Well we certainly do have a better strikeforce if you take Bellamy out of the equation. and we should remember that Bellamy was injured for around half of last season.

And that Owen Hargreaves was the biggest waste of space in the squad... Some crystal ball that Phillip has, wish I had one.

With Tugay back and Nonda signing on we suddenly seem to have lots of options in all areas. Pedersen just played well for Norway so that might defer what would otherwise seem a certain dropping. It is hard to say what will happen with Ooijer too. My guess for the side: -----------Benni Nonda Bentley Savage Tugay Reid --Niell Ooijer Zurab Emerton ----------------Freidal Subs: Brown, Todd, Pedersen, Gallagher, Roberts But really there are a lot of combinations that could happen depending whats been going on in training. United 1-2 Rovers. Remember that liverpol were held well by United at bramall lane, so it will be tough...

Dunn is clearly a good enough player for the Premiership when fit, how people suggest otherwise is baffling. More direct and aggressive than Bentley, two very quick feet and an eye for goal. Indeed he is an outstanding talent and would be a good signing. However his temprement and fitness are both masively suspect. Bellamy, although troublesome, possessed a deep desire to win and push himself to the limit. Dunn rather appears to have little problem coasting along without stretching himself. I would be suprised if we offered anything like 2 mill for Dunn. 1 million would be justifiable, along with a contract of around 15k a week, as the loss would be containable should he fail to perform. Whether Dunn would fancy such a drop in wages is debateable.

SOundl like Warnock will be a straight swap if anything, cash plus Warnock is a bit of a stretch. Hmmmm.... I suppoise that would be okay.

To be fair I have always thought that Zurab is a better player than Todd not just based on that last performance. More pace, more technique, calmer, less prone to give away fouls and penalty. Sure Kishi lacks the physical dimension of Andy but overall you have to admit it will hardly be a critical blow if we lose our crazy captain. Also I have been completely mystified as to why Nelsen was not made club captain at the start of the season.

I can't really see how losing Todd would be a problem. Zurab and Nelsen are patently better players, Neill is decent in the centre and Ooijer must get better. If we get in 1-2m and use it to get a midfielder then I reckon we are up on the deal. Can't be long till Jan turns up....

I thought we played well ultimately. Emerton and Bentlry were superb and McCarthy looks very good. Zurab didn't put a foot wrong and Niell looked comfortable at rightback. Ooijer had a nightmare but he did, to be fair, look composed and in control for most of the game except the two goals. However in two weeks time he is going to be on the bench, I don't think there is a doubt about that. Roberts seemed pretty poor allround, but I have confidence that he is a better player, just that Chelsea could cope with him in a way Sheff Utd will not. The season starts with the next game. WIth Nelsen and Tugay back we will be an even better side.

With Hughes seeming to admit that Everton should have had a penalty yesterday I reckon Todd is going to get the chop for Ooijer. Apart from that I think Neill will make a reapperence and Emerton will be moved to the midfield to make it more robust. Lineup: ----------McCarthy Roberts --Gamst Savage Reid Emerton --Gray Oooijer Zurab Niell ------------------Friedel Subs: Brown, Todd, Gallagher, Bentley, Kuqi 2-1 Chesea with us taking the lead first.

2 million for a 32 year old centreback when, despite out current injury crisis, we already have four seems more than a little steep! I would guess that is out lot of signings for the summer (unless we lose a player), personally I would have rather seen a right winger or left back come in. Ho hum. Still, obviously a quality defender and I would guess we are looking for a Nelsen Ooijer combination in the middle for the coming season.

With a new season only a few hours old it Rovers have already had a day that many supporters would want to forget. A three goal loss against a Portsmouth side looking to leave their poor form of last year well behind was a disappointing start to a season which had been met, at least by our own dour standards, optimistically. Neill’s sending off for two cautions, his seventh in his career, combined with Andy Todd’s single card dismissal causes vast problems for the management team- injuries are haunting Hughes at the moment. The defensive line-up that appeared at Fratton Park was already depleted but the loss of the Australian and our captain will reduce us to a very makeshift back line. Nelsen is making a quick recovery and may be available (although that seems unlikely), and the acquisition of Ooijer would be very timely if he arrived before Wednesday. Incidentally Rovers will have already shot to the top of the foul play table, a competion we have championed the last two seasons, so perhaps the possibility of a points deduction should we win it again this season (as Phillipl has mentioned) should be investigated. Creativity also seems at something of a premium with Tugay still to sit out a further two games after picking up a suspension at the end of the last campaign. Bentley has come in as understudy but still seems a good way off the class of the Turkish maestro. With Rovers at least appearing to eschewing the signing of a central midfielder this transfer window it must be fervently hoped by all Blackburn fans that the under 21 star will fulfil the promise that is at present all too fleeting. An early substitution resulting from an all-round poor performance on the South Coast could mean he loses his place in the side, although armchair pundits are forced to wonder who would come in to fill his berth. Sanity preserving positivism dictates that all this misery should be put behind us however, and Wednesday sees Rovers have an ideal opportunity to do just that. Blackburn on Everton in their second game of the season at Ewood park which was last season something of a fortress. The lads claimed 13 victories and 3 draws out of 19 matches including two outstanding results against Chelsea and Manchester Utd, so hopes for victory should not be presumed entirely outlandish. One of the great plus points of the summer break was the double signing of McCarthy and Roberts, two different types of striker who built up a complimentary partnership of power and skill over the pre season. Neither really got into the game on Saturday, but all eyes will be on the new additions to create some gilt edged opportunities. Everton for their part have sparsely strengthened in the last few months, but those who they have brought in possess quality. The high profile signing of Andy Johnson (someone who will be looking to create a prolific partnership with fellow England international and former rover James Beattie) was followed by Tim Howard and the great defensive prospect Joleon Lescott. The Toffees have yoyoed up and down the table in recent years, finishing an astonishing fourth in 2004 and then dropping to an underwhelming 11th. On the weekend they managed a decent if fortuitous (apparently a penalty that never should have been) 2-1 victory over newly promoted Watford. Andy Van Der Meyder was left out of the side due to drinking shenanigans and that should carry over to Wednesday. For my money their biggest threats lie in the two strikers and the guile of Arteta, a player who scored an absolute cracker at Ewood Park last term. My tip for our line-up, likely to be wildly incorrect: --------------Roberts McCarthy Pedersen Savage Reid Gallagher ----Gray Moko Nelsen Ooijer? (please god!) --------------------Friedel Subs: Brown, Matteo, Bentley, Kuqi, Emerton I reckon for the score: 1-1 Questionnaire has been sent out, yet to receive the old reply. Good luck Rovers! God help us…

