I don't think he does, he was dropped earlier in the season, it's just that we don't have a replacement. Peter and Treacy are the only options, but Peter is either injured or has problems and Treacy has been suspended recently. You can't seriously suggest playing Dunn there long-term or moving Bentley there and having someone play right midfield.

They'd also make a fortune.

It appears to be pretty black or white for you too. I don't think Benni can do no wrong, he's been poor this season for the most part, but I don't think that's because he doesn't care and I don't think he should be sold. For me he still remains one of our best players, our best goalscorer and a player who we would be very foolish to let go unless we got a very big bid for him and had a good replacement lined up. Why can't a player just be out of form? It happens to everyone, but for some reason with Benni it means he's causing trouble. He's not playing well and on top of that he's scoring fewer goals because we aren't creating as many chances as the team isn't playing well. It's really quite simple to me, but for some reason people seem to be getting themselves worked up and are intent on blaming it on attitude. Also, say what you like, but I don't have any problems with his work ethic. He doesn't run as much as Dickov or Roque, but that isn't really his job. He really does quite a lot of running, but it seems to be overlooked by most on here. Of course, I don't go to matches and maybe they edit the tv coverage so that he moves around the pitch.

I don't get where people get this idea from that Benni doesn't want to score or play, but Roberts does. Please remind me which one of them recently handed in a transfer request? Simply because a player isn't playing well doesn't mean he doesn't care. Rovers fans seem to struggle with that unless they have become total favourites (perfect examples in the current side being Warnock and Samba).

Obviously he knows more than I do, but there's a bit of a difference between those two things, at least in my opinion. It would be like me saying that I could tell you that Derby will be relegated, but I can't tell you the score in their next game. It seems easier to see patterns and and trends, rather than predict specifics, particularly when those specifics could be changed by some very slight variations, which isn't really true when you're looking at the larger picture. I wouldn't trust a scientist who told us that the average temperature in 2020 will be 101°, but I'm willing to believe them if they make a general prediction based on a vast amount of research.

What you are essentially saying is that global warming is being manipulated, possibly even created or at least exaggerated, by the west in order to keep lesser developed nations down, but you haven't actually produced anything to support that theory, which is really quite a bold statement. Tell me how else I should take that statement. I'm not looking at whether or not you believe in global warming, not whether co2 causes global warming or global warming causes rising levels of co2, simply that last piece there. As I've said, so far the landmark international agreement regarding global warming places no requirements for reduction on the lesser developed nations, whilst the EU has also agreed to reduce emissions. I'm not saying individual parties won't use it to their advantage, of course they will, it is a political issue, but that doesn't mean it is being used on the international scene in that same way. I mean, let's look at car manufacturers, those furthest behind in terms of "green" cars are the American car manufacturers, in other words, any initiatives that are introduced will hurt them most and will actually help Asian producers. For an example on this, next year France is introducing a tax based on a cars green level, now this will pretty much price American cars out of the average persons market, it is highly beneficial to the Asian market as I believe that no popular Asian car will be on the wrong-end of this tax, one very popular French model will be.

Bazza, applause all round. You managed to retreat from your initial statement at record speed. I'm not going to argue with the fact that virtually every aspect of almost every international agreement has been totally ineffective and I won't disagree, as I said in my previous post, that global warming, like any other political issue that has ever existed, can and has been used as a political tool; but that is still a million miles away from it only being in existance, or at least popular, because western governments want to use it to hold back developing nations. You have absolutely nothing to back you up, it's simply crazy. It's one of those "well you can't prove it happens", we can't prove a ton of what science says happens, but that doesn't mean you can come up with some crazy alternative and think it deserves just as much recognition or is potentially as realistic. The fact remains that governments around the world, both in developed and less developed nations, recorgnise and support initiatives to reduce emissions. On top of that, many of the countries in the west that are most vocal when it comes to this are some who would have the least to gain from keeping less developed nations down; I mean you really can't tell me that Sweden are hell-bent on preventing China from becoming even more powerful. As I said, don't believe it if you want, but seeing as 99% of the scientific world believes something, if you are going to come up with an alternative and give it air-time, you better have some pretty impressive facts and figures to support it, especially when you choose to reject the generally accepted view on the basis that no one has shown you any hard proof.

