Apologies for not being Blackburn, but around 7 years ago I was at Majorca airport on the way home and bumped into the entire Real Madrid squad. Got all the autographs and stuff-even though I was wearing a Barca shirt (hey I was a naive 13 year old at the time). Two funny stories from that meeting: 1) Caught Manuel Sanchis browsing the pornos and then purchasing one. and 2) When reading back through the autogrpahs under one of the names (cant read who it was, but quite possibly Raul/Hierro/Redondo or another of the big names whom I got) it reads "p*** off in almost perfect English...the Barca shirt had come back to haunt me, and despite my threats at the time to do the club over this childish behaviour I never followed up my threat!!

Andy Gray is worried about the 4-5-1 system as are many more pundits and fans. It's great for our club if we can get 0-0's and 1-0 wins by playing with that system, but ask any other fan and theyl tell you that two teams playing 4-5-1 against each other is almost as boring as watching paint dry. I've heard people ripping us and Bolton apart after sundays games, and we have to admit we would've been bored out of your mind if we werent supporting Rovers in the game. But as Revidge said, hopefuly Bellers will mean a less cautious approach to all games.

Don't know why some are saying it could be 3-2 etc. Since when has a Hughes side caused thjem types of scorelines? West Ham this season exempted. Think we'll grab a 1-0 victory with the Admiral bagging his 1st for the club.

Bound to have been mentioned elsewhere but Bellamy and Dickov have a chance of making it this sunday according to the LET. I hope that Hughsey doesn't try rushing Bellers back to quick as we need him fully fit week in week out to stand a chance of a top ten finish. I think we'll sneak this 1-0 with an Emerton winner.

£3 million was a rip off for a 30 year old Savage, but as Essien said recently, "I don't decide my price the clubs do".

As Scotty just said this is very bad news with us to face them soon. Notlob away (always a bleddy hard game) and an Owen inspired Newcastle doesn't sound good. I saw some stats the other day and hes only banged in more against one other club during his time with the scousers.

Guys if anybody is hoping Thommo will come back and transform our team then I'm afraid I think you'll be badly let down. He was so bad last season, that I was genuinely praying that we offloaded him this summer. Emerton is a better right winger (I know that speaks volumes) and Flitty is just a good a central midfielder. Thommo was excellent before his injury problems, but like Jansen I'm afraid he's just lost it.

I know Bellers was unfit for the hammers game, but truth be told the only way we were going to score that day was from set pieces. It's just a bit annoying that were not creating anything at all, and when we do were not looking like were going to put it away (granted i obviously wasnt there today). With Notlob away next, we really need to start creating some chances. I know after all the praise we were giving the players after the last two games, that we are being fickle. Im afraid though that the simple matter is that you need chances to score. And with our only decent chances falling to Kuqi we will continue to not score.

I'm afraid its the same scenario as last season. With or without Bellers we are not going to score nearly enough goals-and the club wonder why our attendances are in the mire? We grabbed an astounding 32 last year, and I was originally saying we could get 45 this year, well not a chance. 40 at best.

Seems as though we put in a good performance. Gale and Hansen, yes Hansen were very complimentary to us saying that we played great football at times. And as Hansen said it was Rovers achilles heel again-we can't score enough. For all of Kuqi's effort, what was he doing for that one on one?! He went to ground when all he had to do was sidefoot the ball past Robinson. Surely we could do with another frontman? Offload Dickov if we have to and bring in someone on loan. I fear weve left it too late, and even with bellers we will struggle to get more than 45 goals. Finally, sorry to end on a sour note, but Neil and Tood have let the club down again. Yes its great that Hansen and that are saying were playing nice, tidy football, but again the press will just be concerned with "dirty" Neil and "thug" Todd. Sometimes Todd baffles me-the lad must have some sort of temper issue, and judging by some of his incidents in football this is justified. Andy you cannot headbut people even if they are mouthy fat Irishmen. And as for Lucas, youve no complaints mate, it was a dirty, mistimed challnge. So I anticipate Lucas getting a 1-2 game ban, Todd a 3 game one, and our club reputation to be tarnished again.

As someobody may have metioned, rumour is that Defoe will be rested, with Jol a big fan of rotating his strikers and Spuds facing chelski next sat this seems a distinct possibility. So if that's the case it could be Mido and Keane...oh God that git always scores against us too at Ewood!

Apart from the Mirror is there any confirmation on the injury? I can't see anything more on Newsnow. If he's out for a month then we're screwed. A partnership of Kuqi and Gallagher/Johnson for the next few games will be just as bad as last year if not worse. (Providing Jansen is still out). Maybe a striker becomes a priority again before the start of the campaign?

For the guys who have been talking about Bellers-he's pulled out of Wales squad. So if he's out, @#/?'s out, Jansen's maybe out then we'll probably have Kuqi and Gallagher-cue the goals! Nah seriously though, for those who say that they have no attacking threat, I'm sure that the pace of Radzinski, Boa Morte and Malbranque will be enough if we're not up for it. We have a history of struggling against pace and I fear taht's why we'll struggle...Lets just pray the admirals fit.

