True, like i said though, im waiting till I see them get properly tested by the likes of Man U and Chelsea, I mean today they sort of struggled to get a rhythm but understandably you can only beat whats in front of ya and City are doing it well.

I agree though that the top 4 will remain the same as last year, Chelsea look awesome, Man utd are always there or thereabouts and despite losing yesterday, Arsenal look decent too. If anything its Liverpool who I think look the most vulnerable when it comes to being challenged. But i think they'll just scrape 4th ahead of City and Tottenham

Let's all laugh at Man Utd

Tottenham 1 - 0 Man Utd

(Defoe, 47 secs)

Sunderland in 6th.

Looking canny too, problem will be if you get more than a couple of injuries, then i think you might struggle a bit.

Man Utd look awful. Their midfield is shocking, Giggs and Scholes have lost their legs, Nani and Anderson are very average, Carrick has been poor for sometime and it says a lot when Darren Fletcher is your best midfielder.

Told you Anderson is shite...

2-1 Man Utd.

Their midfield is poor, they desperately need Hargreaves fit again and im not sure even he will make the difference required.

Some Manc I know was slagging off Lampard and Gerrard the other day making out that any of their midfielders were better as them 2 dont do enough tracking back and defending

3-1 to ManUre

Where is Spudriffic when you want him?

Probably sucking off one of his mates or something...

Na I was at the game singing my heart out =(

At the time it looked like a huge dive from that Bulgarian faggot that got them back into the game (which has happened the last 3 times we've played them now). But regardless, we played shit after the first 20 minutes. Crouch hit the bar, besides that we didn't look like scoring again. Keane needs to up his game and we're missing Modric.

Croatia missed Modric as well

And here it comes!
A rampant Rovers tought the Chumpionship Champions a lesson in an easy win.
The Times got it right with: Blackburn played some pretty stuff yesterday and won their first game of the season easing up
Late substitute Salgado enthused: "It was like being back with the Galacticos!"
Now we get an inkling of Big Sam's strategic thinking - a slow start to the season will get other teams underestimating Blackburn - only to find out too late their folly.

Breaking news!!!
On the same day that David Beckham was warming the bench at Wembley, Victoria was seen strolling around Darwen Market!
This has added fuel to the speculation that Beckham will be re-joining the Premier League.
When quizzed about this and about whether Real Madrid were turning into a feeder club for Blackburn Rovers, ex-Galactico Michel Salgado was tight-lipped, his only comment being an enigmatic: "Am saying nowt!"
Watch this space for further developments!

Beckhams + Darwen Market = my arse in Fenwick's window

I've never really been to Lancashire, so what is this 'Darwen Market' place people talk about? Is it like the Bigg Market but even worse?

Think Regent Street London, Lower Manhattan New York, Via Montenapoleone Milan - but more discreet in its sophistication.

I don't think Victoria does discreet. Definitely not that discreet

During an online dispute with Copy Nooker (he had been bragging about how posh Blackburn is ), one of us (can't remember who but it may have been PA) posted a link to Darwen Market via the Blackburn and Darwen tourist board website, Darwen Market's most famous shops and boutiques are 'Darren's The Barbers' and the 'Kwik Grub' cafe

And where do you think Beckham gets his famous hair-dos?
While it's well-known that the Kwik Grub cafe was in the vanguard of the fast-food revolution - a model for McDonalds & KFC.

Breaking News: from next season 8 out of the matchday squad of 17 will have to be homegrown, good news for young english players and should stop teams nicking promising players from abroad and then letting their careers rot in the reserves, also should help clubs save money

Is that a FIFA thing for all national leagues or an FA rule?

What makes a player 'homegrown'? Do they have to have been born in the town/city - if so London clubs in particular would have an advantage. Do players have to have been playing at the club from a certain age? There would certainly be more emphasis on the youth/academy set ups at all clubs which would be a positive move. Not sure this is the right way to stop clubs who are throwing money around though. Wonder what they are trying to achieve with this?

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11095_5560131,00.html
oh not as good as first thought, have to be trained for 3 years under the age of 21, so players can still tap up 18 year olds and younger from abroad

Wonder how long it'll be before Wenger uses a press conference solely to complain about it?

Id like to see the authorities tackle the poaching issues but my feelings are mixed on forcing clubs to play homegrown players.

Yes it may give them a chance but my thinking has always been that if the English players are good enough then they will get a chance anyway.

