DavidMailsTightPerm

I am sick and tired of the pro-top 3 press in this country. I sat watching the match with a neutral. His main comment was how Arsenal players were unsporting always seeking to dive and unduly influence the referee. Yes - Arsenal deserved their victory - but this c**p that the press is coming out with really annoys me. I have yet to read an article that mentions some very dubious Arsenal tackling - one on Reid being particularly nasty - or the penalty we should have had. Though Arsenal had the better chances there were a number of key moments that swung their way - that left me feeling that on a day when we really needed a bit of lady luck it wasn't really with us. Also - when Arsenal play poorly - how come it is always the opposition that are to blame. Can the press not accept that one of their favoured teams can actually play poorly.

David Brent - I have no problem with your views on our perspective attendance at Cardiff. Football is all about opinions - you have yours on this subject and I have mine. I feel that this match is different in perspective to the ones that you mentioned - especially as (which ever way you look at it) this isn't a final, but the cost for many will be equivalent. However - I think we will all agree when I say sod the attendance - as long as we win - who cares. A match against Newcastle is destined in the stars

What a load of twaddle is written on here about our perspective following in Cardiff. If we are struggling to get 19k fans in for home matches - how on earth are we going to get 30k going to Cardiff for a semi-final that is on telly at 12:15 ? Everyone that is one here that isn't going probably has a genuine reason - for me I can't afford the £200 it will cost to take my family to Cardiff. Believe me my kids are gutted - but I have a choice - I may be able to get the money together for one trip - but not two IF we got to the final. Does that make me less of a fan ? Who knows - but I was regularly on the Blackburn End when we were only getting gates of about 7k - when times were really hard and we could only dream of the support we now have. For those that claim we are renowned nationally as a poorly supported team - maybe - but those that have half a brain recognise our small catchment area (we are % of population wise one of the best supported teams in the Prem) and fierce local rivalries.

I have previously advocated playing Reid in the centre - he is (on present form) our own cheaper version of Gerrard. I will be watching on Saturday to see him against Vieira. We have a number of players (including Reid) who haven't really got the praise they deserve from the national press. Lets hope after Saturday (win or lose) that they put in a performance that makes the nation sit up and take notice of Sparkies revolution (in a good way of course )

Though I wouldn't like to predict the score - I feel that this will be a more exciting match than many people are predicting. Normally the away side would try to defend - but in this case Southampton really need to win - so I feel that they will really give it a go. Against anybody, except the top teams Hughes has set out his team as 4-4-2 - with more of an onus on attack. The only problem in previous home matches has been that we don't have the guile to break down packed defences - but in this case I feel Southampton won't defend in numbers. So hopefully a better match will ensue. My only concern is that Hughes will have one eye on the Semi - and play a 4-5-1 formation for continuity. However - even if he does I would expect the wingers to be pushed far more forward than they have in previous matches making it more like 4-3-3.

Why all this debate about Final tickets ? 1. We have a major obstacle in Arsenal to overcome before we even need to worry about ticket priorities 2. We struggled to sell out for the Worthy Cup - with falling attendances I can't imagine too many people having problems. Unless they want specific seats. On a positive note - IF we get past Arsenal the club have the opportunity to boost the attendances for the remaining matches of the season by making fans aware that a ticket history for the season will be required to purchase tickets (after season ticket holders etc have had there shout).

I have to say that I felt that Hughes missed an opportunity. Dickov isn't fit - with international week coming up, he could have rested him. This would also given him another chance to see Stead playing in the lone striker role. But, all in all, this game just proved that there isn't much in the Premiership outside the top 3. The huge financial advantage of being in the Champs League and finishing in the top three means that they can afford to have a squad with quality running all the way through it. Realistically, for all the rubbish said about it being the Arsenal youth team - their side still cost more than ours did. In fact Reyes probably cost more alone than our whole side did. It is the sad reality of a league that is now no better than the Scottish Premiership for genuine competition between the sides. We may have three dominant teams to their two - but we have far more teams in the premiership. Its all just too depressing. Lets hope Newcastle and Rovers can strike a blow for the under-dogs and both make it to the final

Latest from Sky Sports Web Site - Charlie Nicholas is predicting a fairly comfortable 2-0 home win..........for Arsenal ????? Arsenal have far more attacking flair than Liverpool or Everton combined - and I fear that this may be the match that we are found out defensively. However, if we can score first you never know ! Nelsen had an average match against Liverpool (by his high standards) - so this will be a good chance for him to gain another man of the match award. Though I am hoping that will go to MGP for his goal, and assist for the winning goal in an exciting 2-1 win

For the Worthy Cup match I stopped off at a nice hotel in Ross-On-Wye - even met some nice Rovers fans who were staying in the same hotel. Try looking further afield - anywhere from Ross-On-Wye southwards makes the onward journey more palatable.

I can't believe all the Leicester complaints about the penalty, firstly IMO it was a penalty, secondly we should have had a penalty when Neil was pulled back. Note that none of the Leicester whingers mention that. Ultimately I think Hughes got the tactics right to beat a very hardworking Leicester team. He started with a team that would prevent Leicester any encouragement - lets not forget the height that they had in their side - Reid and the Axe adding vital height to our side. Second half, when they were tiring he introduced Stead and Emo to take advantage of tiring legs. Lets not forget, with a little luck we could easily have scored prior to the penalty. At the moment, we aren't pretty, but we are getting results. Hughes is doing exactly the job he was brought in to do - i.e. get the best out of the players at his disposal. Cardiff here we come

Funny thing is that the semi is really our final - it would be out of this world to win the Cup - but in money terms just getting to the final and qualifying for Europe will do nicely. I have a funny feeling that we will stop Shearer getting an FA Cup Winners medal - don't know whether it will be in the final or the semi - but it all seems set up

I want the kits to be made out of a material that doesn't pluck as you take it out of the bag for the first time.

