Manchester City

[den]

Dion Dublin on Skysports, reckons we're a good side and could possibly make the top EIGHT!

[USABlue]

The ref applied Law 12 with consistency.

What's law 12??

[tcj_jones]

Carding to inflate ones ego?

[tcj_jones]

Actually, to be fair to him, I don't think he did too much wrong today, a bit card happy maybe. Whoever reffed us against Arsenal had an absolute shocker, this ref was nothing like as bad. The one card I REALLY could not believe was the second yellow to Tugay, possibly one of the harshest sendings off I've ever seen.

Nevertheless, our disciplinary record is already shocking. I see us finishing at the bottom of the fair play league for a fourth consecutive season. I just don't know how we do it, because we just aren't a dirty team!

[samtheozzy]

Just a great result today. Good attendance figures and a great start to the season. If I'd been offered 8 points after 4 games at the start of the season I would've happily snapped them up.

[RoyRover]

I just watched the highlights on MOTD2 and we looked excellent. Santa Cruz could have scored a couple and again played well. I'm glad that Benni scored his first league goal. It's vitally important that he scores goals like he did last season, because with Santa Cruz looking like he could score regularly as well, this will be the combination for a successful league campaign. I'm so glad that our footballing ability is being highlighted by the press these days and I look forward to the day that they stop talking about how we are a team that can play football as well as mixing it up and just say how good we are!

It was important to get this win, not only for the three points and to keep our good start going, but to send us into the Chelsea game on a high. We will need to be at our best, because you can expect a backlash from them next week after todays defeat to Villa.

[revolutionrock!]

I am so happy to have got the three points today. City was a game that I really thought we could struggle with, but the boys put in yet another good performance. Our start to the season has been simply fantastic. If we'd have beaten Everton, like we deserved to, we could be right up at the top.

If our players can avoid long term injuries, then we have what it takes to challange for fifth and sixth this season.

Before I go though, I do have to make mention to the ridiculous decision to give Tugay a second yellow card for a bloody shirt pull! That could have cost us all three points today. Instead, we might be without both Savage and Tugay for out visit to Chelsea.

Anybody know what injury Savage picked up by the way?

Judging on todays and performance and if we have a full squad at our disposal, i really dont see wy we cant sneek in at 4th place, i really cant. We were exceptional today, so happy with this game and the start weve had, really encouraged.

Lets get through to the groups of UEFA , hopefully qualify and carry on our form in the Prem, then if need be ,splash out on players in jan to keep the charge going on both fronts.

Tonight im a very happy and optimistic person.

[Paul Mellelieu]

Even the qualities are all singing our praises on Monday morning.

TBH MOTD didn't really do justice to the complete control we had of the game today.

Magnificent is the best word to sum up a great performance.

A very happy Rover!

[jim mk2]

Best Rovers performance I have seen since the Celtic Uefa Cup defeat in Glasgow.

Wouldn't it be great if we could become the first team to beat Mourinho at home ?

The London media would choke on its jellied eels.

[City Fan In Peace]

alright fellas, city fan in peace here.

The mother comes from Balckburn, so as you would expect, the text messages have been flowing in tonight. Im not the biggest fan of the boring ex-rag that is Mark Hughes but hes put a great team together, in only 3 years is it? Im not here to come and boast about attendances and all that lark, i just wanted to say that the best team won today, and the scoreline didnt really reflect your performance, however much it pains me to say it.

We were absolutely toilet today; micah was out of sorts, the very impressive Corluka and Garrido were poor, as was the dunney monster, and surprisingly Elano, who although quiet, was still probably our best player on default today. Im sure it was just one of those days though, weve all had em; Chelsea today for example.

For the first 12minutes i thought we were looking excellent on the ball, which is one major plus about watching city this season, we know how to pass the ball around. As soon as the goal went in though, you destroyed us. The blend in your midfield is superb, and although pederson looks out of sorts recently, him bentley, savage and dunn was too good of a blend for us today and they totally outfought us, and surprisingly for some (including myself), outclassed us.

