I agree, we shouldn't really be laughing at Lucas's injury but it isn't potentially career-threatening and it is just so exactly the start that most people wished on him that is is definitely worth a smile

Another woefull performance when its really not needed...

Can you be suprised when fans dont turn up for matches when we put in pub team performances like this.

Roberts hasnt scored since he has arrived, benni has looked more like a midfielder up front, Nonda has looked ok in pieces of matches and the only strikers to come out of this season so far looking like there trully trying is franny and gally and they didnt even get a chance today.

That is the biggest load of tosh I have ever heard. It must be difficult for you to get up in the morning, I mean life is just one big dissappointment isnt it!

Roberts hasnt scored, but he's only just come back from injury, McCarthy was very unlucky today- some great saves from their keeper. He'll be frustrated yes, but its pessimism and knee jerk reactions from people like you that is turning fans away from Ewood! I just don't have the words to describe how much you disgust me! Please don't talk about football ever again, it would be a more enjoyable game without you.

I was standing with my dad at the front of the Nuttall Street stand for this game.

That lob by Shearer is not shown enough, it was real quality and not a typical Shearer goal either. I remember at the time thinkning Gordan Cowans was the greatest midfield player ever, closely followed by Kevin Moran!

Club have also said they haven't had any approach and don't want one in the LET tonight

Can I get my apologies in now? I won't be at the Bolton game or the Carling cup against Chelsea, despite being a season ticket holder and the Chelsea tickets being reasonably priced as it's half term and I'm on holiday and the UEFA cup game has pushed the Bolton game to Sunday. Hate missing games but can't leave it till Monday to get a ferry.

They are probably just repeating what their Man U supporting parents have said. Or are you at school in Burnleh

no i work in one of the bigger secondary schools in Blackburn and they really do believe it. they hadn't even seen the goals but were honestly saying what they think. And when it's non uniform day there are very few Rovers shirts - some among the staff maybe but very few from the kids. In fact I even had one kid kiss his man u keyring in front of me today. Mind you I have told them that any picture of teams and players other than Rovers on the cover of their exercise book and they'll be issued with pink bunny paper to back them with instead.

Tonight is probably the biggest game for rovers since we won the league!!

We have a manager who wants to win this cup and will put all his resources behind it. Europe has to be the way forwards for Rovers, we have seen that success in our domestic league gets us nowhere in terms of prestige. A good run in Europe and a few home games against champions league drop outs is definately the way for rovers to go.

Come down to Ewood and give all the support you can because whether you realise it or not this is a huge HUGE game!

I'd give my left bollo...erm...I'd give a lot to just be able to PAY to go to the game. Those season ticket holders who'd rather cozy up to a barstool really don't have any idea what they're passing up. A free pass to the game against not only a Euro siude but a a decent one at that is just silly. For those who would rather pass the time in their sitting room or in a pub in a 20 mile radius whilst a free pass sits alone on the dresser really need to re-evaluate why they follow Rovers.

Maybe Souness is their kinda manager...

Couldn't agree more! A fan that realises the importance of this game and the excitment around it, wish we had more like you over here Hypo

Anyone see the next tugay last night against Liverpool?? That Sabri looked class!!

Since robbie Savage is Mark Hughes' man through and through there must be a reason why Hughes chooses to give Lucas the armband and not Savage. I've still never heard Lucas himself say he wants to go and unless he's a better actor than his performance in that advert would suggest, the smiles on his face when we score would suggest to me that he's happy enough to be here for the moment at least and not throwing a huge sulk or anything. Why not leave this one to those who know what goes on day in, day out on the training ground and get off Neill's back. It can't be easy being captain when half the fans have decided to hate you.

Don't care if Pedersen plays badly every week if he pops up with goals and assists. It's when he goes missing anddoesn't score that it's a problem. Remember that Irish game where Duff won man of the match for 3 minutes play. Rest of time on pitch he was totally anonymous

Welcome the the Jungle- Guns n Roses

Gets me fired up every time!

Nonda looked like he had some class and might start against Boro. Well one would hope so as Jeffers did look pretty useless

To the choon of The Automatics last song

"Who's that there put the ball in the net?

