Everyone seemed to be incredibly downbeat about the Spurs performance and incredibly upbeat after this one whereas I actually thought there was very little to choose between the two performances. Not the worst ever but totally bereft of any creative spark in either instance. The positives from yesterday were that once again we were defensively solid and our relegation rivals all received a good tubbing improving our relative goal difference. Negatives, we lost probably 4000-5000 home fans off the gate following the drab Spurs performance, and this was no better as a spectacle. Dire fare apart from the first five and the last ten minutes. There was no creativity in midfield and we were even less impressive up front. To my mind Bothroyd and Dickov are rapidly playing themselves down the pecking order as being the least likely out of the current strikers to come up with the goals necessary to save our premiership skin. Was also disappointed with Hughes for the first time. With Everton playing so badly the game was clearly there to be won and with our front two also being so poor both Stead and Gallagher should have been given at least half an hour together imo. As it was we only showed any real attacking impetus when Gallagher was introduced with 8 minutes to go. Whatever the current deficiencies in his overall game ( and he was careless running offside) it can't be denied that things seem to happen when he's around.

But with the exception of Bent, is the Everton side not exactly the same as the one that underperformed so miserably last season?

Good to see you're full of festive spirit jim! I broadly agreed with you about Souness and subsequent events and player comment have proved you were absolutely right. Back to Brad, if Given leaves Newcastle as he seems to want to, (didn't take long for him to decide he doesn't fancy life under Souey) Friedel will surely be Souness's no 1 choice as replacement. If he did leave for a substantial fee it would be a blow, but, IMO at his age not quite the mortal wound of losing exceptional younger players like Duff and to a certain extent Dunn, OR losing a key player for nothing like Cole. Would he want to go? Tricky. Who has the better prospects? Newcastle under Souness and his cronies or us under Hughes and his coaching staff.? I would say that's a close call. Fortunately for us also, Brad's opinion of Souness does not seem the highest and Souness will surely see the transfer window if not the season out.

In theory there should be little to choose between the two squads, but one is 2nd and one is 18th. It just shows how far good team spirit, and organisation can actually go. The difference of course lies in the goals conceded column. The Toffees have conceded only 14 goals in their opening 17 fixtures, we have leaked 30 in the same time. I am hopeful that if we survive this season Hughes will turn us round in similar fashion next season. In the meantime I expect the 2 sides to look pretty indistinguishable on Saturday despite the gulf in League positions. 1-1.

I think my original post went slightly over your head. My old mate Scotty cast aspersions in jest (or maybe not! ) the other night on my ability to judge the quality of a player. Mine was a feeble and obviously completely unsuccessful attempt to poke fun in return. Just call me the Alan Partridge of cutting and witty repartee.

Don't know, wasn't there. Just going on the last couple of seasons. The comment from Andy Neilld in the LET was that he looked like a man who hadn't seen any first team action for a while.

"Screened the defence?" Sounds like footballese for Flitcroft's usual trick of standing around doing bugger all. Still, what do I know? There's only Scotty on this board sufficiently qualified to pass judgement on a player's ability!.

We are in desperate need in two positions, a youngish centre half with a bit of quality to complement Short/Todd and a striker who actually knows where the back of the net is. Trouble is every team in the bottom half of the table is equally desperate for the latter so they're not easy to find. I think we can more than make do in the other areas of the team. I do think Stead will come good again given a chance. Needs a couple of goals to go in off his backside, but the difference is he hasn't had someone with the presence and excellent movement of Cole alongside him this season. Although Stead and Gally have looked decent as a combination together in the past and are worth another look I reckon. Who needs to go? In the "don't let the door hit you on the backside on the way out" brigade are Matteo, Amoruso, Gresko (when injuries permit) Flitcroft and De Pedro.

Excellent point. I usually sit in JW upper and the bit near me seems reasonably well populated therefore I assumed the rest of the stand was the same. Was in the Riverside yesterday and was shocked at how empty JW upper was. Shows price does have some impact as JW upper is the only area of the ground with no concessions.

