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.

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!

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!

While that was going on, Gael Givet was signed on a permanent deal from Olympique Marseille. As per use, for an “undisclosed fee.” Weak. I hate when we don’t get the numbers. Whatever, Big Sam is thrilled.

So what does this mean for the Rovers for the rest of the transfer window?

Well Big Sam has come out and said that getting a striker is the number 1 priority. Obvious. But at least it’s a plan.

Lord Quas and jjf3 hit up the last post with some suggestions, and one player mentioned was Zigic, who has been linked with Rovers before. I never get too excited about links in the press due to the volatile nature of the market, but it still is fun to just ride the roller coaster. My opinion of a £20million transfer kitty still stands; huge chunk of change compared to the £2-3million we’re usually left working with.

What I do expect though is a top striker to be brought in, but not all the money spent. I think then we should have enough to get a decent name Center Mid, which I think is/should be our number 2 priority.

Do you think that’s right though? Should we blow all the dough on one huge striker signing? Or do you think Benni, Roberts and Spit are enough? Let me know in the poll below and explain why in the comments. Discussions are half the fun.

The only thing we know for sure is that the next few weeks will be exciting and anxious times for us, and with my move in to my new house complete and full internet access back, I’ll be here updating every step on the way. So till next time, UP THE ROVERS!

What should our top priority this transfer window be now?(survey)

Onto more important things. The next bits of news have come straight from sources who directly spoke to players last night at the End of the Year Awards dinner for the club. No BS here; just Facts!

Rovers nab Givet

John Williams has confirmed an agreement of terms between Marseille and Rovers for our new favorite boy Givet. He will be signing a new four year deal soon.

Warnock rubbishes reports of leaving

Sources who spoke to Warnock said he is very happy at Rovers and he isnt going anywhere saying that the rumors are “all paper crap.”

Players say their goodbyes to Tugay, Villanueva and….Santa Cruz?

Does this mean he’s definitely out the door? We shall see.

Tugay retiring

We all knew he was done, so this puts to rest any rumors of him playing back at Gala. He’s staying in the area and will probably work on his badges for a few years before coming back to Rovers.

Wa wa wee wa. Lots of reports.

Happy Trails

Andre Ooijer’s long speculated departure back to PSV Eindhoven has been confirmed by the club as well by the Dutchman on the offish site. I for one will always think fondly of the defense man, and think he was always a very vital part of the back line. 29 start 2 sub appearances 2 goals and No red cards and 2 assists this season. Not too shabby. Extremely happy with Gael Givet though as a replacement, the man has been immense. Rovers need to sign him but that’s another post for another day. Still, best of luck to Andre back home at PSV, thanks for the 3 years of service.

Carlos Villanueva. Ah, we barely knew thee. Reports here(click) and here(different click) have reported that King Carlos, the favorite pineapple head, has signed a deal with Al Shabab. Skill and touch were never a question about the boy, but speed and physicality were always two department that the Rovers management never seem to think he had enough of. Thanks for the effort Mr. Chile.

ROVERS SLASH SEASON TICKET PRICES

Boom. Slashed. The Rovers love their fans, and this ridiculous “Crucial 3″ program the Rovers launched brought in about 4000 extra heads at Ewood. Class. Rovers saw how successful this worked and good on the Trust and the Club (and John Williams) for making great football more accessible to the masses.

WBA Sunday

So the last game of the term. A very, very, long and winding road. Some ups, and a lot of downs. But we’re safe, and we’ve made it. Now, time to earn another 750K and hopefully move up a slot on the league table. WBA has already been relegated so they are ours for the taking. Time to drop some knowledge:
IN: Ooijer and Givet should be back.
Out: The Admiral (torn a calf muscle), Roque(giving an interview in Paraguay) and Roberts (fractured metatarsal).

So, here’s to a good weekend. For the Americans reading, have a safe Memorial Day weekend. Let’s go out on a high this season Rovers!

