Swansea City (2) 3 – 0 (0) Blackburn Rovers Sigurdsson 37, Dyer 43, Dann (og) 63 Referee: M. Clattenburg Attendance: 18,985 Since our back-to-back victories over Wolves and Sunderland and the launch of the "Early Bird" scheme to entice fans to renew their season tickets before the end of the season, we have played five and lost five. In those five games we have scored three goals and conceded thirteen. If Paul Hunt can put a positive spin on that to shift season tickets, he's a better man than I. Quite simply, under the inept ownership of Venky's a once proud club has become a national laughing stock and at Swansea even the travelling fans finally got the joke and joined in the mockery of a second-rate manager and third-rate players. Once again Gael Givet was not in the squad, although he did get on the pitch during the half-time interval to share a laugh and a joke with the substitutes as they partook in "a half-hearted kick-about" masquerading as a "thoroughly professional warming-up session". One assumes that sending Givet out to warm up, despite not being named on the bench, was Kean's attempt to have his own little joke at the expense of those who had travelled down from Lancashire to witness this latest debacle. Swansea opened the scoring after 37 minutes and it's something of a mystery why they took so long to make the breakthrough. After the opening couple of minutes, when the Rovers actually suggested they might make a game of it, the home side took control and completely dominated the rest of the match. The opening goal came about when the Rovers again failed to clear their lines and Gylfi Sigurdsson found himself with time and space on the edge of the area to clip a pin-point effort over the head of Robinson and into the back of the net. The Rovers 'keeper had wandered no more than a yard or so off his line, but it was sufficient for him to be unable to get back and attempt any sort of save. Sigurdsson had looked a threat from the start, but, of course, the Rovers opted against doing anything as mundane as actually marking him. The second goal, on 43 minutes, was another personal nightmare for Scott Dann, who has endured a torrid time during his first season with the club. His attempts to clear a dangerous situation ended with him sending the ball straight to Scott Sinclair, who looked as if he might score himself before laying the ball off for Nathan Dyer to sweep the ball past Robinson from about eight yards. The Rovers left the field at half-time to a chorus of boos from the travelling support, who then spent the rest of the match chanting "Steve Kean and Venky's are taking us down". It was, perhaps, the most succinct comment that anyone could make about the mess that the club now finds itself in. Grant Hanley, who had been injured just on half-time, didn't reappear for the second half as Kean was forced to rearrange his side with Jason Lowe, who had started at left-back, moving to the right, Orr dropping into the centre and Marcus Olsson filling in at left-back. Mauro Formica replaced Hanley to try to bolster a faltering midfield. Early in the second half, injuries led to the withdrawal of Junior Hoilett and Yakubu, but the introduction of Anthony Modeste and David Goodwillie did little to improve matters. The game was done and dusted after 63 minutes when Sinclair waltzed around three defenders before giving Sigurdsson the opportunity to shoot for goal. His shot struck the post and then rebounded against the luckless Dann and into the net. The Rovers huffed and puffed, but apart from a couple of efforts from David Dunn, one of which struck a post, they did little to suggest that they were up for the fight. The travelling support merely joined in with the home fans in pouring scorn on those wearing the yellow shirts. There is now a general acceptance that the Rovers are coming to the end of their period of rubbing shoulders with the elite of English football. The Championship and possibly worse beckons as Venky's are proving that whatever Jack and the Trust had built over 20 years, they could destroy in less than 20 months. While David Dunn may no longer be the quickest or fittest in the squad, he is one player who genuinely plays with pride and passion and the only one who left the Liberty Stadium with his head held high. Robinson made three or four decent saves but seemed badly positioned for the opening goal. However, like Dunn, there is a feeling that he cares and is clearly unhappy with the present plight of the club. Having said that, does anybody seriously believe that Robinson will hang around to sample Championship football? As for the rest, what can one say? Reports suggest that Givet refused to play because his "head wasn't right". One might ask what was the reason for the rest, Dunny and Robbo apart, for not playing? Defensively the Rovers were, yet again, shambolic. Bradley Orr and Jason Lowe were both turned inside out by Swansea's wide men and quite why Lowe was playing at left-back is a complete and utter mystery. Grant Hanley, before he was injured, and Scott Dann again proved that they are not a Premier League centre-back pairing and Dann seems to go from bad to worse as he struggles to find any sort of form. Apart from Dunny, the midfield was appalling. I have been a great admirer of Steven Nzonzi, but I have now come to the conclusion that he needs to be left out. Yesterday he looked totally disinterested from the start, while Marcus Olsson is clearly out of his depth and Morten Gamst Pedersen again failed to have any impact on the game. Up front, Junior Hoilett was very subdued as was Yakubu and one suspects that both started the game without being fully fit. As for the manager, there is nothing left to be said. Defensively he has failed to sort out the problems that have plagued us since he took over. Michel Salgado was a convenient scapegoat for many to blame for the inadequacies displayed when defending down the flanks, but the truth of the matter is that no matter who was playing at full-back, they would struggle with the way in which the Rovers defend. Wide players simply don't track back and too many players aren't prepared to do the donkey work in midfield. How we miss the likes of Robbie Savage, Jermaine Jones and, dare I say it, Aaron Mokoena. Our midfield is bereft of anyone who is prepared to tackle and attempt to win the ball and we don't seem to have the energy levels to press the opposition. With four games remaining, we are likely to need at least seven and possibly eight points to have any hope of survival. Having lost our previous five games, I suggest that not even the most optimistic of fans can believe that the club is destined for anywhere other than the Championship. Sadly, Blackburn Rovers has been destroyed by owners who are every bit as much out of their depth as the manager who they appointed and the players who they have bought. Teams Swansea City Michel Vorm; Angel Rangel (Gary Monk 89), Ashley Williams, Steven Caulker, Neil Taylor; Leon Britton (Mark Gower 70), Joe Allen; Scott Sinclair, Gylfi Sigurdsson, Nathan Dyer; Danny Graham (Leroy Lita 85) Subs not used: Gerhard Tremmel (gk), Josh McEachran, Wayne Routledge, Luke Moore Manager: Brendan Rodgers Blackburn Rovers Paul Robinson; Bradley Orr, Scott Dann, Grant Hanley (Mauro Formica 46), Jason Lowe; Morten Gamst Pedersen, David Dunn, Steven Nzonzi, Marcus Olsson; David "Junior" Hoilett (Anthony Modeste 56); Yakubu (David Goodwillie 61) Subs not used: Jake Kean (gk), Martin Olsson, Radosav Petrovic, Ruben Rochina Manager: Steve Kean Bookings Swansea City – None Blackburn Rovers – Junior Hoilett, Mauro Formica Join in the discussion on the forum here. View full article

Blackburn Rovers (1) 2 – 3 (2) Liverpool Yakubu 36, (pen) 61 Maxi 13, 16, Carroll 90 + 1 Referee: A. Taylor Attendance: 23,571 In 51 years of supporting Blackburn Rovers this is undoubtedly the lowest I have ever felt. The fact that the team is not very good — let's be honest, it has been a complete and utter embarrassment at times — is neither here nor there. Goodness knows over the years we have witnessed some dreadful football at Ewood Park and still come back for more. Nor is it that the manager is completely out of his depth and proudly boasts the worst record of any manager in the entire history of the club. Once again, I have suffered poor managers before — Jim Iley anyone? — and we will undoubtedly suffer them again after the present incumbent has been shown the door. However, what makes the present situation so unique is the complete and utter lack of hope with regard to the future. We know that when relegation is finally confirmed it will be the end of the Rovers as a top-flight club for a generation or more. Indeed, one only has to look at our near neighbours at Deepdale, who suffered relegation from top-flight football in 1960 and have spent the past 50 years in the wilderness. Such a fate surely awaits the Rovers. Irreparable damage may well have been done by the time the present owners depart and, sadly, there appears to be no sign of them leaving anytime soon. As I sat gathering my thoughts for this report, I tried to fathom how Desai and her clan could have allowed this to happen. Could a supposedly experienced and successful businesswoman really be so dense when it comes to trying to understand football? Could she really be that stupid to think that firing the previous manager and replacing him with Steve Kean was ever going to work? Having survived relegation on the last day of the previous season, did she really think that the present manager combined with a shoestring transfer budget was going to suddenly transform us into European Champions League challengers? If Kean is a symptom of the problems that abound at Ewood Park, the root cause is surely Madam Desai. Together, the two of them have managed to destroy the remaining legacy of Jack Walker and for that the town and people of Blackburn will surely never forget or forgive them. This game was, in many ways, a microcosm of our entire season. Incapable of defending, devoid of ideas in midfield and lacking any sort of threat in front of goal — a combination that has surely earmarked the Rovers for a place in the Championship next season. This was not the Liverpool of old, this was an Anfield outfit that was in the midst of crisis and yet, with a seriously weakened team, they arrived at Ewood and raced into a two-goal lead within the opening sixteen minutes. Only when the visitors were reduced to ten men were the Rovers able to claw themselves back into the game, but once again suicidal defending ensured the points went to Merseyside and the Rovers remained anchored in the bottom three. It was rather ironic that in the seventy-third minute Ruben Rochina should replace Mauro Formica, for these two players represent the birth of Venky's Rovers. Bought last January amidst a fanfare of expectancy that they were to be the first building blocks of Venky's charge for Europe, they have, instead, become symbols of the mediocrity that Desai and Kean have immersed themselves in. Neither player has made the slightest impact on the club, neither player was ever likely to be remotely good enough for the Premier League, neither player will be of much use in the Championship and, hopefully, one suspects that neither player will be here next season. After the appalling performance at West Bromwich on Saturday, the manager decided to rearrange the deck chairs on the Titanic, but the end result was just the same. Quite why Marcus Olsson was recalled whilst Gael Givet, undeniably the most effective defender left at the club, was left sitting on the bench is a mystery which only Kean can answer. However, the sight of Andy Carroll, the £35-million misfit who has struggled to make much impression at Anfield, winning every aerial battle against Grant Hanley and Scott Dann did little to reinforce the belief that Givet has been left out because of the form of the latter two. Indeed, Hanley and Dann have looked very poor in recent matches. Dann has struggled to find any sort of form all season, while Hanley has, in recent weeks, seemed to revert to the clumsy and crude central defender that one remembers so well from his days in the Academy. Quite how these two are keeping Givet on the bench is unfathomable but is probably the reason why the club is destined for relegation. Form it would appear is not the criterion for getting into the team anymore. Watched by the Brothers Grimm, Balaji and Venkatesh Rao, the Rovers made the now-familiar sluggish start and paid for it by conceding two goals within the opening 16 minutes. With Jason Lowe and Morten Gamst Pedersen dropped to the bench, Kean recalled Mauro Formica and Marcus Olsson, while Liverpool made a host of changes with one eye firmly fixed on Saturday's FA Cup semi-final meeting with Everton. However, despite the makeshift nature of the opposition the visitors had little difficulty in making an early breakthrough. Martin Skrtel struck a superb 50-yard pass out to the unmarked Craig Bellamy on the right near the halfway line. The former Rover raced down the wing before firing a low ball across the face of the goal for Maxi Rodriguez to rifle home on the far post. It was simplicity itself and three minutes later things went from bad to worse when the Rovers' defence gifted the visitors a second goal. Jonjo Shelvey took the ball from David Dunn in the Liverpool half of the pitch and then set off towards the Rovers area. With the defence conspicuous by its absence, the Liverpool player struck a shot which Paul Robinson saved but couldn't hold. Andy Carroll tried to force the ball home, but his attempts were blocked by Bradley Orr. Unfortunately, the ball fell to Maxi Rodriguez, who made no mistake from close range. The Ewood faithful registered their disgust as loud boos rang around the ground while Kean, a bewildered and beleaguered figure, stood on the touchline looking on at the shambles that was unfolding before him. With Carroll dominant in the air — both Hanley and Dann appeared to have decided to stand off and allow him to head the ball unchallenged — and Bellamy running the defence ragged with his energetic bursts down the wings, Liverpool ought to have been able to have coasted to victory at that point. Indeed, all seemed to be going well for the visitors until a back-pass by Jon Flanagan fell well short of Alexander Doni and as Junior Hoilett pounced on the ball, the Liverpool custodian hesitated and then came to meet Hoilett and sent him crashing to the ground. Mr. Taylor immediately awarded a penalty and showed Doni a red card. Brad Jones came on to replace the luckless Flanagan and Yakubu stepped up to take the penalty, but the normally reliable Nigerian completely mishit his kick and Jones had little difficulty in making the save. It was an embarrassingly weak effort and drew comparisons in the half-time discussions with the infamous "Coddington" penalties — it was that bad. Fortunately, the Yak redeemed himself on 36 minutes when Dunn floated a free-kick into the Liverpool goalmouth and Yakubu headed home. The goal signalled the start of a recovery by the Rovers and a super cross from Martin Olsson ought to have been converted but wasn't as Hanley was just inches away from meeting it. At the start of the second half the Rovers took the game to Liverpool, but the lively Bellamy was always a threat on the break. However, having gifted the Rovers the opening goal, the visitors were in a charitable mood again when Brad Jones felled Yakubu and the Rovers were awarded a second penalty. The incident was pure comedy at its best and certainly befitting a place in the "Venky's Comedy Dome", otherwise known as Ewood Park. Jones tried to clear a back-pass but merely succeeded in striking Yakubu with the ball, which then looped up into the air. The 'keeper had plenty of time to merely push the ball over the bar but, instead, panic set in and for some reason he flapped at the ball and as Yakubu moved in, he then opted to push the striker to the ground. The referee rightly awarded a penalty but decided against a red card, which it surely warranted, and instead simply booked the Australian 'keeper. Yakubu took the spot-kick and opted to hit it straight down the middle and was fortunate that Jones had decided to dive to his left, for if the 'keeper hadn't moved he would have comfortably collected the ball. The Rovers huffed and puffed but never really created the clear-cut opportunities that might have brought a third goal. As the game moved into injury time, a point would have seen the Rovers climb two places in the league, but once again weak defending was to cost the Rovers dear. A free-kick by Daniel Agger deflected off the wall for a corner and although the Rovers cleared the initial danger, the ball was sent back into the area, where Agger nodded it into the path of Carroll and the striker powered his header into the back of the net. The Rovers appealed that Hanley had been fouled by Skrtel in the build-up, but the officials were unmoved. The final whistle brought more boos from a rapidly emptying Ewood Park. Whilst it is still mathematically possible for the Rovers to escape relegation, one suspects that the majority of the fans have now accepted that the Rovers' time as a top-flight club is likely to come to an end in the next few weeks. With only two home games remaining and three difficult away games still to play, it is now difficult to see how the club can get the points required to keep them in the Premier League. When the clowns from Pune took over, they dismissed the previous manager because they wanted entertaining football at Ewood Park. Under Allardyce, fortress Ewood provided the points that took the club to a tenth-place finish. This season, under Venky's and Kean, Ewood has produced just sixteen points from a possible fifty-one and eleven home defeats thus far is surely the reason why instead of visiting Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United and the rest next season we will be travelling to the likes of Barnsley, Peterborough and Watford. Only Wolves have lost as many home games as the hapless Rovers, and Desai and her brothers have shown that the Premier League is no place for incompetence and that seems to be the one commodity which this family has in abundance. Teams Blackburn Rovers Paul Robinson; Bradley Orr, Scott Dann, Grant Hanley, Martin Olsson; Mauro Formica (Ruben Rochina 73), David Dunn (Jason Lowe 75), Steven Nzonzi, Marcus Olsson; David "Junior" Hoilett; Yakubu Subs not used: Jake Kean (gk), Gael Givet, Morten Gamst Pedersen, Radosav Petrovic, David Goodwillie Manager: Steve Kean Liverpool Alexander Doni (sent off 26); Jon Flanagan (Brad Jones 26), Sebastian Coates, Martin Skrtel, Glen Johnson (Daniel Agger 53); Craig Bellamy, Jordan Henderson, Jay Spearing, Maxi Rodriguez (Sanchez Jose Enrique 78); Jonjo Shelvey; Andy Carroll Subs not used: Jamie Carragher, Fabio Aurelio, Dirk Kuyt, Luis Suarez Manager: Kenny Dalglish Bookings Blackburn Rovers – Bradley Orr, Junior Hoilett, Mauro Formica, Grant Hanley Liverpool – Jon Flanagan, Maxi Rodriguez, Brad Jones, Craig Bellamy, Jordan Henderson Sending off Liverpool – Alexander Doni Join in the discussion on the forum here. View full article

