I dont know what your opinion is on Buckley, all you do is repeatedly portray those of the "experts" and use it as a stick to antagonise. You once laughed at a poster who was a regular watching the under 23s who suggested that Mols was better than Buckley, despite then admitting that you had never seen Mols play!

https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/18669991.rovers-transfer-news-latest-budget-defender-search/ "While the budget will allow for cash signings, those are unlikely to stretch to seven-figure fees." Seems we are very much limited in terms of the fees we can offer, very much at odds with any theories regarding Venkys signing off every cheques. It comes as little surprise and to be quite honest it is understandable to an extent. That being said, as I pointed out the other day, there is a way to go before our side is even on par with last season considering the losses of Adarabioyo, Downing and one or two others. Apparently we want 2 from 3 domestic CB's, one of which is Lindsay on loan (which wouldnt be my preference) and the other 2 are permanent deals. Kipre is sadly too expensive. Whiteman is also too dear, a signing that never seemed realistic. I dont think you are gonna get much for your money for under a million in England. Certainly not the solution to fixing our defence. I would suggest that the main 2 avenues could be like we are with Kaminski, a calculated gamble from abroad, where the prices may be lower, although that doesnt seem to be the case. Or the free agent market, there is some real quality there in Van Der Hoorn, Ayala, Lockyer etc, the first 2 are probably debatable in terms of wages but they would be ready made starters. I also think that Mowbray needs to compromise on his principles of how he wants to play. For example, 2 full backs always pushed on is asking for trouble.We need to prioritise solidity more than we have done so far.

Out of interest, if you are so keen to regularly state how your inside line to the real experts is the set of opinions that you tend to go off implicitly, and dismiss anyone on here because they arent experts, what purpose does coming on here even fulfill? Whether you have heard through chinese whispers that Brockhall is essentially a John Buckley fan club or not, all you are going to find on here is people judging him on when they have seen him play for the first team. Which really is where it matters.

Its not negativity to have expressed doubts about a players ability to play for the first team at the moment, nor is it down to an expectation for him to "be a world beater." In the first team he hasnt shown really any signs that he is capable of being an effective player at this moment in time. He had one effective game at Charlton, beyond that he has struggled in the main. I just dont see how he gets in the team at the moment or close to it. Doesnt mean that he wont in the future and maybe a loan spell and regular football is the best pathway.

£5.99 to watch a stream of a friendly! Be amazed if anyone takes them up on that.

With Armstrong though, his goals last season v Reading, Luton, Brentford x2, Hull, QPR, PNE, Bristol City, QPR away, and his brilliant performance at Sheffield Wednesday all had him in a central role. Moving him central sparked him into life. In a 4231 we could have our 2 goalscorers central and then hopefully build around that being solid with them always proving a threat. Everyime Dack has played the false 9 before it has not worked. Has to play with his back to goal more and also nullifys his desire to appear a bit later to score.

Dont think this has been posted. Apologies if it has. A video of Kaminski. Appreciate that it offers little value because it is his best parts so there is no perspective of overall reliability. Seems to be a very dramatic goalkeeper in terms of loving a camera save, occasionally spilling it back into the danger zone. Also a few penalty saves in there. For quite a few years, I have never really been confident in our keepers saving penalties. Hopefully that could change now.

I dont think that the 433 suits the squad in general but saying that, I think that Dack has to be considered because he is so important to us.

So am I but I mean if he has another poor season there would be little reason to provoke talks for a new deal. If he has a good season then great.

Also he admitted trying to sign Atsu (a crap winger but its the position that counts!) in January so maybe the penny has dropped a bit? If you play 4231 it gives you more scope for 2 central players in attack. Well no, we have to learn from what went well and what didnt go so well last season. The 433 didnt work very well. Seems a bit of a cop out. Either way, playing 433 means only one of our attacking players can play centrally. Also puts more reliance on the wide players who havent shown an ability to score regularly. Even if it means Holtby as the 10 further forward. If we play 4231 im sure youll start bigging that formation up and dismissing 433 anyway.

I didnt mention todays game. I was judging on the last 2 seasons. Last season he did his "Better than Brereton but still saving his contribution for when our chances have gone" routine and scored a tidy finish v West Brom and a heavily deflected goal v Reading. It has to be far better and theres only so long you can say that. His contract is up next season and it might be time to part ways if he doesnt start contributing.

Evans and Travis central, Rankin Costello left, Chapman right, and Holtby off Armstrong. Dack can slip into Holtbys positon when hes fit again. As I said, makes no sense to play a system that wont suit our best 2 players when they are both fit. Which hopefully will be most of the season. Plus the formation didnt work last season.

I think there is an element of that to be fair. You look at us all getting overly excited over his post lockdown performances and getting our hopes up at any slither of ability shown. I also would rather see Rankin Costello play further forward and see what he can do in his natural position. Would love to see him left, Chapman right, and Dack off Armstrong at one point. Thats where he always plays but unfortunately, whilst there are some attributes there, he doesnt seem to have anything at the end and theres only so many times you can think "the talent is there now is the time to show it" yet he doesnt come up with the goods.