Well Rovers took a break for international duty last week and I used that time to catch up on some work and keep my GPA game up. But the lads are back and so am I, but I’m not the one stopping The Spuds’ six-match unbeaten league run.

Rovers started off strong with a chance in the 11th from MGP to El Hadj but he failed to convert. Things started going down hill from there though with our rock solid new man Gael Givet was called for a handball in the box. You can judge that one for yourself, but when the commentator takes Rovers side, you KNOW it’s not a penalty. (Which it wasn’t, the ball hit inside shoulder) Keane converts although the ball wasn’t on the spot. Clearly, you can see it in the highlights. The balls off the spot. I don’t get how that works either, but whatever. Rovers down 1 nil. MGP gets a knock and heads off with Dunny coming on. Jase Robs gets a knock and holds on till halftime, then he comes off. So what does Big Sam do when his hand is forced?

PUTS CHRISTOPHER SAMBA UP FRONT!!!

Yes that’s right the big man playing up next to Benni Mac and being an all around nuisance for the Spuds players. Rovers make some chances, Spuds don’t do too much. Then they started doing stuff and the game looked pretty much over. Then, Wilson Palacios winds up being sent off after collecting two yellow cards in the space of two minutes. Fantastic. Finally a little bit of luck heading our way. Then Robbie Keane knocks the ball away in the box with his hand but the ref closes his eyes and skips away pretending all is just and well in the world. No matter though because then Samba showed up, and went hardbody all over Corluka and worked the ball to Benni Mac who fired it home from 10 yards out. Then Rovers took the lead when Gomes misjudged a corner and and ball fell to Ooijer who, from barely a yard out, directed it calmly home. Amazing.

14th on 34pts. Lets ride this momentum to liverpool.

Highlights:

The Hammers are sitting pretty comfortably in the top half, holding onto the 7th place with 40 points and fighting for a place in the UEFA Europa League. Robert Green has recovered from the knock he picked up during the Hammers’ Monday game and fill be starting between the sticks against us. West ham also won 4-1 in the reverse fixture earlier in the campaign.

Lucash Neill, ex Rover extraordinaire will be captaining the West Ham side like usual, but it always does the heart good when we beat him.

Points are points and boy do we need three. We could also use some luck in the resukts of the teams aorund us but if all goes according to plan, while we won’t jump too much higher in the league ladder, we will put some space between us and the bottom three. So lets shake off the Le Arse crushing and come out string. Some solid, physical work to take out their jets and confidence, a goal or two early and we’ll be on our way. UP THE ROVERS!

Rovers had some luck go against them with two goals being disallowed; one rightly and one incorrectly. Givet had a master goal disallowed for some specter “shirt pulling” call while later Benni Mac drifted offside a few yards and had his shot through to the back of the net negated.

But this is all masking the big issue here: Why, for the second time in the FA Cup, can we not put away this Coventry side who not only play a league lower, but aren’t even doing all that great in The Fizzy Pop League themselves? I just don’t get it, but it has to fall no both the players and the management for not having the right mindset going out on to the pitch and not playing with much or any enthusiasm. Hopefully Big Sam will have sorted this out by the replay cause whether you’re for cup run or not, losing to the likes of Coventry is a huge embarrassment and morale blow, and can’t be allowed. Highlights below(except for the RSC goal which I’ll get up later.)

And the Outs?
Frank Fielding (Rochdale, loan)
Eddie Nolan (Preston, undisclosed)
Sergio Peter (Sparta Prague, £500,000)
Jamie Clarke (Rotherham, free)

So only a net loss of £2.5m and we held on to Roque. But Emerton has been ruled out for the season and we didn’t get a center midfielder. This leaves me a tad but worried plus I’m still trying to handle how I should be feeling about Spit theDoof on our team. Rovers take on Sunderland…again…today at 20:00 GST or 3pm EST. Hopefully a nice win will boost us into a strong winning run. As always, comments to help me retain my sanity or provide clarity (particularly on why we signed Spit) is always a help. UP THE ROVERS!