Blackburn Rovers (0) 0 – 2 (0) Manchester United Valencia 81, Young 86 Referee: H. Webb Attendance: 26,532 As I left Ewood Park, my mind began to wander to younger days when, as a teenager, I left Ewood Park on the final Saturday of the season having witnessed the Rovers being hammered 4-1 by United. That game was the penultimate home match of the 1965–66 campaign and by that point the Rovers had already been consigned to the Second Division. Little did I know that it was to be the start of a 25-year period of exile from football's top table. On Monday night as we walked away from another, albeit expected, home defeat, the conversation turned to how long it might be before the Rovers and United played another league match at Ewood Park. Sadly, the perilous state in which the club now finds itself both on and off the field suggests another lengthy spell in the wilderness might well be in the offing. Ironically, Manchester United seem to feature with monotonous regularity whenever the Rovers face relegation from top-flight football. In 1947–48, even before my time, the final top-flight match prior to the drop was a 4-1 drubbing at Old Trafford. There was then the 1965–66 debacle and more recently in 1998–99 it was United who sent us down with a 0-0 draw at Ewood Park. Meeting United at this time of the season when the spectre of relegation hovers over Ewood Park is clearly not a good omen. In many ways this match mirrored much of the season: a spirited performance in parts undermined by a serious lack of quality in several key areas. The game plan was clearly based on getting everyone behind the ball, not necessarily pressurising the opposition, in an attempt to deny them space. For 80 minutes it looked as if it might, by some miracle, actually work but, of course, one moment of pure quality was all it took to undermine the plan and send the Rovers hurtling into the relegation zone. Steve Kean brought Bradley Orr into the side in place of Mauro Formica and switched Jason Lowe into midfield to allow Orr to play at right-back. Otherwise, it was the same side that had been so desperately disappointing at the Reebok the previous week. United began the game on the front foot and the Rovers seemed content to surrender possession and territory to the visitors and defend in numbers in their own half. With the backing of a huge contingent of travelling fans, United went in search of an early goal and created several promising openings. Javier Hernandez fluffed a chance created by Wayne Rooney before being thwarted by Paul Robinson after good work by Antonio Valencia created the opening. A well-struck effort from Michael Carrick then sailed narrowly over the bar as United revelled in the time and space which they were given in midfield. The Rovers sparked into life as an attacking force when Grant Hanley's long ball forward was helped on by Yakubu into the path of Junior Hoilett. The youngster showed Carrick a clean pair of heels before seeing his powerful shot spectacularly saved by David De Gea. However, despite this short respite from defence, the Rovers were soon on the back foot again and had to be grateful that Jonny Evans failed to strike the ball cleanly when in a good shooting position. Robinson had little difficulty in gathering the ball in and shortly afterwards Phil Jones, on his return to Ewood Park, spared his former club's blushes when he headed wide from a tight angle. As the half drew to a close, the Rovers became a little more daring and actually started to make inroads in the United half of the pitch. However, once again, it was the tried and trusted long throw of Morten Gamst Pedersen that almost brought about the downfall of the United goal. Hoilett put Patrice Evra under pressure and the ball ended up at the feet of Marcus Olsson just outside the penalty area. The young Swede struck the ball with power and precision and it seemed destined for the top corner of the net until De Gea made a brilliant one-handed save. The resultant corner, by Pedersen, was met by the head of Hanley, but once again De Gea was in the right spot and helped the ball over the bar. The second half began in much the same way as the first — with United in total control and continually knocking on the door as the Rovers again retreated and attempted to defend on the edge of their own area. A super free-kick from Rooney tested Robinson, but the former England 'keeper pushed the ball away and did the same a short time later when Rafael Da Silva tried his luck with a fierce drive. Rovers might well have taken an undeserved lead but for an eagle-eyed linesman who spotted that Steven Nzonzi had failed to keep the ball in play when manoeuvring along the byline. The French midfielder had pulled the ball back for Pedersen to strike a delightful first-time effort into the back of the net only to see the linesman's flag raised. United then continued to press with increased vigour as Sir Alex Ferguson rang the changes in search of the goal that would give them a five-point lead at the top of the table. Yakubu might well have upset those plans, but as he moved onto a pass from Marcus Olsson, Evans nipped in and got a vital block as the Yak was about to shoot. As the game moved into the last ten minutes, it appeared as though the Rovers would gain an unlikely point. Unfortunately, a moment of brilliance by Valencia undid all the good work that the Rovers had done up to that point. The former Wigan man took the ball past Martin Olsson — and once again a full-back was left exposed and without cover — before blasting a shot which flew across Robinson's goal and into the far corner of the net. Sir Alex danced onto the pitch and waved a clenched fist to the United fans as he celebrated a goal which took his team five points clear of their neighbours. Five minutes later and he was celebrating again when substitute Ashley Young found the bottom corner of the net from the edge of the area. The Rovers players looked out on their feet at this point, but once again there was no sign of a substitute being brought on. Indeed, even after United had taken the lead, there was no attempt on the part of Kean to inject fresh legs and go in search of an equaliser. The final whistle stretched United's lead at the top of the table to five points whilst the Rovers slipped into the dreaded bottom three. In defence, Grant Hanley had another outstanding game, while Junior Hoilett was a threat whenever he was able to run at the United defence. However, there are worrying signs that Yakubu is beginning to show signs of tiring after a long, hard season in which he has had to carry the brunt of the attack on his own. In midfield, Steven Nzonzi had a subdued game whilst Jason Lowe struggled to make any impact on the game alongside him. Morten Gamst Pedersen struggles in terms of the defensive side of the game in midfield, but once again his long throws, corners and dead-ball kicks remained our most likely source of snatching a goal. Whilst it was, in many ways, a gallant effort, it was also a futile one as once United scored it was clear that the Rovers simply didn't have the personnel to implement a "Plan B". Substitutes are rarely used by Steve Kean, for reasons that we can only speculate about, even when the course of a game needs to desperately change. Sir Alex used all three of his substitutes as he looked to alter the outcome of the game. Admittedly, the United boss has a wealth of talent at his disposal whilst a look at the Ewood bench revealed that apart from David Dunn there was little to enthuse about what was held in reserve. A Ryan Nelsen or Michel Salgado might well have organised the defence and inspired those around them. A Jason Roberts might have provided the fresh legs to worry a far from impregnable United defence. An El-Hadji Diouf might well have been able to retain possession far better than the players on view in the "Blue & White". Sadly, that experience is no longer available and clearly the manager doesn't believe the likes of Petrovic, Vukcevic, Modeste, Rochina and Goodwillie have much to offer to a Premier League team. The Rovers are now not only operating with a wafer-thin squad — surely the smallest squad since the start of Premier League football in 1992 — but don't appear to be able to utilise it to the full. Whilst there is no shame in losing to Manchester United, who are surely destined to win yet another title, the fact remains that the Rovers desperately need to take points from an unlikely source. Too many points have been dropped at Ewood Park to inferior opposition, which is now catching up with the Rovers. With seven games remaining, it's clear that the number of points needed for survival is likely to be higher than the 34 points that many, myself included, thought likely. Thanks to the benevolence of Liverpool towards QPR and Wigan, coupled with QPR's surprising win over Arsenal, it now seems that 37 points, coupled with a good goal difference, might be required to ensure survival. At the moment that figure looks to be an awful long way from the 28 points we already have. If the Rovers are to survive, there is no doubt that they are going to have to adopt a positive approach and go out to win games, and what better place to start than at The Hawthorns on Saturday. Teams Blackburn Rovers Paul Robinson; Bradley Orr, Scott Dann, Grant Hanley, Martin Olsson; Morten Gamst Pedersen, Jason Lowe, Steven Nzonzi, Marcus Olsson; David "Junior" Hoilett; Yakubu Subs not used: Mark Bunn (gk), Radosav Petrovic, David Dunn, Mauro Formica, Anthony Modeste, Ruben Rochina, Adam Henley Manager: Steve Kean Manchester United David De Gea; Rafael Da Silva, Jonny Evans, Rio Ferdinand, Patrice Evra; Antonio Valencia, Phil Jones (Ryan Giggs 63), Paul Scholes (Ashley Young 79), Michael Carrick; Wayne Rooney, Javier Hernandez (Danny Welbeck 61) Subs not used: Ben Amos (gk), Chris Smalling, Paul Pogba, Ji-Sung Park Manager: Sir Alex Ferguson Bookings Blackburn Rovers – Grant Hanley Manchester United – Antonio Valencia Join in the discussion on the forum here. View full article

Wolverhampton Wanderers (0) 0 – 2 (1) Blackburn Rovers Junior Hoilett 43, 69 Referee: C. Foy Attendance: 26,121 From the giddy heights of fifth from bottom it's amazing how different the relegation battle suddenly looks. Could the worst Rovers side to grace the top-flight of football actually escape the dreaded drop? On the evidence of this performance it certainly looks possible. As Rovers fans left the ground celebrating a vital victory, a number of the home supporters were gathering to protest about the actions of their own ownership model. Whilst Steve Morgan still has some way to go to match the levels of incompetence displayed by Venky's, there is no doubt that his decision to sack Mick McCarthy and replace him with Terry Connor might well be an important factor in keeping the Rovers in the Premier League. Quite simply Wolves, who have won only one of their past fourteen Premier League matches, looked like a side whose confidence and hope seem to have been completely destroyed by the spectre of relegation. However, the fact that Wolves were totally inept should take nothing away from a very professional performance by the Rovers. With Bradley Orr injured and Radosav Petrovic dropped to the bench, Steve Kean restored Jason Lowe to full-back, after his recent suspension, while Marcus Olsson was asked to continue his left-wing partnership with brother Martin. Gael Givet, who also returned after suspension, had to settle for a place on the bench as Kean opted to continue with the Grant Hanley–Scott Dann partnership in the centre of defence. The opening period was the nervy affair that many predicted. News that Bolton had beaten QPR in the early kick-off did little to settle the nerves of both sets of supporters. An early Morten Gamst Pedersen corner was cleared, while Wolves responded with two corners of their own which also came to nothing. During a scrappy first half, both sides enjoyed spells of possession and pressure but neither managed to create a clear-cut opportunity in front of goal. The Rovers' best efforts came from Yakubu, who fired over, had a shot saved by Wayne Hennessy – although in all fairness the Yak didn't make proper contact with the ball and the young Welsh 'keeper had little trouble in making the save – and then headed wide under pressure from Sebastien Bassong. As the half moved into the final five minutes, the Yak fired narrowly over the angle of crossbar and post. The home side, despite periods of possession, rarely threatened Paul Robinson. Indeed, their best chance came when David Edwards cut the ball back from the byline and after it travelled through the legs of Hanley it struck Matt Jarvis and flew wide with the Wolves man knowing very little about it. As the half drew to a close, the Rovers looked increasingly comfortable and when Junior Hoilett gave the Rovers the lead on 43 minutes, it was no more than they deserved. A long throw from Pedersen wasn't cleared by debutant David Davis and the ball fell kindly to Hoilett, who produced a deadly strike from around the penalty spot. The finish was a moment of class that had been absent for much of the opening forty-five minutes. Hoilett, who had been operating in the free role behind Yakubu, enjoyed an impressive half and always looked like the player who would make something happen. The first chance of the second half fell to Steve Fletcher, but unlike Hoilett from a similar range the former Claret couldn't get enough power into his shot and Robinson collected with little difficulty. After this early scare, the match settled into the same pattern which had been seen during much of the first half. For once, the Rovers were able to defend from the front with Yakubu and Hoilett harrying the home centre-backs, while Mauro Formica and Marcus Olsson worked hard to deny Wolves too much space down the flanks. With Steven Nzonzi and Pedersen controlling the centre of the field, the Rovers looked a fairly solid outfit. Furthermore, with the pace of the Olsson twins and Hoilett, the Rovers always carried a threat on the break. On 69 minutes the Rovers grabbed the second goal that their play so richly deserved. Winning possession on the edge of their own area, the Rovers worked the ball downfield via Marcus Olsson and Nzonzi to Yakubu. The Nigerian striker took the ball down the left wing before slipping it inside to the advancing Hoilett. The young Canadian controlled the ball in an instant and then lashed a left-foot shot into the back of the net from outside of the penalty area. The Rovers now settled down to play some of their best football of the season as an increasingly beleaguered Wolves outfit looked thoroughly dispirited. A Pedersen corner caused more mayhem in the Wolves goalmouth and resulted in Formica having an acrobatic effort saved by Hennessey. With the fans on their backs and the players looking devoid of confidence, Connor tried to inject new life into his side with the introduction of Milijas and Ebanks-Blake. However, the Rovers continued to remain in control, although the final few minutes became somewhat jittery as Steve Kean's side began to sit back and settle for what they had. Robinson parried a decent effort from O'Hara and Milijas headed over when he might have done better. Robinson was again forced to make a decent save from Fletcher, while the defenders were able to block a shot from Ebanks-Blake. As the Rovers fans savoured the impending victory, the stands emptied as the Wolves fans looked to make an early exit. Indeed, the final whistle was greeted with the unusual sight of Rovers fans celebrating an all-too-rare away win and an even rarer clean sheet while opposition fans left in a disgruntled mood to begin their protests. Whilst one win doesn't erase the crass incompetence of Venky's and Kean over the course of the season, it does suggest that the players still believe that survival is possible. Today there wasn't a weak link in the side and for once Kean not only got his selections correct, but he was also spot-on with his tactics. Defensively the Rovers looked surprisingly solid. At long last we denied the opposition time and space to exploit us down the flanks. Mauro Formica and Marcus Olsson worked tirelessly up and down the wings, posing a threat when going forwards and covering the full-backs when defending. Hanley and Dann formed an impressive partnership in the middle with Hanley simply outstanding, while Dann, who I have been highly critical of, had his best game thus far for the club. Steven Nzonzi was a colossus in the centre of midfield. Always available, he kept the play flowing with a series of short passes that enabled the Rovers to retain possession until an opening could be created. Defensively he won more than his fair share of headers whilst his tackling was as robust as ever. Alongside him Pedersen had one of his better games until he was wisely withdrawn as he had already been booked and clearly Kean didn't want to risk losing him for future matches. Hoilett revelled in the free role and created untold problems for the home defence. On this sort of form he is virtually unplayable when running at the opposition. If only he could maintain this sort of form on a more consistent basis, he would surely be a target for the top clubs. Clearly there is an incentive for him to deliver on a more regular basis to not only aid the Rovers but also his own career. Although Yakubu had one of his quieter games, his strength enables him to retain possession when playing as the lone front man and he is able to feed other players breaking from midfield. It's vital that the Rovers are able to keep him fit over the final two months of the season as we don't have another player who can fulfil this role as effectively as the Yak. It would be remiss to end this report without a word of praise for Steve Kean. Like the majority of supporters, I have been highly critical of the man and still believe he is not the man to take the club forward. However, there can be no denying that today he got his decision-making correct in terms of team selection and tactics and for that he deserves credit. With ten games remaining, the Rovers have a realistic chance of surviving, which, considering the appalling home form, is little short of a miracle. In any other season I suspect the club would have been dead and buried at this point, but the fact is that there are four other clubs who would appear to be every bit as inept as ourselves. Indeed, Wolves today, at least on the pitch, looked to be in a far worse state than the Rovers. A point a game over the remaining games would take us to 35 points and, combined with a decent goal difference, that might well be enough to survive. As I said at the beginning, the view on the relegation battle changes on a weekly basis and looking down from our lofty position, even if we are only three points away from the drop zone, the situation suddenly looks a little more promising. Teams Wolverhampton Wanderers Wayne Hennessey; Ronald Zubar, Richard Stearman, Sebastien Bassong, Stephen Ward; Kevin Doyle (Sylvan Ebanks-Blake 82), David Davis (Nenad Milijas 75), David Edwards (Michael Kightly 60), Jamie O'Mara, Matthew Jarvis; Steven Fletcher Subs not used: Dorus De Vries (gk), Roger Johnson, Christophe Berra, Kevin Foley Manager: Terry Connor Blackburn Rovers Paul Robinson; Jason Lowe, Scott Dann, Grant Hanley, Martin Olsson; Mauro Formica, Steven Nzonzi, Morten Gamst Pedersen (David Dunn 75), Marcus Olsson; David "Junior" Hoilett; Yakubu Subs not used: Mark Bunn (gk), Gael Givet, Radosav Petrovic, Simon Vukcevic, David Goodwillie, Anthony Modeste Manager: Steve Kean Bookings Wolverhampton Wanderers – Steve Fletcher Blackburn Rovers – Morten Gamst Pedersen, Grant Hanley Join in the discussion on the forum here. View full article

Blackburn Rovers (3) 3 – 2 (0) Queens Park Rangers Yakubu 15, Nzonzi 23, Onuoha (og) 45 + 4 Mackie 71, 90 + 2 Referee: M. Dean Attendance: 20,252 "A game of two halves" is, perhaps, the most overused phrase in football. However, on this occasion it is a fittingly apt description of a game that ought to have been won at half-time and yet could easily have been lost by full-time. After the first forty-five minutes the Rovers had clambered out of the relegation zone, but at the end of ninety minutes, despite a much-needed victory, the Rovers had managed to put themselves back into the dreaded bottom three. Thus the psychological boost of being out of the relegation zone was squandered by another bout of kamikaze defending which has undermined so much of this season. The euphoria of the first forty-five minutes had long since evaporated when the Ewood faithful left in subdued mood at the end of the game. If ever a victory felt like a defeat, this was it and yet in the cold light of day these three points may yet prove crucial in the battle for survival, a battle which seems increasingly likely to be played out amongst five clubs — the Rovers, Wigan Athletic, Bolton Wanderers, QPR and Wolves. After last week's debacle at the Emirates, it came as no surprise when Kean again decided to shuffle the pack for this vital six-pointer. Once again, the manager's hands were tied with Gael Givet being suspended, David Dunn injured and Chris Samba either injured, refusing to play, willing to play but head not right or whatever other excuse happens to be flavour of the minute to explain his absence. Bradley Orr came in at right-back, which allowed Jason Lowe to move into midfield to replace the disappointing Petrovic. Mauro Formica replaced David Dunn, Grant Hanley stepped in for Gael Givet, while Yakubu returned after suspension in place of Anthony Modeste. Mark Hughes was also forced to make changes after last week's home defeat by Wolverhampton Wanderers. Thus Fitz Hall, Akos Buzsaky and Armand Traore all came into the side. Amongst those missing was Djibril Cisse, who, like Givet, was serving the first of his three-match ban. As the match began, the crowd looked rather sparse and one would proffer that it was considerably less than the official 20,252, as this figure apparently includes all season ticket holders — whether they attend the game or not. Nonetheless, with no protests prior to the game, the supporters were keen to show their vocal support for the team and the players responded with a bright opening which saw them produce some attractive inter-passing and plenty of movement both on and off the ball. The Rovers took a well-deserved lead on 15 minutes when Paul Robinson hit a trademark long ball into the Rangers half from a free-kick. Steven Nzonzi flicked it on to Yakubu, who deftly turned and then struck a powerful shot past Paddy Kenny. This was Yakubu's thirteenth Premier League goal of the season, his fourteenth in all competitions, and with a striker in such a rich vein of form it merely underlines how inept the defending has been that such a goalscoring feat has still not been able to lift the club away from the relegation places. The goal gave the Rovers renewed confidence as they stroked the ball around with more purpose. Lowe and Nzonzi formed a formidable partnership in the centre of midfield, while Formica buzzed around, winning possession and using the ball with increasing precision as he looked to link midfield and attack. It was Nzonzi who started and finished the move which led to the Rovers second goal after 23 minutes. Ironically, Nzonzi had almost cost the Rovers a goal when he slipped and presented the ball to the opposition; however, when the ball was cleared, it was the young Frenchman who picked the ball up in midfield and fed it to Junior Hoilett. He embarked upon a typically tricky run and manoeuvred his way into the penalty area before pulling the ball back to Nzonzi. The French Under-21 international wasted no time and fired a fierce shot past Kenny and into the back of the net. The visitors rarely troubled Paul Robinson despite the fact that Bobby Zamora looked lively with his continued running down the channels. Indeed, it was Zamora who came closest to getting QPR on the scoresheet when he hooked a ball narrowly wide following a corner. Deep into first-half injury time, the Rovers scored a third when Morten Gamst Pedersen, who had a nightmare of a game, found the head of Scott Dann with a free-kick. The former Birmingham man headed across to the far side of the area, where Hoilett fired a shot goalwards which struck the boot of Nedum Onuoha and flew into the net. The Rovers left the field to rapturous applause from the fans, who were fully appreciative of the excellent forty-five minutes of football that they had seen their team produce. Sadly, that was to be the highpoint of the afternoon. Clearly words had been spoken in the visiting dressing room at half-time and Mark Hughes tinkered with his formation and approach to the game with more emphasis being placed on attack. Shaun Wright-Phillips became the fulcrum of the attack and for the second week running Martin Olsson found himself struggling to contain a pacey winger. Wright-Phillips was ably backed up by Onuoha, while Zamora continued to cause problems with his powerful running and aerial ability. As so often this season, the Rovers opted to try to defend their lead but sat far too deep with the result that Yakubu became an increasingly isolated figure up front. The Rovers also suffered a blow when injury forced Hoilett to leave the field after 50 minutes. It was, perhaps, telling that Kean opted to introduce Adam Henley, a 17-year-old full-back, onto the right of midfield rather than the Montenegrin international Simon Vukcevic — yet another of Kean's acquisitions who has brought nothing to the club since his arrival in the summer. The Rovers had become non-existent as an attacking force and were restricted to a piece of brilliant individualism by Yakubu, who attempted an audacious lob from some distance which Kenny could only watch as it struck the crossbar and rebounded to safety. Both managers made tactical substitutions which might well have changed the course of the match. Hughes brought on Jamie Mackie in place of Akos Buzsaky while Kean replaced Formica with Anthony Modeste and opted to go with a 4-4-2 system. The result of this tactical change was that instead of having Yakubu isolated up front, the Rovers now had two players who were cut off from the rest of the team as the midfield continued to sit far too deep for comfort. The visitors quickly dominated the centre of the park and illustrated once and for all that the Rovers simply do not have the quality of players necessary to be able to play 4-4-2. The game was now virtually all one-way traffic as QPR poured forward in search of a way back into the match. It came on 71 minutes when Orr made a dreadful mistake which presented Taye Taiwo with the opportunity to cross the ball for Mackie to score from close range. The momentum for the Rovers had been completely lost and they were unable to turn the tide as QPR continued to push the Rovers back in search of a second goal. As injury time approached, Kean withdrew Yakubu and brought on David Goodwillie to operate on the left of midfield and reverted to using Modeste as the lone striker. However, just as it seemed as though the Rovers would climb above QPR in the table, the visitors snatched a second goal that ensured we would remain beneath them. Mackie was again the scorer after a brilliant turn in the area provided him with the time and space to power an unstoppable effort past Robinson. Fortunately there wasn't time for QPR to find a third but those two goals ensured that the Rovers would remain in the relegation zone on a day when they really ought to have climbed out of it. In the first half the Rovers had looked like a side capable of climbing the table with everyone making a contribution, although it must be said that Pedersen had a very disappointing game throughout. In the second half the players struggled to make any impact on the game and the initiative was completely surrendered. However, it must be said that the tactical switch on the part of Kean proved to be a huge error and one which might very well have cost us the game. Whilst the failure to keep a clean sheet was a huge disappointment, the fact remains that this was a must-win game and the three points keeps the Rovers in touch with the other four clubs fighting relegation. It remains to be seen if West Bromwich Albion will get dragged into this dogfight, but one suspects that the five-point cushion which they enjoy over the Rovers might well be enough to keep them safe. Looking at the fixtures, the month of March may very well provide the answer as to which division's clubs the Rovers will be frequenting next season. However, before then there is the small matter of an away trip to Manchester City and, although points are unlikely to be gained, it is essential that the goal difference doesn't take another hammering like it did at the Emirates last week. Ultimately, goal difference may yet mean the difference between relegation and safety. Teams Blackburn Rovers Paul Robinson; Bradley Orr, Scott Dann, Grant Hanley, Martin Olsson; Morten Gamst Pedersen, Jason Lowe, Steven Nzonzi, David "Junior" Hoilett (Adam Henley 50); Mauro Formica (Anthony Modeste 67); Yakubu (David Goodwillie 90) Subs not used: Mark Bunn (gk), Radosav Petrovic, Simon Vukcevic, Ruben Rochina Manager: Steve Kean Queens Park Rangers Paddy Kenny; Nedum Onuoha, Anton Ferdinand, Fitz Hall (Danny Gabbidon 90), Armand Traore; Shaun Wright-Phillips, Joey Barton, Akos Buzsaky (Jamie Mackie 66), Taye Taiwo; Adel Taarabt; Bobby Zamora Subs not used: Radek Cerny (gk), Clint Hill, Shaun Derry, Jay Bothroyd, Tommy Smith Manager: Mark Hughes Bookings Blackburn Rovers – Jason Lowe Queens Park Rangers – Jamie Mackie Join in the discussion on the forum here. View full article

