Behind Enemy Lines

A pair of Blackburn experts give us the lowdown on Rovers

A pair of Rovers experts give us the lowdown ahead of Saturday’s clash.

Blackburn head to Goodison Park on Saturday as they look to turn around a tumultuous  and troubled campaign.
 
The Lancashire side have recently picked up a couple of impressive wins following a host of defeats. Last weekend’s 10-man rally against Fulham was just as encouraging for the fans as their New Year’s Eve slaying of champions Manchester United.
 
Out of the bottom three at last, can Rovers maintain form? Or are Steve Kean’s men just  too inconsistent? We asked BBC Radio Lancashire’s Andy Bayes and Steve Birtwell of Blackburn Rovers’ Supporters’ site BRFCS.com, as we go ‘Behind Enemy Lines’…

UNDER PRESSURE

Much has been made of the protests and unrest at Ewood Park under the Venky ownership and manager Steve Kean. BBC Radio Lancashire’s Bayes feels that the poor form and problems carried over from the 2010/11 campaign.

“After avoiding relegation on the final day last season, I think everyone expected an improvement this time around,” he said. “But losing on the opening day to Wolves with one centre half fit to play pretty much set the early tone.”

Asked for possible reasons as to why the campaign has been below par, Birtwell of BRFCS.com highlighted backroom changes and conceding goals at the end of games as some key factors.

 “We've almost had as many assistant managers (three) as we have had league wins (four),” explains Birtwell. “It’s been impossible to enjoy any of this season’s home matches given all the turmoil off the pitch. We have lost twice as many at home as we have on the road. Late goals have cost us five points from the home games against Everton  and West Brom and the trips to Norwich and Sunderland.”

NEW YEAR REVIVAL?

A New Year’s Eve win over Manchester United at Old Trafford, followed by last weekend’s victory against Fulham has sparked talk of Rovers being able to climb the table to safety.

“The win at Old Trafford was massive,” explains Bayes. “A lot was made about United having injuries that day but Rovers had 10 first-team players unavailable for a variety of reasons and were the better team that day for large periods.

“I feared the worst last weekend when Yakubu was sent off, but the players put in a heroic display to score three times with ten men they were excellent and we need more of the same.”

Birtwell feels that the wins have given hope to many who were slowly accepting dropping down to the Championship as inevitable.

“For me at least, relegation doesn’t appear to be the foregone conclusion it was after the Bolton home game beforehand. It’s important that the players, especially the younger lads who have come through the academy, take some confidence from this run, keep picking up some points and bring other teams into the relegation mix.”

OUT THE WINDOW?

January is very much the window of opportunity for some. Yet it is also a dangerous time when trying to hold on to prized assets halfway through a season. What are our experts expecting the club to do this month?

Birtwell said: “Given all the off-pitch rumours, I'll be happy if we can hold onto our key players and maybe make a couple of astute loan signings. I guess it will depend on who we actually ship out first though. Having senior players such as (Jason) Roberts and (Michel) Salgado out of the squad due to contractual issues doesn’t help, but the Yak and Jason Lowe may well have kept them out for performance reasons anyway.”

Blackburn have, in fact, already entered the market this week, as Andy Bayes informs.

“They’ve already signed the striker Anthony Modeste on loan who could make his debut this weekend.”

FACING EVERTON

Ahead of the clash against the Toffees at Goodison, are the pair feeling optimistic?

“I'm confident we can get something out of the game,” added Birtwell. “We should have won the game at Ewood, but missing two penalties and then conceding a soft one in injury time tends to be consistent with teams struggling at the wrong end of the table.”

The BBC’s Bayes is hopeful that this year’s trip to the blue half of Merseyside has more positives than the last.

“I expect a much better display to the one they put in at Goodison last year which was one of the poorest of the season,” he said. “Now that they are out of the bottom three for the first time in four months, the players have to see this game as a realistic chance not to lose, and possibly keep a clean sheet. They haven’t had one in any competition since last April.”