Cya back at COMS guys, im ###### sick of losing to you so I cant say im looking forward to it. Bogey team.

Hopefully Europe beckons for both of us, (honestly) were miles better than today. 8 foreigners in every sense of the word today, but we'll gel.

[pksrover]

alright fellas, city fan in peace here.

The mother comes from Balckburn, so as you would expect, the text messages have been flowing in tonight. Im not the biggest fan of the boring ex-rag that is Mark Hughes but hes put a great team together, in only 3 years is it? Im not here to come and boast about attendances and all that lark, i just wanted to say that the best team won today, and the scoreline didnt really reflect your performance, however much it pains me to say it.

We were absolutely toilet today; micah was out of sorts, the very impressive Corluka and Garrido were poor, as was the dunney monster, and surprisingly Elano, who although quiet, was still probably our best player on default today. Im sure it was just one of those days though, weve all had em; Chelsea today for example.

For the first 12minutes i thought we were looking excellent on the ball, which is one major plus about watching city this season, we know how to pass the ball around. As soon as the goal went in though, you destroyed us. The blend in your midfield is superb, and although pederson looks out of sorts recently, him bentley, savage and dunn was too good of a blend for us today and they totally outfought us, and surprisingly for some (including myself), outclassed us.

Cya back at COMS guys, im ###### sick of losing to you so I cant say im looking forward to it. Bogey team.

Hopefully Europe beckons for both of us, (honestly) were miles better than today. 8 foreigners in every sense of the word today, but we'll gel.

cheers mate!

I think thats a very fair assesment of the game, nice to read that of a man city fan!

[philipl]

Re the application of the sub-sections of Law 12, the words "selective" and "biased" are not in the wording.

So Tugay walks but Phil Neveille and John Terry do not.

Refs are simply biased against Blackburn Rovers. There is no other explanation.

And I am someone who normally gives officialdom the benefit of the doubt.

Enjoy the Guardian report of the match.

City-centric at the Times

Ditto Telegraph but Rovers get a mention

The Independent gets it right and mentions Mike Dean's howler giving the foul against Bentley.

On the attendance issue, the TV cameras gave the impression that the Blackburn fans had filled their areas but there were a lot of gaps in the Darwen End.

[Eddie]

Dion Dublin on Skysports, reckons we're a good side and could possibly make the top EIGHT!

I saw that too, nearly made me spit. He was even making the point that we were underrated, but it all didn't add up.

Although, before the Arsenal game Andy Gray said that Wenger would be pleased to get a point from Ewood Park that they had fought hard to get and were somewhat lucky to come away with, saying any side would be pleased with that result.

[Mike Graham]

thanks for the reports Philip. That has saved me a few £'s not having to buy the qualities. The Daily Torygraph was shocking, how can you give MoM to Schmeikel?

On the crowd issue the gate appeared correct.

The upper BBE was only 50 to 60% "full" and even the lower BBE had gaps, especially to the front and sides. The Riverside was pretty much full and I was in the JW Upper which appeared full.

Mr Angry here wants to complain about the loud clapping around me in the JW; it was far too loud (was it you Den or Paul?); and only 2 servers at the bar (for 6 beer dispensers) meant I could not get my half time fix.

[tonyoz]

Remember all the gloomy predictions before the game? City did not live up to the hype did they? And what's this all about - a strong start to the season? It's all a little bit scary - but I love it.

It was an impressive team performance but the finishing left me worrying about an Evertonesque ending.

Do you recall the lay off by (i think) RSC to Bert...............it could have been a repeat of the Pele - Carlos Alberto goal of the century from the 1970 WC Final. (well goal of the week anyway!)

It's great to see all the regulars (especially the ST holders) on here lapping up the pleasure................long may it continue.

[tonyoz]

Sorry removed a link to that goal in case it was illegal.

[Paul]

Mr Angry here wants to complain about the loud clapping around me in the JW; it was far too loud (was it you Den or Paul?);

That was us! I get the feeling we may have made a rather poor impression on those around us in the first two games. What's with the people who leave 8, yes EIGHT minutes before the end? They missed 11 minutes of a great, nerve racking game. Then there's the group who went for half time drinks after 38 minutes and the two blokes who didn't come back till 31 minutes of the second half had gone by!