Arsenal (3) 7 – 1 (1) Blackburn Rovers van Persie 2, 38, 62, Arteta 51, Oxlade-Chamberlain 40, 54, Henry 90 + 4 Pedersen 31 Referee: A. Marriner Attendance: 59,643 In all my years of watching Blackburn Rovers this was undoubtedly one of the most embarrassing, one-sided affairs that it has ever been my misfortune to witness. It was a gutless, spineless, witless display by a team that waved the white flag as early as the second minute. Venky Rovers, for surely this cannot be called Blackburn Rovers any longer, has finally become a figure of fun amongst its own supporters as well as the opposition. Quite simply it was a case of laugh or cry as the players produced a performance that raised ineptness to a whole new level. Unlike the match at Old Trafford last season, when Big Sam rested senior players in readiness for the crucial meeting with Wolves the following week, Steve Kean fielded his strongest eleven with the exception of Yakubu and Chris Samba. This was the so-called cream of our squad and quite frankly the performance was nothing short of a disgrace. The fact that supporters had travelled to London for an early kick-off, at great expense, and later endured a difficult journey home, clearly counts for nothing with our highly paid, one might say overpaid, so-called "stars". But for Arsenal taking pity on us and easing up for the last thirty minutes, we might well have been looking at a record scoreline. Quite frankly, if Arsenal had scored 10 or 12 goals we couldn't have complained as our play was so inept. There is little point in doing a normal match report as a football match tends to require two teams trying to play football. Here we had one side playing some superb football and one set of players looking like a pub team that had strayed onto a Premier League pitch by mistake. Actually, that's rather unfair. I suspect many a pub side would have given Arsenal a better game than the mediocrity that was wearing the yellow shirts — and what a fitting colour it was for them yesterday. The action was as follows: 2 minutes – van Persie The Rovers' resistance was broken as early as the second minute when Francis Coquelin, on the edge of the area, played a delightful ball inside Martin Olsson to Theo Walcott. Walcott had raced into space whilst Olsson remained static and despite the pitiful pleas of the defence for offside, Walcott delivered the perfect ball across the face of the goal for Robin van Persie to score from close range. 31 minutes – Pedersen The Rovers gained an unlikely equaliser when Modeste was fouled on the edge of the "D" by Laurent Koscielny. Pedersen struck the perfect free-kick, which flew over the wall and into the top corner of the net. Sadly, this was the high point of the game for both Pedersen and the Rovers. 38 minutes – van Persie Just to prove that against the Rovers if something works well once it will work well twice, as we seem rather slow on the uptake with regard to learning from our mistakes. This time it was Alex Song who played the defence-splitting ball inside Olsson for Walcott to run onto. Once again he had the time and space to pick out van Persie, who had no difficulty in scoring from close range. 40 minutes – Oxlade-Chamberlain Two minutes later and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain was on hand to take advantage of another defence-splitting pass. This time it was a delightful reverse pass from van Persie which exploited some dreadful positioning by Bradley Orr at right-back. Oxlade-Chamberlain was on the ball in a flash and skipped round Robinson before stroking the ball into the net. On the evidence of his debut, I feel confident in saying that Orr will fit superbly into the general mediocrity of our defence. 43 minutes – Gael Givet sent off Against a background of widespread media condemnation of the two-footed lunge, Gael Givet chose this moment to give a perfect demonstration of the tackle which has been the subject of so much discussion in recent weeks. Both feet up with studs showing, he flew into van Persie with no hope of getting the ball. All the fans around me instantly agreed that a red card would be shown and Mr Marriner didn't disappoint. Givet now misses a number of crucial matches for a moment of folly that was totally unnecessary and one which may prove costly to any lingering survival hopes. 51 minutes – Arteta The fourth goal for Arsenal was simplicity itself. A corner from van Persie was weakly headed down by Steven Nzonzi into the path of Mikel Arteta who wasted no time in firing the ball into the back of the net. 54 minutes – Oxlade-Chamberlain The fifth Arsenal goal began with a trademark wayward pass from Radosav Petrovic which resulted in the ball being worked to Walcott on the right wing. The Arsenal man set off at pace unhindered by anything resembling a marker and had the freedom to run across the front of the penalty area before slipping the ball to Oxlade-Chamberlain. The rising young star had no trouble in stepping inside a statuesque Pedersen before producing a classy finish to find the back of the net. 62 minutes – van Persie Oxlade-Chamberlain played a superb cross-field ball out to Coquelin, who was in the right-wing position, and the full-back had no problem in skipping past Junior Hoilett before crossing for van Persie to finish with the deftest of touches as he swept the ball into the net. 90 + 4 minutes – Henry Arsenal ended their destruction of the Rovers deep into injury time after having taken their foot off the gas for the final thirty minutes. However, it would have been impolite for them not to have taken advantage of another piece of woeful defending by the Rovers. Dann played a careless ball to Grant Hanley and the young Scot was equally careless in miscontrolling the ball and allowing Thierry Henry to race away. The Frenchman is not as quick as he once was and he had to wait for van Persie to overlap him before playing a one–two with the Dutch international. On receiving the return pass, Henry found the net with a shot which struck the hapless Dann on its way into the goal. The referee's whistle brought merciful relief for the travelling fans. Whilst the Rovers were abject in the extreme, it was a privilege to witness Arsenal produce a brand of football that was a joy to watch. It is watching these type of players that I'll miss most next season if we end up in the Championship. On returning to Ewood, after a tortuous journey along a snow-covered M6, we walked past the statue of Jack Walker and wondered what the great man would have made of the present situation. The club which he loved and did so much to restore to greatness is now being systematically destroyed by Desai and her family. These are sad times indeed. Teams Arsenal Wojciech Szczesny; Francis Coquelin, Per Mertesacker, Laurent Koscielny (Bacary Sagna 68), Thomas Vermaelen; Mikel Arteta, Alex Song (Yossi Benayoun 72), Thomas Rosicky; Theo Walcott, Robin van Persie, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Thierry Henry 68) Subs not used: Lukasz Fabianski (gk), Aaron Ramsey, Ju Young Park, Andrey Arshavin Manager: Arsene Wenger Blackburn Rovers Paul Robinson; Jason Lowe (Bradley Orr 36), Scott Dann, Gael Givet (sent off 43), Martin Olsson; Radosav Petrovic, Steven Nzonzi; Morten Gamst Pedersen, David Dunn (Grant Hanley 45) David "Junior" Hoilett; Anthony Modeste Subs not used: Mark Bunn (gk), Simon Vukcevic, Ruben Rochina, Mauro Formica, David Goodwillie Manager: Steve Kean Bookings Arsenal – Laurent Koscielny, Thomas Vermaelen Blackburn Rovers – Anthony Modeste, Steven Nzonzi, Martin Olsson Sending off Blackburn Rovers – Gael Givet Join in the discussion on the forum here. View full article

Blackburn Rovers (0) 0 – 2 (1) Newcastle United Dann (og) 12, Obertan 90 + 3 Referee: P. Dowd Attendance: 20,817 Football, it is said, is cyclical with clubs enjoying periods in the sun and periods away from the limelight. Thanks to Jack Walker and then the Walker Trust, the Rovers have spent all but two of the past 19 seasons in the sun. Now, thanks to Venky's, we are about to embark upon a journey into the shadows. If ever a match highlighted the need for investment, this was it. The manager, as delusional as ever, remained upbeat in his post-match interview and trotted out his usual litany of statistics to prove that we were the better team. Listening to Kean's ramblings, my mind drifted back to words of the puppet master herself, Madam Desai, when she said that she felt football was about entertainment and not just winning. A glance at the league table shows just how little she knew about football then and how little she has grasped since. Twelve home games have thus far produced three wins and nine defeats. In other words, the Venky's brand of entertainment has seen 27 points dropped at Ewood Park out of the 36 available. Is it any wonder that we are hurtling towards relegation without anybody appearing to have the slightest inclination to apply the brake? The miracle amidst the carnage of this season is that the club entered the transfer window still in touch with the safety zone. Even today, after the latest defeat, the Rovers are still within a couple of points of that vital 17th place. However, the margin for error seems to reduce with each passing defeat. Last season, when virtually half the table were involved in the relegation struggle, fortunes ebbed and flowed on a weekly basis. However, we are now eight points adrift of 15th place and the reality is that we are in a five-club struggle for survival. Thus, when a weakened Newcastle United turned up at Ewood Park, still smarting from being dumped out of the FA Cup by Brighton & Hove Albion and with a five-goal thrashing at Craven Cottage still fresh in the memory, it was a rare opportunity to meet an out-of-form side and pick up three valuable points. The fact that we were unable to do so merely underlines how desperately short of quality we are in vital areas. We continue to squander chances and Anthony Modeste suggests that whatever else he might be he is certainly not a goalscorer. Once again our beloved owners took the cheap option and in football, as in life, you often get what you pay for and on this showing we have a player who suggests he lacks the ability to take the sort of chances which will be crucial for Premier League survival. Work rate and endeavour count for nothing if a striker is unable to retain his composure and put the ball in the net when the half-chance comes along. That was the major criticism of Jason Roberts and Modeste would appear to be a striker of the same kind. "Works hard but unlikely to score too many goals" is perhaps the verdict on Modeste thus far. Modeste got his chance to impress because David Goodwillie was struck down with flu. Apart from that change, the team was the same as that which did so well at Goodison Park last time out. Newcastle were without their African Nations Cup players as well as the recently suspended Yohan Cabaye. After a promising start, the Rovers found themselves behind after just twelve minutes and once again defensive frailties came to the fore. A loose pass by Radosav Petrovic managed to dissect both Scott Dann and Jason Lowe with both opting to leave it to the other. The ball was worked to Ryan Taylor and when his shot came in, which in all fairness seemed to be covered by Paul Robinson, Dann stuck out a foot and managed to divert it into his own goal. It was the sort of horrendous goal that the Rovers have been conceding all season and one which could and should have been avoided. The Rovers might well have hit back fairly quickly, but former Rover Danny Simpson was on hand to clear a Gael Givet effort off the line from a corner and when the Frenchman struck the rebound, he was unable to direct it on target. Undeterred the Rovers continued to press, but without ever really creating a clear-cut chance. Free-kicks and corner-kicks taken by Morten Gamst Pedersen continued to provide the best opportunities, but the Rovers were unable to get on the end of them. One free-kick in particular was whipped across the face of the goal, but the Rovers players were on the back foot instead of attacking the ball. It was the sort of service on which Alan Shearer thrived. The Rovers threatened down the left with the pace of Junior Hoilett and Martin Olsson while David Dunn was impressive in his use of the ball linking the midfield with Modeste up front. Whilst Dunn continues to be the one creative player who looks capable of opening up opposing defences, the fact remains that without Yakubu we lack a cutting edge and on this occasion Modeste wasted numerous opportunities to get the Rovers back in the game. Hoilett was brought down on the edge of the area on the half-hour mark, which led to a melee that saw Ryan Taylor booked for his reaction to the incident. Incredibly, Fabricio Coloccini, who committed the foul, escaped without a caution. Pedersen's free-kick struck a defender and flew wide of the target. As half-time approached, Petrovic fired a shot narrowly wide, while Leon Best headed against his own crossbar from a Pedersen corner. However, two minutes before the break the Rovers appeared to have been given a life-line when Simpson brought down Modeste, who had been played in by a delightful lobbed pass by Dunny. Phil Dowd had no hesitation in pointing to the spot and the Rovers' latest recruit was clearly anxious to take the spot-kick himself. However, Dunny pulled rank and grabbed the ball for himself. He stuttered on his run-up in an attempt to outfox the 'keeper, but Tim Krul guessed correctly and saved an effort which wasn't the most powerfully struck penalty that Dunny has ever taken. Givet and Pedersen attempted to score from the rebound but merely got in each other's way with the result that Givet's shot was easily saved by Krul. The visitors made a change at half-time with James Perch replacing Hatem Ben Arfa as Alan Pardew adopted a more defensive approach. However, it was Newcastle who fluffed the first chance of the second period when Jonas Gutierrez, who had been so impressive in previous meetings between the clubs this season, made a hash of a reasonable opportunity. Although the Rovers enjoyed plenty of possession, they failed to produce many clear-cut chances. Modeste, who was lively, hit a cross-cum-shot horribly wide, while Hoilett was unfortunate to see an effort blocked by Best. Newcastle, whenever the need arose, defended manfully and weren't afraid to put their bodies on the line to prevent the breakthrough. With the Rovers looking increasingly unlikely to find the key to unlock the visiting defence, Kean finally made a change and introduced Mauro Formica for Petrovic. The switch almost paid immediate dividends when the Argentine found Dunn, who beat the Newcastle defence with a lofted ball for Modeste to chase. Having beaten the offside trap, the former French under-21 international lost all composure and fired his shot wide when he had time and space in which to take the ball on before shooting. Chances like this are the difference between relegation and survival and the failure to land a quality striker may well cost the club dear in the long run. Krul was called into action when Dann popped up in the area and got on the end of a Pedersen free-kick, although the 'keeper had little to do as the ball came straight at him. Nzonzi then blazed over with a long-range effort and Formica squandered a glorious opportunity when he found the side-netting. Meanwhile, Kean had attempted to put more life into the attack when Ruben Rochina replaced the tiring Dunn, but the young Spaniard failed to make any impact. As the game moved into added-on time, the Rovers had Givet and Dann operating up front in a desperate bid to snatch at least a point. However, the Rovers paid the price for their wastefulness in front of goal when Newcastle broke away and added a second goal. Once again the Rovers had no one to blame but themselves as they were the architects of their own downfall. Nzonzi, who had enjoyed another good game in midfield, gave the ball away to Gabriel Obertan and the former Manchester United winger immediately found fellow substitute Peter Lovenkrands with a quick pass. Obertan then raced forward and Lovenkrands hit a gloriously timed return pass into the path of Obertan. The winger was faced with a one-on-one situation with Robinson and slotted the ball past him with ease. It was the classic breakaway goal and one which was perfectly executed. The goal was the signal for the Ewood faithful to get up and leave as the Rovers slumped to their ninth defeat at Ewood Park. The fortress Ewood atmosphere that Big Sam had engendered has long since gone as the Rovers have become something of a soft touch on home soil. Perhaps one of the most worrying aspects of the club's fall from grace has been the fall in attendances. It would appear that the biggest protest is that taken by those fans who have turned their backs on Ewood Park and the Venky's circus. The gate of 20,817 was only made respectable by a sizeable contingent from Newcastle and one imagines that gates will continue to fall for the remainder of the season as the Rovers' descent into the Championship continues unabated. Teams Blackburn Rovers Paul Robinson; Jason Lowe, Scott Dann, Gael Givet, Martin Olsson; Radosav Petrovic (Mauro Formica 66); Steven Nzonzi; Morten Gamst Pedersen, David Dunn (Ruben Rochina 78), David "Junior" Hoilett; Anthony Modeste Subs not used: Mark Bunn (gk), Adam Henley, Grant Hanley, Simon Vukcevic, Jordan Slew Manager: Steve Kean Newcastle United Tim Krul, Danny Simpson, Mike Williamson, Fabricio Coloccini, Davide Santon; Ryan Taylor (Gabriel Obertan 89), Danny Guthrie; Hatem Ben Arfa (James Perch 46), Jonas Gutierrez, Leon Best (Peter Lovenkrands 77); Shola Ameobi Subs not used: Rob Elliott (gk) Mehdi Abeid, Dan Gosling, Shane Ferguson Manager: Alan Pardew Bookings Blackburn Rovers – Jason Lowe Newcastle United – Ryan Taylor, Mike Williamson Join in the discussion on the forum here. View full article