Brereton was offside numerous times. Kept breaking down attacks doing so.

Whatever Rothwell is supposed to be, hes not very effective.

By "could be the way to go" you mean the way that Mowbray will play? Doesnt suit us when Dack is back which shouldnt be that far away so theres no point building around that system. The results playing that formation last season were very poor.

Ha! Nixons story is us signing a kid presumably for the under 23 side? Exciting! I think it would need a fairly successful season just to match last seasons squad which is a bit of a worry, considering who has left. Walton obviously going doesnt leave too big of a gap, and although we are seemingly taking a calculated gamble on a goalkeeper from abroad who has had a tough time recently, the Walton benchmark is a low one there. Adarabioyo will be a huge miss. Id be amazed if we managed to get someone as good at centre back. Cunningham played only a fraction of the season but we gathered a fair few points in that game. That said, he didnt play enough to make it a major loss but again we will struggle to get a left back as good unless we go for him again. We have seemingly lost Downing. Im not saying that we should have acted differently or indeed that he would have been as effective but last season he was very good and must have been close to player of the season. Graham had a much less critical part but I think was in every match day squad and was always an option, plus his departure puts more onus on Brereton. Weve also lost some experience and also players who can use the ball well which is key to Mowbrays supposed new style. Its a vital window just to ensure that our squad isnt worse than it was last season.

I think you may be right. But considering our players and also the poor results using the formation post lockdown, im not in favour of it.

Dack isnt half as effective as a false 9 and presumably Armstrong would be back to being on the left so we would be playing our only 2 goal threats both out of position. Makes no sense.

Most of Armstrongs goals came when he moved centrally last winter. He had produced so infrequently out wide in the 18 months prior that he was getting a lot of criticism which seems a long time ago now.

Doesnt add up at all really. Attacking midfielder which we dont need. Mid way through a 2 year loan. Quick look online and he has recently in the last 2 weeks been given the number 10 short at his loan club and been on the team photo this week. I think the likes are coincidental. Maybe has a soft spot like Yuri Zhirkov strangely did too!

Think a wide man (or even a striker) would be needed more than either of the bottom 2 Signing another attacking midfielder doesnt really tally up.

I suppose if Armstrong and Gallagher are both only played central, then it would depend on getting at least one more wide man in. For one spot, they should be choices 1 and 2. But we are perhaps one light yeah. We have 2 goalscorers, one is just a number 10. You cant really look past them 2. Gallagher and Holtby should be the alternatives there. But thats reliant on them 2 both being fit and indeed clicking as a pair.

I dont even necessarily expect the winger to hug the touchline. Many of the best wingers in the League dont but they still provide an element of width and the possibility to go outside in a way that a Gallagher or even a Rothwell dont. Chapman in his last 2 part appearances, ie 20 minutes v Reading and half today, provided that width, for example v Reading, he cut in and put in a brilliant cross for Gallagher (the only other cross of a similar level all season was that Nyambe one again for Gallagher) and then soon after he got the ball wide and went on the outside, took 2 on the othee way and then put another really good cross in. His defensive contribution or lack of is often mentioned (despite the fact that he has started one League game ever under Mowbray, so he hasnt played enough to really be judged on it at senior level!) and he will need to track back but having an actual winger ahead of the full back places less emphasis on said full back to keep pushing on which could potentially lead to us being more solid that way.

@Bbrovers2288 totally agree that we shouldnt wait forever, if he is asking for too much money, too much game time or too much time to think, there has to be a cut off point. I just think that no one owes anyone anything, he came in and we mutually benefited, he added something to our squad with his performances and we paid him to do so. To suggest that he is sticking his fingers us at the fans was unnecessary IMO, and he should look in his best interests just as we should ours. Which seems to be leading to a parting of their ways which can be done respectfully. I see that we dont seem to be interested in bringing in a forward. Firstly, Nixon again talking shite. Apparently we were strongly in for Hofmann, now thats been quashed hes again got something wrong. I am not sure how I feel about not wanting a striker. I must say that it is well down the priority list, we need left back, centre back, winger and a second goalkeeper. And Downing will need replacing potentially too. With presumably limited funds, not easy! I would be happy if Armstrong was first choice striker, Gallagher backing him up, with Dack and Holtby as number 10s, and 1 winger (at least, probably only 1 is realistic) to play and compete with Chapman, Rankin Costello and Rothwell. I suspect that the actual solution in Mowbrays head is with false 9s and Gallagher still wide. That being said, if the budget allowed, someone like Chris Martin would be a nice option to have. It isnt ideal that 3 strikers worth 15m cant be relied on with any great confidence, but it is what it is. I also do wonder if Tom Lockyer has been considered. Good age, 10 caps for Wales, very much affordable on a free.