Over the next few days, I’ll be posting write ups or podcast episodes of a review of the month I missed. With this new feature, I to invite anyone and everyone to be as involved as possible. If you have a question a comment or anything at all, email it to me and we’ll get it talked about on any future episode. Feeling bold? Even if you just have a simple built in mic or a whole studio, record a comment or question and I’ll throw it in the episode myself.

As always, discussion starts in the comments where I hope to see some of the posters return. Sorry again for the month long hiatus, but we’re back baby.

The famous Blue and Whites put on a show today in front of a rockin house of 24,845 at Ewood Park. Three goals brought the Rovers three points and their first win, as well their first home goals.

Not being able to watch the game really can be the worst some time, but you know as well as I that sometimes we just gotta roll with the punches.

Highlights after the jump, but some really promising signs about the game.
1. We won. Can’t overstate the importance of getting that first win and 3 points under the belt.
2. We scored 3 goals. Dunny seems to be the spark we need and if he stays fit, we could find up setting up and scoring a ton of goals.

Quite upset we didn’t keep the clean sheet, with Rovers’ defense spacing out on the Wolves goal. And while the win was against lower opposition, confidence is needed at this point of the term.

Rovers take on Everton Sunday, but not the Everton we’re used to. This Everton team sits in 19th with a pretty lame duck start by their standards as a side usually pushing top 6. Hopefully we can go in and attack right from jump street and take them out of the game early and quickly. I’m calling a hard but deserving 2-0win for Rovers as our win streak grows to 2 with goals from Dunn and Roberts.

The game we be delayed aired on FSC in the States, so better late than never eh? We’ll see. UP THE ROVERS!

I’ll be honest here; this is a must win game. After this game we have league games against Everton and Villa, with a league cup game v Notts Forrest thrown in between those games.

Then after Villa and the retrn of big Brad and Stephen Warnock, we have Le Arse, Chelski, The B@stards, and ManUre.

This is a must win game.

Hopefully we will have a lot of players to choose from. Emerton is close to making a comeback, and Dunn, Reidy and Grella all should have used these 7 days extra to get back into shape and fit. Here’s the team I would put out:

——————-Robbo———————
Jacobsen Samba Givet Chimbonda
Dioufy Dunn Nzonzi Pederson
Benni (if fit) Kalinic

Wolves have earned 4 points from their 4 games but should be ours for the taking. If we go out and play solid defensively (like we have been lately) and our strikers can get some shots on target, we should pull out the 3 points.

Any thoughts about the game? Your XI you would field? As always, let me know and UP THE ROVERS!

But enough with this witchcraft bogey side. I think we have a chance come Saturday. Hell, more than a chance, I think we’ll walk away from this one with all three points.

West ham have a win and loss, and that win came against Prem noobs Wolves. They were beaten by Spuds most recently, and sit only a few table places above us on 3 points.

We all know the beginning of the season is no time to make any calls about any team and what they’re outcome will be. But you can never argue against getting points early and often, and this is the game ot get our first ones after dominating in our last two showings. Hopefully the team worked on just shooting the ball into the net this past week and are ready for tomorrow.

Fans in the USofA, this one won’t be on TV until a replay of it on Setanta US at 6:45pm EST. Feel free to leave any comments or predictions about the game below. Personally, I think it will be 2-0 Rovers. We’ll see tomorrow!

(EDIT:This next paragraph was added after initial posting)However, I am really tired of players thinking that it is so bad here at Rovers. To be fair, in interviews since the move Warnock has not slated the team or club, and has actually been pretty classy. But when the fan’s player of the year jumps ship for “European football” (which villa were eliminated from today) you really have to wonder. It wasn’t too long ago Rovers were in Europe. And we all know what happens when individuals feel too big for the club: See Bellamy, Bentley, Santa Cruz, etc. I like Warnock, the guy always gave his all and usually I like Villa too, only rooting against them when they play us. But the sad truth is Warnock will probably be one of those to see the hard way that the grass isn’t always greener. All the same, I dont wish him bad, but if Villa finish 16th, I won’t be shedding a tear.

