At least for 85 minutes of our semi-final it was still a game. The Mancs had todays match sewn up by half time.

At least Goals On Sunday haven't made a big fuss over it. They genereally said there were some bad tackles - they got booked for them - get on with it.

Back in 1995 we had gone in the space of 4 years from being on our way to the old division 3 to becomming the richest, most progressive club in the land by a long way. We had the best striker in the world up front, a team full of top class internationals and Mark Atkins. Footy was still riding the crest of the bSKYb 'boom' and attendances were rising. We were also challenging for the premier league title. Oh, and they had Jurgen Klinsmann. Thats why we took 3,000. Back to the Arsenal game, the problem in my eyes is we've now been there and done it. Most people went for the Worthy cup final. Had we never been there before I feel sure you could add 8,000 onto our travelling support on saturday. Also this may sound daft but if we win we don't actually win. It's a semi-final and as much as we shall rejoice in the fact that we're in the FA cup final we've not actually won anything. Couple that with horrendous ticket prices, especially for kids, and a ludicrous kick off time and in my eyes it's fairly obvious why we aren't taking many more. Rovers may have a genuine hardcore support of around 10,000 now with the rest being 'casual' fans. These aren't fans that don't care .I'm sure they do. But to them maybe Rovers aren't as high up the priority ladder as they are for the more vociferously critical ones on here. Therefore wiping otr at least a full day of their time (or more if they go down before) and paying travel fee's plus £45 a ticket for what is still only a semi-final is not attractive to the casual fan.

Although they struggled to sell their own tickets the fact that they have done means they probably could shift a few more (especially of the gold-dust like £25 and £35 tickets). We are NOT selling over 20,000 so the FA might as well release a wad of our tickets to the Arse. There won't be a segregation problem as you could leave a few thousand empty between both sets of fans.

I thought that in the league game a few week ago we were nowhere near as physical as we have been. I predict that so as not to play our 'hand' to early and fully expect us to try and kick lumps out of them to throw them off their game. It won't work unfortunately. Rovers 1 - 3 Arsenal

In all the euphoria of an excellent win and performance in the Premier Leagueyesterday let us not forget - The Gap Is Closing ! PMSL

More congrats to Stephen Reid. Ever since he chased the dingle off the pitch at Turf Moor he's been a revelation. Strong, direct and covers every blade of grass he gives the back four protection despite playing in a more advanced role than the other midfielders and is always quick to support the forwards. By all accounts he was having a blinding season at Millwall and had forced his way in and around the Republic squad when we signed him. He's been patient, kept his mouth shut, worked hard and now he's taking his chance. Even when Savage is fit Reid will still be the first central midfielders name on the teamsheet for me.

Yes it is a shambles but i can't help thinking that even if the West Stand would have been opened up we'd only sell maybe 2,000 more maximum because of the extra cheaper tickets. Whether we sell 16,000 or 18,000 it will still be regarded as poor.

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They're both paying the same. The FA aren't that stupid. Although I'm sure there are loads of restrictions it's worth noting that as of Friday the even the mancs still had 6000 tickets left.

I see that in pursuit of his desired silverware Barry managed to get himself sent off in the 'crunch' game at Fir Park against Motherwell. Maybe the pressure of playing in front of 10,210 fans for his beloved Rangers became too much.

I phoned up this afternoon and couldn't get a £45 ticket in the upper tier of the BT stand. At least we must have sold a few thousand!

Am I right in presuming that trains from Cheltenham and Gloucester that don't change at Bristol run direct to Cardiff and are thus unaffected? Edit - with hindsight that appears a stupid drunken question. I've got a large PDF of UK rail lines and routes and they are direct.

Warning, I went to Bristol before the Worthy Cup final with 4 other lads and it was an absolute nightmare getting in pubs. Unless you had a West Country twang it was couples only in most pubs. Disagree ! Going round Bristol was like a night out in Blackburn before the Worthy Cup. There where over 30 of us (2 mini-bus loads), had no problems at all, great night had by all. Will be doing the same again, Saturday night. Strange, we struggled in any of the bars in the main square area and ended up in some back street Aussie bar full of Spurs fans.

Warning, I went to Bristol before the Worthy Cup final with 4 other lads and it was an absolute nightmare getting in pubs. Unless you had a West Country twang it was couples only in most pubs.

So if the game kicks off at 5.15pm it won't finish till 7.05pm. Get back in car at 8.00pm not be home till past midnight. Nice one FA. Let's make them play 200+ miles away at 5.15 Numpties

Backhanders then.

[RANT] I know it has been said before but what an absolute sham to have the semi-finals at the Millenium. If you drive there and back on the same day it's a good 8 hours minimum round trip. Alternatively you could stop over and add another £50+ to the expense of the weekend. Throw in tickets at £50 and it becomes a bloody expensive do. For the final fair enough but it's a semi FFS. The semi is a game that should be played at either OT, COMS or VP with the teams remaining. Has the FA actually given a reason as to why the games are in Cardiff? It's not to enable more fans to see it because you can get nearly 70,000 in Old Trafford. IMO it's for the £££££££'s to pay the wages of the tactically naive Sven. The FA have made a good deal about moving the FA cup draw to monday lunchtime for 'tradition'. Where's the tradition here. What a joke. [/RANT] BTW, of course I'll be there. Are semi-finals settled on the day now or can they go to a replay?

I have to say though apart from missing the foul for the winner I thought Collina and his 'assistants' were very biased against Chelsea. Any nudge by a Chelsea forward on a defender was a free-kick but that wasn't the case the other way round.

Not sure how true this is but someone has told me that UEFA only allow 4 clubs per country into the Champions League. This means that if (a big IF) Liverpool were to win the competition this year they would qualify and Everton would miss out even if they finished 4th. OOOhhh nasty.

I'm not saying anything about the salaries of the two police forces. StuWilky pointed out that the Wigan rates don't applied to the policing of BRFC games. You doubted that the figures would be different. They are.

Dave Whelan is quoted today as saying Wigan got charged around £45,000 for their policing of the Leeds game from GMP whereas Preston only got charged £7,500 off Lancashire Constab when they played Leeds. Not a big difference is there. But then again you only refer to Wigan when it suits your own agenda.

Good result but let's not forget - the gap is closing

Hmm very even first half. Everton only real chance came when for some reason Mokoena, whos playin in midfield, found himself centre half against Bent. He was outpaced and lucky bent didnt dive as he tried desperately to bodychekc him. Fortunately Brad knows that for all Marcus' strengths deft finishing isnt one of them. Apart from that very little Toffee threat. The first Carsley free-kick was a joke. Not sure how Nelson was expected to get out the way of Bent. Still don't know where our goal is coming from. Our best chance seems to be MGP's corners from the right.

Just backed Morten for the first goal at 14/1. Hopefully if by a miracle we get a pen he'll wrestle the ball off Dickov.