Mercer

Think Jason Lowe was selected for England U20s & U21s on well over a dozen occasions. Enough said!

Varies from player to player - some make an immediate impact (eg Shearer), some need a bit of time (Sherwood) and some will never cut it because they are simply a dud! Seen Brereton several times now and I haven't seen anything at all which made me sit up and take notice or even think he has half decent potential - irrespective of where he has played. I would have been disappointed even if we'd have signed him on a free! I would love to know the full story behind this signing - sadly, it's all reminiscent of the many clangers dropped by Rovers that it's been my misfortune to see in almost six decades of supporting the club.

How much? Whether it be £100,000 or £1million, we have £7million LESS to commit in the next transfer window or possibly even one or two windows after that. £7million would have bought at least 2 or 3 very decent players who would have gone straight into our starting eleven instead of a striker who is not good enough, even Mowbray must acknowledge this by virtue of the fact he wont select him, to command a regular starting spot. IMV, a signing that defies logic.

Absolutely staggering stuff! How can the price be irrelevant when it limits our options to strengthen elsewhere!? It's Mowbray's job to use the relatively limited resources available to strengthen the 1st team. To commit almost £9million on Armstrong and Brereton and then say we are a striker light is, IMV, farcical. Mbappe who starred in a World Cup Final is just 19, Alex-Arnold was ripping it up at 19 and played in a Champions League Final, Sessegnon and Ampadu were/are sensational 17 year olds. The bottom line is if you are good enough then you are old enough. IMV, we have wasted £7million on a 19 year old striker not good enough to command a regular place in a newly promoted Championship team. By the way Chaddy, both Shajan and Northcote are very good in their own different ways!

Pluses and minuses for me. Firstly, I think he should have kept us up the season we were relegated - his negativity resulted in too many wins turning into draws and too many draws turning into losses. Brought us back at the first time of asking - job done, well done. Decent start this season - still not convinced though, last two matches (despite win at Bolton) worrying. Transfer record mixed. Big plus Dack. Brought in some duds. His 'big investments' (Brereton and Armstrong) are a concern. A very decent chap but wouldn't get carried away with a lengthy contract. In my opinion, big question mark as to how far he can take us (with or without investment). Not a believer in long term contracts. Too often, managers get new long term contracts, things go sour and within months clubs are paying fortunes to get rid. To me, I'd give him a lucrative one year rolling contract plus heavily incentivised bonus based upon league position - jackpot time if her gets us up to the PL. Would also give him a bonus based upon collective net profit on player trading (ie what we sell them for compared to what we bought them for). Payment by results is fair and focuses the mind - failure should not be rewarded in any shape or form.

Your argument in itself is baffling. Why oh why is our multi million pound striker not starting on a regular basis? If he's no better than 30 odd year old Graham or whoever else we have, why the feck commit a small fortune on the lad when we so obviously need strengthening in other areas!?

For clarity, I m not comparing him directly with Shearer. What I have said is a player with a big price tag comes with big expectations from the fans. Shearer clearly didn't disappoint and looked every inch the part from game one. Whether the deal for Brereton is 3, 4, 5, 6 or £7million, it's still huge money for Rovers in present day circumstances and in my view, the fans are justified in expecting much more from Brereton from what we've seen so far. To be honest, if we'd have signed the lad on a free, you'd still be scratching your head with what we've seen so far.

Genuinely hope the lad proves to be world beater and a snip at the price. If the deal is worth nowhere near £7m, why the hell didn't Rovers say so and take some of the pressure off the lad? Perhaps Rovers wanted to create an illusion for the fans of having invested heavily!? When we signed Dack last season for £750k you almost immediately could see a bit of a spark, some potential. Recognise players need a bit of time to settle, particularly youngish lads, but you do hope to see at least a glimpse of what they might be about.

Some of us will have seen and remember Shearer's Rovers' debut at Palace in 1992. A 21 year old signed for a British record transfer fee of £3million+ in 1992. Like a duck to water, there was never, ever, any doubt about the lad's ability - two superb debut goals and the rest is history. For big money, particularly now in Rovers' circumstances, you expect big things immediately. I just can't see what the lad offers or indeed any potential. Young players who excite like Sessegnon, Alex-Arnold, Woodburn, Ampadu and Rice stand out a country mile and have already shown quality and maturity at the highest levels. I am not saying Brereton is in the same league but I don't think he offers even a tenth of what these lads do. Sadly, I think we've signed a dud.