Is it a Nonda?!

Is it a Nonda?!"

Shabba!!

All this time Sven has been slagged off for being cautious now he's took a big gamble he's now getting slagged for that.

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You will not find me complaining about the inclusion of Aaron Lennon, that is a gamble and I can see that he offers something different on the right to change a game. I'm not slagging Sven off for taking a gamble on his inclusion. But come off it, Walcott is more than a gamble, it is outright stupidity. He MIGHT offer something different, he MIGHT unlock a defence- but the major problem is that he ALMOST CERTAINLY won't! And worse still it is not even calculated stupidity from Sven, it just cannot be explained, it defies all footballing thought to put in Theo Walcott as one of four strikers! It is just sheer incompetance at the worst possible time from a manager who stands slap bang in the way of our chances of winning a world cup.

Walcott does have that ability to do something unexepected, something that will suprise the opposition.

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Yeah like lay a fresh turd on the half way line after his first touch takes him straight into a Gattuso or Viera!

HAS THE WORLD GONE FLIPPIN' MAD???

Not one person on this board, not one pundit, not one premiership manager, not even the England manager until some slipped him some chemical substance, would have included Theo Walcott!! And I don't care what you may say about Wenger, he would never have put him in a 23 man England squad!

All this reasoning and optimism about the role this guy can make is purely reactionary as we try to come to reason with what is an inexplicable choice! The England Team, as someone rightly saidis 2nd fave, even one without Rooney and Owen, does not need Walcott, they need a goal scorer! Can this guy finish one on one, we dont know, can he make intelligent moves in the box, we don't know. And what is more important is that Sven doesn't know!

STOP BEING SO DAMN OPTIMISTIC!!

I don't think we will need extra cover upfront. He should have dropped a midfielder (Jenas) and brought in an 8th defender (Young). The fact that Rooney and Owen are included speaks volumes which everyone seems to single minded to see - if their doctors had said they would not be fit then they would not have been selected so therefore it's pretty safe to assume they will be fit!

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haha!!! I didnt think there was anyone madder than Sven out there!!

8th defender?? you're right actually, lets just keep it tight at the back, give that Dwight Yorke an inch....

SWP has showed why he isn't included all year, hasn't he?

Didn't think about the target man tactic at all when I wrote the last post, if having a big man upfront is that important I'd rather give Dean Ashton a call..

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At least all these players we are saying arent good enough have played games and given it their best shot... they are all more proven, more experienced. What Im trying to say is that we know what SWP, Bent etc can do! Gambles of this magnitude are for friendlies, if Sven ever used them England might have stood a chance! The man has been a disgrace throughout his career and i can't wait to see the back of him!

In fairness Abbey, how many times have you seen Walcott in the flesh? Sven has watched him in person and judged him a better bet than his rivals.

I'm not sure why everyone is banging on about Darren Bent. He had a good start to the season but has certainly not been on fire over the last few weeks. 18 goals in a premiership season is not exactly setting the world on fire.

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In fairness how many times have any of us seen him anywhere? In fairness how many times has he played in a competative match? 23!!!

And people on here are applauding Sven for being adventurous??? Try downright mental!!!

We need goals, and sorry but a little 17 year old arsenal boot boy is not going to get a sniff!

I just hope that you and Abbey and the others will have the guts to accept that you were so wrong when the time comes. I will be if I'm wrong but I am pretty sure that Sven has made the right move in including Walcott.

You (and others) have fallen into the trap of expecting a squad of the best English players based on the records rather than thinking of a squad of players capable of winning the World Cup.

You may not see the nuance but there is a difference. For example, Defoe might be a top English striker but what sort of substitute is he? If he's a rubbish sub, WHY TAKE HIM? because chances are that he won't start a game.

Everyone's saying Walcott's something special. Is Darren Bent something special? No, he's just a decent striker who had a good season. With Crouch filling the target man role, in the World Cup we will need a player capable of the exceptional to help us if Rooney isn't doing it.  Walcott could be the man/boy.

And btw have Steven Gerrard and Joe Cole never played as second strikers? I think the hysteria is uncalled for. I don't rate Sven but this squad has restored a modicum of my faith in him.

