SUNDAYS have become more and more depressing as Blackburn Rovers head for the Nationwide.

Is there a death wish, or is it just me? Team selection is harder to understand as the whole balance is wrong.

The team looks uncannily similar to the one relegated. Once a goal down, the result is predictable.

The defence has been poor since relegation although Bjornebye did a good job for a while until successive injuries have slowed him down.

Now the club's answer appears to be to give away a young promising international who plays his heart out when chosen and gives much-needed balance to the team's right flank.

We are overrun with midfielders. This does not sound like good business to me.

What this team needs and has needed for some considerable time is a first-class international defender with pace -- someone who can provide cover for ageing centre backs (still good enough) and a midfield which goes missing on too many occasions.

Relegation looks almost certain unless a sensible plan is put into operation. Souness is still a good manager, but he has an awful lot of work to do and this will be even more difficult unless he picks the team with more balance.

Stone? We have better reserves and young Douglas is a far better bet.

Hopefully, I am wrong but don't bet on it.

R P COOPER, Johnson Close, Congleton, Cheshire.