Apologies Mike, we'll try to behave with a little more decorum in future......I blame the team for providing such good football.

Best Rovers performance I have seen since the Celtic Uefa Cup defeat in Glasgow.

Yes that would be the one to compare yesterday with.

[Flopsy]

yeah the gits, how dare they.

Looked and sounded good on MOTD2. We need to start converting the chances or we're going to get punished by someone.

The team reminds me of the one under Souness that finished 6th in 2002, flair, pace and a bit of steel through the side.

The good note is that this is a young side not an ageing one

[tchocky]

Went for Bert, although there were a lot of contenders this time. The whole defense, Dunn (continued displays like this will make him captain material before long. Heart on the sleeve), Bents, Santa. Exciting times for sure.

[LeftWinger]

I'm going for 1-0 to Rovers, with an attendance of about 26,213 (ish), and Man City to kick-off the first half.

Not bad - got the score and wasn't far out with the attendance either

[B.R.F.C]

What can I say I thought we were absolutely fantastic and should have won by a margin of 3/4-0 (FFS Morten put yer laces through it!) Apart from MGP and Tugay/Sav I felt everyone had a great game however Brett Emerton stood out a mile for me. In the first half he was solid as a rock against Petrov and linked up well with Bentley but in the 2nd half he was a different class. When we went down to ten men his workrate, linkup play with Oojier and final effort was out of this world and Citys left back Garrido didn't have a clue what to do with him. On a couple of occasions he outpaced Micah Richards over 5 yards...no I wasn't hallucinating. He was also denied a well deserved goal by two good saves from Schmeichel.

As for City I thought they were very poor and lacked any bite going forward in attack which they might have had if Geovanni was fit. As I suspected beforehand I thought they would be suspect from set pieces and they most certainly were! Whenever Morten, Warnock or Bentley stuck the ball in the mixer the City defence didn't have a clue how to deal with it and that was what got us our goal and our thoroughly deserved three points.

Atmosphere yet again was brilliant.

I see some people mentioning about empty seats...All I can say is the people not filling them are missing out

Chuffed to bits

[brfc fan]

Get in benni lad.lol see i told you once i got rid of mccarthy for santa cruz benni would start gettin the goals

I did that as well!

[bob fleming]

I just remembered a bit of wing play trickery from Bert that was out of the top draw. He left two City players for dead. He had a great game - but, alas, he can't finish. Dunn was MotM for me. Santa Cruz is gonna be a great player for us. A proper centre forward.

Happy days at Ewood. Bring on Chelsea. In fact bring 'em all on. I haven't been this happy with the team for years - Flops mentioned the team that finished 6th in 2002 - I think you have to go back further than that to find a BRFC team as strong as this one.

[1864roverite]

A Leyland beer addled view of the game in seriously hangover mode !

I am well chuffed with the result, the performance, the atmosphere and everything else that is BRFC. Despite the rotten weather its like being on a permanent holiday watching our beloved team.

I too went to the game with City fans in tow and they now realise what a good set up it is a Ewood, we are a class apart and a team going places.

My one downside was Tugay. Hero he is but a complete tool at times. Someone with so much experience and so much footballing nous should not be putting his team in that position. 2 similar fouls in 4 minutes should see him being fined the maximum, having to troll round burnley and singing a kareoke and then buying everyone at ewood a pie or a beer at the next home game !

I just oudnt bring myself to cheer him off as he put 3 points so much at risk.

I dont think we will ever hear MCFC on here again and thats a shame coz he/she or it deserves every bit of stick they get.

[brfc fan]

I'm quite pleased with the win because it showed we can go ahead and stay ahead.

I was a bit worried after the Everton game because we had defended really well then they finally grabbed a late goal but yesterday we got the goal and from then on it was our match.

We controled every aspect and looked like if we keep that up it'll be a big season.

Brad was excellant as usual and I'm delighted for Beni getting his first league goal of the season. Only 18 more to go to beat last year!