Anyone using the Everton performance as a reason for optimism should bear in mind the number of times we have played well away from home, and then rubbish at home. We will need more guile and creativity, rather than just a resolute defence and hard work, when playing Leicester at home. The players have to treat Leicester with the respect that they undoubtably deserve - after their performance at Charlton. We desperately need to score early - hopefully Steads goal will lift his confidence. Because he is what we have been sadly lacking this season.

Nelsen reminds me of a younger version of Short. Though he has been excellent, there have been a few occasions in recent matches where the general lack of pace of the opposition forwards has meant that he hasn't been too exposed - though there have been a few last ditch challenges. The matches against Arsenal and United will show just how good he is. I am especially looking forward to seeing how he copes with Henry. If he does as well in these matches, as he has done in others - get his contract extended quickly . Though you do hope that as Hughes gave him a chance when no-one else would that he will show at least some loyality to Rovers.

I to though that Reid was excellent yesterday - and justifies my believe that one day he could make a good box-to-box midfield player. But lets not get over-board about this - playing away from home gave him far more room than he will enjoy at Ewood. Yes he made good use of it - but the formation and the way the game went ideally suited his type of play. Personally what I like is that he adds some genuine pace to the centre of midfield when he plays (not forgetting height, tackling ability and athletisism- but he still needs to improve his first touch before he is the genuine article.

I think we will start 4-1-4-1, if we do I can see us getting a draw. Indeed history would seem to indicate this - as we seem to replicate home and away results each season.

Can't understand all this bragging about a teams hooligan element. I take great pride from the fact that Rovers are a family club, whose supporters have an excellent reputation when travelling away from home. It is a shame that Burnley fans feel they have to brag about their hooligan element to make up for the fact that they can't beat us For all the arguments about best support club :- Burnely Attendance - 21,468 of which 4k were Rovers = 17,468 Burnley fans Rovers Attendance - 28,691 of which 7k were Burnely = 21,691 Rovers Nuff said

Considering we played the first half against twelve men - I am sure that the ref was wearing Carrot - with some very strange decisions. And the linesman running the Riverside line - he was shocking. But - we won, so when that final whistle went - nothing else really mattered. To all those Burnley fans - you are a well organised team, who can defend very well - but just look at the number of chances you had in 180 minutes of football. We played well below our potential in both matches - you played well above - but we still had more than enough to restrict you to about two chances, while last night creating enough chances to have won far more easily than we did (even only playing at 1/2 capacity) The funny thing is that Burnley are a lower league version of the way Hughes has us currently set up - which is probably why both matches were so poor. The big difference is that Hughes will spend the summer bringing back some of the creativity that Souness stripped from the team. While you buy a second rate striker who has had more clubs than hot dinners.

Whichever way you look at it, this game won't be a sell out as seats are being kept back to keep the Burnley thugs at bay. Also, I would be surprised to see the family stand sold out on a Tuesday night during term time - just a thought.

Waggy - don't understand your logic. I am sure that the 1,000 (or whatever they are) seats are being used as a barrier between boths fans, and the pitch. I am sure that we will see the first few rows of the Darwen End Lower empty - to provide a barrier between thugs and the pitch - or would you prefer Robbie to actually be assaulted this time ? The club will never stop Burnely fans getting into home areas - I am sure that there are some Burnley fans that have frequented Ewood to watch the likes of Chelsea, Arsenal etc - and thus will have a history on our database. A bit worrying that there are still seats in the BBE Lower - coupled with my tickets in the upper (booked this morning) being row 9 - maybe the sales aren't as strong as previous estimates

Those 1,000 tickets will without doubt create a cordon of empty seats to aid crowd control. The club really can't win with this one. Personally - I would like to see any Burnley fans in the home areas ejected from the ground as soon as they are identified. There names should be noted - and passed to the police to investigate. We should also ensure that the purchaser of the ticket is black marked on the ticket database. Unfortuanely I fear we will see a repetition of the Celtic match with away fans in home areas just being left. Having said all that - as long as we win, I couldn't give a monkeys

You would spend far more than 4 minutes of b***s*** waiting to get through so chill. For anybody waiting - started my call at 09:10 - at number 51 in the queue - took 55 minutes to get through - so keep the faith. For anybody currently bashing the club about it's ticket office - given our recent gates, who expected the demand to be as big ? I certainly didn't. For the complaints the will follow after the match - e.g. Burnley fans in Rovers areas - I don't think that there is anything that the club can reastically do. There must be hundreds, if not thousands of Burnely fans that will have a history of buying tickets at Rovers - after all it is there only chance of watching live Premiership football.

Lets look on the bright side - in the time that Burnley sold 7k, we sold 13k

Currently 31 in the phone queue - will try later. But I am booking three tickets so make that 4997 tickets that will be unsold

Restricted view - they must be selling tickets for the hill behind the Riverside