Well I'm greedy. Just think the lad has much more to offer. It's a two way thing. Mowbray has to find a way of the team generally getting more out of Dack's skill and intelligence and Dack himself needs to challenge himself for more and not be satisfied with his usual goal / assist.

Much more! He's our one real bright spark and we have to get him far more involved in the the game. Maybe he thinks he's done enough when he scores or chips in with an assist? Contrast with the attitude of greats like Messi, Ronaldo etc, they have an insatiable appetite for more, more and more.

Your comments always remind me of Alf Thornton. Alf was a lovely chap who was LT's Rovers' journalist but bled blue and white. The crap players Rovers' signed in those days would be masked by Alf's scribblings in their first few games 'showed some nice touches'. Sadly, I think Rovers have just poured a shed load of money down the drain with the Brereton deal. In my opinion, a signing as puzzling as many others in recent years.

Doubt we will get near Leeds. Leeds to deliver a footballing master class and win by at least two clear goals.

Any win away from home is good but we were really poor after taking the lead against a very, very ordinary Championship outfit who we really should have put to the sword. Mowbray again became negative with his puzzling tactics and substitutions almost costing us the game. Rothwell looks very promising and was the one bright spark for me - Dack again too much on the periphery and I think we should be getting much more out of the lad. Rodwell looked leggy to me and didn't show the athleticism of his early days. A lot of work to be done and nowhere near good enough to think about top 6 in my opinion - with Dack in our team, we are a mid table outfit at best. My Bolton friends were gutted about losing that one but at least had the consolation of me picking up the post match drinks' tab as is our tradition for the winner.

Neither would I be! Saw Moyes in a Lytham restaurant a few weeks ago and he didn't look a happy chappy! If Villa have any sense, they'd appoint Big Sam. As close as you can get to guaranteed success.

With Lowe, Evans and Smallwood in the two midfields, struggling to see where a forward pass will come from !!!

A tough game. Will be sitting with some Bolton friends. Fear we will be bored to tears and earn a point in an uninspiring 0-0.

I've been extremely busy! Seen a few games this season and by and large been disappointed. Confidence and momentum go a long way in football, especially for promoted teams, but sadly. hasn't happened for us. Yep, I did think Dack would go - WBA bid came in late and will be interesting to see what happens in Jan. if he maintains decent form. My main concern is that his head will be turned and I think he might get too frustrated in a Rovers' team where he's almost the sole source of inspiration / creativity. Think Mowbray needs to find a way of getting him more involved in the game - despite his skill, flicks and intelligence, I think he is too much on the periphery of games for long periods.

'Bright young things' stand out a mile. If you've got it and you are good enough then you are old enough. Yep, likes of Mbappe, Ampadu and Alexander-Arnold are exceptional talents but I haven't seen a shred of evidence to suggest Brereton is even going to be a decent Championship player, and certainly not worth a £7millionish deal, never mind blossoming into an exceptional talent. I just don't get it and I'm totally bemused with his signing.

Would help if the manager stopped trying to put square pegs in round holes!

We've squandered some money on poor strikers over the years going back to the likes of Gilliver, O'Mara, Grabbi, Davies and now, in my opinion Brereton. Think we paid £7million for Davies but at least he did have a record in the PL. What has this lad Brereton done? Can't recall the lad doing anything of note in our shirt. A hugely strange signing.

Watching Rovers, it's a struggle to see what Mowbray is trying to do. Don't think our organisation is great and there is no identity to our play. I think we are poorly coached.

Poor stuff last night - think it was men against boys both on the field and in the dugouts. Think Armstrong and Brereton signings are both poor and wasteful given the money involved and the glaring deficiencies in our team. Too many bang average players who can't cut it. Finding Rovers boring and uninspiring. A long, long season ahead.

To clarify, my surprise is the club that is interested not the fact there is other interest

If either of these lads are decent, pretty certain they'll be out of Rovers' reach as Chelsea charge top dollar when loaning out their decent young lads. The dross they'll let you have for nowt if your pick up the wages