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[scotlandsbest]

hiya boys and gals

was just sat at home and getting worried about the signings we havent made as yet fair enough
we have signed 3 quality players but we havent dipped into this transfer budget yet.
i for one think we need a quality centre back and still need a quality midfielder,any injurys to either stocky or woods and were going to struggle,we havent seen owt of brooker in the pre season games asyet ???? so we either need to know if hes strong enough or sign someone the trialists from west ham and the one from coventry,sound good but we need a quality centre back so lets get moving and get someone signed up the season starts soon and we need to be having a look at em in pre season to start giving these signings games,so in my opinion it has to be sooner rather than later



up the rovers

[DRNaith]

I would say that the signing of Gillett will have taken some of the transfer budget by form of signing on fee and extra wages.

[coventryrover]

scotlandsbest wrote:

hiya boys and gals

was just sat at home and getting worried about the signings we havent made as yet fair enough
we have signed 3 quality players but we havent dipped into this transfer budget yet.
i for one think we need a quality centre back and still need a quality midfielder,any injurys to either stocky or woods and were going to struggle,we havent seen owt of brooker in the pre season games asyet ???? so we either need to know if hes strong enough or sign someone the trialists from west ham and the one from coventry,sound good but we need a quality centre back so lets get moving and get someone signed up the season starts soon and we need to be having a look at em in pre season to start giving these signings games,so in my opinion it has to be sooner rather than later



up the rovers

In midfield we have the following options; Stock, Oster, Woods, Gillet, Wilson, Shiels, Coppinger plus chambers/friend/joc/hird for an emergency.  I am not convinced we need to purchase another midfielder.  Obviously if a class act becomes available, and we can afford him, then a recruitment may be on

I know injuries are inevitable just as last season with Stock and Woods, but we can always dip into the loan market.


In central defence we have Martis, Hird, Webster, Lockwood plus JOC as cover.  There are plenty of options but do we have the quality?  Having Shackell in defence last year inspired confidence as he won everything in the air.  There are alot of big forwards in this division who throw their weight around, perhaps we need a no nonsense type defender.  If we were to purchase a centre back, the person recruited must be a guaranteed first teamer as  we have plenty of back options.

Up front we have the follwoing options; Sharp, Brooker (would love an injury free period), Hayter, Copps, Fairhurst and Shiels.  Again there are plenty of options


So yes, we still have transfer funds but what to spend the funds on is a tad unclear as we have options/cover in all positions.  Maybe the quality in some areas is not what we'd like.  I'd probably go for a first choice centre back

[CusworthRovers]

Agreed.

I feel we have a squad now and all positions covered to a degree for this League, (never thought I'd say that). If anything it's about bettering the squad and improving the quality to keep moving forward. That means bettering JOC, Stock, Copps et al. Now this will take time, but we are going the right way under Seans tenure.

I do agree though that first priority in improving quality is the CH position. We have good squad players in Locky and Hird and JOC is very good, but I prefer him at RB first. Martis is a first team CH, no doubt, but we have been spoilt with Mills and then Shacks and Martis is neither of these two. We need that quality to partner Martis IMO. Now I would suggest JOC is somewhere near that quality, but just not the Mills or Shack and as said he is a quality right back first and foremost.

If we improve the quality of the CH and then look to a JET or AK to add weight/quality to many positions within our system, then I would be one happy bunny. (all assuming a fully fit squad, of course)

[big fat yorkshire pudding]

I still think we're lacking at centre half and possibly up front aswell.  We need a big man and someone with a difference in style.  JET would be my choice up front and then we just need a tall centre back who'll win everything in the air.

[jonrover]

I can't see us going out and spending any more money on transfer fees. A young hungry centre back on loan plus JET and hopefully Mutch then we will be sorted. I'd sooner keep some money for January just in case we need someone to do a specific job, or a quality signing for a push towards promotion maybe

[bobjimwilly]

A CH would do nicely for me. Buy any more midfielders or strikers, and I think it may unsettle a few players in those positions that will already only be making the bench?  

[bedale rover]

i would think having gone this far with josh payne that he will be offered a contract of decent length as he will be regarded as one for the future so that probably rules out a return for mutch

i would have thought that a return for JET might be a better bet as he provides an \"X factor\"

clearly SOD has indicated that a CH is someone he is looking at but i would be equally happy with a quick RB and moving JOC into a CH berth what we need is a leader in that position especially for martis who needs \"guidance\"

[not on facebook]

if there is a obvious weak spot in rovers i would go for the goalkeeper,whats the back up like if sullivan is out

[bobbymax]

oslorovers wrote:

if there is a obvious weak spot in rovers i would go for the goalkeeper,whats the back up like if sullivan is out

There's always the loan option but reports suggest Woods is no mug between the posts and the management team obviously rated him a better prospect than Ben Smith or they wouldn't have extended his contract.