I read it that it's 8 from a squad of 25.
They can still have 17 foreigners - not really a great hardship for most clubs.

They can have 25 foreigners. People like Fabregas would count as home grown.

Now we know!! He was saving his comments for the Sun!
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport...s-at-Ewood.html

Sell loads of 6 fingered gloves there too

It takes fisting to another level.

Darwen market is quite nice

Salgado chats with Beckham (from The Lancashire Telegraph)
Beckham is set to leave LA Galaxy on loan in January and, although AC Milan are the firm favourites to capture his signature for a second time, Salgado says he may put a word in on Rovers’ behalf.
“I spoke to him last week when he was with the national team,” said Salgado.
“He asked me if I had signed here at Blackburn Rovers for two years. I said I had signed...
“He said ‘Congratulations for going to Blackburn Rovers because it is a historic club. You have a great man as coach, Sam’.”
Asked about a possible loan, Salgado said: “I have to speak with him and the club, but maybe we will have to pay him, all the players!
“I will try!”

Only when compared to Todmorden

FAO Gala:
Does your team know that a football match consists of two halves?
It seems not, because yesterday they didn't turn up for the second half at Turd Moor.
Because of this Fuckingburnley now have 9 points and their moron fans are giving us hell on the forums.
There's a shortage of banjo strings in East Lancashire as the Dingles have been strumming away even more excitedly than usual.
Now the pressure is really on Big Sam and his boys get something from today's game at Everton.
C'MON YOU ROVERS!!!

Don't worry, they'll do a Hull. Can't see them winning more than 1 or 2 matches after Christmas.

As for your lot, well I'd be a bit worried unless you pick up some points sharpish. Still, at least Portsmouth are in the Premier League!

Anyone watch the Manc Derby??

Fantastic game

Yep. Glad Owen got the winner, can't stand Mark Hughes.

Chelsea / Spurs game is another good game on at the moment.

Yeah was pleased for Owen, couple of great goals for Bellers and a howler from Rio who I hate with a passion

Was torn about who I wanted to win, was kinda hoping for a draw really. Hate the Mancs but not a big fan of Citeh and particularly Mark Hughes either.

Gotta be disappointed spending £40 million on 2 centre halves who let Darren Fletcher score 2 headers

Im sure Hughes will be moaning about the time added on, the Leeds fans I was watching it were but I didnt really see the problem. The 4th official indicated 4 minutes which i think a lot of people forget is a minimum. There was a substitution and a couple of stoppages within the 4 minutes so dont really think they can complain.

What a player. Michael Owen is a match-winner. AGAIN!

Im watching that ATM, Spurs are just getting destroyed, should be more than 3-0 TBH

Bassong is badly injured!

oh well

Was his own fault too as he tried to rugby tackle a player for the 3rd time in the game, he obviously hasn't cut that out of his game since last season.

BBT

I stopped off in Thirsk travelling back to Newcastle this afternoon, saw the last 15 mins of the Manc derby, tasty stuff

Thirsk has a marvellous fish and chip shop, think it is called the White Rose Cafe, delicious fare. Altogether tis a marvellous little town as are Ripon, Skipton, Harrogate, etc

If i were him, i'd be doing the same. a substitution and a couple of stoppages within injury time in my view does not equal 2 minutes extra, when that occured i could sort of see it coming that the only way the ref would end the game is if Man utd got a winner. And thats exactly wot happened, and less than 20 seconds after the goal, the ref blows for full time.

In that sense I sympathise with Hughes and Man City even though on the basis of play, United probably deserved it.

Dorts

Never actually been to Thirsk - Skipton and Harrogate are nice though. My feelings on Ripon are mixed, my girlfriend and her family are from there so need to be careful what I say but it has a bit of a chav problem to say the least

Hmm, like I say Yella what the 4th official holds up is a minimum - at the end of the day you play until the ref blows his whistle.

In all honesty the way Citeh defended they deserved nowt not that some of Man U's was great.

Just ask Rio Ferdinand, what the fuck was he thinking?

Good thing im not a Man U fan cos i had a right good giggle at that

God knows mate, that was shocking - i wouldnt expect to see that in Sunday League, obviously hadnt had his pre match "medication" (apparently)

Citehs defending was appaling all game though, they should really have lost quite comprehensively.

Isnt that why Given left us, so he could get away from that palava? If he wanted to play with a better defence that, he should have stayed