What is an assist?

Am I the only one who thinks F.Shepherd's record in charge is appalling and that his job should be transfered to India on cost cutting grounds?

A stark contrast to the Rover's Board management.

Where do we start with that bloody Shefki Kuqi?

Now I know he had a 'dodgy' patch a couple of months ago when he was actually playing OK. I feel so fickle as I was one of the people who was singing his praises after the win at Boro.

But christ the guy is shyte! Let's sign one striker at least and pull Gallagher back from Stoke. Urgent action is needed and quick! Kuqi does a lot of running and so is generally perceived to be a hard working striker. This just masks his totally inept and lacklustre performances though - has there ever been another player so physically big that does not put his weight around?

I honestly thought Bellamy was going to start tonight. When I saw the lineup my heart sank. A terrible Shefki Kuqi alongside a terrible David Bentley. Alas, I looked across to the side to see who was on the bench. I nearly threw up. No Bellamy - not even another striker! Now I know we are short but why oh why did we have Mokoena on the bench at the expense of putting a young striker on?

Derbyshire, Johnson, Garner, Mr fecking Blobby - I don't care as long as we make adequate provisions to put a striker on when we inevitably need a goal. We always were going to need to attack Utd tonight and the ability to score goals was vital!

To Mark Hughes: I'm sure we all agree with pretty much everything you have done so far, and we trust you to the hilt. But please please please make some moves in the coming week. Even announce interest in a striker you have no intention of signing!!! Give the fans some hope that things are going to improve!!!

All we need is one striker to make ALL the difference. Tell the trust fund to get their cheque book out because things are looking bleak at the moment and I'm sure the last thing we all want is another season of mid-table mediocrity. The maths say that if another striker costs £3m, we only have to finish six places higher to gain that back in prize money and that's just this season! If we finish sixth well that's at least six places higher than what we must have banked on finishing.

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I think we need two decent strikers to make a difference. One striker in who is immediately injured leaves us back with the present options.

Yeah but we were in the 3rd division half the time --- John O'Mara--remember him was worse--big dumb and jumped downwards, ring a bell.

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I was thinking the same. There are a few others as well.

Sorry it's my fault I tipped Bellers to score the winner and he wasn't even on the bench.

Only saw the second half and was proud of the effort and application of the team - much better than the first leg second half. One ridiculous moment from Tugay resulted in the winning goal. Echo the thoughts of many that we desparately need a quality striker and that Kuqi days are numbered at Rovers.

Wigan for the cup.

PS Roger Jones lives next door to me.

Ticket office say just under 4000 sold.

That will do - lets make some serious noise!!

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Go for it Hughesy - this can make the difference. 2-1 Rovers, Peders and Bellamy at the death.

How many tickets have we sold?

SGE for Newcastle in the summer?

I wasn't going to vote to this because the whole things flawed but here goes.

It has to be Garner for me because he was my generation and era and for all the reasons stated in Cheshire Blue's comments on the first page and this despite the fact he was not the greatest striker in the list.

However, can somebody please vote for McEvoy - for the same reasons as Roy Vernon above - McEvoy's record is quite outstanding and deserves recognition, Jansen doesn't even come close to McEvoy in my view.

In conclusion I would be happy with any one of Garner, Vernon, Briggs, McEvoy and, maybe, Sutton.

What a complete load of dross was on offer at Ewood last night. Apart from the occasional spark from Pedersen and Emerton there was a complete and total lack of quality from Rovers.

All four strikers used looked completely out of their depth, the midfield provided little in the way of quality service. Dickov will be straight back in the team when available and that just about sums up the mediocrity we have up front.

I don't think I have seen such a lack of composure, skill and use of the ball as I saw from Rovers in the second half last night. I was at Portsmouth and thought THAT THE TEAM HAD A REALLY SOLID LOOK ABOUT IT, HOWEVER, WHEN PLAYING AT HOME WHEN THE emphasis is on Rovers to go forward more often the lack of quality is glaring. More composre and more retention of the ball is required and less of the headless chicken impressions.

PS Really sick and tired of players trying to cheat the officials and supporters.

Ozzie,

I understood the allocation to be about 1158 and it was pretty well full - although there were two empty seats in row B next to me - I was grateful for the extra leg room!

) Some extremely nervous defending as a team in 2nd half, even when we still had a goal to play with. Hate to see us in a really high pressure situation.

Quite a constrast to the France match when the defence looked solid to me all tyhe way through. Agree on your other two points Mr.Producer.

Here are my ratings.

Firstly Spain. Individually as good as anything in the tournament but don't ever back them until they have won a major tournament. People have been talking them up since time immemorial. When the real stuff starts in the second round they will come up short as they have every time since the 1960s. When they win something then start backing them.

Germany, back against them at your peril but ultimately they will not have enough quality this time round.

Portugal, playing at home is a massive advantage and they could go all the way to the final but I feel the expectancy level would then be too much.

Sweden, dark horses and they the Scandanavian resoluteness and emotional detachment could see them through to the semis but when the crunch comes they will not be quite good enough.

England, still not the sum of the individual parts. Concede possession far too easily indicating a poorer than average technical ability. History suggests nauseatingly British gallant failure in a game that should have been won or calamatous errors that result in a game being lost from a winning position.

Czechs, again ultimately not enough quality at the crunch times but otherwise could reach the final.

Italy, pedigree, the best defence(?), good strikers, top class keeper.

France, rubbish so far but who cares. They have the quality and track record - since 2002 - to win.

Verdict Italy or France to win