I've already stated that I felt the formation or more importantly the players used were wrong on Saturday. Souness shouldn't be immune to criticism but it should also be possible to praise him. Something certain posters seem incapable of which to me detracts from their points. I don't agree that other managers stick to a formation throughout a game. Just watch Chelsea v Man U yesterday. As the game progressed United chased the game putting on more attackers and Chelsea put on more defenders. Arsenal are another team that change formation dependant on the score. As for the confusion of the players on Saturday, if Souness turned up at 2pm and said right lads we're trying something new today then fair enough. However if, as certain stories have indicated, they have worked on it for a few weeks then is it the manager's fault that the players are confused.

So Souness decided to sell Duff did he? Souness decided to spend less than half of the money we got for him did he? Wake up yourself and stop living in the past. Eddie's right we'll go nowhere with fans like you.

Having not had the benefit of 40 years watching Rovers I asked my Dad who was a keeper and he said it was Flowers followed by Jones. I've been going 20 years and I've not seen better than Friedel. Flowers was great but not brilliant apart from the odd game. Mimms was ok and Gennoe was average. Freidel for me every time.

That's the kind of rollocks often spouted by the so called souness-out brigade which stops me from giving them credence. Only Rover6 actually comes up with any tactical nous, the rest just winge and gripe and basically display no knowledege at all. I was upset with the tactics in the 1st half but happy in the 2nd. I don't simply accuse the manager of being f***wit and then getting lucky because I know better. Sadly some of our wannabe Champ Manger fans on here seem to only want to see the bad in our manager whic is why I have little time for them. Not sure if it's been mentioned but did anyone see the formation for Chelsea today. 4-4-2 with 4 tackling midfielders and the fullbacks to give the width. For what it's worth I thought they lacked width and struggled but it's interesting to see someone else play this formation. Fair enough though i'd understand against Manure but maybe not the tactical f***wit some of our more awesome tactical genuises on here would have us believe.

The ratings he has given to those players shows he either wasn't watching the game or is a pillock. I won't do a match report as it's already been said. I agree with a lot of what's been said already. I really enjoyed the 2nd half and if people can't take any positives from it then they must have very high expectations or must have spent the 2nd half in the toilets. However I am worried also because I can't argue with the fact that the game was thrown away with the 1st half selection/formation. We were playing West Brom at home. I wouldn't have played 1 defensive midfielder let alone 2. Kanu apart they were crap and we simply allowed them into the game rather than played them off the park like we should have done.

Well i'd say that seeing as Souness said Yorke is starting he has told them the team and as such according to Thommo Friedel is starting. Sorry if you already knew that but I didn't.

Friedel is definitely starting. Keith O'Neill was just at Ewood on Soccer AM and said Thommo told him he passed a fitness test.

No you're not alone in that view. If he plays to his potential he is our best striker though and that's what we have to hope to see. If anyone suggests we haven't seen any of that in the last 2 seasons the they haven't watched him. Simple as that.

I'm afraid I can't enlighten you on what on earth I was doing. Maybe Ricky was asking everyone to do the stupidest dance possible. I think I won. Was a very good trip. Cheers for the Photo's Ricky, I think.

I rather think the club does, you silly little man What impact does you spending a fortune on travel have on the club? None whatsoever. If you're suggesting you've spent more than me on the club in other ways i'd be impressed as i've got all my figures and it's a tidy sum. Not that it matters at all as doesn't make me anymore of a fan. What would make me less of one would be sodding off when I don't like the manager or hate in your own irrational little world. The fact that you then come back to tell us all how blinkered we all are just means not only are you sad but you can't even stick to your word to leave us to wallow. Love him or hate him at least Jim sticks around through thick and thin to irritate us all. Oh and blokes may be stupid betting but at least they don't go off on mindless rants and about hings they don't know anything about in the most condescending way possible.

Jan you clearly know less about Spread betting than you do about football. They set the spread at what they predict you will get. It is having that spread that they make money. They make money either way dependant upon your bet. If they truly thought you would get less but set the spread deliberately high then they would be fast out of business. Why are you even on here anyway as you have stated you won't come back so why not wait till Souness goes. When we start coming on to the Celtic board stating our opnions on all things green & white then feel free to come back and mock. I had to post more on this as I am amazed not only at your stupidity but that you would make such comments when you balatantly no nowt. If the bookies predict us a spread of 46-48 for points it means they think we'll get 47. They don't care if you buy or sell as they aim to have enough people trade off and they make the money from the spread. If 10 people buy at 48 but no-one sells then the price will go up accordingly.