FA Youth Cup 4th Round Rovers Youth(1) 2 – 0 (0)Coventry City Youth O'Sullivan 14, Haley 65 Referee: R. Wootton Attendance: 511 Although Coventry's first team may be languishing at the wrong end of the table, as indeed are the seniors at Ewood, their youth team is a fairly formidable outfit. Unbeaten in their previous 13 outings and unbeaten away all season, Coventry's youngsters, coached by former Rover Lee Carsley, included three players who had all tasted first-team action this season. On a raw night at Ewood Park, the Rovers quickly settled to their task and the visitors had to scurry to clear a shot from Hugo Fernandez off the line. The Rovers looked dangerous whenever they got forward as the visiting defence struggled to contain the lively Osayamen Osawe on the right wing. His pace and power proved too much for the Coventry left-back and time and again he raced past him and whipped in a succession of dangerous crosses. It was Osawe who helped to carve out the opening goal on 14 minutes. He beat his man with ease and then picked out Fernandez in the area. The young Spaniard looked as if he might have a go for goal himself but, having wrong-footed the Coventry defence, he squared the ball for John O'Sullivan to pick his spot and slot the ball home with ease. It was football of the highest order and was warmly received by the supporters. The Rovers continued to cause Coventry problems with the speed of their passing, with O'Sullivan being at the hub of everything in the centre of midfield. Fernandez, operating on the left of midfield, managed to elude his marker on a couple of occasions and went close to adding to the lead. The visitors were restricted to occasional breakaways with their attacks being orchestrated from midfield by Gael Bigirimana, who has made a dozen first-team appearances this season. As half-time beckoned, the visitors began to pose more of a threat and but for a magnificent one-handed save from Matthew Urwin, they might well have gone in at the break on level terms. The Rovers suffered a blow at the start of the second half when Jack O'Connell went into a full-blooded challenge and had to be stretchered from the field. He was replaced by Tom Paul and fortunately the change didn't unsettle the defence. The Rovers looked an impressive outfit and played some delightful attacking football with Curtis Haley leading the line well. Although operating a five-man midfield, there was fluidity about the play which saw the likes of Osawe, Fernandez and O'Sullivan continually linking up with Haley while the visitors struggled to keep tabs on them. On 65 minutes the Rovers doubled their lead with another well-worked goal. Fernandez, who had a splendid game, picked out Haley with an inch-perfect pass which completely split the Coventry defence. The young centre-forward latched onto the ball in a flash and after bringing it down with consummate ease he calmly placed his shot past the 'keeper and into the back of the net. The Rovers continued to press and might well have increased their lead with slightly better finishing. As the game ebbed to its inevitable conclusion, Urwin was again called into action and was forced to make a brilliant double save from Jonson Clarke-Harris. Having seen his initial shot brilliantly saved, the Coventry striker seemed a certain scorer when he moved in to sweep the rebound home. However, Urwin somehow managed to block the second attempt to keep his goal intact. It was truly a piece of world-class goalkeeping from the youngster. The Rovers saw out the remainder of the game despite the fact that Bigirimana missed a glorious chance to score a consolation goal. This was an outstanding performance from the youngsters and again illustrates what an excellent job that Terry McPhilips and Tony Grant are doing with this group of youngsters. At the moment the Under-18 team is the one shining light at Ewood Park. The Rovers now face Stoke City at Ewood Park in the next round. Teams Blackburn Rovers Youth Matthew Urwin; Peter Wylie, Ryan Edwards, Jack O'Connell (Tom Paul 55), Will Beesley; Osayamen Osawe, John O'Sullivan, Robbie Cotton, Raheem Hanley (Antonie Boland 78), Hugo Fernandez Molina; Curtis Haley Subs not used: Christopher Dilo (gk), Bradley Mason-Ware, Danny Laverty Coach: Terry McPhillips Coventry City Youth Alex Gott; Aaron Philips, Jordon Willis, Joe Henderson, Joe Pegg (Louis Garner 73); Will Roberts, Gael Bigirimana, Josh Ruffles, Courtney Richards (Ben Maund 73); Billy Daniels (Lewis Rankin 89), Jonson Clarke-Harris Subs not used: Alex Donald, Ivor Lawton Coaches: Gregor Rioch and Lee Carsley Bookings Blackburn Rovers – Jack O'Connell, John O'Sullivan Coventry City – Joe Henderson View full article

FA Cup 3rd Round Newcastle United(0) 2 – 1 (1)Blackburn Rovers Ben Arfa 70, Gutierrez 90 + 5 Goodwillie 35 Referee: K. Friend Attendance: 30,876 Although Jonas Gutierrez scored some five minutes into injury time, with what was virtually the last kick of the match, let there be no doubt that justice was done in the end. In truth the Rovers should have been dead and buried long before this last-gasp goal. The home side squandered numerous chances to cement their place in the next round and seemed intent on taking the game to a replay. However, two pieces of brilliance by Ben Arfa and Gutierrez ensured that the team which showed the greatest invention, creativity and, above all, desire won through in the end. The 350 or so hardy souls from Blackburn who travelled to Newcastle were greeted with the news that Chris Samba was out alongside David "Junior" Hoilett, Paul Robinson and David Dunn, while Jason Lowe, Mauro Formica and Yakubu were amongst the substitutes. However, Martin Olsson returned after his injury problems, which enabled Adam Henley to switch to his preferred position of right-back. Although without Demba Ba and Cheik Tiote, Newcastle got off to an impressive start and had the Rovers back-peddling as Gabriel Obertan and Gutierrez threatened to run riot down both flanks. Newcastle's pass-and-move style is attractive on the eye and very effective, but fortunately the final ball wasn't as accurate as it might have been and when the home side did get into good shooting positions, their efforts were wayward to say the least. Indeed, within the first minute Mark Bunn was called into action and had to make an acrobatic save to keep out an effort from Leon Best and the Rovers' 'keeper then did well to keep out an effort from Gutierrez, while Mike Williamson saw an ambitious effort curl over the bar. Once again, the Rovers' defence looked extremely porous, particularly down the wings, but in fairness they were not helped by a midfield which was exceptionally careless in possession. The game was barely ten minutes old when Newcastle might well have opened the scoring after Morten Gamst Pedersen gifted possession to the home side and Ben Arfa ran at a retreating back-line before playing in Yohan Cabaye. Fortunately, for Pedersen, Cabaye's effort went over the bar when he really ought to have done better. The opening twenty minutes saw little of the Rovers as an attacking force. Once again, they were happy to sit with a midfield five in front of the back four and rely on a solitary striker — on this occasion it was David Goodwillie rather than Yakubu. The Rovers' first meaningful attack came from Olsson, who fed Rochina, and the former Barcelona youth player fired in a decent shot which Tim Krul did well to cover. Buoyed by this effort the young Spaniard tried his luck from distance, but his effort flew well wide of the goal. The Rovers had a narrow escape just after the half-hour mark when Pedersen, who was struggling in midfield, lost possession and the ball was worked to Gutierrez, who took aim and then curled his shot just inches wide of the far post. Newcastle had enjoyed the majority of the play up to this point and it was completely against the run of play that the Rovers took the lead. Once again, the goal came from a set-piece with Pedersen's corner being met by the head of Grant Hanley. Krul did brilliantly to keep it out, but the ball hit Goodwillie and the Scotland striker managed to force it over the line from close range. The goal seemed to shake the confidence of the home side and although they enjoyed the greater possession for the remainder of the half, they failed to make many clear-cut chances. Indeed, some of their approach play began to become sloppy and, like the Rovers, they started to give the ball away rather too cheaply. The second half opened in similar fashion. Indeed, the home crowd started to become anxious as Newcastle continually wasted good positions with a careless final ball. Home nerves weren't helped when a Ben Arfa ball across the face of the goal landed at the feet of Best but his attempt to score was blocked brilliantly by Olsson. Fortunately, a linesman's flag spared Best's blushes but did little to soothe an increasingly anxious crowd. Both managers made changes as Alan Pardew attempted to inject more threat into his side, while Steve Kean withdrew the limping Ruben Rochina with Formica replacing him. Rochina is a lad with skill, but he seems ill-equipped for the rough and tumble of English football and one dreads to think how he will cope with the Championship. It was the introduction of Ryan Taylor, after 59 minutes, that seemed to change the game. Not that the defender offered a serious threat in open play, but his delivery from free-kicks and corner-kicks proved a constant threat, particularly as Shola Ameobi, who had replaced Obertan, offered a greater threat in front of goal. However, when the equaliser came, it was not from a cross, which had seemed the most likely route for Newcastle. Instead, Hatem Ben Arfa produced a moment of brilliance which was worth the admission money on its own. Picking up the ball on the left of the Rovers defence, he dribbled his way into the area past a series of static defenders, at least four in number, before firing the ball into the roof of the net. It was a wonderful piece of skill and lifted the home crowd, who had been strangely subdued. The Rovers, who had hardly featured as an attacking force since half-time — indeed, they weren't much of a threat before it — now started to defend deeper as they looked to take the game to a replay. Jason Lowe came on to play at left-back in place of the tiring Olsson, while Jordan Slew came on to provide fresh legs in place of Goodwillie. By this time, however, Newcastle were totally dominant and it simply became a question of whether the Rovers could hang on. Newcastle really ought to have had the game won long before the end and the Rovers were fortunate when a header flashed off the crossbar from another Taylor cross. Bunn was also called into action to make a save with his legs to keep out an effort from Coloccini as the Rovers' defending became increasingly desperate. With the game deep into injury time the Rovers managed to snatch defeat right at the last and, once again, it was self-inflicted. A loose ball in midfield fell between Simon Vukcevic and Gutierrez. It wasn't even a fifty–fifty with the Rovers man the clear favourite to win the ball. However, for some reason the winger opted to pull out of the tackle and Gutierrez needed no second invitation to nip past him and race towards the Rovers penalty area. The left-winger then played a one–two with Best in the area before lifting the ball over the advancing Bunn and into the back of the net. Why Vukcevic opted to pull out of the tackle only he will know, but ultimately it cost the Rovers the game — not that they deserved to take anything from it after another woeful performance. Once again, Mark Bunn did all that could be expected of him in goal and, but for his first-minute heroics, one feels that the Rovers might well have suffered a more convincing defeat. Adam Henley and Martin Olsson had their work cut out at full-back as Newcastle rely heavily on wing play to create their openings. Gutierrez was a constant thorn in the side, but Olsson gradually got the better of Obertan. Young Henley did as well as could be expected considering that he was up against such a talented individual as Gutierrez. In the centre of defence, Grant Hanley had another fine game while Gael Givet eased himself back into the action after his recent lay-off. In midfield the Rovers looked second best in every department. Vukcevic did little all afternoon and must take full responsibility for the winning goal. His decision to pull out of a tackle that he was favourite to win proved costly. On the opposite flank Morten Gamst Pedersen had a disappointing afternoon and gave the ball away far too often. Steven Nzonzi, who I really rate, had a very poor game and at times, particularly in the second half, looked totally disinterested. According to the team sheet, Radosav Petrovic was on the field. Nothing more can be said of his contribution. Ruben Rochina tried to be the link between midfield and attack but really did very little in either area. In the first half he embarked on one or two runs that came to nothing, while the second half saw him fade from the picture as he was put on his backside by some strong, but perfectly fair, tackling from the home side. If Rochina is to make the most of his skill in this country, he is going to have to learn to cope with the physical aspects of the game. When he limped off, he was replaced by Mauro Formica, but once again the Argentinean made little impression despite his willingness to run around. David Goodwillie did surprisingly well at holding the ball up and, of course, was on the spot to tuck away the goal. However, he lacks the physical presence of Yakubu and his decision-making is not the best. Once again, there was an attempt at trying to score from virtually the halfway line, which was embarrassing to say the least. Jason Lowe made a brief appearance at left-back and all one can say is that he is not a right-back and even less of a left-back. At some point surely the lad deserves to be given his chance in the centre of the midfield. Jordan Slew got around 15 minutes to once again show that the lad is not ready for this level of football. Hopefully he can be loaned out to get some experience of regular first-team football. So the season is now all about Premier League survival with no distractions from Cup competitions. Only time will tell if this is a good thing or not, but the feeling of the fans I spoke to today was that relegation is a certainty unless Mrs Desai pulls her finger out and puts some money into the club. Sadly, the players that Kean has signed thus far do not look anywhere near the calibre needed to maintain Premier League football at Ewood Park. Teams Newcastle United Tim Krul; Danny Simpson (Ryan Taylor 59), Mike Williamson, Fabricio Coloccini, Davide Santon; Gabriel Obertan (Shola Ameobi 56), Mehdi Abeid (Dan Gosling 87), Yohan Cabaye, Jonas Gutierrez; Hatem Ben Arfa, Leon Best Subs not used: Rob Elliot (gk), James Perch, Haris Vuckic, Sammy Ameobi Manager: Alan Pardew Blackburn Rovers Mark Bunn; Adam Henley, Grant Hanley, Gael Givet, Martin Olsson (Jason Lowe 76); Simon Vukcevic, Radosav Petrovic, Steven Nzonzi, Morten Gamst Pedersen; Ruben Rochina (Mauro Formica 56); David Goodwillie (Jordan Slew 81) Subs not used: Jake Kean (gk), Josh Morris, Nick Blackman, Yakubu Manager: Steve Kean Bookings Newcastle United – Mike Williamson, Jonas Gutierrez Blackburn Rovers – Mark Bunn Join in the discussion on the forum here. View full article

Sunderland (0) 2 – 1 (1) Blackburn Rovers Vaughan 84, Larsson 90 + 2 Vukcevic 17 Referee: P. Walton Attendance: 39,863 Family circumstances meant that I was unable to travel to the Stadium of Light and thus missed my first game of the season, having instead to settle for the coverage on Sky. It was interesting to watch a game "live" via television rather than in the stadium, but despite the result it is not an experience I would wish to repeat too often. Television really doesn't show the team pattern — or, in the case of the Rovers, the lack of any pattern whatsoever — and little can be seen of what is happening off the ball. You also miss the reaction of the crowd to events not to mention the camaraderie of being amongst Rovers fans. Judging from the low number of Rovers fans at the game, it would appear that I wasn't the only one who was not able to make it to the north-east. Television also gives you a view of things that you don't see in the stands and quite frankly the sight of Paul Agnew greeting Steve Kean prior to the match was a sight I could well have done without. In view of only having watched the match on television, I have refrained from producing a detailed match report as such and simply offer some observations about events as highlighted by the cameras of Sky. After forty-five minutes the Rovers looked to be in a strong position. One attack had produced a goal and, in fairness, had seen another chalked off incorrectly by the referee. Perhaps the one advantage of watching on television is the fact that replays show exactly what happened instantaneously whereas at the match it becomes a matter of discussion until you get home to watch the highlights. The home side, although looking distinctly average, had squandered some excellent opportunities to score, most notably when Jason Lowe contrived to allow the ball to pass between his legs and leave Kieran Richardson with a seemingly open goal. Somehow Paul Robinson read the situation and managed to smother Richardson's shot. It was typical of the lax defending that has earmarked the Rovers play for so long and which Kean has failed to rectify. The Rovers' goal was from a typical Sam Allardyce set-piece. Kean, despite his boasts to the contrary, continues to rely increasingly on set-pieces to produce chances and why not when it clearly is a strength in a team that has, in reality, so few strengths. Morten Gamst Pedersen's free-kick found Chris Samba on the edge of the area and the big man showed a deft piece of footwork to control the ball, sidestep the bemused Wes Brown and fire a shot across the goalkeeper, who could only push it out to Simon Vukcevic, who stooped to head home from close range. Four minutes before half-time the Rovers might well have grabbed a second goal from a Pedersen free-kick when Kieren Westwood came to collect the ball but ran into a crowd of players, one of which was Samba, and allowed the ball to go over him and onto the head of Scott Dann, who nodded home. Inexplicably, Peter Walton blew for a foul against Samba, although replays of the incident showed that it was a perfectly good goal. The loss of Gael Givet, to a rapid heartbeat, brought the return of Martin Olsson as substitute, but long before the end of the half he looked unhappy with a recurrence of his hamstring problem. Michel Salgado, who had been recalled into the unfamiliar role of wide midfield, had struggled for much of the first half after receiving a heavy blow to the ribs. At half-time Adam Henley replaced Olsson and it wasn't long before Grant Hanley had to enter the fray to replace Salgado. After the debacle of rushing Ryan Nelsen back too soon and then setting back his recovery for many months, one can only hope that Olsson has not met a similar fate. Suddenly, the Rovers seem an accident waiting to happen with regard to injuries and surely this is something that must be addressed. There is surely some reason why players who had previously avoided injury have suddenly become budding Vince Grellas! In the second half Kean's game plan seemed to revolve around getting everyone behind the ball and leaving Yakubu up front on his own. Even the commentators on Sky were bemused by this approach and, considering that the injured players were defenders, it begs the question as to why the midfield and attack were so impotent on the rare occasions that they ventured over the half-way line. If Jason Roberts had been the lone front man, it was a plan that might have been more successful than it was. While Roberts is no finisher, he is mobile and the game plan seemed to require the lone front runner to be exactly that, particularly in the second half. Yakubu, who was a danger in the first half, became increasingly detached from the rest of the team during the second forty-five minutes. Admittedly the manager had few options on the bench, but replacing Salgado with Hanley seemed a strange move to say the least. The young Scot has endured a torrid time of late in his normal position of centre-half, but to bring him on at right-back was asking for trouble and Martin O'Neill quickly spotted the weakness and had his own substitute, James McClean, exploit Hanley's lack of pace. One might have hoped that Roberts would have been introduced for Salgado with Formica, who did a decent shift defensively, moving to the right of midfield and allowing Roberts to support Yakubu and actually give the home defence something to think about. With the Rovers opting to defend deep in their own half, Sunderland merely poured forward in greater numbers and completely dominated the game. The defending became ever more desperate and Robinson was called upon to make more and more saves. However, with six minutes remaining, he could do little about David Vaughan's thunderbolt after Henley's weak header landed at his feet. The goal was no more than Sunderland deserved and, in truth, justice was done when they got the winner that their second-half performance deserved in the closing minutes. Mauro Formica inexplicably handled on the edge of the area and Seb Larsson whipped a delightful free-kick over the wall and into the net with Robinson unable to get anywhere near it. There was only time for Jason Lowe to be stretchered off after Larsson seemed to catch him with a leading elbow, but by this time the Rovers looked a well-beaten outfit. This was the fourth of Kean's six "Cup Finals" and thus far we have taken four points out of twelve — hardly an earth-shattering return and not the type of return needed to ensure Premier League survival. Six points from the next two games is essential with visits to Anfield and Old Trafford over Christmas likely to render little in the way of points. While there is no doubt that injuries completely decimated any plans with regard to substitutions, the fact remains that our squad is wafer-thin at best and for that the finger of blame can only point at Madam Desai, the keeper of the purse strings. Opportunities to strengthen the squad in the summer were spurned because of the unwillingness of those in Pune to spend serious money on acquiring Premier League players. We are now paying the price for that ineptitude. Some might say that the Trust failed to invest, but the Trust invested in the personnel that they had at Ewood Park. Money, although tight, was made available whenever possible and, of course, in the likes of Souness, Hughes and Allardyce we had managers who knew how to spot a bargain and in John Williams and Tom Finn we had administrators who could keep the bank onside and keep the club afloat despite spending very little. Sadly, the Rao family look as if they will be unable to deliver one complete season of Premier League football, never mind competing in Europe and winning cups. The Trust delivered ten years of Premier League football, the longest spell of top-flight football since 1936. The Trust is gone but certainly not forgotten. In the words of Joni Mitchell: "Don't it always seem to go That you don't know what you've got 'Til it's gone" Reports in the Sunday papers, which have since been denied by Venky's, suggest that the club may well be sailing into stormy financial waters. If, as rumours suggest, Madam Desai is not prepared to invest the family money into the club, then the sooner Blackburn Rovers is rid of the clan from India, the better. They came into the club with a plan, albeit a rather questionable one involving agents, and when that fell apart, there would appear to have been no backup plan in place. With seemingly no coherent management structure at the club, it is left to Steve Kean to face the brunt of the criticisms regarding the running of the club. Whilst the overwhelming majority of fans would like to see Kean replaced — and goodness knows his record is one of abject failure — the reality is that Kean is merely a symptom of the problems which surround our dysfunctional owners. Sacking Steve Kean, whilst it would no doubt appease the overwhelming majority of fans, is not a solution in itself. It is undoubtedly the first step for many, but ultimately our problems will only be solved when the owners adopt a far more professional approach to running a football club and employ experienced people at all levels. There also needs to be a realisation that to remain a Premier League club we need to buy Premier League quality players in January and not a host of cheap foreign imports who may or may not adapt to English football. Unless Madam Desai and her brothers accept the need to pump large amounts of the family money into the club and find a manager who is capable of spending it wisely, the outcome, I fear, is going to be all too predictable. Relegation is becoming more likely by the week and there is nothing to suggest that the club would be able to withstand the economic consequences were the worst to happen. Whilst one hopes for the best, one fears that the club may become just another casualty to the flirtations of big business and professional football. Teams Sunderland Kieren Westwood; John O'Shea, Titus Bramble, Wes Brown, Philip Bardsley; Sebastian Larsson, Jack Colback (James McClean 76), David Vaughan, Kieran Richardson; Stephane Sessegnon, Connor Wickham (Dong-Won Ji 76) Subs not used: Trevor Carson (gk), Matthew Kilgallon, David Meyler, Ahmed Elmohamady, Ryan Noble Manager: Martin O'Neill Blackburn Rovers Paul Robinson; Jason Lowe, Chris Samba, Scott Dann, Gael Givet (Martin Olsson 22 / Adam Henley 46); Michel Salgado (Grant Hanley 51), David Dunn, Morten Gamst Pedersen, Simon Vukcevic; Mauro Formica; Yakubu Subs not used: Mark Bunn (gk), Nick Blackman, Jason Roberts, David Goodwillie Manager: Steve Kean Bookings Sunderland – John O'Shea, Stephane Sessegnon Blackburn Rovers – Michel Salgado, Chris Samba Join in the discussion on the forum here. View full article

