The key to this is not to worry about whats going on around us, after Spurs we all felt we were out the race for 4th spot. However a week later we are back in it. The Rovers managment need to concern themselves with Rovers results. For all the teams 4th down to 7th European Qualification is practicly in their own hands, all the teams are goin to slip up on occaisions so for each team its how many times they slip up. I really believe we are the team capable of putting a solid run through to the end of the season.

I vaguely saw the Messi incident as I was off out to play football and saw the incident once, I couldn't see at the time why it would be a Red Card (I was in the Car by the time it was dished out) and havn't seen the replays. I agree with Shaddy on the Sinbin idea, even if its like 10mins out the game for a player with 2 yellows, if they return and get booked again then they walk.

I think I wee'd my pants. I'll have to o check before I pass any more comments!!! Good stuff Bob

Football has gone soft, I started watching late 80s and everytime a major tournament comes about Refs are told to send people off for specific tackles or book people for petty minor incidents. I have no issue with Red Cards being shown for blatent cheating and assaults but I do have an issue with players being red carded for two tame tackles which could be handled by a quick word. No one wants teams of 10men. Refereeing needs to be more consistant lets look at the weekened Nigel Quasie is sent off for kicking Boateng (To be fair I still can't see the intent) whereas Lehman pushes Reid over and stays on. You go back to the Reina incident a few weeks ago, Im sorry but what Reina did was perhaps foolish but what Robben did was 10 times worse. everyone can spot a cheat but when a cheat is spotted nothing is done about it.

7m on Cole, 6m on Grabbi, 7m on Fergie Granted the Cole signing was worth it and Souness was a fool to let him go. But to spend that money on those other players its no wonder Hughes has limited resources. I suppose Im wrongly picking at Souness when we should be praising Hughes. Hughes kept us in the Premiership using a by any means necessery format, he has done well to get rid of our label as 'dirty' and 'boring' we are playing good football and reaping the rewards and we still have that edge.

I believe he had one of the highest assist rates in the league, and that was when we started putting him down. Emerton is not a bad player, hes not an out and out winger, I think Rovers fans want to compare him t Ripley in his prime or Duff. He just isn't that sort of player

I think Casiraghi had a horrific injury in what was his second game in English football that ended his career.

Im inclined to agree with Eddie here, but who do you take out of a winning team, to take a risk with. Maybe we need to accept Emerton is not an out and out winger and plays better when in a more defensive capacity like the role he plays for Aus.

I used to be the most optimistic of Rovers fans, but over time Ive learnt that we do things the Hard way. I wouldn't bet against us beating both Chelsea and Liverpool and losing to Birmingham, Sunderland and Portsmouth. If we are to Make Champions League we need 24 points to be certain, This allows us to slip up against Liverpool and Chelsea and one other game. On Paper the other games we should win but we won't because football aint played on paper. As a Rovers fan I believe we can do it but as a Rovers fan I also believe we can ###### it away like cheap cider, my advice to the optimists is enjoy it(Champions League talk) whilst it lasts and accept at the end of the year a UEFA spot is a achievement.

The riot with the error was the year before in the championship season when he cocked up big

No he made his debut against Sheff Weds. Another classic from this game was singing to Jason Lee 'Hes Got a pineapple on his head' the days of when Frank Skinner and David Baddiel were funny

Bloody Hell from that link DE4life put up they are taking it bad I agree with James that people are a little harsh on Kuqi, we all know hes not up to standard but at least he puts himself about and can do the big centre Forward job that works in a way of not necessarily doing much in creation but makes defenders work. His header after all led to the flap by Van Der Sars and 'world class defender' Ferdinand. We are in a good position at the moment, we have to see more of this to get the local population back involved. A defeat at West Brom is not an option if we want to do this. For Rovers to get the public back in Ewood they have to entertain and more importantly win. Mark Hughes has shown his ambition in recent weeks in the press and has done a mighty fine job of backing that up, however if he wants the players to take us to the next level for next year he has to get the average ones such as the Kuqis, Gray's and Todds of this world to keep focused and do what they are doing for the rest of the season performing above their weight. If Hughes can do this the futures bright for Blackburn Rovers

