Kamy of Brfcs wrote..

[Saxo1man41]

There is very little money to spend. I have heard that Venky's will continue to fund the club (to meet current liabilities) but they want to reduce overheads as much as they can with money spent on transfers being one of the key cost reduction areas, even if we sell players, some of that money will be used to reduce overheads.

This has been coming for a few years, there had to come a time when the Venky's made the decision to reduce spending, the hope is that they can transition to this new model of working in a controlled way but I very much doubt that will happen as I have little or no faith in the executive structure at Ewood to be able to successfully manage such a transition.

[champs95]

There is very little money to spend. I have heard that Venky's will continue to fund the club (to meet current liabilities) but they want to reduce overheads as much as they can with money spent on transfers being one of the key cost reduction areas, even if we sell players, some of that money will be used to reduce overheads.

This has been coming for a few years, there had to come a time when the Venky's made the decision to reduce spending, the hope is that they can transition to this new model of working in a controlled way but I very much doubt that will happen as I have little or no faith in the executive structure at Ewood to be able to successfully manage such a transition.

I fully expect a relegation battle for Rovers this season. And I expect one of Lenihan or Armstrong (maybe both?) to be sold so they can get a GK.
They face starting next season without a GK apart from Fisher. Who just isn't ready. The bench next season will largely be made up of untried academy kids. And they stuck paying the likes of Johnson, Mulgrew etc a big wage. Some terrible business over the past few summers means they are in a real mess here. The only good thing is we won't be seeing Downing return.

[AucklandRover]

I still think you're being too gloomy, Champs.

We are well catered for in midfield:
Three from Travis, Evans, Rothwell, Davenport, Buckley, Rankin-Costello, Johnson, Holtby, Bennett, Chapman.
Up front, it's three from Dack, Armstrong, Brereton and Gallagher, with Butterworth and Vale coming through.

Obviously, we need a centre-back and a keeper, but we have two very good defenders in Lenihan and Nyambe, with some experienced cover (Bell, Williams, Mulgrew), and a host of promising youngsters (Fisher, Wharton, Carter, Magloire, Grayson, Thompson).

Obviously, we could do with more experience at the back (and let's hope it arrives!), but I have looked through most Championship fan-sites, and I would say about 18 or 19 sets of supporters are moaning about lack of and/or poor-quality signings.
We have a different scenario in football, this year. for obvious reasons, and I am just going to try and enjoy the sport, a game at a time.
As you know, I'm not really quite as focused on success as most fans, anyway.

[champs95]

I still think you're being too gloomy, Champs.

We are well catered for in midfield:
Three from Travis, Evans, Rothwell, Davenport, Buckley, Rankin-Costello, Johnson, Holtby, Bennett, Chapman.
Up front, it's three from Dack, Armstrong, Brereton and Gallagher, with Butterworth and Vale coming through.

Obviously, we need a centre-back and a keeper, but we have two very good defenders in Lenihan and Nyambe, with some experienced cover (Bell, Williams, Mulgrew), and a host of promising youngsters (Fisher, Wharton, Carter, Magloire, Grayson, Thompson).

Obviously, we could do with more experience at the back (and let's hope it arrives!), but I have looked through most Championship fan-sites, and I would say about 18 or 19 sets of supporters are moaning about lack of and/or poor-quality signings.
We have a different scenario in football, this year. for obvious reasons, and I am just going to try and enjoy the sport, a game at a time.
As you know, I'm not really quite as focused on success as most fans, anyway.

To be fair, it's a gloomy situation. We have not got a penny. Even if they sell Armstrong, that will only be used for a new GK wages.
The fact the season starts shortly and they don't have a keeper must be concerning? Maybe I'm he only one.
No money means we can't attract anyone. Therefore are unable to improve.
None of the young lads are good enough to play a full season at CH. None are an improvement on Tosin. Who I felt struggled at times. The young lad we had been looking at from Northampton, the CH has gone to Brentford.
Marshall the Wigan keeper has gone to Derby. Clubs are signing players. Just us that are unable to do so.
We will be playing Williams or Mulgrew at CH next to Lenihan (if we manage to keep him) and regressing. That reason alone I see us struggling big time. Grayson, Wharton etc are just not good enough for a full season in the Champ.