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Simply not true- the inclusion of Walcott as a striker is not at all tactically sound. We have goals coming from midfield, we have the option of the pace and trickery of Joe Cole and Aaron Lennon. We have the option of the crossing abilityof Downing and Beckham. What we really need is a proven goalscorer upfront to come on and put the chances away. If Owen doesnt look to be on form then the impact we need is no from another player coming in from wide- we have that already. The impact is from a player with a proven recent record of finishing chances and putting his head in in the 6 yard box. Walcott fulfils none of these! In fact he doesnt even fulfil any criteria for any of the positions we need- he hasn't played!!!!

That's nonsense and you will know it by the end of the summer.

Sure, maybe Bent deserved a call but in my mind the Walcott inclusion is a fantastic choice by Sven.

Sven is taking Walcott as his trump card. He's taking him as an impact substitute and with his pace, he will do just that. Apart from Rooney, who have we got up front who has the ability to run with the ball? Walcott can do that and will also provide an option on the wing.

Darren Bent is a target man forward not a skilful player. Jermain Defoe is a rubbish substitute who needs solid games to hit top form. It makes sense to take Walcott.

Bravo Sven for not going for 'safe' option for once.

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What is nonsense? That you should try players in friendlies based on merit as opposed to picking 17 year olds with no experience who you have never seen play!?!

Walcott will have no impact whatsoever! World class defenders will simply p iss their pants laughing and knock him straight off the ball. The player that needs to come in off the bench should be in the mould of Peter Crouch. Bringing on a pacey little man upfront for the last 20 will simply not work- you are in fact saying the same thing when you say Defoe is no good as a sub.

And how on earth do you know Defoe is no good coming off the bench? Because you have seen him play in the premiership!! Walcott shud not even be being mentioned! Lennon showed enough in his games to be included, but to include a player such as Walcott is ridiculous, Sven has stepped way over the line!

Drop Walcott for Defoe, drop Jenas for Bent and Hargreaves for SWP, now that would be an exciting, attacking squad!

Bobby G has got this totally right on Walcott's inclusion and all you frothing at the mouth about the choice will be magnanimous in being wrong by the end of the World Cup.

Jermain Defoe is not a good substitute. FACT. Whether for Tottenham or England. SO seeing as he's not going to be starting, why take him when he's not going to do anything of the bench. SHould we take him because his record of Prem goals?

Of course, not Sven needs to WIN the cup not pick players who people believe 'deserve' to be in the squad.

Darren Bent is unlucky to not even be a stand-by but is he really going to offer that much different from Crouch, Owen and Rooney? NOPE.

Walcott is a dribbler and exceptionally fast. He will offer an extra dimension to England if called upon. Who of all people should know about the guy? HIS MANAGER. Wenger has said that Walcott is ready - why shouldn't we believe him? He has nothing to gain from Walcott being in the squad - he hardly WANTS the media hype to inundate his young star. If anything, he'd probably prefer it if Walcott stayed out of the limelight and developed outside the intense glare of the media.

Who cares if he doesn't have any Premiership games under his belt? We have heard a lot about Walcott's mental strength, so who's to say he can't cope with the pressure?

Finally, there's quite a bit of nonsense bandied around that we'll only have two fit strikers if Owen and Rooney don't make it. Haven't Gerrard and Joe Cole ever played as second strikers for their Premiership clubs?

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I've never heard such utter drivel! You know the amount of rubbish spouted about young players by the media- sure we have heard about walcotts mental strength from his manager, from his mates at Southampton- they have a £12 million price tag to justify!!

There is one main way to pick your England squad and that is through watching players at the highest level and trying them in friendlies. To think that after all the time Sven has been watching games this season he picks a player he has never seen, has scored 5 goals in 23 starts at Championship level, it really can't be justified, not even by your attention seeking mind rover6!

Anyone who has Rovers World, just watch the video of the players in the tunnel coming out for the lap of honour. The explosions and ticker tape go off and Pongolle absolutely paps his pants!!! Gotta get that on Third eye!

Joe Cole a striker?? Sven just makes it up as he goes along!! .....

Winner has to be the West Brom keeper, wont attempt his name- brilliant save!