Gutted. This was such an important game, and we got nothing out of it. In the 2nd half were better for the 1st half of it, great goals by Ferguson and Dickov. Dickov really impressed me, he definitely works very hard. Could have had a penalty too. Stead came very, very close again, and had a good game overall. Saint's second goal was pretty good to be fair, Brad couldn't have saved that. And than that was that incident 12 min from time when the ball looked sure that it was gonna go in for us, I was about to start celebrating Dickov's second goal but somehow it stayed out. (cough Lady Luck cough). We could have won it right there and then.

Saints wanted the 3rd though and maybe we should have gone a bit more attacking ourselves, isntead of trying to hang on. The penalty was non-existant, but than again every now and then you get lucky with penalties. That is ofcourse, unless you're Blackburn Rovers. It's a devestating way to lose, but it's not surprising.

So we've missed an easy 6 points from out first 2 games (easy in terms of our next opponments), and now we have to get the points against Arsenal, ManUn, and Newcastle. Speaks for itself really.

btw yeah that was a really unfair comment greggyk. Not all of us have the opportunity to be living in England, doesn't make us less of a fan.

Good Post that. Let's all bow to greggyk, the supreme Rovers fan and Superman in disguise. He must be to be pounding on the keyboard so quickly after the match, or maybe he has a wireless laptop perhaps.

We are all (well there are a few imposters) Rovers fans here. I have not been to a Rovers game in many many moons but if one of you wishes to tell me to my face I am not a fan the next words out of your mouth would most likely come accompanied by copious amounts of blood.

Come on, I thought we did OK today, obviously still room for improvement but it will come.

I hate this game.

Total rubbish, not us the officiating AGAIN. I can see why Souness complains. I stick with my conspiracy theory, not just the penalty(if that's what it was) it the whole game there is one rule for one team another for another.

I like Paul Dickov, sorry don't mean to upset the fans who think we should have spent Millions on a "fashionable" name but Dickov is worth his weight in gold. If only we had about five others with his fire and passion.

I hate this game.

What was the conversation between the ref and rover6's second coming of Christ Sturrock about, the one right after the "penalty"? Was the ref telling Sturrock which Swiss bank account to deposit the money in.

I hate this game.

The unwanted Paul Dickovvvvvv 2-1 after excellent hustle by Emerton and one of those perfect midriff high crosses I said he needed to supply

I take back everything I said, except the bit about Brad. Brilliant work by the unwanted Dickov.

Not looking good lads and lassies. Poor defending two of our tallest defenders don't even jump, someone needs to give Friedel lessons in how to spread his massive frame to cover the goal, he went to the ball with one hand, poor if you ask me. Basic basic goalkeeping.

When was Ferguson taken off, I don't think I saw him for the last 15 mins of the first half. Totally dominated the first 30 mins but did nothing decisive to show our superiority.

Can someone explain to Emerton that crosses go in to the feet or head not weak little balls to the midriff. It's going to be a long long season. With the games coming up we are going to be in quite a hole by the end of Semprember. Well back to the second half, reluctantly.

This has gotten way too old. We had one bad season in 4. Injuries to our best players, two "star" players who could not be arsed to show up most games. Souness brought through Gally, Douglas and Bought Stead, though the detractors say that was pure fortune. Conveniently forgetting that Souness had him watched for a year and that he was the only top flight manager with the Gonads big enough to go for it.

Give this bloke a good run with his regulars, a fully fit squad, if he's not getting it done can him and replace him with ???? Oh perhaps Sturrock will be available by then. Ternent is out of work. Give the Souness a bloody chance to put it right.

He got us back in the Prem and we are still in the Prem.

Sorry prawn sandwich brigade wannabe's it IS good enough for me. Now let's move on.

Transfer speculation regarding Blackburn old boy, James Beattie can't be helping Sturrock's cause and must be also unsettling for the team. With one of the best keepers, Niemi, it's a strange statistic that the Saints haven't managed a clean sheet in nine Premiership games. So the signs should indicate a happy day for the Rovers.

Saints will sell Beattie but it will be at the death of the transfer window.

As for the not keeping a clean sheet surely you know by now that we are the team all other teams bads runs come to an end against. Guarnateed clean sheet for the Saints and Beattie if he plays will be well motivated in order to impress his suitors.

The reason I say the Saints won't sell till the very last minute is they know we want the money from the sell on clause to improve our squad. They do not want to help us, a fellow relegation candidate, strengthen our team.

No prediction but for our American and ex Pat friends the game is on FoxSports World at 4:30 am Pacific time. Can't wait.

Roger Jones, by half a length over Brad. Brads flaws, positioning at times, coming for the ball/narrowing the angle a huge man such as Brad should be using that to full advantage.

I can't remember a keeper who could catchand hold a ball as well as Roger could, I have seen full length diving saves where he did not just parry the ball but he would actully catch it and hold onto it.

