Let's all calm down

Hadn't thought of that🤔

I have to agree - what happens on the training ground will decide where we finish next season. I feel it’s premature to start talking about a top 6 finish. We were undeniably a crap team last season under Ben Garner. On paper the signings he’s made look very good but like for like has it changed us from a team that would of been certs for relegation into a team challenging for a top 6 spot?. Josh Grant (untried at League1) has been brought in presumably to replace Ollie Clarke and either/or Emler and Baldwin to replace Tony Craig. We have also lost Liam Sercombe.! Hopefully Anssi & Hare will return as good as they were before their injuries. IMO, whilst they were performing well, Blackman was more than just an adequate replacement in goal. - we didn’t lose any matches through poor goalkeeping, that I can recall. Equally the two loanee wingers, were also good - hopefully Nicholson will be as good if not better.

The main issue we had and still have is the lack of creativity in midfield (not convinced Barrett is the answer yet) and someone alongside JCH who can score goals. We still have to hope that JCH can stay fit for most of the season.

The most important person next season will be Ben Garner and the training ground and whether he can get the players at his disposal playing the way his vision wants them to play and turn them into a winning team - I feel we have a way to go yet to expect to finish at the top end of the table. I’m looking forward to next season but my own expectation levels are not too high just yet.

When DC was there he always talked about signing 'character' if we have done this and not signed journeymen, who could forget them a few years ago, then we have a chance. As in life money makes a difference, but it's not everything. Just look who got promoted this season and who didn't. Also we have a rookie management team who are gonna be up against the street wise from the lower leagues. Nothing is easy, I believe we'll need patience to succeed.

Exciting signings if they're as good as people are making out. All boils down to whether BG is actually going to be a good manager or not. Some encouraging signs towards the end of the season but let's just hope the players come round to his 'vision'

The new players appear to have already bought into his vision the remaining players will either have to buy in it or be shipped out/sit on the side lines. As far as calming given this is Rovers I doubt many fans are expecting us to be guaranteed playoff contenders but at least it's good to have a good positive summer for a change  rather than spend all summer wondering if we're actually going to sign anybody of note. 

 

Why can't we just be happy with our signings and excited for the new season for once? We've suffered endless years of cr4p, playing at the wrong end of league two going nowhere. Now the club are embarking on it's first infrastructure project in decades, debt free and there seems to be a real sense of purpose and togetherness among the club and fanbase. Positive times lie ahead for Rovers I sense.

As for Garner, he has new facilities, new signings and a new season to realise the ambitions he stated he wanted to achieve when he first joined the club. Yes, we had a poor, disappointing end to last season, but I'm willing to move on, take the positives from the Sunderland result and back the team going into the new season.

Is there a tablet for premature celebration?

That's the blue one

I think that's the main thing, and pretty much the only thing that has really impressed me with Garner so far.

As you say normally we leave signings right to the last minute, we are linked with targets who always join somebody else and then we usually end up with Plan F, rather than Plan A, B or C.

Even in January, the players he brought in, Harries, Barrett and Daly were all highly thought of at their previous clubs and fit the mould of how BG want's to play.

Now we have brought in Grant, Baldwin and Ehmer, who also seem to fit the mould, and we've got them in early too.

It might just be the fact that we've got more funds to spend than previously, but still for me it's showing intent.

Here's hoping for a good season, whenever it may start.