FA Youth Cup 3rd Round Rovers Youth(3) 8 – 0 (0)Thurrock FC Youth Edwards 5, Osawe 20, 67,O'Connell 45 + 1, Haley 49, 50, Light (og) 89, Humphreys 90 + 2 Referee: A. Halliday Attendance: 395 A crowd of just under 400 gathered at Ewood Park on a bitterly cold Monday evening to witness this Third Round F.A. Youth Cup tie against Thurrock FC Youth. The visitors, whose senior team are presently bottom of the Blue Square Bet Southern League, have been enjoying a very successful season in the Eastern Junior Alliance League — Essex North Section. At present, Thurrock proudly sit on top of the league with a record of six wins and just one defeat from their seven league games. They have scored an impressive 35 goals, while their defence has conceded just four goals. Nor have they been wanting in front of goal in the F.A. Youth Cup. Thurrock entered the competition at the Preliminary Round stage and thus far had won six games, in which they had scored twenty goals and conceded just two goals, on their journey to the third round. However, on a night when the wind and hail blew an icy blast of winter across Ewood Park, the youngsters from Thurrock succumbed to a powerful display of attacking football from the Rovers. The visitors worked hard but tired in the difficult conditions and were eventually buried under an avalanche of second-half goals. The Rovers made the perfect start when Ryan Edwards rose majestically on the back post to head home Will Beesley's free-kick after just five minutes. Young Will is the grandson of Walter Joyce, a former Burnley and Rovers full-back, who some of us remember watching in the early/mid 1960s! Despite having a goal ruled out for offside, the sustained pressure from the Ewood youngsters brought a second goal after 20 minutes. Osayamen Osawe was the Rover on target following good work by Curtis Haley. The Rovers might well have increased their lead a minute or so later when Haley was brought down in the area, but unfortunately Jack O'Connell blazed his spot-kick over the bar. The Rovers continued to dominate the first half with Matthew Urwin having very little to do in the Rovers goal. As the game moved into first-half injury time, the Rovers grabbed a third goal when a short corner was turned into the centre by Peter Wylie and O'Connell swivelled and fired home, possibly with the aid of a deflection, from about six yards. Thurrock had worked hard during the first half and, at times, had produced some neat and tidy football without ever really carrying a goal threat. The Rovers, who at present are fourth in the league some five points behind leaders Wolverhampton Wanderers, looked comfortable throughout and were far superior in every department during the opening forty-five minutes. The Rovers began the second half in sparkling fashion with Curtis Haley grabbing two goals in less than a minute. The half was barely four minutes old when Haley fastened on to a ball from Antonie Boland before slotting it home. Within fifty seconds the Rovers centre-forward was on the scoresheet again when he combined well with John O'Sullivan before putting the finishing touch to a fifth goal for the Rovers. Haley might well have grabbed a hat-trick on 67 minutes as he raced through on goal but he unselfishly squared the ball for Osawe to dash in and slot home his second goal of the night. With a six-goal lead, both sides made substitutions and for a while the Rovers' passing, understandably, became a little sloppy as the visitors tired and offered little in the way of resistance. In the 89th minute Danny Laverty sent over a cross towards the far post where George Light and Ryan Humphreys were both waiting and the Thurrock man could only turn the ball into his own net with Humphreys about to pounce. However, as the game moved into injury time, Humphreys grabbed an eighth goal for the Rovers when he headed home a cross from Laverty from close range. It proved a wonderful night's entertainment for those fans who had braved the wintry weather and the Rovers now wait to see who they will meet in the Fourth Round. Teams Blackburn Rovers Youth Matthew Urwin; Adam Henley, Ryan Edwards, Jack O'Connell, Will Beesley (Bradley Mason-Ware 74); Hugo Fernandez Molina, Peter Wylie, Antonie Boland (Danny Laverty 84), John O'Sullivan, Osayamen Osawe; Curtis Haley (Ryan Humphreys 84) Subs not used: Harry Campbell (gk), Kellen Daly Coach: Terry McPhillips Thurrock FC Youth Shane Scanlon; George Light, Jack Maleary (Adam Johnson 74), Frank Griffin, Luke Foster; James Smith, Robert Clark (Charlie Desmond 55), Jake Woodward, Davidson Tejaiye (Ross Woolward 65); Kieran Walsh; Daniel Okah Subs not used: Liam Gibbons (gk), Kane Larkham Coach: Stuart Marshall View full article

Carling Cup Quarter-Final Cardiff City(1) 2 – 0 (0)Blackburn Rovers Miller 19, Gerrard 50 Referee: M. Atkinson Attendance: 19,436 For those looking for positives I would respectfully suggest that you look elsewhere. On another night of shame for this great club there were no positives to be found — just the realisation that Madam Desai and the Brothers Grimm, together with their poodle Steve Kean, are way out of their depth at every level. Let there be no doubt that we were out-played, out-fought, out-thought and out-run by a Championship club. I would agree that Cardiff City is a very good Championship club and Blackburn Rovers remain a very poor Premier League club. Indeed, the Rovers team on duty last night would struggle to make an impact in the Championship and would probably do well to stay in that league. As the Rovers fans sang during the game: "We're s*** and we know we are!". This was yet another slap in the face for those fans who paid good money and took the time and trouble — and it's not an easy journey — to travel to Cardiff in the mistaken belief that the club were serious about making progress in this competition. It is not the first time that the club have fielded a weakened side in a cup competition, but in the present climate at Ewood Park one might have thought that the boost from reaching the semi-final of a major cup competition might have lifted spirits both on and off the field. Clearly the manager thought otherwise and it is little wonder that fans stay away from cup competitions in droves. At the turn of the year, Balaji Rao spoke about winning a cup competition this season: clearly it's the FA Cup that Venky's have set their sights on! Kean made five changes to his side and later argued that he couldn't risk fielding a stronger side. So the likes of Scott Dann, Radosav Petrovic, Mauro Formica, David Goodwillie all started while Ruben Rochina and Yakubu came on as substitutes. All are Steve Kean signings and yet all failed to make any impact on a Championship side. What does that tell us about Kean's dealings in the transfer market and once again the invisible man, otherwise known as Simon Vukcevic, remained seated on the bench. If this guy can't get a game, one wonders just how bad Kean must think he is. Having watched Myles Anderson, who was also on the bench but not brought on, in the Reserves, many of us know only too well how bad he is. The simple fact is that Kean's signings — if indeed they are Kean's signings — have been nowhere near good enough and are part of the reason for us being where we are at the moment. Mark Bunn replaced Paul Robinson in goal, while the back four remained unaltered by the debacle at Stoke. In midfield there were wholesale changes with Nick Blackman, Radosav Petrovic and David Dunn coming in for Ruben Rochina, Steven Nzonzi and "Junior" Hoilett. Mauro Formica continued as support to the lone front-runner, while David Goodwillie replaced Yakubu in that role. The pre-match memorial for Gary Speed was immensely moving and put the mere troubles of a football club into perspective. Each manager laid a wreath on the side of the pitch and following a minute's applause there was an impeccably observed minute's silence. There followed cries of "One Gary Speed" by both sets of supporters in a fitting tribute to the late Welsh manager. The Rovers began the game quite brightly and David Goodwillie found himself in a decent position before pulling his shot well wide. Grant Hanley was then unfortunate to see a header cleared off the line following a corner by Pedersen. This was followed by David Dunn firing over with a half-volley as the Rovers appeared to have settled the more quickly of the two sides. Sadly, that was as good as it got for the Rovers. Despite having plenty of possession, the Rovers failed to carve out any more clear-cut chances and on 19 minutes it was the home side who took the lead. Morten Gamst Pedersen's attempt at a backpass was hopelessly underhit and Aron Gunnarsson quickly pounced and threaded a delightful ball into the path of Kenny Miller. The Scottish international wasted no time and ran directly at goal and placed his shot under the advancing Mark Bunn and into the back of the net. The confidence visibly drained from the Rovers players and the home side might well have increased their lead following some more kamikaze defending from the visitors. Bunn rushed out of goal for a ball he was never going to get and, when Miller nipped in, the 'keeper was caught in no man's land. Miller's shot was blocked on the line and after a frantic scramble in front of goal, resembling something akin to a game on a pinball machine, the defence was eventually able to clear the ball. The only serious attempt on goal from the Rovers saw Tom Heaton make a decent save from an effort by Dunn. The Rovers left the field at half-time with the jeers of the long-suffering visiting fans ringing in their ears. Steve Kean sent his players out several minutes early after the interval and the Rovers started brightly and forced a succession of corners. However, it proved to be another false dawn and it was the home side who increased their lead after 50 minutes. A Peter Whittingham corner enticed Bunn to come and try and claim it, but the 'keeper failed under intense pressure from a number of Cardiff players and Anthony Gerrard was on hand to bundle the ball home. From that point on, there was only going be one winner as the Rovers looked almost pedestrian at times. Indeed, they seemed to be chasing shadows as Cardiff's quick inter-passing seemed light years ahead of the ponderous movement of the Rovers. Both managers made changes and the introduction of Rochina, for the desperately disappointing Petrovic, did enliven the Rovers as an attacking force but, in truth, Kean left it far too late to introduce Jason Roberts and Yakubu into the fray. Rovers had one or two half-chances but Cardiff looked by far the better of the two sides. The cries of "Kean Out" and anti-Venky's chants had continued almost unabated for the majority of the second half and they grew ever louder at the final whistle. Many fans remarked on leaving the ground how the club will need to strengthen if they are to make any impact on the Championship next season — sadly there seems an acceptance that relegation is a foregone conclusion and the evidence of this performance would suggest that we have a desperately weak squad. Bunn will be disappointed with the second goal, but for the most part did little wrong. However, the back four were again exposed as a disorganised shambles at times. Jason Lowe is good going forward but is still learning his trade in terms of full-back play and far too often he left the winger in acres of space. Gael Givet worked hard on the opposite flank but found himself drifting into the middle to cover for the inadequacies of the central defensive pairing of Scott Dann and Grant Hanley. Neither Dann nor Hanley looked comfortable and Kenny Miller gave them both a torrid time. In midfield the Rovers looked all at sea. Nick Blackman worked hard on the right wing, but it was asking too much of an untried youngster to make any impact on this game. The fact that Blackman was probably one of our best performers on the night says it all. Dunn looked dangerous at times going forward, but his lack of pace leaves him exposed at times. Petrovic struggled from the very beginning and it was something of an act of kindness when Kean withdrew him after 70 minutes. Pedersen was moved back to the wing and didn't enjoy one of his better nights. Apart from being caught out for the opening goal, he failed to make any impact on the game and looks much happier in a central midfield role. Formica was again disappointing and was a virtual passenger for the most part, while Goodwillie again showed that the gulf between Scottish and English football is going to take time to come to terms with. However, the most worrying aspect of the game was the apparent difference in fitness between the two sides. Cardiff looked a couple of yards quicker all over the pitch and that must be a cause for concern. For the first time last night, the players looked as if they had stopped playing for the manager and for long periods they looked a disinterested shambles. It is beginning to look as if the excellent performance at Norwich was yet another false dawn. However, the real failing is not just an inadequate manager or inferior players but an ownership that appears to have abdicated all responsibility for the club and its management both on and off the field. Until Venky's get their act together — and there has been no sign of that happening in the twelve months of their ownership — it's difficult to see how the club can move forward. Teams Cardiff City Tom Heaton; Kevin McNaughton, Anthony Gerrard, Ben Turner, Andrew Taylor; Dan Cowie, Filip Kiss (Stephen McPhail 79), Aron Gunnarsson, Peter Whittingham, Craig Conway (Joseph Ralls 84); Kenny Miller Subs not used: David Marshall (gk), Darcy Blake, Paul Quinn, Joe Mason, Robert Earnshaw Manager: Malky Mackay Blackburn Rovers Mark Bunn; Jason Lowe, Grant Hanley, Scott Dann, Gael Givet; Nick Blackman (Jason Roberts 80), David Dunn, Radosav Petrovic (Ruben Rochina 70), Morten Gamst Pedersen; Mauro Formica; David Goodwillie (Yakubu 80) Subs not used: Paul Robinson (gk), Myles Anderson, Adam Henley, Simon Vukcevic Manager: Steve Kean Bookings Cardiff City – Anthony Gerrard, Ben Turner Blackburn Rovers – Jason Lowe Join in the discussion on the forum here. View full article

