Time is running short

I would have been closer to the action had I hired out an air blimph for the day.

Sat three rows from the back of the new section of the ground I was so far up in the heavens I almost expected to be sat next to Uncle Jack.

Gazing down at the players brought back happy childhood memories of playing Subbuteo.

Meanwhile, back at ground level, despite another good performance we recorded our third straight defeat.

The inevitable happened and, after releasing two reasonable strikers, our sole remaining striker of Premiership quality finally picked up an injury.

What are we to make of this? Judging by reaction from my friends opinion seems fairly evenly divided into two camps.

1) No need to worry. As against Leeds we played well but didn't get the result we deserved. Someone is going to cop a real hiding sooner or later.

2) That's two points from five games. Matt Jansen injured. We have no one to put the ball in the back of the net. We're up wotsit creek without a paddle.

I'm afraid I'm in the latter camp. My views on the striker situation are already well documented.

The annoying thing is that I think we're a very good side, easily the equal of the Newcastle's, Tottenham's and Aston Villa's of this world.

However, I would suggest that even Barcelona would struggle to win a game if they were forced to press first a 38-year-old and then a 21-year-old centre back into emergency service up front.

I really can't see much for us at all until a quality partner is found for Matt Jansen. Time is running short.

We are also in the Premier League not the Vauxhall Conference. With all due respect to the players concerned it would be extremely fortuitous if the likes of trialists from Stockport and the American NFL were of the standard required.

The highlight of the week was of course the stunning win against Arsenal and the subsequent semi-final draw.

Without wishing to count chickens, if we play to our full potential that weekend excursion to Cardiff in March should now be a probability rather than a possibility.

The game brought an unexpected Fergie-like burst of sour grapes from the normally thoughtful Arsene Wenger.

"I think the extra UEFA place should go to the Premiership because it is easier to qualify for Europe via this competition" etc.

Well if it's that easy why didn't you play a full strength side Monsieur Wenger.

Rovers deserve a big pat on the back here for finally treating the competition with the respect that the average fan would demand. Unlike Bolton who fielded a shadow side to "concentrate on the League." What good does a 6-0 defeat do for team spirit and morale? Well done Rovers.

Arsene Whinger's comments were of course a red herring as the Arsenal "reserves" comprised around £50m of talent.

They were swept aside by the most irresistible attacking performance from a Rovers side for a long while.

The game also reinforced my long-held view that we're far more effective playing 4-4-2 than struggling away with a lone striker up front.

Finally, as this is the last column of 2001, season's greetings and very best wishes to Rovers fans everywhere whether you're reading this column locally or from a far flung corner of the globe via the internet. Have a good one!