I've moaned at England and McLaren a fair bit recently but can't really tonight.

It was a professional job well done against a shockingly poor side with the result never in doubt.

The lack of imagination and quality in the subs was annoying though.

Tougher challenges lie ahead and I still feel we'll see the 'bad' side of England at some point in the autumn.

Problem here is that Estonia are that bad McLaren might get away with Dyer at RB and then it would appear in the eyes of the naive as a tactical wonderstroke.

I'm not saying that Phil Neville should be in the squad but as he is then surely he has to be played at that position before Dyer. Same applies with Wes Brown. Yes they're both shakey but without a doubt they will have far more defensive positional awareness than Dyer. They'll also tackle and head better than Dyer.

Went to the Picturehouse in Liverpool lasy night before having a few drinks and watched "El Laberinto Del Fourno", Pan's Labyrinth.

It's a Spanish film with subtitles but your soon forget about the subtitles as you get into the film. The storyline is an adult fairytale set in Spanish Civil War times, and believe or not the two storylines complement each other so wel.

A couple of friends had previously watched this and true to their word it was one of the best films I have seen in a long time.

Someone recomended to me that I rented out Pans Labyrinth. Having never heard of it I rented it 'blind' and was annoyed to discover it was in spanish with english subtitles. Normally I just can't get into films with subtitles. However I gave it a chance tonight and the film was superb. If anyone likes these sort of movies ( a bit wierd) I recommend them to get it and give it a chance. You'll not be disappointed.

I know that he had a poor game tonight but, come on, Smith is a top quality player. I like Crouch, particularly because he offers something different, but Smith is definitely the better player.

I have to disagree TCJ. Alan Smith is nowhere near top quality. Sure he is a good player else he wouldnt be at United but he's very limited at what he does. He's like a very good Dickov. I'd say Crouch, as well as being better in the air, is better on the ground also. Crouch really does suffer because of his size.

Alan Smiths record for United is 12 goals in 61 starts. That is a poor ratio for someone playing in a Man United team who win far more than they lose. I know he's played some of them in midfield but thats because he's not been good enough to get a game up front

His England strike rate is 1 in 16 caps.

Crouch is 29 goals in 71 games for Liverpool and 11 goals in 17 internationals.

FIife - with regard to Owen I agree that apart from the header onto the roof of the net he did very little. However I let him off in my rant due to the fact that he's only played 330 minutes of football in 12 months and he is proven at scoring for England. It does sum up our lack of quality that despite his lack of matches we are almost compelled to pick him.

Time for a rant.

Did McLaren not say at the start of his reign that he'd take friendlies more serious and make it an honour to wear the shirt again. Let's ignore the fact that Crouch didnt start so that a token Man U player could play in the case of the god awful Alan Smith. At least that might keep a portion of the 9 zillion Man U fans buying shirts. We were in front for what would be a moral boosting win. Then the changes. First Downing for Joe Cole even though Cole had looked more lively than Rhubarb and Custard had done in the middle of the pitch. Second Kieren Dyer on before Englands most potent marksman of the last 18 months. Finally Jermaine flippin Jenas on for Beckham. By the time 'JJ' wasted the glorious 3 on 2 break I'd had enough and hoped Brazil scored to put what is surely deserved pressure on McLaren. I cheered the equaliser.

Lawro thinks we'll play a 'lone' striker against Estonia on Wednesday, similar to when we got absolutely battered in Croatia. Personally, I'd go with a Bentley, Cole, Gerrard Beckham midfield, 2 strikers and go at them all guns blazing. We wont though, we'll sit back in the hope of grinding out a 'professional' solitary goal win. If we don't start with 2 strikers on Wednesday, and if Crouch isn't one of them, for the good of English football I hope we don't win. At least we'd still have a slim chance of qualifying. People would say who would we replace McLaren with. I don't care. Anyone. Ian Holloway. At least we'd be useless but get a laugh. This is just plain frustrating. People, especially other nations, always say 'why can't you accept you're not as good as you think you should be'. I think the reason is because most people know that we suffer from favouritism within the camp (Lampard), not getting the best out of players in their correct positions and strange and ultimately stupid decisions from the 'management'. Even then we'd still not be good enough but at least we'd sleep at night knowing we'd done all we can.

Rant over (and I've not mentioned Paul Robinson once!)

One word,

GREED

If McCarthy goes to Chelsea do you honestlyfeel he is going there only for the cash?