[DMnumber4]

oslorovers wrote:

if there is a obvious weak spot in rovers i would go for the goalkeeper,whats the back up like if sullivan is out

Woods, who looks like he might be first choice as of next season.

I think we have a small squad (understandable considering the budget which is still not all that great in this league) with lots of versatile players.

a couple of specialists e.g. Centre half and centre forward are what's needed!

[Wellred]

JOC is the best right back at the club. He also links extremely well with Copps. So why are we talking about JOC as a centre half?
If we are to become a better team then the first priority now Billy has signed has to be a big centre half.

[snods big brother]

scotlandsbest wrote:

hiya boys and gals

was just sat at home and getting worried about the signings we havent made as yet fair enough
we have signed 3 quality players but we havent dipped into this transfer budget yet.

Does Billy Sharp not count towards dipping into the transfer budget?

[DMnumber4]

snods big brother wrote:

scotlandsbest wrote:

hiya boys and gals

was just sat at home and getting worried about the signings we havent made as yet fair enough
we have signed 3 quality players but we havent dipped into this transfer budget yet.

Does Billy Sharp not count towards dipping into the transfer budget?

No. Paid for by directors I do believe.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

Interesting discussion.

Gone are the days when you had two players for every position.

SOD as we know, lives eats and breathes flexibility and the use of intelligent players, and we have those in spades.

For me it's the quality of your backbone that will ultimately determine how successful we are.

Goalkeeper, CH, Centre Mid, Striker. With good/exceptional players in those positions you can structure a team around it depending on how you want to play in any given match.

Sullivan - Still a good safe pair of hands and bags of exprience.

Centre Half. Now with Shacks I think we would have had this one sewn up as well but, we haven't. The safest, classiest player for that position at the moment is JOC as he hold things together and reads the game very well.

Interesting that SOD played a back 5 last night, with wing backs and Hird playing the sweeper role, Martis and Lockwood doing the dirty stuff.

I don't really have a problem with those two and JOC coping well enough in the Championship in that formation.

Centre Mid - Stock, Oster, Gillett, Woods, Wilson (Payne) Copps etc. Other championship teams can only dream of having such players at their disposal.

Striker - Our Billy. Say no more. Mr Brooker, Fairhurst, Hayter. The only thing you'd be concerned about is for injuries and suspensions to Billy, where the prolific striker ? Brooker if fit will get goals but will they be enough to fire you in to a play off spot ?

For me, there's no need to panic and spend money unwisely at this stage. Sure if a quality player like Keogh came available then go for it, otherwise bide our time.

Similar at Centre back. I'd love that assured, dominating CB to bolster our options there but again. no need for panic buying before the season starts.

If any more quality or potential is brought in then it can only strengthen an already strong squad.  

Roll on

[Alan Southstand]

Have we sold Shiels?

Back to the original point - we bid and agreed a fee for Shackell, it was the wages that we lost him on, so it follows that we want/need another CB. Nothing has changed, so I am of the opinion, rightly or wrongly, that a CB will be acquired before the season kicks off (and it will be a 'Shackell-type' player).

The trouble with the players mentioned, DBR, is that some of them have injuries already - Oster a niggling knee problem that isn't going away, Wilson out for 6 weeks, Copps hobbling off during Monday's friendly and Stock with a dodgy back that can flare up at any time. Take those 4 out of the equation and our RR midfield looks like a Skoda! That is (perhaps) why SOD is after 1 more midfielder and he could come in the shape of another loanee (Mutch?).

The loss, also, of Chambers, (who knows how long for?) from the back 4, gives us a bit of imbalance and lack of cover in the FB position.

I believe we are still short of 2 players, maybe 3.

[The Red Baron]

I think we'll see two long-term loans before the season starts: one a centre-back, the other either a striker or a midfielder. It is also possible we will bring a full-back short-term. One of Grandison or Payne might be offered a short-term deal to provide some additional midfield cover.

[bedale rover]

i think that payne will be offered a longer term deal and will be seen as \"one for the future\"

isnt the moment when loans occur when the *spit* premier league *spit* announce thier 25 man squads thereby deeming certain players will be sent out on loan

does anyone know when that is due to happen?