I think another centre back is a must, hopefully with a back up left back/ right back and hopefully a wing forward would probably give us the ability to get into the top half although strength in depth is a real issue like you said.
I can see that side getting 13th or higher but a couple of injuries could see us drop dangerously close to relegation.

I would have roberts in, instead of formica and go with 2 up.
Formica looked good in pre season but i do think roberts will be 1st choice striker, kean likes him. I personally thinks he does the dirty work that other strikers don't want to.


Had also play dunn instead of n'zonzi providing his fit and i mean in good shape by that, not just free from injury.

Other than that, i do like that team and think it would get near the top 10, its strength in depth thats the problem.

As I have yet to see Petrovic and he would probably need time to adjust to the Premiership I would play Dunn instead of him. Also I would play Hoillett off the striker which would mean Emerton or perhaps Veirinha if we sign him on the right....
Definitely need another CB and cover for Salgado at RB so hopefully we will see Venkys open their wallets a few more times before the transfer window shuts! (Also would love to see Defoe come in up top as well but cannot see him being interested in coming to us)

i think the team has potential but theres an awful lot of young unproven players.

I'd love to see one or more of defoe, keane or bentley come but i don't think that will happen

People keep mentioning they wouldn't mind seeing defoe, i do think the only way that deal will form, would be to part with samba, now how would people feel about that?

Kaboul and Defoe for Samba?

Defence a little sluggish, forwards a little inexperienced...

I like it!

forwards a little inexperienced...

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if by inexperienced you mean young and lacking experience, then yes, I suppose you're right.

That defence is ok for a team of our stature. Take Samba out and it looks grim.

He is going whether to Spurs or arsenal,its how much Rovers can get for him.He has made it plain and clear he wants away to another club.So we will all have to move on and see what happens.

I agree starrover, so if he goes spurs and we can get bassong and defoe, straight swap, he as been replaced in defence and we have a quality striker.

I don't think the money will be much use to us. It's one thing having 10 million to buy a replacement, it's another thing finding a 10 million player who wants to come to us.

If there is someone out there for 3 or 4 million who could do a job, then we should really be making a move regardless of samba going, because we're already one short.

A part exchange would appear to be the best option, Kaboul or Bassong aren't as good as Samba, but are they better than anyone we could otherwise buy? Probably.

Samba won't be going this window. You heard it here first.

I hope your right,because at the back end of the season he held the defence together,played some good stuff.

comment by starrover (U6893)
posted 7 minutes ago

I hope your right,because at the back end of the season he held the defence together,played some good stuff.

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which coincided with the return of Phil Jones. I think Jones's departure is being underestimated. Samba and Nelsen aren't the partnership they used to be. Add to that the fact that one or the other is almost always either injured (Nelsen) or suspended (Samba). Hanley is going to get a hell of a lot of games this season!

Yea i don't think hanley is up to it, from what i have seen.

so Givet goes centre back, Olsson goes left back and all of a sudden you've lost one of your biggest attacking threats and gained a, mediocre at best, left back.

Well time will tell,another week and were off again.I just hope we dont get some wallopings.That 7-1 with the Mancs almost reminded me about a game at Shrewsbury a long time ago when our keeper was carried off(Roger Jones) we lost 7-0.It still rankles with me even to this day.

That's why we're looking at Torres I think.

The only team that has looked any good under Kean so far was the one in the last month of the season:

-----------------Robinson---------------

Salgado-----Samba-----P.Jones-----Givet

Emerton----N'Zonzi----J.Jones----Olsson

--------------------Hoilett---------------------
-------------------Roberts----------------------

Call me Mr. Unimaginative but I'd be tempted to go with as close to that as possible (if it ain't broke, don't fix it) and start introducing the likes of Goodwillie, Formica, Rochina and not Anderson gradually. So:

-------------------Robinson-------------------

Salgado-----Samba-----Nelsen-----Givet

Emerton----N'Zonzi----Petrovic----Olsson

-------------------Hoilett-----------------------
-------------------Roberts----------------------

I would try to play ollson out wide as much as possible even if we need to look at myles anderson

Expecting Dunn to be a starter or a central midfield contributor is worrying - that shouldn't happen - he can't be relied on in that position especially not alongside N'zonzi who I like but who isn't able to hold our midfield on his own.

Formica should be his ideological replacement ideally and him or Hoillet in the withdrawn role makes sense. Is the withdrawn role not Goodwillie's (wahay!) role or is he a target man? Or part of a front pair?

I am not sure about whether Hoillet works better wide right (Emerton is actually better inside I think) and Pedersen can do a job defensively and offensively in the centre of the park.

We need another defender, whether a left back (covert Givet to the centre) or centre-half (leave Givet out wide for another season or two) - relying on Nelsen will only spell trouble - this season migth be a season too far for the Admiral and we have to see whethewr Salgado has got enough shampoo to get him through another long season.

Ignoring any new acquisitions I would go with

-------------------Robinson-------------------

Salgado-----Samba-----Nelsen (*)-----Givet

Hoillet----N'Zonzi----Pedersen----Olsson

-------------------Formica-----------------------
-------------------Roberts----------------------

* - with massive reservations - sorry Admiral - one of my favourite modern era players

So Rachino is still on the sidelines then?and there is also Hanley who will be in the mix,but up front is still a problem,ok Roberts is strong and can hold the ball but he deff cant score,will that be enough?

I'm not sure hanley will make the grade, although I'd have said the same about hoilett at the start of last season.

The lack of experience (inc kean) is a major worry. Things start going badly and we'll be in big trouble.

Keans lobotomist was things not going bad before the back end of last season untill we turned it round