But its all good, I am sure TM with his experience can work with the players he has and get the best out of them.

My only concern is the fact we have a much weaker defence. And now way of improving it.,
Of all those midfielders named, how many other than Evans or Travis can actually be rellied on? Johnson? Rothwell? Bennett? JRC will end up being played at LB unfortunately. Davenport? Or will he for the first time in his tenure put faith in the young lads instead of the likes of Johnson etc who let him down so much.

[AucklandRover]

I just don't see it like that.
Might we not "improve" because of some younger players fitting in and gaining experience? Brereton and Gallagher definitely looked better after the break, and Dack will be back soon.
As for the midfield, Travis and Evans are certainly the most consistent, but are you really saying none of the others are good enough?
The fact of the matter is, three-quarters of Championship clubs are struggling to sign players - with the majority taken on so far being "frees". (There is no way we are going to have a squad where 18+ of our players are as good as the best couple. It's just not realistic).
In any case, we don't know yet that there WON'T be a couple of decent signings.
I'm reasonably happy to wait and see what happens, rather than automatically predicting or expecting disaster.

[champs95]

I just don't see it like that.
Might we not "improve" because of some younger players fitting in and gaining experience? Brereton and Gallagher definitely looked better after the break, and Dack will be back soon.
As for the midfield, Travis and Evans are certainly the most consistent, but are you really saying none of the others are good enough?
The fact of the matter is, three-quarters of Championship clubs are struggling to sign players - with the majority taken on so far being "frees". (There is no way we are going to have a squad where 18+ of our players are as good as the best couple. It's just not realistic).
In any case, we don't know yet that there WON'T be a couple of decent signings.
I'm reasonably happy to wait and see what happens, rather than automatically predicting or expecting disaster.

WBA have put a bid in for Dack today. Either him or Armstrong will leave. With that money, they will buy a CH.
I am saying Johnson, Bennett are not good enough, yes. Having endured a season of watching both. Buckley is ok, but still young. JRC is ok, I like him. I didnt see anything in Davenport to make me think he was as good as either Evans or Travis.
I just felt they ended the season in relegation form. And next season they start much weaker. And still have no keeper.
If you look around the squad, you woinder if they could hack a relegation fight. Will the likes of Mulgrew & Johnson fight? Not so sure myself. And the kids won't have the experience. Blooding them last season would have made sense. Instead of going back to people like Johnson, Mulgrew, Downing, Bennett, Graham. Now they are stuck with those expensive old players who have no fight or desire.
There wont be any decent signings as we have no money.

[AucklandRover]

Definitely don't agree about Downing.
I thought he couldn't be faulted on effort.

[champs95]

Definitely don't agree about Downing.
I thought he couldn't be faulted on effort.

I agree. Can't fault his effort. He ran about alot and made alot of sideways passes to fullbacks in his own half of the pitch. But was left wanting on all set pieces, and did not improve Rovers one bit. Hence why we didn't improve last season, but stayed the same. Next season he is a year older, and we found out with Graham & Mulgrew what happens the season after they go past their sell buy date. We will do no worse not having him around next season. Buckley could have played 30 odd games for us last season. Instead he played a hand full. And we still didn't improve with Downings experience.
The stats pribably said he was a decent player. The reality was he made alot of what I call 'safe' passes that go backwards or sideways. Rarely was a killer pass made that unlocked a defence.

[AucklandRover]

I think that was probably true in the second part of the season.
Before Christmas, he was near the top of the Championship stats in (I forget the exact term) productive passing.
I agree about set-pieces, but we'd been spoiled by Mulgrew's absolute excellence in that respect.
It's odd how that aspect of a player's game sometimes deteriorates. I don't why it should be. Confidence?
Anyway, I recall the same thing happening with Pedersen and Conway.