As someobody may have metioned, rumour is that Defoe will be rested, with Jol a big fan of rotating his strikers and Spuds facing chelski next sat this seems a distinct possibility. So if that's the case it could be Mido and Keane...oh God that git always scores against us too at Ewood!

Apart from the Mirror is there any confirmation on the injury? I can't see anything more on Newsnow. If he's out for a month then we're screwed. A partnership of Kuqi and Gallagher/Johnson for the next few games will be just as bad as last year if not worse. (Providing Jansen is still out). Maybe a striker becomes a priority again before the start of the campaign?

For the guys who have been talking about Bellers-he's pulled out of Wales squad. So if he's out, @#/?'s out, Jansen's maybe out then we'll probably have Kuqi and Gallagher-cue the goals! Nah seriously though, for those who say that they have no attacking threat, I'm sure that the pace of Radzinski, Boa Morte and Malbranque will be enough if we're not up for it. We have a history of struggling against pace and I fear taht's why we'll struggle...Lets just pray the admirals fit.

I think the ref's yesterday and today went OTT with dishing out red cards as if they were sweets. That Jenas tackle was a "quiet word in the ear job" but yet ref's have to try and make a point and send him off. It wrecked the game completely and turned from an intreaging game into when will Arse score. As for Newcastle, I actually think that if they keep their players fit then they're a top 6 side. People talking of relegation and bottom half are wide of the mark. A midfield of Jenas, Dyer, Emre and Parker is far better than anything we can nearly possess.

One quote though has worried me to death: "We just couldn't deal with Sheringham and Harewood" Hughes My God, if Hughsey admits defeat against those two, try Defoe/Mido, Crespo/Drogba, Rooney/RVN, Henry/Reyes, Cisse/Mori, Yak/JFH...hell even Camara and Roberts. We need a centre half and a creative midfielder and fast.

Just rememberd, when Hughsey signed him he said he could never remember Savage EVER having more than 2 bad/average games.

Fulham always do well at Ewood. We never win or draw at Upton Park and that continued yesterday, and Fulham always fo us over at Ewood. I can't remember every rsult, but I still have nightmares about the hit and run 2-1 at ewood when we got promoted and last season when they tonked us. I'm not the biggest believer in fate or superstition, but it seems to hold true in football, and I think we'll lose 2-1.

Not an awful lot Simon, I've backed him and backed him...but am beginning to think that it's a woeful 3 million spent. He's 30, playing crap on a regular basis and trying to prove a point every time he runs on to the pitch. Just a thought, if a 39 year old Teddy can make our centre halves look like conference players: what the hell will a fit Thierry do to our lot? I think that people have realised that Todd is only an average centre half when not next to Nelsen who is immense. Finally, as I posted yesterday, I honestly think that with the current bunch, the only way that we can make progress is by playing 4-5-1. We have no creativity whatsoever. And as somebody mentioned, Hughes said he was looking for someone to "unlock defences". He brought Bellamy, but he can only do so much. If lack of service continues (which it will with our current midfield) then by January he will be crying for an escape out of Ewood if not before.

Uttlerly gutted today...such optimism, and then this. A few players need a big look in the mirror. And I'll start with Paul @#/?. 3-1 down, the fans are gutted and Dickov loses his head and two foots Konchesky (I think). Well done Paul...as if the media havn't got it in for us already, you go and make us look like sore losers. You really are a grade A* nobb, and as Revidge just said if Hughes ships him out before August I will not lose 1 moments sleep. Gallagher, Jemal or my fine self would never disrespect the Rovers badge in that manner. I now come to Savage, and I'm sorry to those who have doubted him before. He really has to start performing NOW otherwise that is the worst 3 million ever spent by the club. He tries way too hard and is trying to prove a point, but basically making an arse out of himself. Brett (hottest property in Europe) Emerton: Don't make me laugh please. Thommo is shocking, but this lad does take the biscuit at times. This result proves that we need new blood, and at least 2-3 of them before the 31st. If we continue with this squad, our only hope is to play 4-5-1 all season long, bore the fans and pray that Nelsen is fit all season...because if we don't do any of this with the current bunch we will be in a big big dogfight. Before people start saying that the hammers arent bad, they finished 6th in the championship, and have added only a few second rate players to their team. Believe me when I say that they'll be bottom four. Well at least we've learnt one thing, pre season counts for absoloutely bugger all!!!

I'll have to disagree Shillito now that the beer is free from my mind. They have a solid backbone through their whole team. Robinson in goal, King and Dawson at the back, Carrick and Davids/Mendes/Davis etc in the middle of the park and Defoe and Kanoute/Keane/Mido up front. I think they'll be top 6 this season. The reason I did the bet is because like you say I'm clingin to the hope that they flatter to deceive yet again...oh and I'd had about 8 pints of Cider!

I'm slightly worried. I drunkenly bet my "never shut up" spurs mates a tenner each that we would finish higher than them. Now don't get me wrong I think we'll get top 8 or so, but spuds seem to be going places.

Sparky Marky are you having a laugh that Jansen never had a good game in this division? The same form that caught Sven's eye and helped us win a cup? Fair play he's been well below par since the accident but he was probably level with Duff as our most important player before that.

Just out of coincidence, what is the best that anybody has done in their first season with a club? With Real Madrid, me and my friend did a league, he was Barca, and I only drew 1 game all season in teh league, and didn't lose a game. I won the champs league but lost 1 in the group stages. So has anyone else bettered that in tehir first season? Granted I was Madrdi, but what about others who have been a top Euro side?

