roversfan99

It feels comparatively proactive to have 2 signings in at this point but considering Ismael wanted most business done by pre season, we are still well off. At right back, we need to sort 2 things out. At least one signing, and a conclusion to the Brittain deal, in which case potentially a replacement. At centre back, we still need 2. In central midfield, we need to sort out 2 contracts or replace. We need an attacking midfielder and a right winger, and we need another forward. So 6 signings, or maybe up to 9 if players leave. Goalkeeper, left back and left wing are the positions we have sorted and even then there are questions. Also a bit of trimming with Buckley and JRC becoming surplus to requirements. The inability to even offer contracts never mind sort them either way before this summer is a real issue.

I think its fair to have question marks over both, based on what we can ascertain. Tavares has very little senior experience and struggled to maintain a place in a mid table Portugese league team. He made 15 league starts, completed only 2 full games and theyve sold him a year after joining. We need attacking players who can help us to score more goals, on the face of it, De Neve doesnt have a track record that suggests he can help to rectify that. A versatile left sided player who was often played at full back, and has minimal goals or assists. Belgian journalists seem a bit surprised that a Championship side has come in for him. He has more senior experience than Tavares but doesnt seem to have pulled up any trees. Equally, to say they "are not good enough" seems totally unfounded and unfair. They are both quite young, and it may depend on what role they are expected to play. Seems a huge step up based on what they have done before to expect them to be regular starters on paper. We need to either keep hold of our key core of players or directly replace any departures.

Support is a very loose term.

Gone supporting Stanley 😂

Its hard to know much about the quality player either way so I am not sure what you are expecting people to say. He has very little senior experience to go off and that came in Portugal. And if there is an interview with any journalists over there, you will dismiss it as you "arent interested." Have you seen the player before? Seems like Leicester had him in mind as a more attacking midfielder and in Portugal he seems to have played deeper.

Theres no way its close to £2m up front, the fee seems to have become a symptom of chinese whispers. He cost £400k a year ago and wasnt a regular for his team. He started 15 games and finished 2 of those.

It will be interesting to see if there is a piece with a Portugese journalist in the Telegraph to give us more detail about what we are getting. It was Tavares' first full season from what I can see of his senior career and he only started 15 and completed 2 games which is a bit surprising as a central midfielder. Ability aside, it would surely be a big ask to expect him to play week in week out in the Championship all of a sudden. It has the feel of a project signing, they both do. Tavares has played very little senior football really and couldnt maintain a regular spot, and De Neve often played at full back and it seemingly was a bit of a surprise that we signed him. Hopefully they will be accompanied by more proven players and we have seen some attributes that suit what we want to do and allow then to really kick on.

He regularly just throws out random names for no reason.

In terms of where Tavares is at. Am I right in thinking he has only ever made 15 senior starts? Perhaps he will be more pushing as initially 3rd choice, although that I suppose that depends on either keeping or directly replacing Tronstad and Travis.

Hopefully can prove to be a good signing and we can keep Tronstad and Travis and have some proper competition in there. Good to get him in early and hopefully more follow soon. Surprised that hes only on a 3 year deal with no option. Perhaps a small indication that the fee is indeed smaller than advertised?

As I said, its clearly not possible to do that. There is a middle ground between on par with them and someone who isnt (in my opinion) capable of starting without causing a huge drop in quality. Baker proved that. If your backup is so inferior to your starting 11, then you will really suffer as the season goes on. As we have seen.

Hes not actually been capped I dont think. On Buckley, I always felt like it was a bit of interesting man management by Eustace to make him vice captain. When he was captain it was often for the second string in cup games. Maybe he was trying to get more out of him.

I dont think Buckley is even a good squad player. If a first teamer is unavailable, you dont feel comfortable with him (or Forshaw) coming in.

No but I havent made those comments in any way as a slight on either of the players coming in. To improve, we need to build on our core of good Championship players. I know enough about Travis and indeed Tronstad, Brittain, Hyam, Batth and Dolan to know that they are all good Championship players. They are capable of performing right now at a very good level (unlike Forshaw) and also bring lots of Championship minutes. If we replace a number of these like for like with players from abroad who may be talented but are unproven, that would be incredibly risky and also not address our issues with depth. I dont think what I am saying is negative at all.

I am neutral about it in that like with De Neve, I have never seen him play. I will see what comes out in terms of how he is seen at his current club to gauge a brief opinion, but even then its only an initial second hand hunch. I think if we add players like these in theory around a core of proven quality at this level, which we have but just need to keep. Then it (obviously dependant on how good they are) makes sense in theory. If they are direct replacements, then I become very concerned. Like most I imagine.

I presume you are implying that I am being negative based on previous posts. How is that negative?

I remember Tavares being on the fringes at Leicester without breaking through. These signings from Europe, players who arent really young but arent yet at their peak, can make sense if they come into a squad that already has proven players at this level. Their wages will be lower. Which puts more emphasis on getting the likes of Travis, Tronstad, Hyam Dolan, Batth and Brittain tied down. We already know 2 of them are going, if these are direct replacements then it is a huge concern.

So clear that we didnt actually offer him a deal and just came back to it over a month after.

As said above. Players aren't signing contracts.

We will never know either way but I am happy to assume that Ismael did approve. My point is, although Ismael should have final say. Even if he does, it doesn't automatically justify any decisions he chooses. Eustace wanted Bamford in January who wasn't imminently going to come back from injury. I wanted Eustace to have final say too, didn't mean I had to agree with that particular choice. I also don't get why any player as 3rd or 4th choice has to have Championship experience. Having it doesn't offset no longer being a competent Championship player in terms of being able to play from the start.

Not that it makes it automatically a wise move if Ismael wanted it. But why did we initially disclose that he had been released if he was totally happy? There is the problem. Our squad players obviously won't be as good as the first 11, but having to downgrade so much when a replacement comes in, that lack of depth has commonly hindered us post Xmas.

Pre season starts on Monday, busy weekend ahead to get Ismael what he demanded!

Would you be comfortable if he needed to start games for a prolonged period due to injury/suspension?

Question for you both. I get the fact he's experienced and can do a job as a late sub if we are leading. But a squad player can be needed for a period of time to start games should the first choices get middle. If like for a spell this season, Forshaw was needed as 3rd/4th choice to play 5/6 games or more from the start, would you be comfortable that the overall quality of the team wouldn't dip too much?

It will be "Ismael wanted the signing" and then questioning anyone by saying "dont you want Ismael to have final say." Not realising or purposefully missing the fact that you can believe that the manager should have final say AND sometimes disagree with his choices.