FOLLOWING the spate of 'muggings' at Ewood, the more optimistic among us would have used the popular phrase 'kick-start our season' for the trip to Southampton.

Sadly, as has happened all too often this season, early promise yielded no reward. When I say 'early promise' I mean to keep that elusive clean sheet, because we never looked likely to score at St Mary's.

Many talking points can be brought from the game with the behaviour of Rovers' staff both on and off the pitch being the main one.

This brings me on to the behaviour of Graeme Souness in 'offering out' Southampton coach Dennis Rofe. Are these the actions of a manager who cares passionately, or the actions of a desperate manager trying to deflect the headlines off his team?

Either way, it is no wonder we have such an appalling disciplinary record this term if that's the example being set. Three sendings off already and Souness is yet to condemn any of them. If this behaviour is condoned, what chance of it happening again? Pretty likely I'd say.

The Cole sending-off obviously had a main bearing on the eventual outcome. It is not the first time that he has reacted badly in a Rovers shirt when provoked, and there are really no excuses -no matter what incensed him. When he disappeared, our chances of getting anything from the game disappeared too.

Our problems at the back have been well documented, but we've now managed to harness this with an inability to create chances. This is down in no small measure to the conversion to the 4-5-1 system.

The formation can only work if midfielders get forward to support the lone striker and that's not happening.

None of our midfielders could be described as dynamic attacking players so there is no threat from them. You could throw a decent sized blanket over our central midfield trio and their passing at times suggests that somebody already has.

Not wanting to excuse Cole, but could his frustration at having to feed off scraps on his own up front have had a bearing on his subsequent reaction?

Problems afoot in the striking department in the next few weeks with Cole's forthcoming suspension. Yorke's been ostracised, Grabbi looks like he's been denied yet another comeback, leaving him one short of Frank Sinatra, and Souey obviously doesn't fancy Jansen. This leaves only Paul Gallagher, one of the few plus points to come out of the past couple of games. Maybe he's to fill the breach during Cole's absence. Either that or he will introduce a new innovative 4-6-0 formation.

Our next five games will make or break us, and Cole is suspended for three of those. A very sobering thought indeed.

Home defeats, away defeats, poor defending, poor tactics and overpaid under-performing players. Mugged? That's exactly how I feel Graeme.

JASON WHALLEY