I didn't say anything about lack of commitment yesterday. I would say we were "flat" as opposed to "uncommitted" under Souness. The one thing that did disappoint me in the second half was the fact that Neil/Reid/Emerton had several promising situations down the right but none of the forwards appeared prepared to take a gamble to get on the end of anything.

You criticise Dickovs performance Rev but the worst player on the park and by a considerable distance (much worse even than NEJ) was Gallagher. I may be proven wrong in the fullness of time but imo he is out of his depth in the Prem. Sure he pulled the save of the match out of Robinson but that apart he contributed next to FA. The thing that endears him to the fans can only be the fact that he lived in Shad. Which in itself provides a strange contradiction....... how does a lad from Shad manage to shirk and duck out of so many 50:50 situations? Dickov was finding it tough enough against the Tottenham 'Globetrotters' but the task became impossible once he had been booked. Not sure if I agree with that entirely tnr, No matter how far Gally is off the pace of the game on occasion I always feel he is capable of turning the game with a moment of inspiration or scoring a vital goal - as almost turned out to be the case yesterday with that fabulous save forced out of Robinson. As for Boothroyd, not entirely sure about him yet. He has all the physical attributes, has fabulous close control and shows some sublime touches. Yet sometimes I get the impresssion he is a non scoring forward as it were.

Absolutely typical Rovers, the crowd up by a huge 10% or 2,000 in relative terms, I'd taken my 2 daughters along for the first time since Duff left ............. and we get a completely flat performance. Sorry to all you Dickov lovers out there but whilst the pint sized Scot's individual work ethic certainly can not be faulted I feel his contribution to the team is enormously over-rated. Can't compete in the air due to his size. Poor first touch hence generally unable to hold the ball up. Rarely tests the opposition keeper and most importantly seems completely unable to link up with whoever his striking partner seems to be on any given day. I believe that if we are to have any degree of certainty of survival Dickov's role needs to be reduced to at most coming on for the last half hour to ruffle the feathers of tiring defenders. Whilst in the meantime and in the presumed absence of a major Cole like signing in January, a successful partnership simply MUST be found between any combination of the more technically gifted forwards at the club Boothroyd/Gallagher/Stead/Jansen.

Feeling really really optimistic about this one for the first time in a season and a half. 4-0 Rovers.

I seem to remember the late great Noel being a right as opposed to left winger. Recall him having to carry us single handedly on numerous occasions in the early 80's when we had a VERY mediocre side. For what it's worth of the players I have seen in the flesh he would be my choice on the right, with the incomparabe Duff on the left. To use the reverse of Jim's argument, just because he is modern day doesn't automatically preclude him from being the best either!

Just a couple of footnotes to the best performance for a season or two: The difference in the performance level of the team from when Souness was here is jaw dropping. And without wishing to put the kibosh on things, the last time I saw our midfield players hunting down the opposition like that with the appetite of a pack of hungry wolves was during the rather successful 1992-5 period.......................

Despite the serious nature of the situation as far as our club is concerned had to raise an ironic chuckle when Karen Brady called for a criminal investigation and prosecution this morning. Perhaps at the same time we could also ask the Police to charge Yorke with obtaining around two million quid in salary by deception over the last two seasons as well. Can't help thinking that Steve Bruce's irresponsible over-reaction will come back to bite him on the backside at some point. Judging by Yorke's ambling apology for a performance yesterday, it won't be long before he is attracting the ire of his own fans. And never having noted Brum fans as being the most placid or tolerant, Mr. Bruce may soon be have to be apologising for more than the isolated actions of a mindless couple of idiots. Trust Rovers will deal with the one or two culprits swiftly and effectively and that the fans will show their real colours by giving Andy Cole a great reception at weekend.

Sir Bobby left Souness with a far more talented squad than Souness left Hughes although I would wager that if Souness lasts that long there won't be much between the two sides at the end of the season as I feel we now have by far the superior coaching set up.

