I took my Aussie cousin and wife, daughter and other family to see the Rams, and they were terrible, a no-goal-bore-draw, pretty well over-run by Barnsley. Still, needs must with so many injuries, I guess Nigel decided to play it like an away fixture - 4:5:1 - to get the vital point with survival the main aim. 6-pointers are often disappointers, 2-pointers, and the focus is shifting to next season already. Burnley tomorrow, and the international break should give us the return of Jay McEveley and striker Chris Porter. We should be safe even if we lose this one, but we're usually good against Burnley. 17th against 5th could be a test though.

Meanwhile, in the real world - at least for this site, and for those who can't see beyond the Premier - Blackburn Rovers equalised for a valuable home point with West Ham, and held 17th. I would prefer Newcastle to come down next season, as a Rams fan with few happy memories of the Premier, but the Shearer factor comes into play as they face Chelsea at home tomorrow. That could help to bring Newcastle's goal difference closer to Rovers' : they're -13 on 29 points in 18th place, with Rovers -16 on 31 points.

Anyway, it's Spurs at home, overnight showers, warm day, the early game at 12.45. Roque Santa Cruz will miss his fifth successive game with his knee tendon injury, David Dunn's still out, as is Vince Grella. Spurs won't have Defoe. Blackburn (from): Robinson, Bunn, Ooijer, Khizanishvili, Nelsen, Samba, Simpson, Warnock, Givet, Olsson, Villanueva, Tugay, Andrews, Diouf, Treacy, Mokoena, McCarthy, Roberts, Pedersen, Grella.

Tottenham (from): Gomes, Cudicini, Corluka, Hutton, Chimbonda, Bale, Assou-Ekotto, King, Woodgate, Dawson, Modric, Jenas, Zokora, Lennon, Huddlestone, Palacios, O'Hara, Bentley, Pavlyuchenko, Campbell, Keane, Bent.

Back at Pride Park, Kris Commons could be ready for the Clarets... Forest are away to Barnsley, I doubt if they'll have much joy there. Still, it's a funny old game.