What I didn’t expect though, was this move for Chimbonda right away. Now, some people have been concerned that this gives us a million Right backs and no leftbacks up to par and still hasn’t addressed the midfield situation. However, I think Salgado was brought in to play a holding midfield in front of the back four as a transition guy and first line of defense. I see Chimbonda playing the RB off and on with Jacobsen until one of them lock up the spot with Samb and Nelsen at CB and Givet on the left. Not too shabby if you ask me.

Plus, this is pretty shrewd money wise as well. The deal is reportedly in the £1.5m-£2m pound range and the 30 year-old defender has signed for two years while the Warnock sale is speculated at around £7m.

For the sake of sanity, I will keep my blue and white Spectacles on, and not get into the reasoning behind letting a player like Warnock leave.

Also, we beat Gillingham to advance to the Carling Cup third round. Goals from Dunn, Junior Hoilett and MGP secured our passage through. No highlights available for posting, will update when I’ve got my hands on them.

West Ham preview up tomorrow and as always, UP THE ROVERS!

Here’s whats been going on:

First off, Sunderland stole three points from us. With more corners, shots, and two disallowed goals, stole is the only word to use.

Sam comments on the Rovers’ luck and even about Stephen Warnock here…click BBC Sport.

But Sam is resigned to him leaving with Villa still putting bids in…..click FoxSports.

And on top of All that….Injuries out the arse.

Cup tie against League One side Gillingham tomorrow. Really hope we don’t slip and bow it here; the lads really need the morale boost. Highlights from the Black Cats game after the jump.

you’re going to lose.

Emmanuel Adebayor’s goal in the second or third minute was a nice shot but was hard to swallow and it went in off of Robbo, who really did all he could to save the bending laser strike. Ireland’s 90+2 strike was just a result of the Rovers trying to push off and leaving the back weak.

For most of the first half, Rovers were the better side. We dominated the run of play and kept the ball in the Citeh half for most of the opening 45. However coming out of the gates in the second half, Sparky clearly made some changes. Citeh were the dominating side, with Rovers literally just running around trying to catch them.

A more accurate review later on, with some pics and a link to highlights.

Here’s how we’re looking: Robinson, Brown, Jacobsen, Samba, Nelsen, Givet, Khizanishvili, Warnock, Olsson, Diouf, Hoilett, van Heerden, Doran, Nzonzi, Andrews, Pedersen, McCarthy, Roberts, Di Santo.

Look at that list and remember who’s out and doubtful and try and build a solid starting XI. Our midfield can’t even be completed let alone compete. Very worried about what we could see if Nelson and Samba don’t make the cut.

Citeh will be probably fielding a 1-0-9 formation, with a team looking like this according to SkySports:
Given, Richards, Dunne, Toure, Bridge; Wright-Phillips, Barry, Ireland, Bellamy; Robinho, Tevez.

Let me just say, I am looking forward to a win. But if we draw or even lose I can not say I’ll be surprised. I just hope the boys are ready to get the season going the right way.

Now the invitation. I invite all Rovers fan in the NYC area to make the trek into the NYC and come watch the game with me and a bunch of other Rovers fans at Nevada Smiths. We’ll be there a little before kick off and through out the match so please come by if you are able to.

Hopefully the next post will be a victory review. Until then, come on new season AND UP THE ROVERS!

So what does this mean for our striker force?

It means we have a ton of strikers again. Paul Gallagher, Benni Mac, Jason Robers, Di Santo, Dioufy, and now Niko. I believe we’ll see a good healthy mix of Benni, Jason, Di Santo and Niko with Diouf probably playing on the right wing as a RM.

So what’s everyone’s take on this new boy? Yay or Nay? And how do we feel about the start of this season? Let me know! UP THE ROVERS!!