I think your post is a bit overly optimistic Hughesy but no a good alternative to the pathetically negaitve slant put on things by Jim. I'm happy with all the comings and goings although i'm having doubts about Dickov. I will however gladly give him at least a few months to show something as opposed to writing him off straight away. Yorke staying could make up for Cole going as both have had about the same goal ratio for the last 2 years and if anything Yorke is a more skillful player. With a decent runner it could well work. Cautiously optimistic but still a little nervous is how i'd describe myself at the moment.

So you think having one senior right back is enough do you? Especially when that right back isn't playing all that well.

Thanks very much for that.

Sorry to be a pain Dr. Rich but can I ask you a favour or anyone for that matter. Where in relation to Temple Bar is Lower Leeson St. I've been to dublin before and stayed on the south of the Liffey so I know a bit of Dublin, but for some reason can't find this place on a map. cheers in advance

We're staying in the Leeson Court Hotel which I believe is fairly central so should be able to get to Temple Bar for about 1.30-2.00. Looking forward to it.

Maybe I didn't explain myself well but I meant that a coach can do the things like work on set pieces and training ground stuff. Obviously the Manager picks the formation. As for the team well it should pick itself really. The keeper position is the most simple of all as we only have 1 decent keeper at the moment until Kirkland comes back. Campbell and Terry are clear first choices with Rio out. If Sven had dropped Beckham pre Euro he would have been laughed out of the country. Same with Scholes & Gerrard. As for who partners Rooney well once again pre Euro it was who partners Owen and for me nothing has changed but all these are by the by. The point remains the same that an international coach doesn't have a lot to do. As for your last point it could well be argued that we really are paying Sven £4m just to do that as most of his tactics or lack of them would suggest he is doing little else other than picking his best team and sending it out. A great manager just needs to get them ready for the big games which Sven arguably has failed to do.

If that stand held 6k then there were easily 3000 there probably about 3500. I had a really good day personally met up with a few board members who all made the missus very welcome so cheers for that. Although she said she also had a really good day and wants to come along again so maybe I shouldn't be thanking you. With the weather as it was a decent match was never likely especially at this stage of the season with the players only having a few weeks of training under their belts. A few positives and a few negatives but nothing to worry about. We look fairly solid to me and if that continues the rest will follow.

But to me that's a large part of being an International Manager. The team should more or less pick themselves and the tactics can be taken care of by a coach. It is the motivation that is a key part and that is what Venables was excellent at. When you get to this level you can't really teach the players a lot because of the time you get with them so it's about extracting that performance and he could do that. Hoddle to me was an excellent tactician but just could not seem to get the players to play for him and that's what matters at this level. It's about being able to turn a game round with a great team talk and that kind of stuff. As for Palios going, if even half of what is in today's NOTW is true then it was inevitable. Clearly underhand dealing goes on but the FA have really been done up like a kipper here and it serves them right really.

You didn't make any reference to him being the next Keane Neil but sadly Rover6 can't come up wuth any better defence of his point so he has to make one up. Keane is/was the ultimate box to box midfielder something we are hoping that Ferguson will become. If Matteo plays in midfield he will be a holding midfielder to protect the back 4 if the pre-season is anything to by. Even though he has done a good job in that role I will bow to the knowledge of people that haven't even seen him play there though as they obviously know better. Oh sorry I forgot Blackwell said Leeds went down because of Matteo, silly me.

But modes98 makes a good point. He doesn't need to go back further because surely the last 2 years is more than enough. Whether you like Dickov or not he is clearly of more use to the team than Jansen at present. When Jansen cam on in games last year he couldn't even control the ball let alone hold it up or do anything with it. We'd all love it if he got back to his former self but there is no eveidence to suggest he will do.

Who's Grumpy Alan?

Which part of the phrase 'You need a mix of youth and experience' do you not understand? Johansson has played every pre-season game, Gallagher, Stead. In fact forget it I don't even know why i'm bothering arguing with you.

Since when? Gallagher who you seem to know so much about, McEveley, Douglas and Danns have all been given first team action in the last couple of seasons. If they are good enough then Souness has shown he will give them a go. Just because the manager doesn't share your reckless idea of playing a team packed with kids doesn't mean he won't give them a go. Leeds played with kids last year as they had sold all the first team. They went down and yet their kids were good, very food some of them. You need experience mixed in with youth and in our current team we have that.

No, if we weren't in the Premiership we'd be losing 20-30 million, similar to the last time we went down albeit amplified somewhat. Being in the Premiership means we breakeven. ffs ned kelly are you a docter off love it means the same thing you simpleton No it doesn't mean the same thing at all. If we went down again we would have to go through a process of asset stripping and cut costs as we would be 20-30 million worse off. We don't have that money to spend now as you seem to think, we are breaking even. i.e. we don't have any money to spend.