At 2.5 million they were fleeced. Bent is nothing but an average striker. I have seen nothing of his play at Charlton to make me think any different.

A ridiculous statement. He's scored 32 premier league goals in 68 starts for a club that has finished 13th and then 19th in the league. He's scored 13 goals this season despite missing two months through injury. The next highest scorer for Charlton has 3 goals.

£2.5 million has proved a bargain purchase for Charlton. We sold Shefki for that much !!!!

I'd love bent as Ewood but the price will be around the same mark that Everton paid for Andy Johnson, £8.5 million

Wait till tommorow when he finds out he's not even won Player of the Season. :ph34r:

This story was the usual set-up by The Scum to create a story. Just take a look at how it was put together with the usual 'closed' question. How else was Benni supposed to respond?

Even though it is in the sun, the worrying thing is that it's not an article fabricated and expanded based on an odd quote or two. It quotes Benni directly and, as we all know, once Benni starts talking he doesnt tend to stop. Looking through the quotes again he doesnt actually say he is unhappy here or wants to leave.

The worst quotes from the interview from our point of view are:-

"The challenge of being part of the best, playing against the best. Champions League football means everything to any footballer with ambitions. But at 29 years old, if a club like Chelsea comes looking for you then you must seriously consider the opportunity.

"But a chance to go to Chelsea - or any other Champions League team in England or Spain - would be hard to turn down."

"Blackburn gave me my chance and even though it was not a big transfer fee, I trust that I have already paid them back with my commitment and goals this season.

"Mourinho has coached me. If he ever were to sign me again, it would be because he knows exactly what he's getting and that I've managed to settle down in England quite quickly. t would be a big challenge to win a regular start in a club like Chelsea but why shouldn't I have confidence in my own abilities? I know I can compete with the best.

Forget the "McCarthy heading for Ewood Exit" headlines and look at what he's actually said.

" He misses Champions League football. The chance to play it again at a big club would be hard to turn down.Blackburn got me quite cheap and I've already re-paid them this season. I'd love to play for Chelsea. "

He shouldnt have really said any of this. Surely letting info slip like this is what agents are for. But what if the two questions he was asked were "do you miss Champions league football" and "If Blackburn accepted an offer for you, would you like to move to a bigger club"?

It will be interesting to see what he or the club say in the coming days. It doesn't look good but there is a chance he's just been too honest, too talkative and a bit thick.

If he goes for £15mill I want Darren Bent

There's no point getting upset about anything. At the end of the day we all know Benni has got a big gob on him, but he's merely saying what all our players are thinking. You can bet your bottom dollar that Pedersen, Benni, Bentley, Emerton etc etc would all leave if a Champions League club came in, and I don't blame them to be honest.

Exactly, everytime this happens we all go ape, but the reality is that practically all players don't have the regard love that we have for the club. If they get the chance of more money and/or a higher level of football they'll all be off. Problem here is that McCarthy has allegedly deceided to speak of his wishes to a Sun journalist. On the other side of the coin at least we now know where we stand with him.

I'm sure some people will now say "He doesn't want to play for us, sell him". Why? His feeling and attitude is exactly the same now as it's probably been whilst he's been scoring his 20+ goals. As IHB said above, it's probably simialr to that of MGP, Bentley and any other player that thinks they can play at a higher level / better club than what we can offer.

If he go's we'll have to live with it and replace as we did with Bellamy. If he stays then fine, keep banging them in. Unfortunately this is modern day football. I wonder how many people jumping up and down about this were laughing their cocks off at Birmingham when we signed Robbie Savage in a far more controversial and underhand way.

He should enjoy himself in front of the dingles! I don't envy him.

True. I remember Ian Pearce getting barracked for 90 minutes when playing for England U21's in a game at Turf Moor.

He's just moaning his head off like he always does, at least he can string a sentence together though.

Quality. Has a pop at two people in one sentance whilst at the same time crying to the mods on another thread.

is that sarcasm hasta or is nearly the highest scorer in england not good enough?

Over the course of this season he has been good enough. In the last 35 minutes that I saw tonight he was bloody awful. I've not really criticised him before and, believe me, there's no way I want to lose him. It's just for the second half everyone infront of defence was poor, Benni included

I only saw the second half. He must have been bloody good in the first !!!

