Weekend's Winners And Losers

Hello again people, well it wasn't the best result on Saturday was it? In all fairness we deserved a draw and were unlucky not to get one. Having said that we need to start taking more of our chances and Europe has just become all that more difficult...

Anyway onto business. Lets see who are the Winners and Losers for the week before...

WINNERS

JASON ROBERTS -Well I asked for a start for him against the Hammers and he got one and his presence was felt in the Hammers back line. Pace, power and suprisingly a pretty decent first touch. He didn't score but he did everything for the team and he was 100% more effective than Benni Mac was against Fulham.

He has guaranteed himself a place in the starting XI against Wigan next Saturday.

ROQUE SANTA CRUZ -I promised everyone I would be a little less harsh on Roque when he got THAT goal and he did against the Hammers. A fantastic goal in it's entirety (why don't we do this more often) but the finish was the Roque of November time.

After that his movement suggested a more confident Santa Cruz. Lets hope it continues because we all know what a terrific player Santa is.

ANDRE OOIJER -With his centre back partner looking sluggish and himself personally lloking solid it is a complete role reversal that we saw from when Andre first rolled up to the doorstep at Ewood.

He looked assured and like a leader. He took the defence by the scruff of the neck and showed us why we miss a fully fit Ryan Nelsen. He looks like a £2 million defender and he plays like one now.

He didn't deserve to be on the losing side.

LOSERS

CHRIS SAMBA -At fault for the first goal and looked a little nervy all afternoon. It has been a culmination of the last few weeks where he has been a shadow of his former self. He does still possess the qualities that make him great but he hasnt been able to apply it recently. Like many of the midfield (Reid, Steven and Gamst, Morten) his problem is that he is a confidence player and at the moment that confidence is waning.

Qithout a shadow of a doubt he'll be back like the beast that we know he is. But he needs that confidence back.

STEVEN REID -A winner last week but a loser this week. He didn't stamp his authority on the game like he has been doing and lost the physical battle in the second half. When Dunn went bombarding forward Stevie needed to sit tight and hold the fort and this week he was often caught out.

A little bit of discipline in his game and he'll be so much more effective.

BENNI MCCARTHY -He only got 1 minute on the pitch and that is a result of his lack of application since the Bolton game a few weeks back when he ran the show. He needs to learn that he isn't indispensible and maybe a few games of Roberts or Derbyshire in his place will show him that you can't just expect to be in.

No-one should get a place in the Rovers team by right. And Hughes is showing him this in the best way possible and even though he won;t see it now. It WILL benefit Benni in the long run.

Well guys, its been fun. I'll look forward to the Wigan game as I shall be attending. Sit tight for the mini tour results shortly.