Bit confused about Zurab, thought he would at least be on the bench. Savage maybe injured. No cover on the bench! Only way to remedy would be to move Axe to midfield and bring on Emerton to right back. edit- apparently zurab is injured

With the injuries we have my money is on this lineup except that Gally will be on the bench somewhere, probably replacing Jeffers, and get a run out.

I can't see how we were not looking to sell him. Clearly he was third choice on the right last season after Bentley and Ried and was never trusted at right back. Axe and Reid have got the nod infront of him there. Likes others have said the reason for the contract must be that bids that came in were just not deemed sufficiently high. Ho hum, I guess this precludes ussigning a right winger. I would have loved to see someone like Gera come in. All that said it looks like Emerton will start on Saturday as both Tugay and Reid are out, and Gallagher is probably too lightweight to play wide with Bentley in the middle. Prove us all wrong Bert, please! edit- apparently he is probably injured for this weekend so Gally might get a chance.

I would guess if reid doesn't make it we would play Bentrley on the centre and Emerton on the right, putting Gallagher wide would mean a very weak tackling midifield. Buy a central midfielder!!

Team I'd like to see: ----------- McCarthy Roberts --Pedersen Savage Bentley Reid -----Gray Nelsen Zurab Niell --------------------Friedel Subs: Enckleman, Todd, Peter/Axe, Gallagher, Kuqi I have to say we are looking extremely thin in central midfield if someone gets injured with Tugay out but generally speaking that first 11 is a very good side. Gray and Bentley are the weak links, but all the rest you could make a case for being top players. I would go for a 1-1 draw I think. Roberts to get the one for us.

Thats genius!

Didn't see the game so was wondering if everybody would be happy if we started next season with the same lineup apart from the one obvious change of nelsen coming in at the back and neill moving out right with Axe on the bench? Do people who saw the game really rekon Bentley can play the central midfield role?

I wouldn't agree with that at all. is set pieces are excellent but in open play I would say Gerrard, lampard, J Cole, Hargreaves, Carrick, Lennon and Scott Parker all have more to offer than Beckham. Sure none of them have his passing ability (although Gerrard, Lampard and Carrick all come close) but all have other aspects of their game that make up for those deficiencies. We need pace and power out wide, someone who can drive at a defence. Gerrard and Lennon have far more to offer in that department than Beckham. Even SWP would give England more options than Beckham when looking to counter attack or stretch the play. Bechkham was a good player for England but should never been captain. He has had his day.

I think it may well have fared baetter than the one we did put out, but that is with the benefit of hindsight. And really it isn't much different to the side that featurued in the world cup, only Ashton has not had significant playing time for the national set up. And I think Crouch does have a future with england as an impact player from the bench so should still figure in plans. What everybody needs to see is Ashton have a stormer as we desperately need a striker to emerge of real quality.

Team I would like to see given a shot: - -------------Rooney-----Ashton J Cole----Hargreaves---Lampard-----Gerrard ---A Cole----Terry------Ferdinand----Neville ------------------Robinson Subs who should make an appearence: lennon, Carragher, Crouch, Downing, Carrick. Dropping beckham seems sensible to me. Shows that everybogdy is fighting for thier place.

The team I would like to see against NZ: I think that would have the best balance of creativity and athleticism throughout the side. However, of course, by Saturday Niell and Emerton could have gone and oijer arrived. Incidentally it occured to me that we were supposed to have around 10 million to spend after bellamy left but haveactually only spent 4.25 (2.5 on McCarthy, 1.75 on Roberts I think). We desperately need a right winger and a left back as things stand, possibly also a creative midfielder. And if the Aussies go we will need a right back too. Only 24 days till the window closes...

Not quite sure what Taylor is drivelling on about. England are producing higher quality young players compared to ten years ago in my estimation. Lennon, Parker, Downing, Ashton, chap at Bolton, Wright-Phillips, Walcott to name but a few. Rooney and Gerrard, arguably the two finest English players at the moment, are going to be available for a couple more WCs. The Coles, Carrick, Hargreaves, Lampard are all going to be available for at least one. I wouldn't say there is a dearth of talent, rather a couple of problem positions. We need a quality line leading centre forward to emerge over the next couple of seasons and a right back. Robinson is a great keeper but someone to appear as a backup would be good. But in positions like central and right midfield and central defence we have loads of good players. We are such a melodramatic nation...

With the use of video evidence we should. The FIFA frequently claims that it wants racism to be put out of the game so cleary, if it is proved that Materrazi used a racist insult, the Italian player has to be punished. Not really sure why you have a problem with that?

No excuse for what Zidane did, he fully deserves a ban for violent conduct. However materazzi should recieve a stiff ban too and a warning as to his future in the game.