I think the midfield that played the second half yesterday is the one we should continue with. Hopefully Hughes will give MGP some games now an then and develop to the player I believe he can be. I have seen MGP in many games this season (also for Tromsø and Norway) and I know he is a player with great talent.

I don't think Hughes will come out an explain anything about why he keep MGP on the bench. Hughes is not a man with many words. He is quiet during training and do not talk much to players off the pitch.

A great second half. Hopefully Hughes have no seen that Tugay is not up to his best and instead play Thompson. The first 10 min of first half was okey. Then we for some reason started to play long balls. I can't understand why because we don't how any target player up front. In the second half the ball was on the ground much more and we looked like another team.

The most positiv players: Thompson, Reid

Negative: Tugay.

If Emerton is better on the left, I wonder i Gamst is better on the right??

Australia was the best team, but they did not create that many chances in front off goal as you should when you have the ball that much.

MGP said that people that have called him a flop in the media should shut up. He thinks it unfair to call him that as long as he as hardly played at all the last 2 month.

The reason why he believe he should play instead of Reid is that he is better infront of goal and goals are something that Rovers need at the moment.

Home from the pub.

I agree with what most people have said so far. Emerton was great tonight. Neil was okey. Didn't have to much trouble with MGP. MGP looked ightweight and at times he posiition himself totalty wrong. When he got the ball he almost always did a backpass to Riise instead of trying to pass Neil. Nice pass to Hoseth on the first goal and his goal in the second half I believed was meant as a pass. The best thing about this game for MGP is that he got 90 min of football.

MGP in today's Dagbladet. In Norwegian.

He spoke to Hughes after the Man City game. He asked Hughes why he didn't get to play and Hughes answer was that he should be patient and that he has big plans for him this season.

Looks like things might change for MGP, or is it just talk. Time will tell.

I wound not put to much into the fact that stig inge Bjørnebye is coming to have a chat with Sparky. It is normal for the national teams to want to talk to the managers of the players clubs. In some cases the other way around also.

the fact is that the last game he played was for Norway. In that game he was great. After that he hasn't played a single game as I know off. That makes me believe that it doesn't matter how he does for Norway against Australia. He is not going to be picked based on international games, but how well he play during training.

Looking forward to see him play for Norway. With the great form Riise have shown the last games I think Norway will have a great left side in this game.

It took 1 years, 29 weeks, 1 days to get a penalty. Let's hope we don't have to wait so long for the next one.

1-1 is not to bad today.

Penalty!!!!!!

This has to be the turning point off the season.

Lady luck is back

can anyone get on Chat?

Nope!

Long time since I have gotten the chat to work.

Another disappointment on the way.Our bench lacked a striker who could make an impact,unless Matt proves us wrong again.Im disappointed that we didnt put a left winger on the bench,to get the balance right maybe as a substitute.AHHH.

Defeat is disastrous as Southampton have won already.

I agree! We should have MGP or De Pedro on the bench today.

One minute before half time. Could get a goal against us at a worst time.

Todays line-up

CITY: James, Mills, Distin, Dunne, Jordan, Sibierski, McManaman, Bosvelt, S. Wright-Phillips, Flood, Anelka.

Subs: Waterrus, Fowler, Reyna, Onuoha, B. Wright-Phillips.

ROVERS: Friedel, Neill, Todd, Johansson, McEveley, Reid, Tugay, Ferguson, Emerton, Stead Dickov.

Subs: Enckelman, Jansen, Djorkaeff, Thompson, Matteo.

The question is who will score a hat-trick against us?

Rovers 1 - 4 Liverpool

The latest I have hear comes from Henning Bergs new book. In there he writes that he told MGP agent to include a clause in Mortens contract. It states that if Rovers is relegated Morten can leave the club, if another club are willing to pay around the same amount for him as Rovers did.

http://www.vg.no/pub/vgart.hbs?artid=251770

First of all I want to thank rover6 for some good posts today on this thread. There haven't been many of them. Let's try and keep to the subject and not come with personal atacks on others.

As a Norwegian I am a big fan of Pedersen, but I am also a rovers fan. Have been for 10 years. My subjectiv view as an Norwegian and rovers fan is that Pedersen decerves a chance to show what he is good for. He had a great game for Norway last week so his form must have improved. He is maybe not good enough for the starting line-up, but he should have gotten 15-20 min today. I can't see that the others have shown much more to deserve to play every game. If Hughes doesn't think he is good enough for the team as a sub than let him play in the reserves til he has proven that he should be in the first team. At the moment he doesn't play at all.

What has MGP done to Hughes. Second game on the bench without getting on. He also don't get any reserve games that I know of. How can he improve if he doesn't play.

Dickov and Bothroyd on for Stead and Djorkaeff. Would like to see MGP get the last 15 min, but it doesn't look good.

Todays team:

Friedel, Neill, Short, Matteo, Gray, Emerton, Flitcroft, Ferguson, Reid, Dickov, Djorkaeff.

Sub: Stead, Enckelman, Pedersen, Johansson, Bothroyd.

Jansen on in the 78th for Youri.

No MGP yet again.

Seems he isnt rated.

Utter joke that Reid was starting today! Looks like playing a decent game for the reserves is more worth than being one of the best players in an international game.

ye, he scored against a bunch of part-timers. He must be good!

The same part-timers that beat Italy a few days earlier you clown! He played well therefore he should IMO get a chance today as well..

Well Im not the only one to think Pederen is poor. Hughes and his coaching staff even rate Jansen and Reid over him

You think a team beating Italy in a world cup qualifier are a bunch of part-timers, pointless to discuss with a you then...

MGP has been poor for Rovers in the games he has played, but on wednesday he was great. I believe his form has improved, so I think he should get more chances to show what he is good fore.

IF we are going to stay in the PL then we have to win against teams like Middlesbrough at home. Bring on some fresh legs and go for 2-2. Doesn't matter if we lose 0-2 of 0-5. Zero points is zero points.

Two yellow card's in 30 min. How could we have a player like that on the field. Going to be another disapointing game today. Let's hope for 1 point.

Think I rather had MGP on instead of Jansen. He was not good on monday. Hope Tugay will do better, maybe keep the ball more in the team and make some passes for a change. I go for a 1-1 draw.