I type fast

Got a few moments so I will share my surreal evening with you last night. Malta is unfortunately a sort of Manc in the Med. As you walk the streets, you wonder why so many cars are registered UTD, little red devils peep disturbingly at you in shop windows and bars and offices have ugly Manc memorabilia. The barman shouts "Giggs Out" and an ugly hound lopes back outside and if anyone asks you "How are we doing?" its an evens chance that the we in question are over a thousand miles away at Old Trafford. Whilst the Maltese have a love hate with the old colonial power, they are subject citizens, willing and servile, when it comes to "United". So it wasn't difficult to spend yesterday evening in the company of a load of Mancs in Malta to help me compile the preview for the formalities on 25 January of the inevitable United procession towards another trophy. Malta has the oldest Manc Supporters Club in the world- and the biggest outside Manchester. www.manutd-malta.com/ They have their own three story premises over a gas showroom (yes I was tempted but they sell appliances, not the inflamable stuff) complete with bar, restaurant, liveried waiters, cinema and their own museum which I cheekily pointed out was rather more full of stuff than the trophy cabinet at Old Trafford has been for a season or two. Each year, at least one Manc player comes over to Malta be received with as much reverence and pomp as the Pope and they are very proud of the Gary Neville Training Academy which pumps yet more cash into the right back's copious pockets. And, get this, they reckon there are about 150 OT season ticket holders in Malta and they all go every other week to watch the games. So I was with, how shall we put this, slightly unbalanced company yesterday evening. Thankfully our bright start curtailed their bragging and made sitting through the five minutes before MGP equalised slightly less unpalatable than had the Mancs been all over us. So what do they think about the return leg? I won't pose the questions but here are some of the quotations: "Blackpool aren't worth bothering about. We are completely controlling this game and it will be easy at Old Trafford." "Where is Blackburn anyway?" "We played the Reserves tonight, we'll score two or three quickly and then give the kids a game back at Old Trafford." "Burton are the luckiest team around. We will handle that replay no problem- we'll be fresher than Blackburn in the home leg." "That Kuqi is uglier than my pug." "My pug is playing- he's got Tugay on his shirt." "Rio and Wes were always in control- no sweat." "That Bellamy is a donkey next to Rio." "You lot were really lucky Rooney mucked up all his shots tonight. You'll pay for that at Old Trafford." "Do Blackburn know what the ball looks like?" (during the second half) "We got rid of Savage didn't we? Don't know what he was doing at United in the first place. We only sign class players." "That bald headed keeper of your's looks older than my Nan." "There's nothing at Blackburn for Sir Alex to worry about." "We were playing with you tonight." "We'll be alright if we get a decent ref." "We played badly tonight, just watch us go at Old Trafford." "You won't get another freak result at Old Trafford." "40 years since your last win against us, 400 years for the next one." "Wes Brown hattrick in a 5-0 win for United." "I don't know why we have to play such little clubs." "United have always been the biggest club in the world." "Chelsea are nothing." "Another treble next season- I can just feel its coming for us." "Sir Alex taught Hughes everything he knows but kept the best bits to himself." "There's nothing wrong with United at present." "Mr Glazer's a true gentleman." "Hey, aren't you going to buy a round?" I've got a feeling that the prospects for this match might look rather different on 24 January than they do today. Will Evra and Vidic form an instant impenetrable barrier? What injuries/suspensions will there be (at least one less game for Bellamy to get crocked after last night's yellow card)? And any surprise signings by either side? The good thing about the Rovers' second half display is that for all their posession, the Mancs hardly threatened and Hughes can see exactly what he has to do to tighten things up. We have 120 minutes to get a goal assuming we reach full time all square so I cannot see it ending 0-0. My head says 2-1 to the Mancs, my guts suggest penalties after extra time.

There is a difference between going bankrupt which Newcastle are not and reaching a point at which the banks will not increase their lending and difficulties for the Directors to declare a dividend legally which is where Newcastle might well be. No doubt the Geordies think their club has excellent Directors and a superb management team as well...

If you look at the Yellow card timings, the four to either side were handed out at roughly the same time- our first yellow was to Bellamy which was a stupid one. Savage's was stupid as well, Tugay had it coming and Dickov was extremely harsh but he had been warned and it looked bad even though he missed Neville with the challenge he got booked for! So you can hardly claim the Yellows were preventing us from tackling- none of the defenders got booked. As for the penalty- it was a nailed on penalty inside the area. I don't know what the UK coverage was like, but even the United-loving Sky coverage we got in Malta replayed the incident twice and said something to the effect of "it was a clear firm two handed push, in the area (silent gulp)". The linesman missed it all ends up and I think the prospect of eleven snarling reds in his face might have helped his myopia. That said, the Rovers crowd missed it as well as there was very little noise from them about the decision. One final comment, Bentley was superb in the first half. The first time I thought there was a good case for signing him permanently. The second half reminded me why not though.

Keith Barker scored in a friendly for Cercle last night.

Newcastle hitting the buffers. The debt at £90m is bigger than most were thinking it was and as it nearly equals the asset value under-pinning it, no more borrowing for Fat Freddie and co. They are also getting into territory where it will be of dubious legality to carry on splashing out big dividends. So, I wonder why this story has been placed with its appeal to big rich Russians and a £75m price tag placed on the club? NEWCASTLE ARE FOR SALE FOLKS and Souness is lucky again- he is safe so long as he doesn't get them relegated. Or until FF changes his mind again....