Stoke City (1) 3 – 1 (0) Blackburn Rovers Delap 28, Whelan 58, Crouch 72 Rochina 86 Referee: M. Halsey Attendance: 26,686 For the third successive away match the Rovers conceded three goals, but unlike the last two away encounters, there was to be no last-minute drama at the Britannia Stadium. Indeed, long before the end the Rovers looked a well-beaten team. As supporters arrived back in Blackburn, they were greeted with the news that Wigan had won and the Rovers had dropped to the bottom of the league. Somehow, Steve Kean's assurances that there is no way the Rovers will be relegated seem increasingly hollow with each passing match — almost as hollow as his plans for european football at Ewood Park. A trip to the Britannia Stadium was always going to be a tough assignment and the blustery conditions were hardly conducive to good football. Once again, the Rovers were hampered by the loss of Chris Samba, but Jason Lowe returned for the injured Michel Salgado while Mauro Formica was recalled to replace the suspended David Dunn. Neither side looked comfortable in the tricky conditions that the wind created and the opening period was scrappy to say the least. Having lost their previous four league games, the home side looked every bit as edgy as the Rovers and the result was a nervy opening in which both sides resorted to long, hopeful balls played to nobody in particular. However, Stoke gradually began to play to their strengths, which involved two wingers — Jermaine Pennant and Matthew Etherington — hugging the touchline and tricking their way to the goalline before whipping in a cross. Etherington, in particular, looked dangerous whenever he had the ball and was able to deliver a decent cross despite the attentions of a defender or two. However, in truth, it was the long throws of Rory Delap and Morten Gamst Pedersen that posed the greatest threat to the defences. It came as no surprise that the deadlock was finally broken by a set-piece on twenty-eight minutes. Steven Nzonzi lost possession and then rashly gave away a free-kick when trying to win the ball back. Pennant whipped the ball into a crowded penalty area and Delap managed to get in front of Gael Givet to steer his header past Paul Robinson. The cries of "Kean Out" intensified after the goal as the long-suffering travelling support gave vent to their feelings in the face of another disappointing display. The fact that the Rovers failed to muster a shot at the Stoke goal until the forty-fifth minute — and that proved a rather tame effort from Ruben Rochina — summed up a lacklustre first-half display in which, in fairness, the home side proved only marginally better than the Rovers. The Rovers began the second half in lively fashion with Rochina weaving his way past a number of defenders as he cut into the Stoke penalty area. When it looked like he had wandered up a blind alley, however, he produced a sensational backheeled pass that landed at the feet of Formica, who was about two yards out. With the goal gaping in front of him, the Argentine took a swing at the ball but somehow managed to miss it completely with the result that the ball went behind him and was eventually cleared. It was a terrible miss and seemed to sum up the woes which surround the club at the present time — comic and embarrassing all at the same time. Undeterred, the Rovers continued to press but once again were found lacking in front of goal. A cross from Junior Hoilett was met by Rochina, but his first-time shot flew well wide when he really ought to have done better. However, the home side might well have stretched their lead on 54 minutes when Robert Huth headed wide when he really ought to have found the back of the net. The Rovers' inability to stem the flow of crosses from the home wingers ultimately told in the fifty-eighth minute when Stoke doubled their lead. Peter Crouch started the move in his own half and found Etherington lurking just inside the Rovers' half. The former West Ham man set off down the wing and with Givet in attendance he managed to pull the ball back to Jonathan Walters on the edge of the Rovers' area. The former Ewood Academy man quickly laid the ball into the path of the oncoming Glenn Whelan who fired a shot goalwards. The ball then struck Grant Hanley and Scott Dann before finding the back of the net with Robinson unable to make the necessary adjustments to his positioning following the twin deflections. Stoke replaced Pennant with Dean Whitehead on 71 minutes, but any hopes of a fightback by the Rovers were extinguished in the next minute when a long punt forward was missed by Hanley, and Crouch was on hand to pounce and coolly slot the ball past Robinson. It was the simplest of goals and yet another horror show from a defence which continues to be punished for making basic errors. The Rovers pulled a goal back after 86 minutes following good work by Hoilett and Nzonzi which enabled Rochina to fire home. The former Barcelona youngster might well have had a second goal just as few moments later, but unfortunately his curled effort was pushed around the post by Sorensen. However, in truth it was all rather too little too late and the Rovers had looked a beaten side long before the end. In defence, Robinson could do little about any of the goals and was, for the most part, largely untroubled by a Stoke side that failed to create many clear-cut chances. Jason Lowe enjoyed a decent return to the side even if he struggled to keep Etherington quiet at times. The former West Ham man was a constant threat and his ability to cross the ball from all angles despite the close attentions of a defender is a major asset to the home side. How the Rovers could do with a genuine winger who can hug the touchline, cross accurately, and track back to cover their full-back when needed. 
Gael Givet managed to keep Pennant relatively quiet to such an extent that Tony Pulis withdrew the former Liverpool winger long before the end. However, there is no doubt that Givet looks so much better when playing in the centre of defence rather than at full-back. In the middle both Scott Dann and Grant Hanley again failed to dominate as one would like. The third goal was a simple long ball which ought to have been dealt with by one of the centre-backs and wasn't. In midfield and attack the Rovers failed to make much impression. Yakubu worked hard up front, but his lack of pace makes it difficult for him to have much of an impact without excellent service and today the service was mediocre at best. However, when he did get the ball, he held it up well and won his fair share of free-kicks and again demonstrated that he remains our most potent threat as an out-and-out striker. Mauro Formica was given the role of playing in the hole behind Yakubu and seemed to disappear into it for large parts of the game. He was totally invisible at times and on the one occasion when he was in the right position he completely fluffed his chance and no doubt wished that he could remain invisible. Ruben Rochina and Junior Hoilett again occupied the wide positions with mixed results. Both look a threat but both disappear out of the game for long periods. Rochina scored an excellent goal and might well have added a second but for some excellent goalkeeping. However, there were times when he drifted to the fringes of the game and one suspects that he needs to play in the position which Formica filled today. Unfortunately, that is probably the best position for Hoilett, who once again had a disappointing game by his standards. The question of how to accommodate Rochina, Hoilett and Formica in the same starting eleven remains unanswered. All three have undoubted talent, but all three seem happiest in the same position – supporting the front runner. Furthermore, having all three in midfield seems to put an intolerable strain on the two holding players, while the back four seem to be increasingly exposed to opposition midfield runners. At the moment, the selection of these three merely underlines how much we miss Phil Jones and Jermaine Jones sitting in front of the back four. Morten Gamst Pedersen and Steven Nzonzi played as the holding players in midfield and although both worked hard, they were not as impressive as they have been in recent weeks. Jason Roberts was given a brief outing as sub before racing off to what appears to be his main job of co-presenting 606 on Radio 5 Live. However, in fairness to Roberts, the game had got away from the Rovers by the time he was introduced. I would also like to end with a word of praise for the much-maligned Mark Halsey. He may not get every decision right and whilst his style of refereeing may not suit everybody, I find it refreshing to find a referee who is prepared to let the game flow and one who doesn't brandish yellow cards at the drop of a hat. Results elsewhere ensured that the Rovers dropped to the bottom of the table with a record that boasts the fewest wins achieved by any club and the worst goal difference. What a perfect backdrop to answer Venky's plea to judge them at the end of twelve months. I suspect the majority of fans are only too happy to give their verdict — guilty as charged of being derelict in their duties in charge of a football club. Nonetheless, taking a Steve Kean view of the world, the fact remains that survival is still a possibility if results are turned around quickly. The next four League matches, three of which are at Ewood, are all very winnable. Indeed, one might say that a return of eight points is essential if the club are to survive with Christmas visits to Anfield and Old Trafford on the horizon. With 25 games remaining, the fact remains that the Rovers are still 33 points short of the magical 40 mark and the number of games in which points could realistically be expected to be gained is growing ever fewer. One suspects that the next four games will go some way to defining our season and the long-term future of Steve Kean and Venky's at Ewood Park. Teams Stoke City Thomas Sorensen; Andy Wilkinson, Robert Huth, Ryan Shawcross, Marc Wilson; Jermaine Pennant (Dean Whitehead 71), Rory Delap, Glenn Whelan, Matthew Etherington; Peter Crouch (Kenwyne Jones 83), Jonathan Walters Subs: Asmir Begovic (gk), Danny Higginbotham, Matthew Upson, Ricardo Fuller, Cameron Jerome Manager: Tony Pulis Blackburn Rovers Paul Robinson; Jason Lowe, Grant Hanley, Scott Dann, Gael Givet; Ruben Rochina, Steven Nzonzi, Morten Gamst Pedersen, David "Junior" Hoilett; Mauro Formica (Jason Roberts 68), Yakubu Subs: Mark Bunn (gk), Adam Henley, Radosav Petrovic, Simon Vukcevic, David Goodwillie, Nick Blackman Manager: Steve Kean Bookings Stoke City – None Blackburn Rovers – None Join in the discussion on the forum here. View full article

Blackburn Rovers (0) 0 – 1 (0) Tottenham Hotspur Lampard 51 Referee: M. Dean Attendance: 21,985 Whatever qualities Steve Kean may or may not possess, it would appear that luck is the one attribute that he doesn't have in abundance. One might argue that he is lucky to still be in a job after winning just six league games since taking over last December. However, can anybody working for Venky's be truly described as lucky? If Kean is the outwardly visible symptom of the problems at Ewood Park, it is the family in Pune who are the root cause of the club's remarkable decline during the past twelve months. Six points from the opening eleven games has left the club staring into the abyss and yet the owners appear more concerned with stifling protest rather than addressing the issues which have led to the unrest at Ewood Park. Leaving the ground on Saturday to the sight of stewards and police locking gates to prevent access to the front of the Jack Walker Stand merely illustrated how the club has changed out of all recognition during the past twelve months. The "family club" that had been nurtured so well by Messrs Williams and Finn has long gone and is now replaced by a heavy-handed approach to stewarding that would appear to view the fans as the enemy. We have a PR machine that could have been tutored by Pravda for its blinkered approach to recent events, while Radio Rovers seems to live in a parallel universe where all is well and the sun shines on anything blue and white. Clearly negativity is not to be tolerated in the wonderful world of Venky's. Once again, much of the pre-match build-up had been dominated by talk of demonstrations and the club's clumsy attempts to stifle such protests. The ban on banners simply brought more ridicule on the club and the resultant banner being towed by the plane has no doubt received far more media exposure than if banners had been allowed in the ground in the first place. With their penchant for scoring own goals, one wonders if the Rovers PR department has been taking lessons from the Arsenal defence. Sadly, nobody appears to have informed them that when you're in a hole, it's always advisable to stop digging. The match itself provided further evidence of an improvement in performance if not result and therein is the enigma that is Blackburn Rovers today. The players clearly have confidence in the manager and he obviously has faith in his players. Yet, results continue to prove elusive. While the football might be easier on the eye than that of his predecessor, the simple fact remains that Allardyce, who admittedly struggled away from home, produced results at Ewood Park which kept the club in a healthy league position. Thus far, Kean has failed to get results both at home and away. Having dropped two points last week, in the cruellest of circumstances, Lady Luck again deserted the Rovers, although some indifferent finishing and good goalkeeping also played their part in the latest setback. After the excellent performance at Carrow Road, Kean had the luxury of naming an unchanged side for the first time this season. The gulf between the resources of the two clubs was perfectly illustrated by the Chelsea bench, which included Jose Bosingwa, Raul Meireles, Salomon Kalou and Fernando Torres. It was the visitors who quickly announced their attacking intentions when Florent Malouda found the time and space to deliver a ball into the Rovers penalty area. Fortunately, the intended recipient, Daniel Sturridge, didn't have a telescopic leg and so was unable to reach the ball before Paul Robinson safely gathered it in. Nonetheless, Chelsea's fluidity of movement caused a number of problems during the opening period and the Rovers struggled to impose themselves on the game. Gradually, the home side came into it rather more thanks to the promptings of Ruben Rochina and Steven Nzonzi. Mauro Formica also began to see more of the ball and it was a move involving "Junior" Hoilett and Formica which almost resulted in the Rovers taking the lead. The two worked the ball down the left wing before the Argentinian was played into space by Hoilett. Formica showed great composure and crossed the ball for Yakubu who, under pressure from Petr Cech and Ashley Cole, managed to poke the ball wide. It was a glaring miss and the sort of opportunity which really ought to have been put away. Play was held up for six or seven minutes while Cech received treatment for a broken nose, having collided with Yakubu and Cole when the Nigerian missed the target. Shortly after play resumed, the drone of an aircraft engine was heard overhead with the "Steve Kean Out" banner in tow. Whilst it caused a ripple of "Kean Out" cries, the fans continued to get behind the team as they seemed to be on top at this point. Whether it was the plane or the fact that Chelsea upped a gear, the visitors gradually began to force the Rovers onto the back foot. For some reason, Hoilett seemed strangely subdued and the Rovers suffered a further blow when Chris Samba suffered a hamstring injury which necessitated his replacement with Grant Hanley. Although the visitors ended the half on top, they rarely threatened Paul Robinson's goal despite their impressive ball retention. Chelsea introduced Fernando Torres at the start of the second half in a bid to add more firepower to their attack. However, it was their old warhorse Frank Lampard who scored the decisive goal after 51 minutes and how ironic that it was yet another poor piece of defending from young Hoilett that contributed to the downfall of the Rovers goal. Branislav Ivanovic, hardly the speediest of full-backs, picked up the ball on the overlap and stepped inside of an embarrassingly poor effort to tackle from Hoilett before he curled a delightful ball, with the outside of his foot, into the centre. The low cross was met by the head of a diving Lampard, who steered the ball past Robinson and into the corner of the net. To their credit, the Rovers continued to take the fight to Chelsea and Cech was forced to produce an excellent save from a typically powerful free-kick from Morten Gamst Pedersen. However, the 'keeper could only knock the ball into the path of Hanley, but the young defender could only steer the ball back into the arms of Cech. It was another excellent opportunity and the type of chance that simply cannot be spurned at this level. Chelsea were also dangerous on the break with Juan Mata pulling the strings in midfield, and Robinson was called into action to make a superb save from a long-range effort from Lampard. The Rovers came back again and Yakubu forced Cech into making a diving save when he took advantage of a mix-up between John Terry and Alex but was unable to curl the ball past the Chelsea custodian. A few minutes later Cech was beaten by an effort from Formica, but Ramires was on hand to clear the danger. At this point the Rovers had Chelsea rocking and Ivanovic headed against his own bar, from a Pedersen corner, and was grateful to see it go over rather than drop into the goal. The Norwegian midfielder quickly had another effort at goal which flew narrowly over the bar. Chelsea also had their chances. Firstly, Daniel Sturridge failed to reach a cross from Ashley Cole with the goal at his mercy. The Chelsea youngster claimed he had been pushed, but this was ignored by the referee. In the dying moments of the game the visitors really ought to have doubled their lead, but Torres, from almost under the ball, somehow contrived to shoot over. With regard to individual performances, there was much to admire about the Rovers. Once again, Jason Lowe did enough to suggest that he might well have a long-term future at right-back. Gael Givet was again immense in the heart of the defence and would appear to have cemented his position as the ideal partner for Chris Samba. The loss of the captain might well be covered by the return of Scott Dann and Ryan Nelsen, but there is no doubt that his absence is going to be keenly felt at both ends of the pitch. Both Steven Nzonzi and Morten Gamst Pedersen were excellent as the holding players in midfield, while Ruben Rochina and Mauro Formica appear to be growing into the "English" game and both made significant contributions in the build-up play. With Junior Hoilett strangely subdued, and one can only hope this is not a sign of things to come in light of his apparent contract situation, it was left to Martin Olsson to provide the pace down the wing from the full-back position. Up front, Yakubu worked hard and although his hold-up play is good, he is not the quickest and needs far more service if he is to prosper in front of goal. However, the reality is that the Rovers need to spend some serious money in this area if they hope to survive. The truth of the matter is that we don't have one striker who looks capable of notching ten goals in a season and that is a serious handicap for any club in our position. The full-time whistle was greeted with relief from the visitors and a strange feeling of resignation amongst home supporters. The planned protest at the end of the game quickly fizzled out due to the air of depression which now fills Ewood Park. The stewards and police began to lock down the ground while the fans simply drifted away almost resigned to the fact that Championship football beckons ever more clearly with each passing week. The simple fact is that at the moment the team are playing well but still finding points elusive, and once again the post-match press conference focussed on the lack of luck, always a favourite refuge for managers in trouble. There can be no doubt that we have been desperately unlucky in the past couple of games, but the truth is that we have squandered far too many opportunities at one end and been far too charitable at the other. Teams that can't score and can't defend usually get relegated irrespective of luck. As the players embark on international duty for the next couple of weeks, it provides an opportunity to regroup for the vital pre-Christmas programme. Home games against Swansea City, West Bromwich Albion and Bolton Wanderers loom, and these, coupled with away trips to Wigan Athletic and Stoke City, may well go some way to deciding the club's fate. If Kean can't deliver results in these games, then relegation would be difficult, if not impossible, to avoid. Despite the protests, it seems increasingly likely that Kean will be here for the foreseeable future, while the owners, it would appear, seem none too eager to visit their Lancashire investment. Apathy, both on the part of the owners and the supporters, would appear to be the greatest threat to future prospects. A gate of 21,985 included a sizable contingent from Chelsea and would reaffirm the growing conclusion that many supporters have decided that "Venky Rovers" is not for them and are now voting with their feet and staying away. One can only wonder what Jack Walker would make of the way in which our Indian friends have allowed this club to disintegrate into sheer chaos. At the moment we are a rudderless ship heading for the rocks and it appears there is nobody who has the first idea about what to do to avoid the seemingly inevitable disaster. Teams Blackburn Rovers Paul Robinson; Jason Lowe, Chris Samba (Grant Hanley 45 + 1), Gael Givet, Martin Olsson; Steven Nzonzi, Morten Gamst Pedersen; Ruben Rochina (David Dunn 71), Mauro Formica, David "Junior" Hoilett; Yakubu Subs not used: Mark Bunn (gk), Simon Vukcevic, Radosav Petrovic, Nick Blackman, David Goodwillie Manager: Steve Kean Chelsea Petr Cech; Branislav Ivanovic, Alex, John Terry, Ashley Cole; Ramires (Oriol Romeu 90 + 2), John Obi Mikel, Frank Lampard; Florent Malouda (Fernando Torres 46), Daniel Sturridge, Juan Mata (Raul Meireles 82) Subs not used: Ross Turnbull (gk), Jose Bosingwa, Romelu Lukaku, Salomon Kalou Manager: Andre Villas-Boas Bookings Blackburn Rovers – Jason Lowe, Grant Hanley, Gael Givet, Morten Gamst Pedersen Chelsea – Daniel Sturridge, Raul Meireles Join in the discussion on the forum here. View full article

