joey_big_nose

Actually to combat that I think Hughes will ring in the changes: We could really do with another striker at the moment, or at least recall Gallagher, to try and combat the fatigue.

Chaeck out these comments by MGP: What a love-in! To be honest when can you remember any of our managers being that highly praised by the players, including King Kenny. It is the sort of flowing tribute that is usually reserved for the likes of Wenger, Ferfuson and Clough. Maybe young ed is just sucking up but, as if this hasn't been mentioned before, we have a real gem on our hands. Hopefully he can defeat the master again today!

######. Well I am abstaining from the game as I am at work and watching it on the video delay at six. In light of Shreck and Ronaldo playing a win by a single goal would be decent. Two goals would be outstanding.

Ferguson will probably start with Giggs and Scholes on with Rooney, Ronaldo and the horse face on the bench, I reckon. I have an absurdly good feeling about this game.

Whoever wrote that is a complete nutjob. To describe Matteo or Kuqi as skillful is ridiculous! If Man Utd are turning out their second striong I think we should try and get 3-0. Very very difficult, obviously, and will leave us open to the counter but if we spook their defence we have a chance. If Pedersen, Tugay and Bellamy hit top form we could paste them!

I agree with that. He is a peculier player- can't pass, positioning is shaky, looks dodgy when put under pressure, yet in terms of winning back a ball seems to be one of the very best in the business. Pace allied with huge size and a rakeing, powerful tackle means he is odds on every time. If the boy had a bit of technique he would be lethal. All the same it is hard to see how he can fit into our side unless we are in dire straits. Looks like we will have to lose him although he is a fine option to have on the bench if we are looking to shore up a lead!

Hard game but then we got such a crazily easy draw last year that we are due it. To put it in perspective it cannot be any worse than out League cup draw against Boro and we beat them. Hammers will fancy it but they are soft in places. Might be a game that comes down to fitness. Personally I would hardly be devestated about falling in the 4th Round if we have already got to Cardiff in the LC.

Reasoned, intelligent, non-combative, professional. Top work lads, hope the meeting goes well! The single most positive thing I can see about that report is that it is so well put together that the club will not only look at you as an interest group but also as a resource.

Wow, Jay-Jay and Diouf are Bolton's best players! Faye is quite important to them too. On that basis, along with home advatage, we should be able to beat them. On the other hand Noblot will be fresher and Sparky will have one eye on the Worthington Cup... Could see a bit of an odd side- Maybe starts for Peter, Reid, Kuq, Axe and Thompson to give some key players a rest in advance of the trip to Old Trafford. 2-1 Rovers.

Things have been nothing short of incredible in the last couple of weeks. Win after win after win! This is the big tester. Personally I think we will probably go out over the two legs but very narrowly. If we are to cause an upset i can see it entirely coming down to the four players who can hurt United: Bellamy, Tugay, Pedersen and Savage. Realistically Man Utds first team squad should be able to contain our other players easily but those above have the ability to do something special or, in Savs case, inspire the side. If all four have a stormer over the two legs we could get to Cardiff. The likely team (if all are fit): The only real possibility for something different I suppose is that Reid could come in for Tugay for a more driving and defensively solid midfield. However I would personally, and I think MH will too, stick the Turk in as United will give him the space he needs to prosper. First Leg: 1-1

I would imagine the opportunity to manage players of the quality of Owen, Shearer, Parker, Emre, Luque, Solano and Dyer would be more than a small drawing factor. Plus if he manages to make them perform he has a team that can realistically expect to qualify for the CL regularly.

Not sure I agree with that. Niell was one of the best right backs in the league in 2002/2003 so you could say he has just refound his form. And I would say that Bleeamy is a very skillful player, as is Tugay. One more would be nice though. Hughes will turn out to be a much more successful manager than Souness. Not quite Ferguson or Wenger or Clough perhaps but definately seems to have resolve, a refined approach and an open mind.

Thats pretty much the team I would go for. The only difference for me would be a recall for Gallagher and give him a run out up top. With Jansen gone I would expect the lad from shad to be winging his way back.

Welwyn Garden CIty? Lovely place that, my mum and dad live aboiut five minutes from there. Well I say lovely, but to be fair it is more like a horrible chav infested hellhole rammed full of disgusting chain shops and cockneys that fancied a change from Essex. The fountains nice though, when they turn it on.

He does seem to be extrodinarily patchy the big man. When I have seen him, which admittedly is rarely, there seems to be a very simple rule. If you deliver the ball at shoulder height or above there doesn't really seem to be anyone better in the business. His wins the ball consistently and put flickons in dangerous areas with an awareness of where his partner is. Below that altitude and he is completley stimied. If only we could have someone with his heading ability, strength and work ethic plus a bit of technique and guile. That would be awesome. And, unfortunately, is unlikely to happen.

I will certainly pity him as he brought the majority of the problems at Newcastle (and other clubs) upon himself. A man who does not admit his mistakes and learn from them. That is utterly pitiful.

It would be interesting if us (or any other 'small' club) get into the champions league. Everton's example shows you cannot spend big on the idea that you will qualify for the group stages, and if you do wait until you have qualified many of the best players are inelidgable to play in the CL. We would have to treat it as very much a second priority behind the Prem just out of sensibleness. Our players we need to be rotated so we would see a weekend team in Europe. Sad, isn't it? But such is the awesomeness of the financial inequality that is tearing the game apart.

Legend!

My rovers world account is playing up so if any body can supply a link I would be very pleased!

We have the neccesary fan base when we are performing exceedingly well. Unfortunately in football it is impossible to perform fantastically well all the time. We will have lean periods and the fans will walk away as they are now. Indeed we are playing decent footie at the moment, being entertaining and have (i think) the cheapest season tickets in the league. We absolutely must maximise what we have and try to build on it, but we are swimming against a heavy current. There is an inevitability about relegation in the long term just in a purely economic sense. The same goes for Fulham and Wigan. The main reason all three of us are up in the upper reaches is financial support from businessmen.

The consensus was that we needed around twelve points from these games. So really we have to be hoping to win the next two. That would be excellent! Things progressing nicely!

First rate performance! Hopeflly we can continue the good work against the Mackems and then give Wigan, who are in sensational form, a game. Kuiq and Bellamy could be quite a combination!

The guys on rovers world said that while Pedersen was carrying a knock his absence is more of a case of Hughes wishinng to rest MGP, rather than the injury making it impossible for him to play.

I would say there is absolutely no indication that Hughes is looking to sell Pedersen, or indeed any club is really looking to buy him. Pedersen has been below par since the Man U game so Sparky is giving him a rest and showing him that his place is not assured in the side.

Kuqi is becoming a legend! If Bellamy is fit enough it will be interesting to see what he can do on the break as Borough come forward.