Still, maybe biased from my time watching as Roger was always playing for us at lower levels, not the top flight.

I was very annoyed to hear that Cole had been let go. He was our top scorer last season and a proven Premiership striker and his departure will make goals difficult to come by next year. What angers me more is that Rovers still haven't gotten rid of Dwight Yorke, who also fell out with Souness, hasn't done much since he has joined, Souness didn't see him fit for the first team for much of last season, but is still willing to keep him and pay him a fortune. The mind boggles.

As much as I have said Cole was entirely expendable I must agree if one of them had to go it should have been Yorke.

There is more to this keeping Yorke thing than meets the eye, something has either happened, been said or the law laid down from the top. It just boggles the mind that we could just do a U-turn on this fella so quickly.

I wonder how long this will last: (sorry about the cut and paste but it's one eyebrow-raising paragraph in a generally uninteresting match report):

Fulham 2 Feyenoord 2

"Cole embarked on a fantastic run on 62 minutes that took him from the half way line to the edge of the penalty area, unfortunately his pass to Jensen was cut out by the last defender. It was a fine piece of play from the forward who, along with Collins John, was continually active - closing down defenders and chasing the ball throughout. " Fulhamfc.com

He went on a run, well buggar me, thats it Souness screwed up. This fella was only on 50K a week and he ran from the half way line to the edge of the area, brilliant. And he was not even offside?

Funny not long ago playing for us he hit the woodwork twice and was deemed dross. Now a run makes him a world class player.

Give me 50 Grand a week and I'll run from the halfway line to the area several times in 90 minutes I can most likely lose possesion at the end of it too, if I'm not offside that is.

If Souness hadn't signed him we would have been relegated and probably would not have Won the worthington Cup and got us into Europe. And why did Souness have to sign him and put the Club into the red-because he had wasted nearly £7,000,000 on a striker who contributed nothing to the club.Cole also contributed a great deal to our staying up last season as well as to the development of young Stead-it will be interesting to see how well he does this season without Cole's contribition.For those contributors who see Souness as a strong manager and admire him greatly, you're welcome to your opinion. What I see is a man who buys poorly,is inconsistent with team selection,poor on tactics and who won't praise a player he has fallen out with even though that player has worked his socks off and deserves to be man of the match.Plus ca change.

I agree with you on the staying up and cup bit, I have stated those exaxt words myself in the past. My point is you make it sound as though Cole was always this way with us. From the end of the Worthy cup season to the last handful of games last season he did little to impress and vastly under acheived.

Just how much has Cole had to do with Steads development. I say it's visa versa, young Stead getting here finally made Cole pull his socks up a bit.

I was not aware we were doing ANOTHER anti Souness thing I thought this was about Cole.

Andrew Cole was an excellent player for us for most of the time he was with us. If we are indeed paying some of his salary it shows the desperate straits we were in when we went to sign him. Unfortunately he found it impossible to work for his boss-a lot of employees of the club seemed to have found the same problem- and he's moved on. I shall be applauding him on his return.

MOST of the time? Surely you jest.

A lot of employees? Some I would say. ALL of them had one or two common denominators. Namely an unwillingness to graft and a lack of team discipline.

Now of those disgruntled employees who have left, just how many have gone on to do well. With the exception of perhaps Damien Johnson, not a single solitary one of them. I'd bet dollars to donuts Coles warming the pine more than he is on the pitch.

One of the saddest events in Rovers history. Losing a player who had so much to offer and another reason I don't care much for the Swede. Matt should have been in goddamn Japan not in Italy on a ferkin moped.

It's a tragedy that really saddens me but he's not going to make it. He has lost his football instinct, he now has to think about what used to just come naturally, he will never cut it at this level again. Sad but true, he was a special player.

Interesting headlines from soccernet.com, shows how in tune some of these people are.

"Dickov sinks Preston

Preston North End 1 - 2 Blackburn Rovers

Paul Dickov scored the only goal of the game as Blackburn beat Lancashire rivals Preston under hot sun at Deepdale."

Struck me as funny.

This thread, and numerous ones like it, is the sole reason I’m now a burnley fan.

Oh yes and 'WE' are the best supported club in the WORLD!

Up the clarets.

And that is the funniest thing I've read on this messageboard in a long time!!!

Got your season ticket for't Turf then Gav?

Not only have I got my season ticket DP, but I’ve also received the customary membership to both the BNP and KKK (if every I’m over in the states again).

I'll be cheering on my beloved clarets in the coming season and keep watching over your shoulders fellow posters as we'll soon be on a level playfield mark my words.

I've been introduced to whole new way of living and coming back to blackburn and supporting you lot just doesn't cut the mustard I’m afraid.

Up the clarets.

Hope you got a seat with a nearby ledge.

People on here are saying our squads not good enough, then they're complaining that we're saying that survival is the main thing.

Would you rather GS lies to you?