Carling Cup 4th Round Blackburn Rovers4 – 3(AET) Newcastle United Rochina 5, Yakubu (pen) 64,Pedersen 99, Givet 120 Guthrie 90 + 3, Cabaye 90 + 6,Lovenkrands (pen) 105 + 3 Referee: R. Madeley Attendance: 10,682 On a night when Ewood Park was depressingly empty, apart from the sizeable contingent from Newcastle, the Rovers produced a performance which demonstrated that the players would appear to be fully committed to their beleaguered manager. Having conceded two goals during the final three minutes of over six minutes of injury time — and surely only the referee knows where all that time came from — it would have been so easy for heads to drop and Newcastle to run rampant during extra-time. However, the players responded to the manager, dug in and pulled off a remarkable win which sent the small contingent of Rovers' fans home very happy. Of course, it doesn't mean everything is wonderful or that our league position is suddenly going to miraculously improve, but what a pleasure it was to come off Ewood Park talking about the game rather than protests about the manager. Both managers made multiple changes to their starting elevens. Alan Pardew introduced five players to the side which had defeated Wigan on Saturday, while Steve Kean also made five changes with Mark Bunn, Radosav Petrovic, Ruben Rochina, David Goodwillie and Yakubu being drafted into the side which performed so valiantly against Tottenham Hotspur. The Rovers began the game exceptionally well and were ahead after only five minutes. Martin Olsson and "Junior" Hoilett combined well, with Olsson ending a speedy run with a pin-point cross to Rochina, who rifled home a first-time shot past Tim Krul. However, the visitors might well have scored an immediate equaliser, but Demba Ba, who looked marginally offside, blasted his shot against the post with Bunn well beaten. At the other end, Goodwillie's rather tame shot was spilled by Krul, but the ‘keeper managed to grab the ball at the second attempt before Yakubu could take advantage of the error. The Dutch ‘keeper then saved an effort from Rochina with his legs before being forced to push away a swerving free-kick from Morten Gamst Pedersen. Although the Rovers enjoyed the better opportunities of the first half, Newcastle might well have scored when Danny Guthrie worked his way into the penalty area before firing a cross-cum-shot narrowly wide at the far post with Ba sliding in but fractionally too late to get the all-important touch. The visitors were fortunate to keep eleven men on the pitch when Fabricio Coloccini upended Yakubu when the Nigerian international looked set to break clear. It was a dreadful foul and might well have received more than a yellow card if it were not for the close proximity of other Newcastle defenders. As the half-time whistle approached, Krul was again in the thick of the action when he made another save from Yakubu. The Rovers had the first opportunity of the second period, but Goodwillie again failed to get any power or direction into his effort. However, it was the visitors who began to get the upper hand as they increased the tempo and tempers began to get frayed when Newcastle had two penalty appeals turned down. The first, for a handball against a Rovers defender, appeared to be a case of ball-to-hand rather than the other way round, while Ba's theatrical dive when trying to turn Samba seemed overly dramatic and more a case of a slip on the greasy surface. However, almost immediately the Rovers were awarded their own penalty when Mr. Madeley decided that Rochina had been taken down by Krul on the edge of the area. It was, undoubtedly, a clumsy attempt to win the ball, but some referees might well have given the 'keeper the benefit of the doubt. Fortunately for the Rovers, Mr. Madeley was not one of them. Yakubu stepped up to take the spot kick and calmly sent Krul the wrong way. Alan Pardew made the expected changes with Sammy Ameobi, Gabriel Obertan and Peter Lovenkrands all being introduced to add more firepower to the Newcastle attack. As the game drifted to the 90-minute mark, the Rovers appeared to have weathered the storm with Chris Samba and Gael Givet in outstanding form at the heart of the defence. There were gasps of disbelief amongst the Rovers fans when the fourth official indicated that there would be five minutes of time added on. The Rovers negotiated the first few minutes with little difficulty, but on 93 minutes the visitors scored what ought to have been little more than a consolation goal. Guthrie found himself in acres of space some 25 yards from goal and whipped in a shot which swerved past Samba and out of the reach of Bunn to find the corner of the net. The game was into the sixth minute of time added on when Samba fouled Lovenkrands some 25 yards from goal. Yohan Cabaye stepped up to take the kick and curled a wonderful effort over the wall and beyond Bunn. It was pure heartbreak for the Rovers and pure joy for the Newcastle contingent. The pressure on both Kean and the players at that point must have been immense, but, fair play to the manager, he galvanised his players to go again and, rather than sit back and accept the seemingly inevitable, they rallied and took the lead once more. Pedersen gave the visitors warning of his ability on free-kicks when he whipped a low effort narrowly wide as the Rovers started the extra-time period on the offensive. On 99 minutes the Rovers duly took the lead when the Norwegian's free-kick took a slight deflection of the wall and flew into the net. The first half of extra-time had drifted into added time, and again only the referee knows why, when Bunn pulled off a terrific save to deny Ba. The ball appeared to have been cleared when the linesman left many fans bemused when he signalled for a penalty. In the scramble to clear the ball, he had adjudged that Grant Hanley had committed a foul. Lovenkrands duly accepted the gift and brought Newcastle level. The second period of extra-time produced little in the way of a goal threat from either side and it appeared as though the clash would be decided on penalties. However, in the final minute of extra-time the Rovers were awarded a free-kick which led to the winning goal. Pedersen, back to his best on dead-ball duty, lofted the ball onto the head of Samba, who, in turn, headed the ball across goal for Gael Givet to dive in and head home by the post. His goal sparked scenes of wild celebration amongst both the players and supporters. There was no time for Newcastle to come back and so the Rovers duly marched on to the quarter-finals of the Carling Cup. The result, and more importantly the performance, must have come as a welcome relief for Steve Kean. On the night, his selection and tactics proved spot on and few could have quibbled with his substitutions. The introduction of Formica for Yakubu seemed eminently sensible as did substituting Rochina with Vukcevic to help nullify the threat of Obertan after he was brought on by Pardew. With three minutes remaining, few would argue that replacing Hoilett with Hanley seemed a sensible approach to shore up the defence and settle for what we had. Having seen his side concede two goals in injury time, Kean deserves some credit for getting his players motivated for the extra-time and clearly the players responded. There is certainly no evidence to suggest that the manager has lost the dressing room in the same way that Paul Ince did. One suspects that it is the players' support for the manager that is the main reason why Mrs Desai continues to give him her full support. There were a number of positives to take from the game. Jason Lowe had an excellent game at right-back while Samba and Givet proved a very good combination in the centre of defence. Olsson was a threat coming forward from full-back and his link-up play with Hoilett on the left was excellent. Pedersen gave another sound performance in the centre of midfield and was dangerous from set-pieces. However, Petrovic continues to struggle with the pace of English football and his distribution remains inconsistent. Rochina was a threat on the right, particularly in the first half, but at times he has a tendency to overdo things and loses possession rather too easily. However, in and around the opposition area there is no doubt that he poses a serious threat. In attack, the Rovers were a little disappointing. Although Yakubu is not the most mobile, he does have the ability to retain possession and bring others into the game. Goodwillie, for all his effort, seems a little off the pace at the moment and struggles to pose much of a threat in terms of goalscoring. This is one area where the owners are going to have to spend some serious money in January if they want to keep the Rovers in the top flight. At present, we simply don't look to have a striker who is capable of scoring 10 or 15 goals a season. Steve Kean has his critics, and I'm amongst them; however, on the night he deserves some praise for rallying his players and, in turn, the players showed that they are fully committed to their manager. This is clearly going to become a dilemma for owners who are still strong in their support of the manager and highlights the widening chasm that is developing between sections of the supporters and the owners. The manager retains the confidence of the owners and the players but not a large section of the supporters. Ultimately, results should be the yardstick by which the manager is judged and one suspects that he will now be given time to prove he is capable of turning things around, particularly if he can achieve a positive result at Norwich. The overwhelming majority of supporters simply want to see the Rovers win and if Kean proves he can win on a regular basis, he will go some way to turning around the opposition to him. Last night it was simply a joy to celebrate a victory and leave Ewood Park talking about the performances and the goals rather than discussing the future of the manager. It may only be a brief respite from the acrimony that surrounds Kean, but it was a welcome one nonetheless. Teams Blackburn Rovers Mark Bunn; Jason Lowe, Chris Samba, Gael Givet, Martin Olsson; Ruben Rochina (Simon Vukcevic 77), Radosav Petrovic, Morten Gamst Pedersen, David "Junior" Hoilett (Grant Hanley 87); David Goodwillie, Yakubu (Mauro Formica 66) Subs not used: Paul Robinson (gk), Miles Anderson, Robbie Cotton, Jason Roberts Manager: Steve Kean Newcastle United Tim Krul; Danny Simpson (Sammy Ameobi 69), James Perch, Fabricio Coloccini, Davide Santon; Sylvain Marveaux (Gabriel Obertan 76), Danny Guthrie, Yohan Cabaye, Jonas Gutierrez; Hatem Ben Arfa (Peter Lovenkrands 79); Demba Ba Subs not used: Rob Elliott (gk), Mehdi Abeid, Dan Gosling, Nile Ranger Manager: Alan Pardew Bookings Blackburn Rovers – David "Junior" Hoilett, Martin Olsson Newcastle United – Fabricio Coloccini, James Perch, Tim Krul, Yohan Cabaye Join in the discussion on the forum here. View full article

Blackburn Rovers (1) 1 – 2 (1) Tottenham Hotspur Formica 28 van der Vaart 15, 53 Referee: S. Attwell Attendance: 22,786 On a day when 500 or so marched before the game to have Steve Kean removed and considerably more remained after the game to demand the same, it was perhaps ironic that the team should produce what was undoubtedly their best performance of the season. The end result was still the same: defeat, no points and still rooted to the foot of the table. However, the performance would suggest that the players are still very much behind their manager — a fact remarked upon by Harry Redknapp in the post-match interviews. The players and manager clearly have an excellent working relationship, but sadly this is not reflected in the league table. With virtually a quarter of the season now gone, the club are anchored at the bottom with just 5 points gained from the 27 that have been available. With 29 games remaining, the team are still some 35 points away from the magical 40 mark as the margin for error decreases with each passing week. The dilemma facing Venky's is whether to stick or twist with regard to the managerial position and the manner of the performance against Tottenham would suggest that Kean will remain in place for a little while longer at least. With a favourable fixture list in November and early December, one can only hope that the decision to keep faith with Kean is justified, for if results are not turned around during this period, it will be too late for Kean or any other manager to save the club from relegation. Kean was forced to change his side due to injuries to Michel Salgado and Scott Dann. Jason Lowe was again asked to drop to right-back with Martin Olsson doing the same on the opposite flank and Gael Givet moving across to partner Chris Samba in the centre of the back four. Simon Vukcevic came in for his first Premier League start on the right wing while Morten Gamst Pedersen returned from injury to partner Steven Nzonzi in the centre of midfield. Jason Roberts again led the attack with Mauro Formica playing in the hole, both supporting attack and helping out in midfield. Tottenham had defensive problems which meant Sebastien Bassong started his first Premier League match of the season, although Harry Redknapp had Aaron Lennon available again and recalled him on the right wing. During the early stages the Rovers looked at their most dangerous when the pace of Junior Hoilett and Olsson could be exploited. Their link-up play forced an early corner from which Samba headed over. Hoilett then popped up in the old "inside-right" position and drove at the visiting defence before blazing his shot over the bar. However, it wasn't long before Tottenham showed their own attacking credentials with a superb move down the left wing. Gareth Bale, lurking on the touchline in his own half, played the ball inside to Rafael van der Vaart, before sprinting down the wing to receive a return pass. With Lowe trailing in his wake he delivered a pin-point low cross towards Emmanuel Adebayor in the centre, but fortunately Givet made a brilliant tackle to get his foot to the ball and the Rovers managed to scramble it clear. Unfortunately, the opening goal was not long delayed and came from another incisive break down the flank, but this time on the right. A pass by Pedersen was intended for the overlapping run of Olsson but was intercepted and played to Lennon. The winger held the ball up before sending Kyle Walker away down the wing. With Olsson out of position, Givet was forced to come across to try to cover the gap but was unable to keep pace with Tottenham's speedy full-back. Walker cut into the penalty area and, as Samba came across to meet him, he simply pulled the ball back into the path of the oncoming van der Vaart, who, totally unmarked, was able to pick his spot and give Tottenham a 15th-minute lead. The goal rocked the Rovers and the visitors might well have increased their lead when Paul Robinson was forced to tip the ball over the bar after Bale's cross had struck Olsson and seemed destined for the net. Bale, who was giving Lowe a torrid time at this point, ended another teasing run with a pass that was met by Adebayor, but fortunately the former Arsenal striker failed to make a clean connection and Robinson was able to make a save. It was, therefore, somewhat against the run of play that the Rovers managed to drag themselves back into the game with an equaliser that was straight out of the Sam Allardyce playbook. A Pedersen free-kick, on the edge of the centre circle in the Tottenham half, was floated goalwards. Samba threw himself at the ball, taking out two defenders in the process, and although he was unable to make a clean connection with his attempted header, the ball fell to Formica who showed terrific technique in firing the ball high into the corner of the net. The Rovers might well have taken the lead when Vukcevic forced Brad Friedel to make a save by the near post and then another Pedersen free-kick was met by the head of Samba, but unfortunately the ball flew narrowly wide. Although the Rovers had ended the first half strongly, it was the visitors who created the best of the early chances at the start of the second half. A shot by Luka Modric was palmed away by Robinson but only found Lennon. He immediately pulled the ball back across goal, but Bale completely missed his kick as he seemed certain to fire Tottenham into the lead. Sadly, the reprieve was only short-lived and on 53 minutes the visitors took the lead thanks to an exquisite finish by van der Vaart. It was the Dutch international who started the move with a ball played into Adebayor, who in turn laid it into the path of Benoit Assou-Ekotto, who was racing down the left wing. Vukcevic attempted to rob him, but his tackle merely saw the ball rebound against the Tottenham full-back and into the path of van der Vaart, who struck an inch-perfect shot past Robinson and into the back of the net. It was the finish of a quality player and perfectly illustrated the difference between the two sides. The Rovers then forced Tottenham onto the back foot and might well have forced an equaliser with another typical set-piece. A long throw by Pedersen was back-headed by Samba and seemed destined for the net until Friedel managed to arch his back and get fingertips to the ball and send it over the bar. The Rovers continued to maintain pressure on the Tottenham goal and Yakubu really ought to have done better when Olsson's cross wasn't cut out by Bassong, but the Nigerian international couldn't adjust his body to meet the ball correctly and ended up diverting the ball well wide when in front of goal. Tottenham managed to withstand the increased pressure and Redknapp later admitted that they had their "backs to the wall" during the final twenty minutes. He also agreed that the Rovers' players couldn't have given anymore for their manager and queried the protests that began at the final whistle. While this was undoubtedly the most convincing performance of the season, it was somewhat ironic that most of the best moments came from tactics employed by the former manager. Free-kicks from Pedersen and Robinson, corner-kicks from Pedersen and, of course, the Norwegian's long throw — all aimed at Samba — were the weapons which caused the visitors the greatest problems. The Rovers looked better balanced than of late with Pedersen providing a little more stability in the centre of midfield alongside Nzonzi, who had another excellent game. Vukcevic offered more defensive support on the wing, while Hoilett and Olsson troubled the opposition with their pace. Samba and Givet looked a comfortable partnership in the centre of defence and young Lowe did well after a difficult start. Formica took his goal well but once again had a tendency to drift in and out of the game. Roberts works hard, but I suspect he would be happier playing alongside another striker. Unfortunately, neither Yakubu nor Goodwillie improved matters when they arrived, as Kean's new signings continue to struggle to make the sort of impact that was expected. It has been said before and it will, no doubt, be said again that the owners are going to have to find the money for a quality striker if they want to keep Premier League football at Ewood Park. While Kean's record has deservedly brought him flak from the supporters, the fact of the matter remains that he is merely an employee of the club. The owners have the power to make changes just as they had the power to make significant signings in the summer. In the transfer window they opted for bargain basement shopping and now, it would appear, they continue to put their faith in a manager who has delivered just six wins from 30 league games. One win in nine games this season is a recipe for relegation. On a personal note, I was reminded of the 1965–66 season when Tottenham were the final visitors to Ewood Park that season. All season we were told by neutrals that we were "too good to go down", but in the end we weren't. Anyone who thinks that relegation might not be a disaster should look no further than our neighbours at Deepdale. It is now over 50 years since they dropped out of the top flight and they show no signs of returning to that level anytime soon. Unfortunately, our owners don't appear to have a grasp of the seriousness of the situation and, if reports are to be believed, didn't actually bother to attend the game on Sunday. The seeming indifference of Venky's to the growing crisis at Ewood Park is every bit as worrying as the continued decline under Kean. Attempts to drown out the growing cries of dissatisfaction at the end of the match with music is hardly a step in the right direction, while the editorial policy of Radio Rovers now appears to have been lifted directly from Pravda. Teams Blackburn Rovers Paul Robinson; Jason Lowe, Chris Samba, Gael Givet, Martin Olsson; Simon Vukcevic (Ruben Rochina 70), Steven Nzonzi, Morten Gamst Pedersen, David "Junior" Hoilett; Mauro Formica (Yakubu 70); Jason Roberts (David Goodwillie 82) Subs not used: Mark Bunn (gk), Grant Hanley, Radosav Petrovic, Jordan Slew Manager: Steve Kean Tottenham Hotspur Brad Friedel; Kyle Walker, Younes Kaboul, Sebastien Bassong, Benoit Assou-Ekotto; Aaron Lennon (Danny Rose 70), Scott Parker, Luka Modric, Gareth Bale; Rafael van der Vaart (Jermain Defoe 88); Emmanuel Adebayor Subs not used: Carlo Cudicini (gk), Jake Livermore, Sandro, Andros Townsend, Roman Pavlyuchenko Manager: Harry Redknapp Bookings Blackburn Rovers – Steven Nzonzi, Jason Lowe, Jason Roberts, Yakubu Tottenham Hotspur – Danny Rose Join in the discussion on the forum here. View full article

