My sentiments exactly! Still a top side if getting a little old. Like Germany they could win the competition but really other sides with more all round quality should tke the trophy

Granted. So we are agreed- he should of hesitated and and blown after the goal then sending off the keeper awarding the the goal. Failing that, due to blowing too early, he should of sent the keeper off and given a free kick, which he did.

Eddie!!!! THe referee is not supposed to make decisions on the basis of 'what's better for the neutal observer', but on the basis of the culpability of those who break the rules of the came. It is supposed to be a fair contest, remember? The rule of law and all that. Bejesus. It is people who exercise judgement like that that get Rovers into so much grief. They equate the concept of an unattractive game with justification for refereeing decisions. Favourable decsions are given to the big clubs in the interest of creating a 'more attractive game' which equates to soft cards being handed out to 'those cloggers' (ie us, Bolton, FUlham etc).

So who would you drop out of Beckham, Lampard, Gerrard and J Cole to accomodate Carrick? Or would you not accomodate Carrick?

If SGE had some balls then Beckham, even though he has playerd well recently, should be the one to give way with Stevie G on the right. As SGE generally does not have balls (but maybe in the post Walcottgate era...) it would probably be Cole who would lose out, with Gerrard on the left. Either way I think Sven has committed himself to the notion that the midfield can only work if there is someone to hold it together and Carrick is that guy. Gerrard just cannot help himself but burst forward, fair enough if you have that level of talent, but we just lose the ball so much and have little cohesion. It's a tough decision, but one that I think will massively improve our chances. One less top quality player, but a lot more balance. I'll bet a tenner on it if anybody fancies a wager.

Look, Lehman committed a PROFESSIONAL FOUL. He intended to do what he did. It's like saying an assassin should be punished lesh harshly merely because he missed. The question is the intent and the commitment of that intent and he did both. He shouldn't be allowed to stay on the pitch because he failed to do what he intended to to the full extent (ie. prevent a goal through committing a foul). His rubbishness as a cgheater should not mean he gets treated more leiniently. If it is within the referees powers, and I didn't realise it was until someone mentioned it, Lehman should have been sent off AND the goal allowed! So actually Arsenal could be construed as quite lucky, rather than the other way around.

Barcelona are just Catalan. Being Catalan and Basque would be like being Welsh and Northern Irish! The Basque country is a pocket of the country, culturally, linguistically and historically distinct from the rest of spain (and even runs a little into France), even more so than the Catalans. Anyhow here's the wiki page: Baque Country There are three basque teams: Real Sociedad, Athletic Bilbao and Deportivo Alves (beaten by liverpool in the Uefa cup final a few years back). Bilbao are the only ones who have the Basque only player policy. And they still managed to finish 13th- food for thought? ps. Just looked into it. THey have operated the Basque only system ("cantera") since 1920 odd and still been a top club throughout most of the peiod since. They have supplied more players to the Spain national team than any other club and eight league championships including back to back titles in '82 and '83. And, to prove it is not something that can't happen in contemprary football, they managed to come second in 1998 and have not been relegated in ages if at all.

Well, I don' quite get your complaint. Lehman committed a professional foul and by any interpretation of the rules he should have been sent off. In the rule book I have never seen a clause which says "if a sending off will be detrimental to the spectacle let the player stay on the pitch". The ref had a straight choice as to whether the goal would be an adequate compensation and he decided Barcelona got greater compensation for the foul through the sending off. With players like Deco and Ronaldinho with a free kick just outside the box, and playing a man extra for a vast 72 minutes, it is easy to understand his decision. Sure it was bad for the game to watch, but aren't referees supposed to apply the rules fairly? Oh, and how were Barca lucky? How was two great passes by Larsson and two good finishes by Eto'o and Benetti 'luckier' than shots by Henry and Ljungberg? I wanted Arsenal to win but they lost fair and square, why winge about it? And the biggest cheat in that match was Eboue by a long chalk. The dive for the opening free kick is the sort of thing they should have a panel for to go and punish the player retrospectively.

I don't think thats quite right. Carrick will almost certainly start, I reckon, even if everybody is fit. He gets the number 18 because of the other 4 midfielders senority.

Not sure why everybody was so underwhelmed by Ronaldinho, while not spectacular he still caused Arsenal more problems than Henry did at the other end. The array of talent Barca have is breathtaking, if they get henry as well then that is just taking the wee. If I was Thierry I would be looking at that side and thinking 'I'm not going to be the daddy in that side', rather one of a vertiable collection of footballing superstars. I think Henry likes being the biggest fish. Plus he didn't look like he was too keen on the treatment dealt out by his potential collegues. I can't quite see him in different colours. ps. For England the performances of Campbell and Cole were massively encouraging. Along with Gerrard and Beckham they seem to be hitting form just at the right time...

