Modes, I wish I was as nice as you. But these days, I'm nto so sure a striker wouldn't prefer to bang in a pen rather than fight through an illegal challenge and risk a miss.

Check out Quetion 22 of this weekely 'humorous' quiz on ESPN

one last off-topic from me, but I might be itnersted enough to make this its own thread, but.. do we really think that if Celtic and Rangers were dropped into the prem right now, that they'd be below Rovers? Basically a mid-table side? certainly we had a bad day at the office, but a team that lost to Larissa in a 2 legged tie as opposed to two teams with life in the group stages of the CL? One of those team having taken the eventual winners fo the CL to AET int he round of 16 last season?

When was the last time Rovers challenged for the last 16 of the Champions League? When was the last time Rangers and/or Celtic didn't? certainly that says it all in relation to a player like Benni and his Porto track record.

Abbey, you are either having a laugh, or more drunk than usual if you honestly think every foul in the book gets called at every moment on the pitch.

which is more likely, a last gasp England equalizer, or a last gasp Andorra equalizer? Any guess as to how much injury time... I'm guessing England get 4-5 mins of Fergie time...

Apparently it is, or else there's never be a corner kick without an immediate whistle taken anytime int eh last 10 years.

Ummm, shirt pulling happens all the time, see any corner taken in the last decade.....

wow Golden Balls to the rescue... with the cross I mean, not the actual goal.

where are the "carson for England" backers now?

I'd agree with Bellamy's post if you replace "volleys" with "free kicks and corners" He's asked (along with Bentley) to make those chances into scoring opportunities, and so far, he's been dreadful at that. I look at it this way, I have 2-3 main aspects of my job, and If I'm crap at one of them, I'm not doing my job, and I'll hear about it. One of the aspects of MGPs job on the team is to deliever good set pieces and corners. He's not doing that, and hasn't for a long long time. Therefore he's not doing his job, and he shoudl hear about it. end of.

well, we was recentlynamed to a S. African squad to face the USA in an upcoming friendly

BRFC4EVA.... the side you just outlined is the same side that lost 2-0 to Larissa.... now all the sudden, they are locks to win 3-0 or better? I'll be first in line to slate a manager when they truly mess up a side, and there are some valid minor points to question Sparky on in this case (the sub pattern being a big recurring one in his tenure), but to say that the side he chose was uncapable of turning over this deficit is more damning to the players and the talent available than the coach.

Lol, he sites one example, a cup final no less, to which he got a ticket!, and then asks if he needs to go on... classic comedy that is.

Having never had the honor and priviledge to head across teh pond and see a game at Ewood, I need to aks a question. It may be impossible to actually get an answer form anyone but a player, but we shall see... Is there actually a difference (not financially) to the clubs performance between having 15K or 25K in the stands? reason I ask is this: if Rovers either with the trust, or with a future backer, can sustain this level of club talent, with the current gates, why do the gates need to increase? Blackburn will never draw 50K plus to home games on a regular basis (even if Ewood was expanded) to keep up with Arse, ManU etc... Once those teams are out of the equation, we are still a tad low, but not overly so, therefore income is no longer the factor, but if the club's management and financial (signings) sence is sharp.. we have overcome it for the past 2 seasons, why can't we continue... Its walking a fine line, but what more can we really expect? where would a groudnswell of "hard core" fans come from? even 'going after the kids' will onlt repalce the likes of the middle-aged ro older currently watching every week.

Interesting, as soccernet had an article that appeared to quote hughes saying up to a month, that could be old news, I'm sure.... Worrisome though, seeing as the injury is in the same surgically repaired hammy. That's not a good thing.

well, we knwo JAL isn't as he was last seeing trying to say that Dunny's performance vs. Citeh wasn't THAT good, because Citeh's midfield is a relegation-quality unit......

Just an intersteing re-hash of this.... Saw a new article, where he admits exactly what he said.... Link

Random Thought / Question. Seeing as this week has teh replay of the Chelsea - REading match where Cech had his horrific head injury, I was just trying to put the whole row abotut he ambulance and Cech in context with Benni's injury. I assume Benni was carted away, to be honest, I havent' seen the whole scene, where was the ambulance? Wonder what would have happened if the ambulance wasnt' there?

I've been giving a bit of thought to my own overseas trek to Ewood int eh near future.... But being a true yank, I'm not even sure about airlines/airports.... Can someone write up a bit about the best way to arrive via the air?

I didn't see that apparently then, I'll have to see if my DVR recorded that replay show and take a look again...

Bah just bothered to read the match thread and saw the debate raging over the injury there.... However, I do have to say, I saw a replay of the incident on a review show last night, and it didn't look as bad as I first thought, in fac trhe defender behind him seemed to put his hands on either shoulder to go over him, almost preventing a head collision. Head injuries are tricky things, but I am surprised that some of the usual suspects aren't falling overthems at another chance to take a shot at Benni.. Have we actually found the limits to which some here will stoop?

Wow, I'm very upset at the typical wind up merchants and conspiracy theorists on here. The same people whio claimed Nicko was a PR shill, have yet to sniff the TRUE conspiracy. Benni is faking his injury in order to NOT play vs. MyPa so as to NOT get European cup tied and leave his options open to force a move the to the injury riddled Chelsea and/or ManU. Come-on, passing out like a minute AFTER the collision :ph34r:

Besides, and aging striker with one year left on his contract, despite great performances, 5 million isn't THAT far off the mark, most likely.

Halsey missed the memo then, I remember twice seeing the camera zoomed in on Rooney after calls. I'm not a great lip-reader, but I knew what he was saying, and it wasn't "Sorry, sir, I apologize"