Got a feeling the whirlwind will come from the Rovers as we virtually condemn them to the second division. Rovers will be mad after today and Sparky will channel it.

Why don't the officials simply give Liverpool 6 points and forget about playing a game of football? There was another stinker right at the start of the second half- Dickov called offside when he wasn't and pinged a peach of a ball towards Bellamy who was pulling away from his marker. Overall, ignoring the officials we were a well matched 9 against 11. The Rovers passing and ball control were overall better than their's and the stats bear that out. However, two little'uns up front didn't have a prayer against those monsters at the back for Liverpool. Unlike the previous two games, Dickov wasn't bad this time but he was just totally ineffective. I'll exempt Bellars from any criticism but first half Bentley was awful but excellent second half. Savage was good first half but went totally off his game second half. One big plus were MGP's deliveries- a long time since he got so many good crosses and corners in. The TV close-ups of the stopping singing "you'll never walk..." when drowned out by three sides' booing and whistling was a treat.

Helps to have Charlton away and Sunderland home as their next two fixtures as well. BIG CLUB will be absolutely desperate when they are playing us.

Forgotten about the FA Cup semi-final. Beat Chelski and the Reds should get a trophy this year. Our game is small bananas for them by comparison.

Scroll up- rovernik is desperate for tickets as the ticket office was not open when it said it would be.

Exactly den. Sure we would have to beat a giant over two legs to get into the Group stages but we'd love to have the chance. Our record against clubs in the CL so far this season has been W3 D1 L4 with two home legs to come. 1) Next season, Arse, Mancs, Liverpool and Chelski will not be any weaker. Spuds will spend with a good manager, Newcastle might not appoint another Souness whilst Boro will be strengthened by McLaren going to England, Wigan will kick on as will West Ham. We could improve significantly and still go backwards (and I haven't mentioned Everton or Man City) 2) The Bellamy clause must be focussing managerial minds at Ewood if it exists 3) Surely better to get the money from CL now rather than wait til we are ready whenever that might be. I still think 4th is a chimera as I believe Arsenal's name is on the CL trophy this season. Rovers need 15 out of 15 to get 4th- 13 out of 15 if we are lucky.

I suspect that one out of W Ham, Bolton, Wigan and Newcastle will have a good end of season run so we've got to keep going to protect that 6th place. Spuds not falling over against Everton and the Mancs suddenly looking vulnerable for their visit to WHL looks very bad news for any hopes of 4th. Very soon we will be able to cheer on the Arse unashamedly in the CL in anticipation of them usurping Spuds in next year's competition!

Yes well done Accy. Can't wait until they get to play Burnley.

West Brom should have had a penalty. Now Bergkamp has scored a beauty to make it 3-1. Not a bad day in terms of what is happening below us but not good looking upwards.

You just know that as soon as we are being taken seriously as contenders for 4th, it is all going to fall apart for Rovers. We are bound to get reffed out of it against Liverpool. Liverpool might be good enough to do it without any help- that Manc draw with Sunderland means the scousers can dreamof second again and Spuds will be fancying their chances against the Mancs on Monday. It will still be an interesting afternoon today- I expect that 4th will look a long way away when all the games have been played but Bolton and Wigan will both lose to make 6th more within reach provided we don't blow up on the run in.

In 2002 we had a 26,000 average gate and ticket discounts produced above average crowds. In 2006 we have a 20,000 average crowd and ticket discounts have not produced an above average crowd in any of the four games they have been tried in. I don't understand it either.

Excellent post Tris. At the end of the day, there is a breach of copyright committed by the Pubs. They legally bought an illegal product but my recollection of the law is that the illegal product is returnable to its rightful owner. As BSkyB have established the apetite for Prem games around the World, they will steadily up the price to foreign broadcasters. It is like a promotional sale to introduce Argentinian wine at the moment- wait 'til we get the taste and watch the price rise. Clough got it right- in time real prices for live attendance will drop to near to nothing and as the Mancs et al HAVE to bump their prices up, Rovers will start winning new audiences on price competition. Of course, this depends on the Prem hanging together collectively but it is such a life and death issue that apart from the kamikazes at Newcastle, most Prem clubs are now in the hands of the most professional management they have ever had. In my view, Rovers are very fortunate not to have redeveloped the Riverside. In a few years they will HAVE to redevelop it to provide a massive behind the scenes pleasant supporter environment which is superior to the pubs and clubs. The ticket price will have fallen but Rovers will make their money out of hosting thousands of people for hours and hours outside of match times- it will cut traffic congestion as well. At present, nobody in their right mind would prefer the concourses to being in a pub- that is going to have to change.