I think the ref's yesterday and today went OTT with dishing out red cards as if they were sweets. That Jenas tackle was a "quiet word in the ear job" but yet ref's have to try and make a point and send him off. It wrecked the game completely and turned from an intreaging game into when will Arse score. As for Newcastle, I actually think that if they keep their players fit then they're a top 6 side. People talking of relegation and bottom half are wide of the mark. A midfield of Jenas, Dyer, Emre and Parker is far better than anything we can nearly possess.

One quote though has worried me to death: "We just couldn't deal with Sheringham and Harewood" Hughes My God, if Hughsey admits defeat against those two, try Defoe/Mido, Crespo/Drogba, Rooney/RVN, Henry/Reyes, Cisse/Mori, Yak/JFH...hell even Camara and Roberts. We need a centre half and a creative midfielder and fast.

Just rememberd, when Hughsey signed him he said he could never remember Savage EVER having more than 2 bad/average games.

Fulham always do well at Ewood. We never win or draw at Upton Park and that continued yesterday, and Fulham always fo us over at Ewood. I can't remember every rsult, but I still have nightmares about the hit and run 2-1 at ewood when we got promoted and last season when they tonked us. I'm not the biggest believer in fate or superstition, but it seems to hold true in football, and I think we'll lose 2-1.

Not an awful lot Simon, I've backed him and backed him...but am beginning to think that it's a woeful 3 million spent. He's 30, playing crap on a regular basis and trying to prove a point every time he runs on to the pitch. Just a thought, if a 39 year old Teddy can make our centre halves look like conference players: what the hell will a fit Thierry do to our lot? I think that people have realised that Todd is only an average centre half when not next to Nelsen who is immense. Finally, as I posted yesterday, I honestly think that with the current bunch, the only way that we can make progress is by playing 4-5-1. We have no creativity whatsoever. And as somebody mentioned, Hughes said he was looking for someone to "unlock defences". He brought Bellamy, but he can only do so much. If lack of service continues (which it will with our current midfield) then by January he will be crying for an escape out of Ewood if not before.

Uttlerly gutted today...such optimism, and then this. A few players need a big look in the mirror. And I'll start with Paul @#/?. 3-1 down, the fans are gutted and Dickov loses his head and two foots Konchesky (I think). Well done Paul...as if the media havn't got it in for us already, you go and make us look like sore losers. You really are a grade A* nobb, and as Revidge just said if Hughes ships him out before August I will not lose 1 moments sleep. Gallagher, Jemal or my fine self would never disrespect the Rovers badge in that manner. I now come to Savage, and I'm sorry to those who have doubted him before. He really has to start performing NOW otherwise that is the worst 3 million ever spent by the club. He tries way too hard and is trying to prove a point, but basically making an arse out of himself. Brett (hottest property in Europe) Emerton: Don't make me laugh please. Thommo is shocking, but this lad does take the biscuit at times. This result proves that we need new blood, and at least 2-3 of them before the 31st. If we continue with this squad, our only hope is to play 4-5-1 all season long, bore the fans and pray that Nelsen is fit all season...because if we don't do any of this with the current bunch we will be in a big big dogfight. Before people start saying that the hammers arent bad, they finished 6th in the championship, and have added only a few second rate players to their team. Believe me when I say that they'll be bottom four. Well at least we've learnt one thing, pre season counts for absoloutely bugger all!!!

I'll have to disagree Shillito now that the beer is free from my mind. They have a solid backbone through their whole team. Robinson in goal, King and Dawson at the back, Carrick and Davids/Mendes/Davis etc in the middle of the park and Defoe and Kanoute/Keane/Mido up front. I think they'll be top 6 this season. The reason I did the bet is because like you say I'm clingin to the hope that they flatter to deceive yet again...oh and I'd had about 8 pints of Cider!

I'm slightly worried. I drunkenly bet my "never shut up" spurs mates a tenner each that we would finish higher than them. Now don't get me wrong I think we'll get top 8 or so, but spuds seem to be going places.

Sparky Marky are you having a laugh that Jansen never had a good game in this division? The same form that caught Sven's eye and helped us win a cup? Fair play he's been well below par since the accident but he was probably level with Duff as our most important player before that.

Just out of coincidence, what is the best that anybody has done in their first season with a club? With Real Madrid, me and my friend did a league, he was Barca, and I only drew 1 game all season in teh league, and didn't lose a game. I won the champs league but lost 1 in the group stages. So has anyone else bettered that in tehir first season? Granted I was Madrdi, but what about others who have been a top Euro side?

I know that weve been guilty of it, and I've been delighted that we showed such determination under Hughes but the use of 4-5-1 formations is making for a duller game. I'm not complaining when we pick up the points, but the problem is that it's highly likely going to end up a 0-0 or a 1-0. If the team playing 4-5-1 go behind then it's a huge struggle to get back into the game. Bolton, Everton and us have used it succesfully, however for the paying fan it does make for a rather boring affair. To be fair I expect there to be many Rovers fans who dislike watching Bolton and Everton for their nitty gritty play, friends have also commented to me how boring weve been. I wasnt complaining about us, as we needed to get out of the relegation scrap, but I just hope that we adopt a a 4-4-2once again next year.