I know that weve been guilty of it, and I've been delighted that we showed such determination under Hughes but the use of 4-5-1 formations is making for a duller game. I'm not complaining when we pick up the points, but the problem is that it's highly likely going to end up a 0-0 or a 1-0. If the team playing 4-5-1 go behind then it's a huge struggle to get back into the game. Bolton, Everton and us have used it succesfully, however for the paying fan it does make for a rather boring affair. To be fair I expect there to be many Rovers fans who dislike watching Bolton and Everton for their nitty gritty play, friends have also commented to me how boring weve been. I wasnt complaining about us, as we needed to get out of the relegation scrap, but I just hope that we adopt a a 4-4-2once again next year.

If Hughsey doesn't think that Stead is good enough, then we should trust his opinion because Hughes would obviously know a good striker when he sees one due to the fact that he was one of the best. I honestly don't think that Dickov or Stead are very good finishers at all. This may not be the best reasons, but of the games I went to last season, when watching the pre game warm up, the best finisher at the club appeared to be Pedersen and then emerton. Dickov imparticularly and Stead persisted in lashing shots wide or straight at the keeper. And this seemed to be the case at literally every one of the ten games I went to. May not seem a good judgement, but it shows that when the pressures off, there not much better then when the heat really is on, as proved last season. It's been mentioned before that when Dickov has time to think, he usually misses, but when it's more of an instinctive strike he usually fairs better, and I think the same can be said of Stead.

I'm sorry but they need the goals and have scored the 2nd most at home this season, where as we have the joint worst scoring record along with spuds away from home. 4-1, and just pray Citeh or Boro sneak into Europe and not Spuds.

The money for finishing higher up the league is more crucial than fielding a bunch of hopefuls. A few places higher could get us say Bellamy rather than a poorer striker if we finish lower. I wouldn't mind seeing one or two youngsters on the bench, but why change our lineup when it's doing so well? I think that the two players in question do battle, but they are falling short of the required talent-Thommo imparticular. It seems that he'slost all of his pace and his confidence-granted he was out for the best part of 2 years but if a decent offer comes in the summer then we should take it. (Everton were rumoured to be willing to pay 2-3 million in Jan).

I also love the way that everybody having a pop at Rovers has forgot about the Van Persie incident against Southampton. He's being portrayed as the innocent party and yet he was also accused of elbowing Keiran Richardson against Utd in the league cup. It makes me laugh that a team who were very dirty just a year or two ago complain when we get stuck in. And they can also boast one of the most shameful moments in footballing history (the van nistelrooy penalty)!!!

Must admit I'm getting very tired and annoyed of all this crap that were getting from journo's etc. We did all we could yesterday, we dont have a Pires, Reyes, Henry, Ljunberg or even Fabregas! Therefore attempting to stop them from playing is all we could do. Maybe in the summer Hughsey can bring in some creativity but until then against the bigger clubs we must fight hard. People like Worthington havn't helped our tag-and look where that got him-fool! Wenger and Fergie can moan as much as they want, they will do to each other next time they play when Keane, Heinze, Smith, Scholes, Vieira, Cole, Lauren etc start playing hard...just as we did yesterday. Let us have your chequebook Arsene and then we'll combine flair with gritt.

I think neil is being harshly critisised. If thatw ere Nelsen or Todd in his position for the first then nobody would have said anything. He dealt with Pires and Reyes very well. The performance wasn't great, we tried hard but nothing materialised-not even a decent effort. The simple fact is that if you play 4-5-1 against a half decent team (arsenal being a bleddy good team), then your going to be hard pushed to get back into it. It's happened at home against them, and it happened today. I agree with others who say that Stead should have been thrown on earlier, why use MGP and Emo to support Dickov when you have Stead on the bench? The day for me was summed up when Dickov was in a good crossing position late on and he hoofed it high over the bar-a tireless striker yes-but a pretty useless one if you take away his workrate. I think we'll beat Palace on weds, but with any Rovers game if we fall behind we're in trouble. Anyway, great performance by the fans, the one's who did turn up did the club proud.

On Rovers bet Ryan Nelsen to score first goal in 1-0 win is 490-1!!!...Just imagine it!!!

Everbod'y saying how good he's been in central midfield, and that his qualities suit central midfield, so why are people putting him right wing for our "perfect midfield"? I think it's blatant that Hughsey will keep him in centre mid this season and next, and we will bring in a right winger if Thommo and Emo don't improve. Reid's just starting to show his true form-so for heaven's sake don't ask him to play right wing again!!

Fergie moans-ah sorry mate, I forgot that you only had 5 minutes of stoppage time at ewood because of your constant whinging! What a tit. Anyway, good result-we rode our luck for a while, but if your to get anything at OT then you need luck. Couple of points, Stead seems much more effective than Dickov in the lone striker role, he can hold it up, and does look a threat when he gets a chance. Also, I'm afraid Thommo just isn't good enough anymore. Emo's not the best-but he's way more effective than Thommo. I know it's a squad game but if the reported January interest from Everton was true, then snap there hands of for even 2 million. Finally, it's great to see Steven Reid living up to his potential. I was also thinking, why doesn't he get called up for Ireland anymore? If garry Doherty is worthy of a regular place then why the hell isn't stevie in the squad?! Good point, and lets make it three points next saturday. Ps. Nelsen-what a leg!!!

This is very true-I think it's just the fact that nobody wants this to happen, and this is why none of us have put him in our team for next season. Hughsey obviously loves the wee man, and if we're all honest he'll probably be in our starting 11 come August. I really hope that this isn't the case, as tcj_jones says it will be a distinct lack of ambition if he is a first 11 player next season. He hasn't been good enough at all of his clubs-bar Leicester so he shouldn't be at us if we want to aim for a top half finish next season.