I nominate this for a Grooby

Im still in shock 4-1 up against the red scum with 56mins gone, such a shame we lost our head a little after that. I cant believe Sir T**t had the balls to come out and criticise the physical nature of our game after for perhaps the 4th time this season we matched them. We should have had more, but I don't care we knocked 4(Four) past the Scum. I also more importantly managed to weasel out of a bet with a colleague in a double or quits scenario.

ahhhhh explains a lot then Thanks

Ryan on Fulham Target Simon Elliot and on US Soccer Chatrooms "Simon played for a crap team (Columbus Crew) in the States and still stood out enough to be picked. New Zealand should celebrate that instead of bagging the guy."

I wasn't counting Portugal as it was Pens. I was too drunk at the time to remember France side note for the admin/mods why does my browser insist on quoting the last post I keep having to edit and its quite annoying.

Dave Whealen has come out today and demanded for Sven to be Sacked. Sky Sports Now Im no fan of Sven, I find some of the football he gets England playing as truely dull and awful, his tactics are left to be desired and he seems easily manipulated by the press and senior players. This latest scandal is like what we saw in 1997 and again what the FA and his other employers have found out, that if there is more money on the table Sven will make it known hes interested in the job. Now thats not a crime in itself, after all if you were offered more money to do the same job you'd be interested and you would take a look. Now what gets me with Sven he always gets caught out, hes had enough run ins with the great English media to know he will get caught out, the mans an idiot for not learning. Now from my above comments you'd think Id be siding with M Whealen on this but if anyone believes that England can win the World Cup with a new manager in charge is about as stupid as Mr Erriksson for having his pants down again. The group of players he has is perhaps the best chance since 96 we have had of winning anything we have the set up and surprisingly Svendover has a excellent record in competitive matches having only lost 2. We can't harm the consistancy in the England setup now, however much of a pillock he is.

And thats stopped the FA before has it?

my bet for PS3 is Early 2007

Id like to see Bramble play. Not seen as much quality in a defender since the days of Christian Dailly and Darren Peacock. I fancy us to win but we will have to beat Shay Given who perhaps is the biggest reason Newcastle are not in the Relegation Zone at the moment. If they were to lose him they'd be in more trouble than when they lost Owen. Its a shame its not the end of January so any potential Souness replacement has no time to get players in and being stuck with a squad only capable of fighting relegation. That said I wouldn't want Big Al to finnish his career in a team being relegated.

Its sad, but hes had the oppertunities, the second chances, the loan deals, the false new dawns. It realisticly was a gamble on a man who gave the club his all and got struck down by a accident. He was never going to get a regular place in the team when our forward players are doing so well and we are talking about bringing youngsters through, so get him off the wage bill, sometimes managers have to be ruthless, you could even argue cruel to be kind but there is sadly know point paying him when clearly he isn't in Hughes plans. Maybe Hughes has somthing lined up and needs the wage budget, you never know. I know that sounds harsh on one of my favourite Rovers of all time but all good things come to an end and for Matty sadly it came to an end when he got on that scooter. Thanks for the memories Matt

I have mentioned this in the past. He also uses their training facillites. That in my eyes says Halsey should not be able to referee any games involving Rovers, United, City, Wigan on the basis of conflict of Interests.

To me Brads still one of the best in the league. Last night I did feel he was over compensating on the right of his goal for the free kick, but most keepers do that as they expect a wall to do a job it clearly didn't last night. He did on one occasion make me very nervy with a flap which to be fair Brad doesn't make many of. At the moment I wouldn't sap Brad for any keeper in the League bar probably Paul Robinson or Shay Given, the rest are just as prone to blunders Van Der Sar gets baten by free kicks all the time. Lehman can be a flappy happy fool and Pepe Reina proved yesterday that hes capable of a howler. basicly ###### happens when your a keeper so its a case of minimalising it.

Barry Horne