitinho, Cullen, Ekdal, Al-Dakhil, Twine etc from last time. Admittedly they have lost Tella, Harwood Bellis and Maatsen on loan and may lose Brownhill but theyve since added players like O'Shea, Berge and Ramsey who are proven at this level aswell as the likes of Odobert, Koleosho etc, and have a full season of Foster who could score lots. And likely will add to that. Both Burnley and Luton have squads where I cant see many of their players being poached but otherwise packed full of top Championship players. Wilder has had his day I think. He did a great job nearly a decade ago when he got them up and had one superb season in the Prem, but since they tailed off and he got sacked, he has had 2 poor spells at other Championship clubs and he somehow made Sheff United worse when he came in. Plus hes a really arrogant and unlikeable man, not that its relevant. Their promotion squad has been broken up with Ndiaye/Berge poached and a number of other players moving on having lost their way, in some cases due to age.

Im not sure that it will be MUCH weaker. Luton will be strong, theyve added top Championship players like Kaminski, Chong and Giles since promotion and I cant see a firesale there. Burnley have added some proven quality at this level too including O'Shea, Berge and Ramsey aswell as other players like Koleosho and Odobert so dependant on who they appoint sadly will be a force. Sheff United less so but I am sure they will still be at the top. And you mention Huddersfield and Birmingham as big clubs but Birmingham in particular have been poor for a bit so arent losses quality wise. Hopefully Burnley will appoint Lampard because he is a terrible manager. But I fail to see beside Rovers bias how Sheff United look strong and Burnley dont. Burnley have a considerably better squad especially when you factor in some of the loans to return. Whereas Sheff United have lost a big chunk of that team, havent strengthened and surely wont stick with Wilder.

Did you say it was reported that Pochettino was unhappy with things like trying to force a set piece coach on him, or something similar? If his departure has been even partly caused by interference like that then it is absolutely crazy, just let him manage. Stuff like this seems to becoming more and more prevalent in modern day football. Ive said the opposite about Ten Hag, but with Pochettino at Chelsea, there were clear signs in an overall mixed season that things were coming together, a style was forming and results towards the end of the season were excellent with some of the signings made showing clear signs of improvement. Maresca seems a very underwhelming choice to replace him. It seems they want someone to expect minimal responsibility.

But over the course of the normal season, and I dont think play offs even count, Summerville has had a fantastic season and has scored and assisted plenty, so he obviously should have at least been in contention for player of the season. Todays performance doesnt stop that. It doesnt have to go to a player for a team who has achieved its goal necessarily. Szmodics played for a team that finished 12 places below last seasons finish but again that shouldnt dismiss his chances.

I think most people would take pretty much any other Championship manager over Rooney, it isnt really much of a compliment to choose Eustace.

He was poor today as were Leeds as a whole team. I don't know personally who I feel deserves player of the season, ultimately it means little and people get too worked up about it. But Summerville has been excellent this season and definitely deserves to be in contention, not just for his goals and assists but he gives more than that. One poor performance today in the play offs doesnt alter how good he has been.

You cant just base Summerville on today, im not saying he should or shouldnt have been player of the season but hes an excellent player who had an excellent season.

I think Myers has been totally out of the loop for a number of years.

Armstrong has developed his game to be fair this season, hes become a much more well rounded player who has got a lot of assists. Still a big step up but surely he will at least do better than last time. Wouldnt surprise me to see the 3 promoted sides straight back down again and at least Burnley and Luton going back up. How bad a pundit is Troy Deeney by the way?

I love how Park IS now coming back as a matter of fact now a random twitter account desperate for attention has cryptically suggested it. And also now Broughton has out the door, like with Tomasson, criticism starts to come his way.

You really do hate Russell Martin.

Straight into Venkys pockets.

Has anyone checked on @Vinjay

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I dont know if Ruddy is a target, never mind our first choice target. You suggested it would be positive to sign him not because of a personal opinion but because he is Eustace's first choice. That is a statement that surely needs proving, not disproving. You cant pass across something youve made massive assumptions on then call out others for not being able to prove otherwise.

So Nixon gets his disciples into frenzy all guessing 2 stories he has, one of which they say is very positive. Turns out it is United showing an interest in one of our youngsters and a passing interest in a young lad at Palace that no one has heard of.

But even he as far as I am aware hasnt said Ruddy is number 1 choice.

My point is, we dont know that Ruddy is first choice. We wouldnt even if one journalist specifically said that, but as far as I am aware, he didnt.

But the point is, we only have the rumour from a hack which was subsequently then denied by the local media that he is even a player of interest, never mind first choice. Im not convinced that Wahlstedt will ever get "up to speed" but we just need a good Championship goalkeeper. Im not convinced that Ruddy is that anymore.

Not really answering the question but fair enough.

Is he Eustace's first choice? How could you possibly know that? (A concern if he is, because that would mean he has questionable judgement and would signify another minimal budget)

I think quite how good Wharton is can skew perception if he is the benchmark. That being said, I am not convinced that Phillips made a terrible choice even not factoring in the financial aspect which is obviously crucial, people say greedy as if they would turn down multiplying their wage. But he was down the pecking order behind some average Championship defenders, different story if he left as a regular but he likely wouldnt have played that much yet. Perhaps its better being at a bigger club where you arent really in first team contention as they would be committed to getting you good loans at least to play football whereas here, he was 4th/5th choice but we needed depth so couldnt afford to find him regular football.

When you decided that Coyle, Mowbray and Bowyer needed to go. On Tomasson, you was fuming when he went but take the other 3.Why didnt the same argument apply, that the problems run far deeper than the manager under Venkys?

We need experience, the primary focus of next season is next season. I dont buy all this play under 21s and let them make mistakes stuff. But Ruddy comes off a poor season and is particularly old. I dont see how it would be "positive for Eustace" because I dont think it would be a particularly good signing for the team hes managing. I suspect the link is just a lazy one with the Birmingham link.

Its all well and good getting your tactics right against a better side in a cup final, kudos to Ten Hag as he got things spot on today. But the issue has been across a terrible league campaign, they cant sit in like they did today week in week out and he hasnt got a regular style to win enough of those games.