roversfan99

Good to get another body ticked off. Elliiott Jackson seems to think he is seen as an attacking midfielder and that makes the most sense. Not some elaborate plan to shove him wide, and we already have options further back. We need cover/competition for Cantwell now Weimann has gone. Now the priority has to be to improve the forward line. Even if it means putting the remaining funds on a right winger which is most important and then loaning 1 or 2 more, including a striker. And we obviously still have a massive contract problem. When you are signing cheap punts from abroad its always a bit of a lottery. De Neve didnt pull up any trees at left back for a relegated Belgian side and they seem shocked that we came in, so you are hoping that a change in position might suit his attributes and he can push on. Alebiosu couldnt even get in that side but hopefully a good half season loan in Scotland is what he needed to push on. Tavares made a poor move to Porto having been highly rated at Leicester and just ended in their B Team barring an unsuccessful brief loan in the MLS. He wasnt a regular when he moved to Morinense but he clearly was highly rated 2 or 3 years ago so you are left hoping that he can push on and get back on track. I dont know why but compared to those 3, this one seems slightly different. He has only played 1 and a half seasons at any top level but his career seems to have been continiously on the up and fans of GAIS seem to unanimously love him. Miller also seems to be seen as a loss to Hibs fans. Talk about him being better as a right centre back is a concern, and obviously he is filling massive shoes and I dont expect him to be on par with Brittain. But theres enough to be hopeful that he can do a job at this level and also keep improving.

Makes no sense, thats why. Came out with some crap which is just typical managing expectations spiel in the main. The idea that he didnt want promotion didnt make sense on any level. Illogical, conspiracy theorist nonsense. It would have been a massive pay rise and a huge boost to his CV. Just wasnt capable which is a seperate matter. Hence why in that last season he got publically pissed off with the owners for doing what they do best to every manager we have and totally cut away any prospect of promotion. Either way, the way his name triggers some all these years after is really unhealthy.

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Not really. For the last season he was constantly calling out the owners for not investing. People talk about him as if he was like Steve Kean, protecting a position at a level well above his station. Not the case, he then went and got into the play offs the season after with a Championship club.

Sounds nice at the moment. But as ever, the contract situations are the elephant in the room so either they get sold and we get massively weakened or they leave in a year for free until we sort it.

Totally unnecessary.

So the plan is to not even bother trying to tie down our key, proven Championship players. But instead to replace by players abroad for six figure fees. Suppose it is a plan of sorts. Isnt it 5 signings. Tavares, McLoughlin, De Neve, Miller, Alebiosu.

We must have had a plan every season because we always sign players. Next season we will have a different plan. Wheres the plan in terms of keeping our better players long term and renewing contracts? Wheres the plan in ensuring that our crowds dont continue to dwindle? Wheres the plan in having a compent and stable team off the pitch running the club?

Didn't Elliott Jackson say today that we are NOT signing Baradji at the moment? We cant. Not enough ESC slots.

Our "plan." Changes every year. Have to be pretty gullible to think we have one.

Any defender would look better next to a leader. But even when he plays well, he seems immune to praise, instead it all goes to his partner. We finished 7th.

It seems like he played in a midfield 3. Surely he would be competion for Cantwell. We are light there. Im not convinced he will play on the right, and hope thats not a plan instead of signing a player who naturally plays in that position. But we will see. Mind you, until we do sign a right sided player. I would prefer to try him there over Hedges, but just bring Kargbo in on the left.

Surely not. For all the written down changes in formation, and talk about "creating overloads" and moving "in between the lines" we would still be desperately short of attacking threat with a player who has mainly played left back at his previous club on one side and a central midfielder on the other. I still think that we will sign a right winger, whether he will be any good is another question. Doesnt have to be an out and out old fashioned winger, but we need someone who can give us an extra goal threat and ideally some pace and directness, rather than shoehorning in a central midfielder. I am not sure what the exact plan will be for Henriksson. He is a midfielder who seemingly offers a goal threat so maybe cover for Cantwell, but also seems to be someone who gets stuck in so maybe an alternative to Baradji and either eventual or immediate replacement for Travis. Either way, signing a central midfielder to play on the right seems a bit of a stretch.

Which is probably why my point was that we could do with a good set piece taker to help with that.

Brittain was right up there with the best in the league in that position so it is unlikely that any replacement would be as good.

How did he win player of the season in his first season here then?

Absolutely. It makes no sense beside financial to have an 18 year old as number 2. He either becomes exposed or falls betwen the cracks.

Assuming this Swedish player does sign, that will presumably be 5 players aged 23-24 signed on longer term deals. That in isolation is obviously a positive, question now is are they any good. Added to that, an experienced Championship defender for 2 or 3 years. We have had ripped apart the defensive strength of our team though, to lose Brittain, Beck and Batth is a massive blow (also lost 2 extra bodies who were just cover) and its very, very difficult to see us equalling that quality. The signings we have made do seem to have more filled holes in the squad/replaced outgoings/added depth (which was needed) rather than improved the first 11. As I said, that did need doing. The key 2 objectives though still havent been solved even slightly. Been shot down for banging on about it before but the contract situation still lingers as a gigantic elephant in the room. We have to pay the going rate to get our core of key players sorted, it cant just be put off. If a decent proportion of these younger players come good on top of a core of proven players signed down for the forseeable, then theres reason for optimism. If they leave, then its easy to see an inexperienced group tumble down the league as it did under Tomasson when he was left out to dry. The futures of Tronstad, Travis and Hyam still remain as the key part of the rest of this window, especially as Brittain ws part of that and has left. Our attack wasnt good enough last season and now its much weaker. We have to soon make inroads on fixing that ASAP.

No but you said that you would be comfortable with Michalski as backup.

Hyam was excellent last season. His card for whatever reason seems to have been marked by some, even when he did play well he got no credit based on this theory thats grown legs that Batth did the work of 2. I was merely guessing who his 5 was. Although we havent seen enough either way to be totally sure.

Which would the 5 be? Not disagreeing, guessing the wingers and RB are 3. Wharton and Toth?

If Toth spends any period of time out, then you are really dropping a novice in it. You dont need an expensive player but you need senior cover.

I dont rate Pears but I would still prefer him on the bench to a kid.

So to clarify, everything that happens this summer is because it is exactly what Ismael wanted? If we replace a senior 2nd choice goalkeeper not with a replacement but with an 18 year old untested keeper. Then we are asking for trouble.

Its all well and good having an attacking player given cameos. But having an 18 year old untested 2nd choice keeper is a different story. Its a risk we cant afford to take. Im sure he is doing well in training but if he becomes 2nd choice, you cant convince me that the decision would be anything but financial.