We'd be pretty upset if that penalty had been given against us. It was a "foul", but if they gave those everytime then there would be a penalty from every corner. If they want to give them, then they have to start doing that, if not then you'll just see the odd one here and then and it will annoy everyone. It reminds me of Ooijer against Chelsea last year. You can't really complain because the ref is right, but you know that you'll come up the other end and see the same thing and there will be no whistle. That is the kind of thing that annoys me, I don't mind if they never call them, but don't call them once in a while.

Agree with you there. The reason I have no real problem with MGP is because he is obviously trying. He's failing horribly at the moment, but the effort is there. I don't know what has to be done to help him get back to his good form, probably the odd special goal or two, but I'm sure it will come back eventually. Hopefully it won't be too much longer.

Yes I'm sure the democrats will, but then the democrats also have fewer links with oil and several other business sectors that have a lot to lose from these sorts of agreements. The fact that they've decided to attend doesn't really say much, they have had so much pressure put on them over the past few years that if they hadn't turned up there would have been an uproar. The only real thing you can look at is that the one major treaty regarding climate change that has been passed by virtually everyone, that being the Kyoto protocol, has not been signed or ratified by the United States. To further that point, they kyoto protocol doesn't even set out any requirements for developing nations apart from the need for them to monitor their situation, the actual requirements relating to reductions are placed purely on already developed nations. I have no problem with you not believing in global warming, I think it's silly, as you have absolutely no scientific training and you are going against the vast majority of experts who spend their lives researching this, but still it hasn't been proven; however, to come up with some sort of a conspiracy theory that basically has nothing to support it is going a bit too far. Global warming can be used as a political tool, just like any other issue, but that doesn't mean that it has been created for political reasons. Gore wouldn't be back in the limelight without it, the democrats would probably have slightly less support, but they haven't paid off the scientific world just so that they can get a couple million (at most) more votes come 2008.

If that were the case, surely the United States would be leading the cause, rather than doing almost everything they can to fight it?

Yeah, but then everytime Rovers get a penalty I think they'll miss and whenever they then miss I'll say "I just knew he would". Maybe you're all different from me and others that I know, but I think a good amount of the time people expect players on the team they support to miss penalties, it's just a feeling of dread you get.

Very cold in Paris at the moment as well actually. It was a warm September and October with very little rain, but over the past two weeks it has started to get very cold.

Why would Roberts stay when Benni is his best pal? I find it far more likely that having Roberts in his ear is upsetting Benni. Roberts is the one who needs to go. If you have two bad eggs and have to get rid of one (and we don't actually know if Benni is a bad egg at the moment), then you ahve to get rid of the less talented one.

What I think some of you aren't getting is that I'm worried not so much because of our league position, but more our current team, form and finances, particularly when compared to those around us. Now I think this is the same for several others who seem to be equally concerned. There's a long way to go, we are still within touching distance of the top 4 and top 6, so this could still be anything from a horrible season to a fantastic (I suspect it will more likely be mediocre to good), so the league position isn't really why I'm worried. What worries me more is the fact that we can't defend, particularly from set-pieces, which is a problem we've had now for a while. I'm also really worried by the lack of options in the centre of midfield. As far as I'm concerned these are the two most important areas on a football picth. Without a top quality striker you can be organised and defend and try and grind out a result and you can do the same thing without quality wide players. Without the ability to get the ball and keep it and without the ability to defend when attacked you can't really do anything, as was shown by the fact that we scored 3 goals away from home in the premiership and came away with nothing.

I said he looked like had run out ideas yesterday, whilst in recent weeks he has failed to make any changes to our very one-dimensional play despite the fact that it looks as if teams have figured us out. Now he may not be out of ideas, I hope he isn't, it was just my impression of him during this particular match.

Souness certainly had more money, but he also brought in more money through sales. Even with that taken out, he probably had a bit more, but not a huge amount. Also, I know that he was lucky to have Duff and Dunn (first version) in the team to sell anyway.

I haven't been to a game this season, but I have seen every full game on TV. I know it isn't the same, I know it means I only see him when the camera is on him, but seeing as the cameras they use that are shown here are generally quite a wide view I can see him for probably 55-60% of the game. I don't think he's lazy, it's an easy tag to put on him though.