Very pleasantly surprised Pompey got a point after that first half! 'arry's post match comment is a classic: "Lua Lua went off and did his treble back somersault with pike and twisted his ankle. It wasn't the cleverest thing he's ever done." So the finger nail chewing goes to the armpit (but rather our "worries" than Pompey's). Next two games gives us the dubious benefit of knowing what the other challengers have done. Arsenal's remaining fixtures look reasonably straightforwards except for a couple of meaningless games against Villarreal in the mix. As Waggy says, Spurs have a couple of very tricky ones. But so do we. Looking to season end, five wins out of five will see Rovers cheering Barca in Paris, four wins and a defeat might well be enough to get fourth. However, Spurs' four points advantage with five to play is beginning to look a decisive edge. Trouble is we might well lose the next two and it will still have been a great season even if we do. 54 points from 35 should still see us in 6th and a certain UEFA slot but a nail biter to defend it over the last three games.

I think we did too good a job softening up Pompey. No way are they going to come back from going behind again.

No doubt there is a substantial legal bill although I think the rest of the Prem were backing the Rovers in this.

Ask the medics? Is there a doctor on the board?

If Rovers lose, we'll know about it. If it goes to an out-of-court settlement, we won't know as neither party will want it publicising- the insurance industry to avoid others being encouraged and Rovers to avoid other clubs bumping up transfer prices. If Rovers win, both parties might petition some form of secrecy of settlement details. So could be we won't hear.

Gav will win his bet in one game!

http://www.thesoccerforum.net/2006/04/10/s...-blame-bellamy/ More Bellamy gems as the Press finally get him to talk to them.

http://www.thesoccerforum.net/2006/04/10/s...-blame-bellamy/ More Bellamy gems as the Press finally get him to talk to them.

Given Emo had a lot of time to see it coming over, why didn't he get his head onto it? Even he would have netted that one. Much easier chance than the one that fizzed by MGP two minutes earlier when he was two yards out with two defenders and the keeper diving in.

Rooney can have March player of the month for his one man demolition of Arsenal yesterday.... The Guardian match report gives an interesting insight into Bellamy... Blackburn, pushing hard for Europe, were equally frustrated, having twice surrendered the lead. Craig Bellamy, whose lack of charm off the field is as pointed as his qualities on it, as Newcastle would confirm, scored two fine goals with the first of exceptional quality. Bellamy walked out of the tunnel to warm down afterwards and said: "With defending like that we deserve [nothing]. We want to be up there where the elite are and to do that we've got to see out matches like this. But this is a tough place to come. "I didn't lose my way at Newcastle," he added, touchily, after another question. "I proved my ability but it's not nice when you're being branded a destructive influence. At Blackburn everyone has supported me." Bellamy is probably the difference between an average side and one challenging for a Champions League place "Craig has his critics but he's playing some great stuff," said his manager Mark Hughes. "He's always been demanding of his team-mates. I don't have a problem with that. He just wants to be the best he can be."

RFW is talking up the Mancs' title chances. I don't know about that after ten man Chelsea destroyed West Ham yesterday but our game against Chelsea could be interesting. The remaining fixtures of the top two are of course disrupted by our Chelsea fixture being delayed by the FA Cup semi-final. REMAINING GAMES CHELSEA Bolton (a) Everton (h) Man Utd (h) Blackburn (a) Newcastle (a) MAN UTD Sunderland (h) Tottenham (a) Middlesbrough (h) Chelsea (a) Charlton (h) Of course, it is handy for us that Chelsea are going to Bolton and the Mancs going to Spurs with both of them having to win (yes, I am discounting Sunderland getting anything except relegated at OT). Run that fixture list forwards and Chelsea will come to Ewood either as Champions if they have beaten or drawn with the Mancs at Stamford Bridge or just one point ahead of the Mancs and the whole country willing us to beat them if RFW conjures a win down there in the Chelsea v Mancs game. Of course if we beat or draw with Chelsea to keep the Championship alive on the last day then Alan Shearer's farewell will be over-shadowed by Chelsea beating Newcastle to win the Prem at St James' Park or Newcastle handing an unlikely Premiership trophy to the Mancs. Either way, it would seem to be a rich metaphor for the end of his career.

Sorry to interupt the doom and gloom but is that a 6 point gap I see between us and 7th place? 4 Tottenham 33 15 58 5 Blackburn 33 6 54 6 Arsenal 32 28 53 7 Bolton 32 7 48 8 Wigan 33 -2 48

Watching Liverpool against an out-of-sorts Bolton. Liverpool are certainly beatable based on the first 40 minutes.