I do beleive they would, but then we would hear tirades like " Does Souness think we are stupid, we know we are not good enough to qualify for Europe" Why can't Souness at least tell us the truth, why can't Souness be realistic, why is Souness living in fantasy land and so on and bloody so forth.

Are there people here that scour and analyze every word of Souness' looking for ANY mean to put a negative spin on what he says. I have noticed of late that in fact some people only post when they THINK they have a negative, something to tear Souness a new asshole for. My thoughts are it is bordering on obsession and I believe help is available.

Oh BTW, the difference between top half and bottom half is only one place in the table and 500k, does it really matter much?

oh please Simon please don't start this one again ... .. ... . .

I'll start it again, and I'll keep on about it until he stops coming out these daft comments.

I'm sure it hasn't escaped your attention it's emptying Ewood and progressively eating into season ticket sales regardless of whether you feel it has any effect on performances on the field. (I think it does)

A simple "I'm happy with the squad I've got and we're going to give it a real good go" or "let's do the best we possibly can" or "the aim is to improve on last season" etc would be far more helpful.

FFS someone break the goddamn record.

With the exception of an elite few, most Premiership managers say the same bloody thing. It is said in the Prem, The Championship, League One League Two and just about every bloody football league amateur and otherwise, but our Rev just has to slate Souness for it. It's reality, it's an honest statement. Why can some people just not handle it, does anyone really beleive that if Souness said "well we are going to give 6th place a real go" that the masses would be flocking to Ewood to plonk down their season ticket money, DUH, no they would not.

Damn right the priority is and will be to stay in the Prem and take the money that comes with that, after that is reached then you push on. You don't try to build a house form the roof down do you?

wba will not score thats final

It's all getting a bit silly now.

Tough one this, and of course mine will be dated,

Shoe in, Simon Garner

Shoe in, Glen Keeley

Any one of the following

Duncan McKenzie

Noel Brotherston

Roger Jones

Ken Beamish

I think it narrows to a toss up between Beamo and Dunc with perhaps Beamo edging it.

Well said Rev. Babbel did not give his all when at Rovers and admitted as much in th press. Why bother about mistakes when you are only playing for Rovers as he once suggested?

Tris and USABlue can join the Babbel fan club if they wish but I'll stick to revering those players who actually try their best for Rovers and don't look down on it with a cynical smirk a la Markus.

Who said anything about being in the Babbel fan club. Where did I say a damn thing about Babbels performances. Thats half the problem with some of the folks on here they read but somehow they come up with a completely different story. What cynical smirk? please explain, or is that another fabrication.

Why not any credit for Souness Revidge?, oh yeah thats right it's Souness, any other manager and you'd be singing his praises going on about how good it was and how it takes a special breed of person to give someone a break like that. Shop window? could'nt the same be said of all players? Is it just too hard of a cross to bear for you Rev, some one else publicly giving Souness some positive PR by way of thanks. Must really chap your hide that.

Babbel did well for us early on I thought, he did not feature too much after his comments did he, would that be down to Souness?

You will read into Babbels comment what you wish FLB, that much we know.

Speaking of players that do their best were you pro Cole by any chance? Interesting conflict of statements if you were.

No one want to pat Souness on the back for giving Babbel a chance, as reported in the LET.

Don't be daft USA - half of the Souness out brigade had Babbel down as one of the 237 players Souness has upset.

Yes you are probably right Tris, no credit where it's due. Perhaps we should have a thread for those who just wish to put a negative spin on everything Souness does. Is it only 237, I thought it was more than that.

No one want to pat Souness on the back for giving Babbel a chance, as reported in the LET.

We will see how Cole handles it "venison" the bench, or left out at Fulham, unable to steak a claim to a regular first team spot.

If the people in the town aren't prepared to back the club then eventually we'll find our own level, I just hope that that level is still in the Premiership, although I have my doubts.

I think that this season will tell us what the "level" is.

12,000 ST holders seems about right.

If the home crowd for the West Brom game is 20,000 then we'll know that 8 thousand people haven't committed to STs but are a market to be targetted for all home games.

It's quite important that the baggies return south on the end of a proper shoeing.

I hope they send WBA packing too. Trouble is you know what the public of Blackburn will be saying, "well we 'ammered Wolves first game last year and look what happened. Then we have some very difficult games on the bounce, people will have us relegated already.

The general public of Blackburn are just apathetic about their club and they have been for about Forty years.

The comments about finding our own level are very true and as support wanes we will and it most likely will not be Premiership.

My personal theories are the switching of games is an easy out for people to avoid shelling out their money. I had a season ticket for years but I very much doubt if I would have forked over the cash not knowing each season how many games I would actually be able to see.

Another point that I have raised before, it may seem small but I feel it is a big factor and that is the getting in and out of Ewood. Easy access to and from the ground. I have heard of many issues regarding traffic flow etc it needs to be remedied, people simply are not as patient as they used to be.