Battle Of 4th, 5th, 6th Position

[ihateburnley]

You're wrong there. We are BRFC fans, which means we support Blackburn more passionately than other fans support their team. 

394803[/snapback]

Oh yeah I forgot we are the best fans in the world.

[G Somerset Rover]

West Hams defeat should mean that if we beat Wigan on Monday then 7th is realistically the lowest that we can finish this season.

[FourLaneBlue]

Firstly, didn't the UEFA cup start life as being a 'Cup Winners Cup' ?

394785[/snapback]

The UEFA Cup started life as the Inter-Fairs Cup, a competition for those cities that host a trade fair. Bit bizarre I know and shows why London and Birmingham had teams. The Cup Winners Cup just ended without much of a sendoff and they gave the cup winners from then on one of the Uefa places. The cup winners have been getting a place in Europe for almost 50 years...no need to change that now (as ihateburnley suggests), there has been enough downgrading of the FA Cup as it is. Certainly he wouldn't be complaining if it meant Rovers got in that way...as we were all hoping for last year until Arsenal ruined that little dream.

[BRFC4EVA]

I know its a long shot after the first leg, but what effect would Boro have winning the Uefa cup have on procedings? Would that mean an extra place granted to the Eng league in the uefa cup, or would they just nick the 6th place and give it automatically to boro?

[Modi]

I cant wait for the weekend. With rovers getting a monday fixture we get the chance to see how other results have gone before we play.

Hopefully Spurs, Arsenal & bolton could all slip up and that would give rovers a real boost going into the Wigan game.

394756[/snapback]

I had this discussion with a friend at the weekend.

The team shouldn't give a fig about when they play and shouldn't think playing first/middle/last over the weekend gives them an added incentive to win.

Quite simply they should just go out there and try win every match.

[Eddie]

I'm sure they do Modi, but it could give them a huge boost if they see other teams slip up and a chance to either gain ground or widen the gap.

[Rover4ever]

I'm sure they do Modi, but it could give them a huge boost if they see other teams slip up and a chance to either gain ground or widen the gap.

394985[/snapback]

I can guarantee that in such a case we will bottle and fail to overtake the rest. Its never easy playing later even if you know you are going to overtake someone. Its always better to play early and have 3 points in hand rather than a game in hand. Just look at Bolton and their "3 games in hand".

[Hughesy]

Boro would go in as winners, the place would still also be available in the league.

Also next years intertoto is quite interested. You only need to win the 1st, 2 legged game to get into the 2nd qualifying stage of next seasons Uefa cup.

I know its a long shot after the first leg, but what effect would Boro have winning the Uefa cup have on procedings? Would that mean an extra place granted to the Eng league in the uefa cup, or would they just nick the 6th place and give it automatically to boro?

394965[/snapback]

[Eddie]

I can guarantee that in such a case we will bottle and fail to overtake the rest. Its never easy playing later even if you know you are going to overtake someone. Its always better to play early and have 3 points in hand rather than a game in hand. Just look at Bolton and their "3 games in hand".

394990[/snapback]

I don't disagree, I'd always rather have the points, but sometimes it is nice to see what the others do at this stage of the season.

[Hughesy]

This could cause some unrest in the Bolton camp

Sam hits out at Stelios

Edited March 31, 2006 by Hughesy

[Presty On Tour]

This could cause some unrest in the Bolton camp

Sam hits out at Stelios

395058[/snapback]

i think fat sam has blown a fuse! not good news for bolton as a whole imo

[roverich]

Having inspected dillo dillo's fancy diagrams I expect things will finish up pretty much how they are now, with Arsenal moving up above us into 5th and us finishing 6th. I think Bolton will stay in 7th.

[roversmum]

This could cause some unrest in the Bolton camp

Sam hits out at Stelios

395058[/snapback]

They've probably got a bigger ASDA than ours - it's where he spends a fair bit of his spare time!