Why is everyone saying the fee will be £2million, has Hughes or Rovers confirmed this fee? Its just paper speculation, Im willing to bet the fee will be 'Undisclosed' and no more then £1million, Hughes has paid very little for each of the Loan signings he's turned in permanent so far. so I can't see him paying much for Shabani. People forget Hughes is very shrewd when it comes to transfer fees.

Because it was on the back page of the LET quoting the £2mill price tag. It's very rare that the LET publish the cost of players so we have to assume it's fairly accurate. Either way, it's not a figure that has just been plucked from the air. If the deal goes through I agree that it will be 'undisclosed' though like all of our signings.

BBC report claiming Tugay feels he can continue for another two years in the Premiership.

Quote:" The club has become like a second family to me. I am happy both on and off the pitch."

Sometimes you have to take off your blue and white spectacles and say whats annoying you.

I do hope that over the summer the club sort out David Bentleys tendancy to 'go to ground' easily. I don't like it when the likes of Ronaldo, Drogba, Diouf and company do it, I also don't like it when Bentley does it. He really has no need to. Eventually he'll get a reputation and ,unlike the players with the big clubs, will stop getting free kicks at all. I've seen games when Diouf has been kicked all over the pitch and the ref just gives him nothing.

He didnt do it alot today except for when he wasnt touched by Thatcher for the first booking. I know it was a rash challenge and probably a booking anyway but had it been Diouf we'd have been going mad. Ultimately, it cost them a player and made our afternoon easier, but in the grand scheme of things I hope Hughes sorts it out.

It was quite close to where i was sat. There was a disagreement between two lads which kicked off. The security came in and removed one of the lads. However on the way past the front of the stage he seemed to kick off with the security guy who was throwing him out. More security rushed over to help, then all his mates from the table got up and piled into them. Lloyds went off stage but Taylor stayed on and made a joke of it.

Shameful really. I think that incident will be the end of Prem League darts at King Georges Hall.

I'm on the floor. If it's the same layout as last year I'll be to the right hand side of the stage as you look at it from the floor.

I've already booked Friday off work.

Katchit and Ursis put me slightly in profit for today. Also won £30 on the quadpot. Probably somewhere in the region of £300 up for the week despite only having 1 winner.

Off skiing tommorow so it pays for the flight and accomidation!

Only 4 weeks to go to Aintree!

Worst day so far on Thursday. Pity I didnt have the placepot today £8,800 for a £1 stake!

Final Day picks.

Degas Art & Katchit

Flight leader

Control Man E/W

Ursis & Saintsaire

Arcalis & Trouble at Bay E/W @ 100/1

Not actually backing any winners, just a lot of places so far. These placepots are worth investing in though. About £880,000 in the pot both days this week. Even if a lot of favs place its still pays a few bob.

Quicky:-

Limited Edition & New Little brik

Our Vic

Black Jack Win & Temoin to place

Vodka Bleu

LAY Gungadu

Mololith , Material World , Kadoun

Be interesting to see how Rhinestone Cowboy goes in the last tommorow. Off track for nigh on 3 years after looking the best young staying hurder around. Disappointing return earlier this season but this is the first time he's got his proper ground. 14/1 now, would have been about 2/1 for this in 2004.

Edit at 4.20pm. No placepot to save me today. Now added Material World and Kadoun to my last race selections. Can back a few in that as it's 12/1 the field.

Bet receipt
Bet: P/0291137/0000661

Date & time:2007-03-14 13:51:41
Bet type:TOTE_UPLP
Stake:£43.20
Stake per line:£0.30
Refund:£0.00
Winnings:£691.65
Settled:Y
Leg type:W
Number of selections:14
Number of legs:6
Number of lines:144
Number of lines void:0
Number of lines won:1
Number of lines lost:143

A bigger placepot. Nice

In the first novice hurdle I'm looking at My Turn Now e/w.

Second race I think and hope Denman will win. I should have backed him as my mate has rode him and has been on about him for 2 years now. However all the price has gone so I'll leave alone at 11/8. If i have an interest bet it might be on Gazzas Girl to place at 9/1

Champion Chase I'd have liked Nickname but it's dried a bit too much so I'll leave alone.

Powerstation and Nation State in the fourth

Fifth is an amateur race which I don't normally back in. An interest bet would be maybe Lou du Moulin Mas but I'll have a closer look tomorrow.

Leaving the last alone as there's little to go on.

Don't think I'll be backing anything majorly tommorow though (unlike hardy Eustace today ).

Could do with some rain for the beef.