I'm not saying Hughes isn't the better manager, but so far Souness has achieved more as he has a cup to his name.

Well depending on where you live and the theory you have subscribed to, global warming could bring a drop in temperatures as well.

Why? In Petrov City have one of the in-form left wingers, they'd have no need for MGP. I suppose they could be friends because of the Sweden-Norway sort of connection, but it all seems a bit of a stretch.

There is nothing to say that Benni doesn't want to be here at the moment. Oddly enough the only forward who has actually stated that he wants to leave, and by that I mean Jason Roberts, is a player most are calling for to be in the side (rightly in my opinion). The penalty wasn't a half arsed attempt, I don't even see why someone who didn't want to be here would have a "half arsed" penalty, doesn't make sense, it's the easiest thing he will have done all day. He simply scuffed it and the keeper went the right way, had the keeper gone the wrong way it would have looked like a decent penalty as it was in the bottom corner. He doesn't always go the same way, he either goes that way or reverses his foot at the last moment and pushes it to the bottom left (keeper's side), but you are right he does generally keep them low, which is really what most people are taught and told to do. As for not adding graft, he adds a lot of graft in my opinion. He drops back into midfield, which is tactically wrong, but he does it because he is trying to get on the ball. The easy option would be to stand up front waiting for it to come to him, but that isn't what he does. When the team is playing well Benni is magnificent, unfortunately for him his style of play doesn't fit in well with a team that is totally out of sorts and struggling to put two or three passes together. Santa Cruz still does ok, although not nearly as well when the team were in good form, because his size allows him to be something of a target man and hold it up, Benni can't really do that against defenders who are generally bigger than him. His flicks and tricks are a part of his game, he doesn't do them in dangerous areas. Sometimes they don't come off, but if you want the piece of great skill (for example the good flick that put Santa Cruz through on goal against Newcastle the other week), then you are going to have to accept that sometimes they won't work and he'll give the ball away, it is true for any player who doesn't simply get it and pass it. Benni is the best goalscorer we've had at this club since Shearer, by a mile as well. His technical skill on the ball is probably the best I've ever seen in a Rovers shirt and he is amongst the most skilled in the league. Now as I have said on other threads, it is easy to single out individual players and place blame there, but really the problems we are having at the moment are down to the entire team (although mostly the defense). I don't see why people are up in arms about McCarthy not playing well, yet very little criticism has been aimed at someone like Warnock, who gave the ball away on the edge of the area at 3-3. As for what I've said in the Hughes thread, it is based on what I have seen from seeing the full match on tv. You're right, I didn't look at Hughes for 90 minutes, but the camera actually cut to him every couple of minutes. If someone who was there says that he was very active on the touchline then I'll believe them, but from what I've read and from people I have spoken to it actually seems like a few have commented on the fact that he seemed somewhat resigned on the bench. If you read what I wrote you will actually have seen that I didn't call for Hughes out, as for my comment about being there first, it was simply that for the last year or so I've taken quite a lot of flack from people for saying that I haven't been totally comfortable with our team, particularly the massive gap that we have in the centre midifeld. Now the majority seem to be catching on, sadly Hughes has been the slowest in this respect and it is his opinion that matters most. If you don't agree with me, say it, but don't go down this personal line that you and so many others seem unable to avoid when disagreeing with someone on here. Or should I agree with you and then you'll like me? You're right, don't question Hughes, best manager we've ever had and things are perfect...while we're at it, let's sell the second top goalscorer from the premiership last year. I don't want Hughes to go, I simply think we are in a big trouble at the moment and it will be a big test for him. If he passes it then he will have shown he really has what it takes, if he fails then he will just be another manager like Souness or Reid who have put a side together that has done well for a season or two and then not been able to deal with it when things have stopped working. It's not a call for him to go.

I'm very worried about this. When you look at him on the touchline he looks like a manager out of ideas. Now, if he wants to be a manager who doesn't say anything to his team and simply lets them play, that is fine, but I don't think that is what is happening. He looks like someone who is lost and doesn't think he can do anything to change it. I think we're in big, big, big trouble here.

Some of you have no idea what is in the best interest of the club.

He's not lazy, but he is playing very, very badly.