Rudy close to leaving

[robinrover]

Rudy gestede having a medical at Aston villa
he will be missed a brilliant player and I would like to wish him luck and hope he lights the prem up
The money 6-7 million up front plus bonuses is good business.

[needle]

Yes we will miss him a very good player at this level . I can`t agree with brilliant ! I wish him all the luck in the world but personally I don`t think he will do much in the Prem . Good luck Rudy and thanks .

[AucklandRover]

I have had a look round all the Rovers fan-sites, and it's interesting that most people are being realistic, rather than hysterical. We might well lose JR as well as RG, which will mean a season of fighting to pick up points instead of a season of (unreasonable? exaggerated?) expectations.
Obviously, last season was our best short-term chance of promotion, but we are probably in the Division that most accurately reflects the nature of the Club. We all want success, but - as Despair always argues - the PL is a mixed blessing.
To go back to my first sentence, it makes me shake my head that those who ARE still being hysterical continue to talk about Rhodes and Gestede as if they took the goal-kicks, passed to themselves, dribbled their way upfield, and then scored all the goals. The rest of the team is more or less dismissed (except that there is some praise for King and Cairney, presumably because they've gone!).
We all know what the failings were last season, but the goals that the

[blueandwhitehalves1]

You seem to contradict yourself somewhat in that post Auckland. Beginning it with converting Rovers from play-off hopefulls to division strugglers due to the loss of Rhodes and Gestede, then later saying other fans overvalue them. I'd be far more inclined to agree with the former view. Losing Rhodes and Gestede would/will be a massive, massive blow. They scored 2/3 of our goals last season, and goals are the most precious commodity in football. Just ask Barcelona. If Ronaldo got injured next season, they could win La Liga with 7 Titus Brambles playing behind that front 3, who are probably worth £250-300m between them.

The odd game this season watching Varney/Brown has been truly dreadful. So personally I think its a total, if inevitable, disaster.

[AucklandRover]

No - I didn't mean it's not a problem. I think the season will be a real struggle.
What I was referring to was the idea that came up time and time again last season, which was that any positives (such as Gestede and Rhodes) were independent of Bowyer's management, whereas any negatives were entirely and exclusively down to him.
This is still being raised in some places and is just as ridiculous now as it was all through the 2014-15 season.
What I am saying NOW is that we will probably have to follow a totally different game-plan to survive.

[blueandwhitehalves1]

I'd imagine some of that criticism for Bowyer though is simply because people don't rate him, as I don't. I've always viewed a club's wage bill as the most accurate barometer for how it should be doing. I'd say Rovers had about a top 6 wage bill in Bowyer's first season and a top 8 one last season. So Bowyer underachieved by a moderate amount in both seasons. Next season I expect our wage bill will be heading towards mid-table, and under Bowyer I expect us to finish in the bottom half. We're probably stuck with him as there's nobody at the club who knows how to hire someone who isn't either already here, an ex-player or an old mate. But being stuck with him doesn't change my opinion on his ability, for me he's a poor manager.

[robinrover]

We as a team will continue to underacheve as our defence continues to ship goals
this is mainly down to who plays there and lack of support by the midfielders
how should this be addressed?
Hanley and Duffy do not work together if they both get played that will cost us around 20 points and without our 40 goal strikers that will be lethal
also the central midfield Lowe's return if played alongside somebody who can do something with the ball will help the defence no end
Evans isn't the answer is Guthrie time will tell
Kyung would of been great next to Lowe break up play then pass to a lively midfielder to get the play going in our favour
at the moment when we get the ball we are like a pack of grannies surging forward.
this season we are in for a fight once fans get there head round this it can go 2 ways support the team or forget them as they plummet through the league's

[Bobcrompton1896]

Well put,robin! This defence is a genuine problem, and I do think it might be time to try to move Grant Hanley and Corey Evans on,if at all possible. Otherwise,we have to run with what weve got. Kilgallon & Duffy should start for me,with Lenihan as back-up and Hanley(also Evans)only used in extreme emergency,like when we have three central-defenders injured.

Dont think the fitness coaches pulled all the stops out last season,and with a reduced squad that will be even more important this season.

On a more positive note,the great F.A.Cup run last season(which Bowyer does deserve credit for)was achieved mainly by Josh King(also departed)but not really Rudi or Jordan so sometimes a bit of self-belief and a well constructed plan can work.We do need a forward with lightning pace,goalscorer or not!

[robinrover]

Apparently Bob the French lad we signed koite is quick and strong let's hope he has a bit of skill to go with it

[champs95]

And Gestede hasn't gone anywhere. Only one of the strikers will be sold. Unsure who yet.
Relegation already in Aug for next season? Wow.

Who out of Millwall, MK Dons, Rotherham, Preston, Bristol City, Bolton, Leeds will be finishing higher than us then? And how did they arrive at that?