WHAT is it about Rovers and West Ham? Sunday's narrow defeat confirmed them as our bogey team.

We're used to getting nothing down there at the Boleyn Ground but now they seem to have the Indian sign on us at Ewood Park too.

The strains of "I'm Forever Blowing Bubbles" are being heard too often in the Darwen End.

Late December, back in 63, was a very special time for me because we went down there on Boxing Day that year and stuffed West Ham 8-2.

As most Rovers fans of a certain vintage will recall, even then the curse of The Hammer Horrors was upon us. Two days later, the Hammers were at Ewood for what surely must have been the home banker of all time. So what happened? West Ham ran out winners by three goals to one!

Nowadays, the bookies would have launched an enquiry. In reality, it was probably down to the players celebrating those eight goals a bit too enthusiastically.

Enough ancient history. The truth is that we didn't play well enough and perhaps we should accept that, for the past month-and-a-half, our performance level has dipped from the high standard set up to November.

Rovers are in a state of flux at present with Reid and Savage just returning from injury.

Bentley apart, none of the present midfield players are playing to form, and I include David Dunn in that analysis.

For me, that is at the root of our recent reverses and I'd urge Mark Hughes to shuffle the midfield pack to try to find the right blend, and if we need to buy in January to address the problem, this is where money will be well spent.

A player such as Jason Koumas, who plays for our next opponents Wigan, might fit the bill.

In contrast to West Ham, Wigan have proven very generous hosts to Rovers since winning promotion to the Premiership. Let's hope that this is a trend which continues on Saturday and we can inflict a third defeat of the season on Steve Bruce.

And before we all get too down in the dumps, let us remember that we'd have killed to be in our present position this time last year.

We've not suddenly become a poor side. What's needed may simply be the odd tweak.

The difficult skill is knowing where and who to tweak, but I'll back Sparky and his coaches to get it right.