DavidMailsTightPerm

Can I just add a word of caution - remember Rovers 4 United 3 - and what followed. Arsenal have been sussed this season - and we aren't the first team to beat them on their travels. An excellent result - but just another 3 points. There is a long way to go - we need a huge slice of luck to get that 4th spot (or even UEFA) - both with injuries, referees and that rub of the green that makes so much difference. But it is a nice change to actually start dreaming again - thank you Mark Hughes for bringing that back to Ewood.

Apparently Bergkamp won't be risked - so everyone is now safe from his flying elbows

Is today not supposed to be the day - come on somebody must know However - as this case has huge ramifications for football insurance - I wouldn't be surprised to see the results of the case plastered across a number of web sites when the hearing is completed The case is far bigger than just a few extra quid for Mark Hughes' transfer budget

Ok - and the flair in that team was built around home grown talent, and a certain Mr Jansen who had been bought previously. I beleive that our good defence at the time was more due to the experience of Berg and Short than anything that the coaching staff did. I am not knocking Souey - he did a good job for us. But I can't help wonder - give Hughes players like Duff, Dunn and Jansen - I would expect us to be looking to get into the top four, let alone the top six. I also have distinct memories of some very poor games - that were only brought to live by a certain Mr Duff - who in the second half of the season was as good as any winger I have ever seen at Ewood (either home or away). Never has Ewood seen such left wing play since the days of Noel

Personally given our current turn out 22k would actually be reasonable - considering when we played United only 18k Rovers fans turned out. We need to reverse the erosion , but it won't happen over night. At least the club are putting out positive vibes for once - under Souness we would still be going on about getting a few points to avoid relegation rather than the far more positive approach under Hughes

That doesn't really bode well - as they created a number of very good chances against us. Though we kept a clean sheet - it is obvious that the defensive mistakes that cost us the previous two away games are still there. Lets hope an extended rest will see them coming out of the traps against Arsenal and Spuds. Two positive results from those matches would go a long way to cementing a top half of the table finish.

Neil doesn't cop the flak because he is a football genius Lucas has had one of his best seasons - both defensively and attacking. Fair play to the guy as he came out in the press and admitted the goal was his fault.

I am not saying that he will become a star - as you say one swallow doesn't make a summer. Though I do beleive that he has enough potential to take a risk with - it will just be a question of how he develops from this point on. My main point was (as everyone at the match will agree) Ticket £32 Bentley - £500k Seeing him score a hat trick against United - priceless For everything else - there's Rio

Why didn't you come on the board complaining about signing Bentley after the United match ? Most people will agree - he was worth the money for that night alone

A thought for the Rovers players following their lack-lustre performances recently. Prior to the WBA and Everton matches I expected us to get 4 points - given that Everton had their keeper sent off - 6 points should have been achievable. IF we had secured those points - a win tomorrow would have put us in 4th position. It shows that the ultimate dream of a European place is achievable. Tomorrow the players have to show that they want to push for a European place - rather than settle for mid-table (which is how it looks at the moment). A lot depends on the defence tomorrow - we have had too many individual mistakes in recent matches. Personally I would drop Todd and Savage - lining up with :- Friedal Neill Zurab Nelsen Gray Emerton Tugay Reid MGP Bentley Bellamy I would consider dropping Gray - but for me he would keep his place for his attacking capabilities. Though I was very depressed on Saturday night - I am going to be optimistic and go for a 3-1 victory

I would back the Intertoto If we use it as a way of assessing fringe and youth players - with the odd sprinkling of first team talent. Anything else and the first team will suffer.

Lets give Everton a bit of credit - they aren't a pretty team, but Moyes has them well organised. Being down to 10 men doesn't actually make a huge difference from a defensive perspective - it just means you have one less outlet attacking wise. But it sounds like our current defensive frailties helped then considerably. I wasn't surprised that we failed to break then down - the team is set up to work hard and hit teams on the break. When you play a team like Everton you will get few chances to hit on the break when they are down to 10 men. It also sounded on the radio as though the referee bottled it big time after sending off their keeper. Loads of dives etc (incl the soft free kick that led to the goal) which gave Everton free-kicks. Yes, we should be able to beat 10 men - but in reality 90% of the Premiership would have failed to break down a resolute Everton team, with a referee under pressure from 30k+ screaming scousers. As for imagination in the team - that went a long time ago - we have few players that can go past a player - which is essential to create space. Ah remember the days of Duff, Dunn, Jansen. Face it - we have a hard working team with little flair - though there is hope for the future in MGP and Bentley. Just think what a difference MGP could have made - the free kick following the keepers sending off would probably have gone in the top corner, and we would then be celebrating a famous win. On such things are a very tight Premiership (excl top 3) decided.

Depressed

I can't beleive that people question the worth of the academy. I believe that is our only chance of breaking out of mid-table mediocrity. Lets be realistic - we wouldn't be able to afford a Duff or Dunn these days. But while we have an academy we have a chance that one will spring forward. Also, lets not forget that many people put down the dwindling crowds to losing players that the public had an affinity for. What better way than a youngster coming through the ranks ? As has been pointed out, these players are often on lower wages as squad players and therefore make economic sense. Lets put the FA defeat into perspective - it is very rare that a significant number of a youth team go on to make it in football (let alone get in a Premiership team). Only United have done that in recent years - but in reality it was a bit of a fluke. I will be happy if two or three of the players that played the other night looked like they had potential to make the first team squad. The club are also doing an excellent job by promoting these youngsters into the reserve team set up as soon as possible. Lets give them a bit of credit