Your family is not from the former Yuogoslavia is it? But to be fair Greece are European champions I suppose, so anything can happen. Still there are eight or so teams who just have so many more quality players than the other teams in the tournament, so I cannot really see anymore than one of the last four being made up of sides outside that eight.

In the wake of Ballack signing most of the talk I have read on the BBC and elsewhere is that the first choice midfield will be Ballack, Lampard, Makelele and Essien. Apparently few believe Duff, Robben and Wright-Phillips have much of a future and J Cole will have to be content on the bench. After losing his England spot I bet SWP is left a wondering what to do. And there are persistent reports that Robben has fallen out with Mourinho. While Chelsea will obviously want cover for their 4 simultaneous competitions these two could well be off in the summer... Where to? For me they are well out of Rover's reach in terms of salary, but I can see Robben at Liverpool and Peirce somehow scraping together the cash to get SWP loaned back on his current salary.

Right, no two ways about it afte rthe cup final yesterday, this is how the team should start in Germany: I fully expect that to be precisely the team unless Owen or Rooney magically recover. And, to be honest, if Gerrard performs like he did yesterday I think we are not going to miss the Roon too much. oh, I reckon Ashton should have made the squad. Big, powerful, skillful. Actually looks like he could make it as an international forward unlike Crouch and Beattie who seem to be missing parts of their game.

My prediction (1. winner, 2. runner up, 3+4. Losing semi finalists etc.) 1. Argentina 2. Brazil 3. England 4. Spain 5. United States 6. Netherlands 7. Sweden 8. Czech Republic. But I don't really know what I am talking about to be honest as I haven't seen much of the other sides... Ho hum.

Arn't you guys a bit shagged if you play Emerton at full back? At wing back I thought he was okay, but at FB he is generally a liability, to put it mildly! Some good players there, and midfielders who can score goals which is good. But surely to do well it's going to come down to kewell, Cahill and Viduka having stormers? And the two former Leeds lads blow hot and cold to say the least!

I for one will be following the US team with interest after spending a year out here. It is amazing how many 'soccer' fans out here (who nearly all, at least in Seattle, profess their team to be Chelsea, Man Utd or Arsenal. I ask them about MLS but they don't seem to know) don't realise that the US team made it to the quater final last time round. I think they will suprise everyone again and will be my second team after Engerrrrrrland. Obviously.

Good work Philly and Neill! Well done Scotty! Bad luck Phillipl, the old crystal ball not working old china? Looking forward to more of your balanced predictions for the future of Rovers and football in it's entireity...

I'm with you Flopsy! Excellent little piece that. And for those who are giving Hargreaves stick I think it is a little unfair. He has won the double, played good football, and is our only defensive option in midfield if Carrick gets injured. Parker and King are injured/ill so there were no other options for cover (nicky Butt? Don't take the...). We would actually have been a bit shagged if Greavesy wasn't available. Jenas on the other hand does seem a bit pointless, but I guess he is versatile if nothing else. A fifth striker would have been a better choice though.

My guess is even if both Rooney and Owen don't make it then Walcott will still only be on the bench as Crouch and Gerrard/Cole will start up front. And also I would put good money that Defoe will be in the squad as Rooney will pull out.

Garner has not just been transferred to Arsenal for twelve million, been compared to Thierry Henry and rated as the finest young prospect in England since Rooney. It is a bit desperate, but we are in a desperate situation. And if he was Australian he would be on your plane, mainly due to the paucity of quality players at your disposal.

I guess whoever wrote that down on the sign was taking the ######. If we do sign him, which does seem very improbable, the club will announce it.

Well I think Sven has answered his critics superbly. Everybody bangs on "too conservative", "boring", "lack of imagination". He has shown real imagination when we are in a genuine crisis with three of the picks: Walcott, Downing and Lennon. These are unknowns who can cause a real impact in the world cup. As for Rooney I guess if he doesn't make it Defoe will be called up as a replacement. It's all a bit of a gamble, but this is what the public have been asking for. Go on Sven.

Just out of interest, where did Gally play when he came on, up front or out wide? Nice to hear Bert had a good game. But you have to say that when so many first team players were rested or injured (I counted five) and he still did not get a start that things are looking pretty bleak for him. THings are looking so bright for next year! If we can get in a gudjohnsen or a Petrov (or maybe both!) plus a few squad players while hanging on to that crucial backbone of the team (Freidel, Nelsen, Reid/Savage, Bellamy) then we are gping to be serious contenders for fourth next season!

Dillo, you are an extremely good photographer! Is it your profession? What Colin said about putting some of those photographs in the club literature is not too far fetched.

Is Tugay going to get a testemonial after the end of next season. How long do you need to be at the club to qualify? Although he has not been here that long in the greater scheme of things, if anyone deserves to have the rules bent it is him! Genuinely one of the most classy players ever to grace English football. Sounds like a ridiculous overstatement for a Rangers reject, but completely true.