by GLEN KEELEY

I'LL be honest with you, I'd love to be in Lucas Neill's shoes tonight.

Liverpool players and fans won't easily forget the Rovers defender's challenge put Jamie Carragher out of action with a broken leg the last time these teams met at Ewood. So no doubt Lucas is in for a tough old time.

But scenarios like these are the making of a player.

I've been in similar situations myself more times than you can shake a stick at, but Portsmouth is one particular place that springs to mind where I used to come in for a bit of stick.

I got sent off there once in a televised match and I never got a good welcome there after that. But that meant there was always something in the game.

You've just got to get out there and forget about it, make sure you perform, but also look after yourself if your opponents are out to get you because we always looked to seek retribution if one of our team-mates had been hurt. With all the hawk-eyed referees and cameras though, I'm not sure that would be an option now.

But situations like Lucas will no doubt find himself in tonight can sometimes make you a better player.

I used to find it a big motivating factor when away teams' fans gave me abuse. It really spurred me on, and I don't think a lot of supporters realise that their barracking, more often than not, has a positive effect on the player.

But a player's character at this level should be tried and tested, and they're certainly paid enough money to handle the pressure.

And while we're on the subject of pressure, I know Graeme Souness has come in for some criticism for the way in which he conducted himself at the end of the Southampton game on Saturday, but that's another example of the manager's passion. And when you find youself towards the bottom of the league the stress is greater.

It wasn't ideal, but I agree with his reasons for getting so pent up. If another team's manager or coaches are having a go at your players then that's bang out of order and they should shut up.

But all that chaos took the emphasis off Rovers dropping further and further into the Premiership mire.

Quite frankly, I do not have a clue where the next goal is going to come from.

Looking at the players they've got, if Andy Cole doesn't score, then who will?

So now it's all got to be about keeping a clean sheet, try to pick up points that way and, in doing so, assemble the pieces of the team's confidence which has been shattered in recent weeks.