I agree that they were played off the park at times by Chelsea - but then again many teams have been. Though I feel player for player - and general style of football as a team, we are better than Everton - what worries me is their ability to bring teams down to their level. They also have good delivery from set pieces. If we can keep it as a football match - and especially if Bellars is fit I would expect us to win. However, if Everton can make the match descend into a niggly affair, with play constantly being broken up by free kicks etc - I wouldn't be surprised to see them win 1-0 from a set piece

I noticed this in the United match - where players were holding onto the ball rather than pass to Kuqi. Though I like the big lump - more for his effort and endevour than skill - I can't blame them. As I have said before - I think that the current tiredness of the team is as a result of having to carry Kuqi. It was most noticeable in matches against United - where I honestly think we would have been better playing with only 10 men - as every time the ball was passed to him he was dispossesed. It was noticeable in the 2nd leg - when Kuqi went off and MGP was pushed up front we actually started to hold the ball up - and were able to link attacks better (and MGP isn't a forward)

This is a key match as to how the rest of the season will pan out. IF we can win - it will put breathing space between us and Everton (who will only be a point behind if they win). If we can then couple that with a win over Sunderland the following Wednesday - european dreams are back on again Everton don't seem to be playing well - but seem to have the knack of bringing teams down to their level - and then grinding out 1-0 wins (much as they did last season). Personally I would start with Reid and Savage - replacing one of them in the second half with Tugay (when their midfield has run out of a little steam and are less likely to close him down). I would also like to see Emo given a run out - and if Bellamy or Pongo aren't fit I would player MGP up front and Peters on the left. A lot depends on which forwards are available - but I think we have an edge over them - and it is a while since MGP scored a goal - so 2-1 to Rovers please

Personally I blame Kuqi. I think that the team have had to put in exceptional effort over the last few weeks making up for Kuqi's inability to hold the ball up or link the play. This has caught up with the team who are obviously tired. Isn't it interesting how people are slagging Tugay - he is only as good as the players around him. If they don't run into space - he can't make the pass - and often gets caught in possession. This is where fitness - and forwards like Bellamy who can make intelligent runs and hold the ball up make all the difference. Lets hope SP is fully fit for Everton - Bellamy back would also provide an obvious boost.

Just makes me smile - with each word he is doing a Cloughie. A once great manager that has stayed on just too long. I wonder how the football world will see his latest ramblings. Seems that every time we beat a "big" club it is our overly physical approach that is to blame. Funny they had a player sent off - no mention of Smith's assualts in the previous two matches between the clubs. He is just a joke - pressure must really be on

He now has a battle on his hands to retain a regular place on the right wing. The all new improved Reid gives us so much more in that position. Anyone else notice how many times Reid attempted crosses from deep in our half trying to get Kugi and Bentley in behind the Utd defence - an obvious training ground ploy - which almost worked on a number of occasions. Back to Emerton - he could have been so much more - but I fear we will never see the best of him. As previous people have said - maybe the best thing is for Emerton to have a good world cup - so we can sell him on for a profit to some Italian team. Though I more worried about Neil's form - at the moment he looks the complete attacking full back - if he continues in this vein of form I think Rovers should brace themselves for some serious interest.

Never mind that - anyone else agree with me that Reid was awesome second half. He gave us the pace that we so often miss in our midfield. Gotta say with Reid and Emerton running from our midfield we had plenty of pace to hit on the break.

Unbelievable. Hughes got his half time sub spot on - Emerton was superb second half. Only two downsides :- 1. If Bellamy had been available it could have been a cricket score second half - Kuqi (bless is little cotton socks) was awful (and that is being kind) 2. Didn't get back in time from the match to watch MOD Difference in Bentley was unbelievable - first half I thought he was ok - but for periods after scoring his first two goals he was absolute class. He just needs to repeat this a bit more, and over 90 mins. Still yet another sub-standard ref - every 50-50 challenge went Uniteds way - he wasn't even going to give the penalty until the linesman flagged. Though we won - it is an absolute disgrace how referees favour the "big" clubs.

Never heard such rubbish in my life - the holding role in midfield is extremely specialist and requires a certain type of player. At it's best the player will have good defensive capabilities married with good passing ability. In Gerrard and Lampard we have (arguably) two of the best midfield players in the world and yet neither of them can truly master the holding midfield role. Playing well in a certain position isn't just about raw talent - it is about positional sense, reading the game etc etc. I am amazed - surely you see that in Ryan Nelsen we have a player who typifies this - not the quickest, not the best tackler, not the best header of the ball. But the guy can organise a defence, concentrate and sniff out potential danger. For pure talent he isn't a patch on Ferdinand - but because of these other abilities he is as valuable to us as Ferdinand is to United. In many ways I would actually say that these abilities make him a better defender.

This result may be a blessing - the number of games has well and truly caught up with our squad. People questioning not playing Tugay from the start should remember how old he is - and that tired players often get injured (and we really couldn't lose him at the moment). The same could be said for Nelsen - maybe is carrying a knock so Hughes thought another game would be too much for him ? IF we can get a decent striker in before end of Jan - or IF we can get Bellamy fit - we can still rise up the league. Financially for Rovers - finishing in the top eight will probably be worth more than a cup run. Especially if that run in the league leads to a UEFA Cup spot - and possibly some high profile wins against Arsenal, Chelsea etc to bring the fans back (oh I can wish )

And your prognosis for this weekend is ? I doubt he will start against WH - but to have him on the bench would be brilliant. BTW - I go back on what I said on the MGP up front thread - in the current crisis he is better than Kuqi - at least he can control the ball and bring other players into play