[dillo_dillo]

Lure of Europe growing stronger

http://www.teamtalk.com/football/story/0,1...1119908,00.html

----

:: Champions League - FOUR.

Top two in the Premiership (currently Chelsea and Manchester United qualify automatically for group stage), third and fourth placed teams (Liverpool and Tottenham) into final qualifying round.

*If Arsenal win Champions League and finish outside top four, they become third English club straight into group stage, Tottenham go into UEFA Cup.

:: UEFA Cup - THREE OR FOUR

Fifth and sixth in Premiership (Blackburn and Arsenal), plus FA Cup winner or runner-up (West Ham, Charlton or Middlesbrough) straight into first round.

*If Middlesbrough win UEFA Cup and reach the FA Cup final, they will go into first round as tournament holders and seventh placed Premiership team (Bolton) would join them.

:: Fair Play - ONE

Country which finishes top of UEFA's Fair Play League (currently Belgium) automatically allocated one place in UEFA Cup 1st qualifying round. All countries with a final average of eight or above (England was 8.023 in December) go into a draw for the two remaining places. If successful, the highest placed team in Premiership Fair Play League not already in Europe (presently Charlton, then Wigan) would take the European place.

:: Intertoto Cup - ONE

Highest-ranked team to apply not already in Europe takes England's place in third round. Not all seven teams to express their willingness to participate have done so publicly but it is believed Blackburn, Bolton, Everton and Middlesbrough are among them.

-----

Edited March 31, 2006 by dillo_dillo

[RevidgeBlue]

The later editions of tonight's LET claim that Sparky has revised the points figure needed for Champions League qualification to 65.

Sparky doesn't say that directly but says he has tried to take an average over the last 3 years, although it might have to be revised on a match by match basis.

Slightly worryingly it is also revealed that there have been no formal contract talks between club and manager, just a couple of informal chats, although Hughes says he knows the club's thoughts and is happy with that.

[USABlue]

So am I right in thinking, if we get 4th and Arse win the CL we do not get in the BIG dance, we only get EUFA. If so come on Juve. I was wanting Arse to win it till I heard that.

[USABlue]

Slightly worryingly it is also revealed that there have been no formal contract talks between club and manager, just a couple of informal chats, although Hughes says he knows the club's thoughts and is happy with that. 

395151[/snapback]

Bit more than slightly I'd say Rev. Wonder what that means exactly "happy with that" He's happy to leave it at that? or.... Get the buggar signed up, give him a pen, a piece of paper and a blank check tell him to draw up his own contract and fill in the amount.

To think just over a year ago I did not want this fella anywhere near our team. Now he walks on water.

PS For the purists, before you start, yes I do know you spell it "cheque"

Edited April 1, 2006 by USABlue

[Simon Says]

So am I right in thinking, if we get 4th and Arse win the CL we do not get in the BIG dance, we only get EUFA.

395352[/snapback]

Correct.

[philipl]

On the basis of the first half of Brum v Chelsea, I remain convinced that our season's defining games will be at Pompey and Brum and that Chelsea will be beatable.

[Exiled_Rover]

Big game at the Reebok this afternoon now

[Rover4ever]

On the basis of the first half of Brum v Chelsea, I remain convinced that our season's defining games will be at Pompey and Brum and that Chelsea will be beatable.

395395[/snapback]

Agreed.

I am much more confident of beating Chelsea then of beating Pool.

Brum are hopeless in attacking though, and Pompey away may be tougher than Brum away

[Bobby G]

United have to be psyched up because if they beat Bolton, then they would be 7 points behind Chelsea and they will still have to play the leaders. If ever another team had a chance at getting at Chelsea, then it would be United being only a handful away from them at this point of the season.

Hopefully Newcastle will give Spurs a beating too.

[sleepyjack]

Newcastle are 1-0 up already.

[krislu]

Watching the game, very good that King is out, that Garner aint much of a defender..

[krislu]

Newcastle should have had a penalty!!