Bit of useless information, Bobby Svarc has a healthy business fitting/maintaining burglar alarm systems and came out to look at ours about 18 mths ago. Really pleasant bloke, then he mentioned in passing he was a jehovah's witness and I beat a hasty retreat. Worst player, this has been done lots of times before, IMO in terms of value for money, Grabbi and Davies although the latter has shown he is a decent player at both Saints and Wanderers. However today's "worst" players would walk into our 1970's 3rd division sides. Worst two for me John O Mara - lumbering six feet five centre forward who couldn't win a header in the air. And from the 80's Paul Mckinnon. Lardy free scoring centreforward from non league football who disappeared from whence he came after a handful of games.

The lads who were removed were very angry towards myself and friends. I think we of been responsible for them getting angry and getting removed. Hughesey, controversy seems to be following you around at the moment. I recall you saying in another post you somehow completely unexpectedly ended up on the pitchside at City. Just for the avoidance of doubt and for elimination purposes only what exactly did you do to attract the wrath of the people thrown out?

Has to be Batty for me, his Rovers career may have been short but for a time it was extremely sweet. He produced a standard I've never seen before or since from a Rovers midfielder in the second half of the 93/94 season when we nearly overhauled a 15 point deficit to overtake ManUre.

4 straight defeats for Newcastle now. The Fuhrer will be falling out with Shearer and giving him away to Fulham for nothing next.

Three points from three games doesn't look well on paper but the improved nature of the performances give reason for optimism. Two or three wins and a five or six game unbeaaten run suddenly looks hugely impressive.

I have said for some time that we are not making full use of the magnificent Academy facility therefore I support the sentiment behind the decision to strengthen the links between the academy and first team. However the treatment of Tony Parkes has been an absolute disgrace. I thought yesterday when there were huge pink LET billboards round town screaming "Parkes sacked" that he deserved a much more dignified deparure than this and that his departure could have been presented on a mutually agreed basis. The actual story was actually even worse. The decision was made on TUESDAY, yet no-one could be bothered to tell him until the news leaked out in the press on FRIDAY morning? TP found out about it from his daughter who heard/saw it on the news and then had to ring JW, the club still hadn't had the decency to make contact with him. A very brave decision from Hughes, even King Kenny didn't dare pot "Mr. Blackburn Rovers" At least we now can be under no illusions, the phrase "job for life" obviously only applies to Chairmen, Board members and overpaid chief executives. Thanks for the 35 years of service Tony. You have done far more for the Club than the people responsible for cocking up this situation ever will.

Let's just hope that we have reached the crest of the slump and that we saw the green shoots of recovery peeping out from amongst the wreckage of the Souness era on Saturday. Positives: Emerton, Bothroyd, and Reid were excellent. Emerton in particular has now shown he can perform on either flank if he wants, so there really is no excuse for him only putting in the two or three good performances we saw last year. Short and NEJ looked 100% more reliable than Hulk Hogan and Matteo. Ferguson played well again and Tugay bounced back commendably from the sending off. The goal apart McEveley performed admirably after a long absence from first team action. Why on earth was he shamefully overlooked last season by Souness? Negatives: Neill was the weakest link in an underperforming side last season and has continued in similar fashion this season. Time to get some value out of the 4 year contract we gave Douglas in the close season and give him his chance. I may be in the minority on this but after a bright start to the season I think Dickov has looked poor and out of his depth in the last few games. He hasn't scored in eight matches (which is pretty much in keeping with his career record) and I can't see that ratio improving. Would like to see Stead starting alongside Bothroyd, whose display on Saturday came as somewhat of a revelation as he displayed signs of real quality.

Agree entirely with philip l, this is A MUST NOT LOSE GAME for us. A draw won't represent a bad result in the general scheme of things but we can't afford to lose three points to Norwich as things stand. I'll go 1-1 but I just hope we go down there and try and play our normal game to try to win the three points rather than simply adopt a containment strategy. We saw against Chelski this isn't our forte.