Cardiff 1 Blackburn Rovers 1

It is very good. A thought that struck me when I read the mutual discount with a Prem club idea: - One of Rovers or Burnley are going to end up with Accy Stanley playing league games on the same day as them next season. Rovers should get in there now and agree with the Police and Accy Stanley that Rovers and Stanley league games should not clash and a joint season ticket for Stanley and Rovers games introduced. Stanleys' gates have been woeful by Conference standards but a Christmas gate of 3,000 showed the potential for folks going to them rather than Ewood. Better to embrace this development rather than get hurt by it. I was disappointed that the PR agency idea didn't appear. Believe an 01254 number popping up and "Hello, I'm Blackburn Rovers PR" will be just as ineffective as having no PR. The media is in London- the Rovers' PR has to be in London. Fact of life, if it is considered worth investing in PR, at least spend the money effectively.

Brilliant First Half with two well-matched teams, Rovers didn't get going second half but contained the Manc attacks fairly comfortably. I expect shots on/off target numbers are pretty equal. Yes Savage and Kuqi should both have scored inside the first six minutes but Rooney was thankfully wayward as well. Just hope Savage has scored by the time we go to OT because he's getting into scoring opportunities but not believing in himself putting them away at the moment. When we were on top MGP and Bentley were having superb games and Kuqi was causing real problems. In the second half the two wide players disappeared, Kuqi was back to an agricultural level and Nelsen's passing became awful. Have to say Reid really looked good for the short time he was on in place of Tugay and the Rovers were beginning to change the balance of play as the final whistle went. MGP's goal was so sweet- a volley that reminded me of Duffer at his best! I thought Rob Stiles was pretty fair and handled the game well. The linesman should have spotted the entireless needless shove by Fedrinand on Bellamy in the box- it was pretty blatant. Smith's lunge on Savage was awful and I think he would have walked had Savage not grabbed Rooney round the neck in the ensuing melee. As it was either they both went or they both got the yellows which Stiles gave them. A really bad foul by Wes Brown on Bellamy where he left his studs in the back of his knee early on went unpunished. And a really stupidly bad decision against Kuqi when Van Der Saar got upended by Brown which led to Bellamy mouthing of for his yellow. Enjoyed it and although its an outside chance, we can still make the Final. 2-2 after ET at OT?

Rovers have five full internationals on the bench and the Mancs don't! The Manc central midfield looks weak- if we can kill them there we are in with a real chance. That said I wouldn't have started with Todd and Kuqi but lets hope they prove me wrong. I think the Carling Cup games go out without restriction over the internet.

Another party pooper. Mancs are at full strength except for Saha starting in place of Van Nistelrooyd. Rovers starting with Gray, Savage, Tugay, Bentley and the only surprise- Kuqi with Bellamy.

In other words, the lowest Rovers v Man U crowd since Ewood was rebuilt.

Buying tickets before the 5pm deadline hopefully! I know its just an Asian Betting site but it doesn't half make sweet reading! Now come on Rovers, don't let us down tonight.

Thanks a LET When the home town newspaper spends 75% of its article interviewing Mark Hughes bigging him up for the Manc job, what hope is there? The LET has to be the biggest load of garbage going- sack them and put Jason in charge.

A Burnley view of the Cup. Seems wierd that even those who are willing to pay to see the goals on line cannot do so. I see that the latest goals web site has been busted off the web.

Interesting insight- good to hear that Sparky is creating the same impression inside the club that those of us looking in from the outside are getting. We are obviously in very good hands.

Its on live at Ewood Park at 8pm but you've got to get tickets by 5pm. I think its only on TV internationally. By the way- that weak Man U squad. Am I missing something or did I not see the names of all RFW's current first XI there? Perhaps this quote from the old bruiser is the give away: "I will make changes from the FA Cup game at Burton because I have to look at the City match on Saturday morning." He's telling the truth- he's dropping the second XI he put out at Burton and going full strength tonight.

Is it any wonder the Wigan public are not out in force tonight? 10,000 for a Reserve team match is pretty good in fact.

No

For all those who moan about the stewarding at the Blackburn End- read that article's comments about how a Rangers' fan found our stewarding at the Darwen End. Really embarassing for Rovers.

Sod the post code- sitting at my PC whilst on the phone I could get any postcode anywhere in the World but asking them who eat bananas with their feet or who the Axe is would sort out the chimps!

Anyone spot the logic flaw in this piece by Reuters which has been picked up and used by press around the world (including the Times of Malta which provided this quote)? "Manchester United risk another cup upset tomorrow when a side chastened by drawing with minor league Burton Albion face Blackburn Rovers in the League Cup semi-finals. "Three days after United's humiliating 0-0 FA Cup draw and three before they meet City in the Manchester derby, manager Alex Ferguson has to find a team capable of avoiding defeat in the first leg at Ewood Park. "United, who will face either old foes Arsenal or Wigan Athletic in the final at Cardiff on Feb. 26, have a hectic schedule of matches after adding an unwanted FA Cup third round replay at home to Burton on Jan. 18."

Wonderful! Relegation beckons for sure- BIG CLUB might get ahead of the Baggies but Pompey's new signings will see them safe.

To stop Man U supporters infiltrating on the night. I bet that goes by the board if their are a lod of Rovers fans trying to buy tickets on the night though- first I've heard about it reading it on here just now.

I think you have hit a key point there BNSG. We've always been unfashionable or patronised but the last twelve months has seen a concerted media attack on the Rovers prompted by Whinger and Moanrhino (thaanks Waggy) giving us a bad mouthing after we'd put their teams thru' the mangle. In fact, truth be told, Rovers v Chelsea was one of THE classic games in the Premiership last season. I think the statements from Hughes and JW in the Press are first class but perhaps the club needs some high quality PR management from a London agency (this is something you cannot bring in-house; it cannot be bought that way) to up the profile positively and news manage next time somebody precious gets either a blue or white elbow where they didn't ought to. As for a stunt? Rovers 5 United 0 and some ole football tomorrow night?