Queens Park Rangers (1) 1 – 1 (1) Blackburn Rovers Helguson 16 Samba 24 Referee: M. Clattenburg Attendance: 16,487 After the recent sojourn in Pune to promote Blackburn Rovers in India, it was back to the bread and butter of the Premier League at Loftus Road on Saturday. Plans for setting up academies, merchandising outlets and making the Rovers India's Premier League team literally seemed a world away from this dull, uninspiring spectacle that passed for 90 minutes' entertainment in what is supposedly the most exciting league competition in world football. Make no mistake: this dour encounter provided plenty of evidence that mediocrity is alive and well and continues to thrive amidst the glitz and glamour that the Premier League has become. Steve Kean remarked after the game that whilst an away point was always welcome, the players had a feeling of disappointment that a victory had not been forthcoming. It was an opinion that the majority of the travelling support no doubt shared. There was an overwhelming feeling that this was a case of two points dropped rather than a point gained. Neil Warnock opted to leave the enigma that is Adel Taarabt on the bench, while Jamie Mackie made his first Premier League start since breaking his leg at Ewood Park last January. Steve Kean, meanwhile, was able to welcome back Michel Salgado after injury and Martin Olsson after suspension. Up front he opted to use Jason Roberts as the lone striker in front of a five-man midfield. The opening proved a fairly cautious affair, which was no surprise in view of the fact that these two sides had conceded ten goals between them on their last league outings. It was the Rovers who went closest during the early stages when Martin Olsson's low cross was sliced onto the top of his own crossbar and behind for a corner by Anton Ferdinand. In truth it was a poor cross and a desperate piece of defending and was indicative of the nervy manner in which both sides approached the opening period. On 16 minutes the home side took the lead with a goal that typified much of the football that had gone before it. A QPR corner was met at the near post by Heidar Helgusson, but his goalbound header struck one of his own men before rebounding back to him. He had time to control the ball and then dink a lofted cross to the far post in search of a teammate. However, the ball dropped straight into the net by the unguarded far post with the Rovers defence, once again, in complete disarray. It was completely unintentional and ought to have been avoidable, but such is the way of things with the Rovers at the moment. The home side might well have doubled their advantage a few minutes later following another corner. The ball was whipped into the area and flew off the head of Chris Samba to Joey Barton, who was lurking on the far side just outside of the six-yard box. He fired in a low cross which struck Samba and deflected the ball away from the path of Helgusson, who seemed an almost certain scorer. Fortunately, the Rovers were able to drag themselves back into the game fairly quickly thanks to a successfully executed set-piece. A typically tricky run by "Junior" Hoilett was ended when the home side conceded a corner. Jason Lowe swung the corner kick towards the penalty spot and Samba towered above his marker to thunder a header into the top corner of the net. The Rovers began to look far more threatening during the closing stages of the first half. Hoilett and Olsson swapped wings and the home side struggled to contain their raids down the flanks. It was from one such attack that Hoilett almost gave the Rovers a lead. Steven Nzonzi passed the ball to Hoilett on the left wing and the young Canadian set off at speed down the touchline before cutting in, leaving defenders in his wake, and curling a delightful effort wide of Paddy Kenny and seemingly destined for the net. Unfortunately, Ferdinand had stationed himself on the line and was able to clear the ball. Shaun Wright-Phillips, who had posed very little threat during the opening period, went close as the interval beckoned with a fierce shot that flew narrowly wide of Paul Robinson's right-hand post. However, in truth, neither goalkeeper had been overworked during the first forty-five minutes. The second half followed a similar pattern to the first but at a more frenetic pace. Both managers tried to shake up their attacks with Taarabt coming on for Mackie and Goodwillie replacing Roberts but neither substitute was able to make much impression. Taarabt threatened on a couple of occasions but his final ball was poor and on the one time that he was able to break free from Salgado he pulled his shot embarrassingly wide of goal when seemingly clean through. Goodwillie made one good run into the area but when he pulled the ball back for Olsson the young Swede couldn't make a proper connection with the ball and Kenny was able to save with little difficulty. Rovers might have won it at the death when Olsson was played in by Hoilett but, having cut into the area, his powerful shot was turned around the post by Kenny. In truth this was a desperately disappointing affair that was devoid of any real quality for much of the time. Queens Park Rangers looked a very poor outfit indeed but, of course, with Tony Fernandes at the helm one assumes that huge amounts of money will be poured into the transfer pot come January. On the evidence of what we have seen so far this season, it is going to require a similar amount of investment on the part of Venky's if the Rovers are to retain their Premier League status. There was little new to be discovered from the Rovers' performance at Loftus Road. It remains clear that the players are fully committed to the manager, while those who travelled to London to support the team did so with gusto and on this occasion there was no significant protest with regard to the manager, a fact which Kean later commented upon. In defence the Rovers were largely untroubled, with Salgado and Gael Givet enjoying a more comfortable afternoon than in recent weeks. Dann and Samba were, for the most part, largely untroubled by a home side that offered little in the way of sustained pressure. However, after the game the manager remarked how much the team lacked the leadership of Ryan Nelsen and many, I suspect, would concur with this opinion. Similarly, the team are missing the creativity of David Dunn in midfield as this area of the team has become somewhat sterile in recent weeks. Nzonzi was a tireless worker in the centre of midfield, while Lowe offered good support. However, Radosav Petrovic had another indifferent afternoon as he struggles to get to grips with the pace of the Premier League. How the Rovers miss the rampaging runs of Jermaine Jones in the centre of the field and one could only wonder what a player of Joey Barton's ability might bring to Rovers lacklustre midfield. In attack the Rovers' best efforts all came from Hoilett and Olsson. Both caused the home side problems with their direct running and ability to switch flanks. One wonders if Hoilett might be able to be used in the hole, behind the striker, so that Vukcevic might be accommodated in the team. While Hoilett and Olsson remain on the wings the Montenegrin international is seemingly consigned to the bench. On the evidence of his recent international performances, he surely has far too much quality to be wasted in this role. Up front Jason Roberts worked manfully but with very little service, which meant he was never a threat to the opposition goal. Likewise, Goodwillie fared no better when he appeared and, like Petrovic, appears to be struggling with the speed of the Premier League. The point gained at Loftus Road took the season's total to five from a possible 24 and resulted in the Rovers dropping to the bottom of the table. Five points from eight games is undoubtedly relegation form and alarm bells ought to be ringing loud and clear in the corridors of power at Ewood Park. The next three games, Tottenham Hotspur (home), Norwich City (away) and Chelsea (home), will surely settle the fate of the manager, but the fear must be that the situation has already been allowed to drag on for far too long. Teams Queens Park Rangers Paddy Kenny; Luke Young, Anton Ferdinand, Fitz Hall, Armand Traore; Alejandro Faulin, Shaun Derry; Shaun Wright-Phillips (Tommy Smith 83), Joey Barton, Jamie Mackie (Adel Taarabt 64); Heidar Helguson Subs not used: Brian Murphy (gk), Bradley Orr, Akos Buzsaky, Jay Bothroyd, Jason Puncheon Manager: Neil Warnock Blackburn Rovers Paul Robinson; Michel Salgado, Christopher Samba, Scott Dann, Gael Givet; David "Junior" Hoilett, Steven Nzonzi, Radosav Petrovic, Jason Lowe, Martin Olsson; Jason Roberts (David Goodwillie 68) Subs not used: Mark Bunn (gk), Grant Hanley, Simon Vukcevic, Mauro Formica, Ruben Rochina, Yakubu Manager: Steve Kean Bookings Queens Park Rangers – Fitz Hall, Shaun Wright-Phillips, Armand Traore Blackburn Rovers – Steven Nzonzi, Jason Lowe Join in the discussion on the forum here. View full article

Blackburn Rovers (0) 0 – 4 (0) Manchester City Johnson 56, Balotelli 59, Nasri 73, Savic 87 Referee: P. Dowd Attendance: 24,760 As we enter October, and before the leaves have fallen from the trees, there can no longer be any doubt that Blackburn Rovers is a club in crisis. Seven league games have brought five defeats and a meagre haul of four points. It's a record that has ensured that the players, officials and fans will travel to India firmly entrenched in the relegation zone. On Thursday the assistant manager was mysteriously removed from his post and two days later the Ewood faithful were baying for the head of Steve Kean. For all their faults, the Walker Trust delivered ten years of Premier League football at Ewood Park and ensured that Jack Walker's legacy was preserved. Indeed, it has been the longest run in the top flight since 1936. However, ten months of ownership under Venky's has virtually brought the club to its knees and Premier League survival looks increasingly remote with each passing defeat. While fingers are pointed in the direction of the manager with regard to blame, there is no doubt that there is increasing unrest at the stewardship of Venky's. Indeed, for a company so conscious of brand awareness it is difficult to believe that they have failed to grasp how their brand has become more than a little tarnished in recent months. In the wake of last week's debacle at St James' Park, and in light of the resultant injuries and suspension, Steve Kean again shuffled the pack. Jason Lowe dropped to full-back to replace the injured Salgado, while David Goodwillie, Morten Gamst Pedersen and Radosav Petrovic joined David "Junior" Hoilett and Steven Nzonzi in midfield while Yakubu was again asked to plough a lone furrow up front. Roberto Mancini, with a wealth of riches at his disposal despite the absence of Tevez, made six changes to the side which lost in Munich in midweek. The travelling fans quickly made their feelings towards their manager known as they serenaded him from the start and he duly acknowledged their support. It was in stark contrast to the feelings of the majority of home supporters towards their own manager. From the very outset, it became apparent that Kean's plan "A" was to pack the midfield and try to stifle the creativity out of City's multi-talented team. For long periods this involved getting ten men behind the ball while looking to hit City on the break. As a result, City enjoyed the lion's share of the play throughout the first half but failed to create any really clear-cut chances. James Milner and Aleksander Kolarov both fired wide, while Mario Balotelli fluffed a decent chance when he blazed his shot over the bar. As the half drew to a close, the Rovers were surprisingly still in the game thanks largely to some excellent defending by Chris Samba and Gael Givet. The Rovers' main threat came from Hoilett with his tricky style of direct running which seemed to unsettle City. However, apart from saving a tame shot from Yakubu, Joe Hart had very little to do in the City goal. The second half had barely begun when it became clear that Mancini had instructed his team to up the tempo. Suddenly there seemed more purpose to their play and they started to use the full width of the pitch with David Silva on the left and Adam Johnson on the right. Gaps started to appear in the Rovers defence and the half was only a few minutes old when the slightest of deflections from Samba took a Silva shot narrowly wide. Within minutes, the woodwork had come to Robinson's rescue when Balotelli cut in from the left and curled a delightful effort towards the far post. With Robinson well beaten, the Italian could only curse his misfortune as he watched the ball strike the post and rebound clear. Unfortunately, these warnings went unheeded and on 57 minutes the deadlock was finally broken. A City corner on the left was headed clear by Pedersen, but the ball only reached the feet of Johnson on the edge of the right-hand side of the area. Goodwillie, who had been largely ineffective all afternoon, was slow to react and failed to close the City winger down. Johnson duly controlled the ball and then curled a superb effort into the top corner of the goal to Robinson's right. Within three minutes, the visitors had increased their lead thanks to a sensational piece of finishing by Balotelli. Samir Nasri, who had come on as a first-half substitute for the injured Sergio Aguero, raced down the left and crossed towards the near post. Balotelli made a telling near-post run and managed to get in front of a somewhat static Scott Dann. In an instant the Italian had met the ball with his foot and fired City into a two-goal lead. It was a piece of pure brilliance by the normally erratic Balotelli. The goals made plan "A" redundant, but unfortunately Kean appeared to have no plan "B" at his disposal. Mauro Formica was introduced for the lacklustre Goodwillie, but the move was akin to rearranging the deckchairs on the Titanic. Heads dropped on the pitch while disenchantment grew in the stands. As City fans celebrated, the chants of "Kean Out" rang around from all parts of the ground occupied by Rovers fans. On the pitch, the comedy of errors continued and, from a Rovers corner, City managed to score their third goal. Pedersen took a short corner to Hoilett, who in turn played the ball back to Pedersen. When the Norwegian attempted to cross, his effort was blocked by Balotelli and City broke at speed towards the Rovers goal. Nasri played in Silva, who in turn played the ball back to Nasri and the former Arsenal man's shot took a wicked deflection and ended in the back the net. The goal proved to be the signal for more cries of "You don't know what you're doing" to be hurled at Kean and a large banner was held aloft on the Riverside that simply stated "Kean Out". Shots from Formica and Yakubu did little to lift the gloom and it was City who stretched their lead with a fourth goal as the game drew to a close. A Kolarov shot was blocked and, from the resultant corner by Nasri, Stefan Savic, totally unmarked, rose to meet the ball and head firmly into the roof of the net. The Rovers might well have grabbed a consolation goal in the closing seconds, but Samba was unable to make a decent connection with the ball and from almost point-blank range could only steer it wide. The final whistle brought more cries of derision from the Ewood faithful towards the beleaguered figure of Steve Kean. While some fans stayed behind to express their dissatisfaction with the manager, many left the ground completely disillusioned with Venky's vision of a brave new world for Blackburn Rovers. The reality is that the Rovers are in a relegation battle and on the evidence of recent weeks it's questionable as to whether we have the type of player needed for such a fight. Once again the defence looked suspect when the play began to be stretched in the second half. Samba and Givet were the pick of the defenders. Lowe had his moments, but full-back is not his favoured position and at times his lack of experience and know-how was fully exposed by the more experienced City players. Dann endured another difficult afternoon and is still to find the form which he showed at Birmingham last season. However, taking into account his long absence with injury, it's perhaps understandable why he should look a little rusty. Hoilett was the pick of the attacking players and he also did more defensive work than in recent weeks. On the opposite flank Goodwillie, although he did a job defensively in the first half, lacked the pace to join up with the attack from deep positions. Nzonzi tried his best but was simply overrun and received very little help from Petrovic, who continues to disappoint. The Serbian international clearly needs time to adjust to English football, but at the moment the club simply don't have the resources to allow him a settling-in period. Pedersen was his usual frustrating mixture of good, bad and downright awful. However, while there is no doubt that the midfield looks more solid from a defensive point of view when he is included, sadly he is not the player he once was. Yakubu stuck manfully to his task but with little reward and, in truth, he was given very little to work with. Formica, who replaced Goodwillie, had one decent effort saved by Hart but was largely ineffective, although by the time he was introduced the game had long gone. With the club languishing in the relegation zone, one would have hoped that the players and coaching staff might have got down to some serious work at Brockhall. Instead the circus embarks upon a trip to India to plug the Venky's brand. It continues to beg the question as to whether Blackburn Rovers is being run as a football club or merely an arm of a global marketing machine. The Rao family have been quoted as stating that they are taking the team to India so that their Indian supporters can join in the glory of the victory over Arsenal. One wonders if they are going to join in the misery of being in the relegation zone or share the despair of losing five out of seven league games. In all honesty, does anyone really believe that people in India care one way or the other about events at Ewood Park? Sadly, one suspects that the greater concerns are those shared by the people of Blackburn, who have seen their once proud club reduced to a national laughing stock thanks to naive owners and a manager who is clearly out of his depth. Teams Blackburn Rovers Paul Robinson; Jason Lowe, Chris Samba, Scott Dann, Gael Givet; David Goodwillie (Mauro Formica 61), Steven Nzonzi, Radosav Petrovic, Morten Gamst Pedersen, David "Junior" Hoilett; Yakubu Subs not used: Mark Bunn (gk), Grant Hanley, Simon Vukcevic, Jordan Slew, Jason Roberts Manager: Steve Kean Manchester City Joe Hart; Pablo Zabaleta, Vincent Kompany, Joleon Lescott, Aleksander Kolarov; Adam Johnson (Stefan Savic 79), Yaya Toure, James Milner, David Silva; Sergio Aguero (Samir Nasri 28), Mario Balotelli (Edin Dzeko 88) Subs not used: Costel Pantilimon (gk), Gael Clichy, Nigel de Jong, Gareth Barry Manager: Roberto Mancini Bookings Blackburn Rovers – Gael Givet Manchester City – Pablo Zabaleta Join in the discussion on the forum here. View full article

Carling Cup 3rd Round Blackburn Rovers(1) 3 – 2 (0)Leyton Orient Roberts (pen) 44, Rochina 71Vukcevic 75 Mooney 64, Cox 86 Referee: C. Webster Attendance: 7,104 The Carling Cup, or the Football League Cup that once was, has become something of an enigma over recent years. It is, perhaps, the one competition that all Premier League clubs believe they can win and yet it is the one competition which often sees those same clubs field fringe players in the early rounds and risk an embarrassing elimination. This match perfectly illustrated the dilemma that many Premier League managers face — the need to progress in the competition but at the same time give "game" time to those who regularly sit on the subs bench or languish in the reserves. The fact that Steve Kean could rest so many of his senior players and still win — and the scoreline in no way reflects the dominance of the Rovers — merely highlights the gap, or should it be chasm, that has opened up between the Premier League and the lower divisions of the Football League. Over the years the League Cup has been a banana skin that the Rovers have regularly slipped up on. Wrexham, Rochdale, Workington, Stockport County, Exeter City and the rest have all emerged from the depths of the lower divisions to give the Rovers a bloody nose. Today the manager could make eight changes from the side that played in the league a couple of days ago and still progress to the next round at a canter. Forget the scoreline, the Rovers could and should have won this game by a far wider margin, such was their dominance throughout much of the match. Indeed, but for an inspired goalkeeping display from Lee Butcher, the match would have been over long before Orient managed to get on the scoresheet. The attendance of barely 7,000 reflected the lack of enthusiasm amongst the Ewood faithful and one suspects that that figure was only boosted by Saturday's performance against Arsenal. Certainly, judging by the queues at the ticket office before kick-off, it would appear that many had made a last-minute decision to attend. The first half was totally dominated by the Rovers and yet, for all their efforts, they only had a Jason Roberts penalty as reward for their endeavours. The Rovers moved the ball about on the slick surface with ease, and time and time again they were able to exploit the gaps down the flanks with Martin Olsson enjoying his role as a raiding full-back. However, the star of the first forty-five minutes for the Rovers was undoubtedly Ruben Rochina. Although seemingly designated to play on the left of midfield, the young Spaniard seemed to have licence to roam at will. He was a constant thorn in the side of the opposition, who failed to get to grips with the steady stream of tricks, flicks and back-heels that are the hallmark of his play. Like so many players of his ilk, Rochina can frustrate as well as delight and at times he seems to be unaware of other colleagues, but once his youthful ebullience can be harnessed into a team dynamic, what a valuable addition to the squad he is going to be. Watching him he reminds me of Duncan McKenzie and if Kean can harness his talent in the same way that Howard Kendall did with McKenzie, the young Spaniard could well make a major impact at Ewood Park. The only goal of the first period came on the brink of half-time when Olsson was brought down by Elliott Omozusi as he broke into the penalty area. The referee had no hesitation in pointing to the spot and Roberts confidently sent Butcher the wrong way to give the Rovers a deserved lead. Nick Blackman, who had been largely ineffective, was withdrawn during the break and Junior Hoilett was introduced at the start of the second half. Once again, the Rovers enjoyed the greater share of the play and Butcher was forced to make good saves from Roberts and Simon Vukcevic. The Montenegro international had shown odd flashes in the first period but seemed to warm to his task as the second half progressed. He worked hard down the left wing and was always prepared to cut inside and have a crack at goal and only a superb tip over the bar from Butcher thwarted Vukcevic when his powerful header seemed destined for the net. Apart from one effort from Dave Mooney which was well saved by the legs of Mark Bunn, Orient offered very little as an attacking force, but the Rovers, for all their possession, failed to find the key to unlock a stubborn defence. On 64 minutes the Rovers paid for their failure in front of goal when the visitors drew level. George Porter broke down the right and, when he crossed to Mooney, the Orient man found he had time and space in which to pick his spot and curl the ball past Bunn with the Rovers defence looking anything but secure. Fortunately, the Rovers quickly regained the lead to calm the jittering nerves in the meagre crowd. Roberts, who had a very effective second half, powered his way into the area and managed to get off a shot despite the attentions of defenders. Butcher could only parry the effort into the path of Rochina, who tucked it away from close range. Butcher made a superb save to deny Hoilett after the youngster tore into the Orient defence with one of his typically tricky solo runs. However, Butcher could do nothing a few minutes later when Vukcevic cut in from the right and powered a left foot shot into the back of the net. The goal was just reward for the Montenegrin winger, who had put in an impressive shift during the second half. The game ought to have been over at that point, but once again defensive frailties ensured there was to be a nervy final few minutes. With four minutes remaining, Jason Lowe completely misjudged the flight of a long high ball and allowed it to pass over him for an Orient player to take advantage and pass it inside for Dean Cox to score. Fortunately, this moment of carelessness didn't prove too costly and the Rovers ended the match with the main objective of the evening achieved — a place in the final sixteen. In defence, Givet, who was captain for the night, looked secure and led by example, while Olsson was impressive as an attacking full-back. Hanley looked comfortable as did Lowe, apart from the error that led to Orient's second goal. In midfield Rochina and Vukcevic showed touches of real class while Petrovic was steady but looks like he might need to be given time to adjust to the pace of English football. At the moment, too many of his passes seem to go astray. Grella returned after injury but is obviously short of match fitness. He sat in front of the back four and kept it simple with a string of short passes to keep the play moving. However, he tired as the game went on and clearly needs matches to build up his sharpness. In attack Blackman proved a disappointment and made little impression before giving way to Hoilett. Roberts worked hard in the second half and once again showed that his strength and power, combined with his pace, make him a difficult opponent to mark. However, once again, he didn't make the most of the goalscoring situations that he found himself in, although it must be said that Butcher had an inspired evening in the Orient goal. Teams Blackburn Rovers Mark Bunn; Jason Lowe, Grant Hanley, Gael Givet, Martin Olsson; Simon Vukcevic (Mauro Formica 85), Radosav Petrovic, Vince Grella, Ruben Rochina (Yakubu 89); Nick Blackman (David "Junior" Hoilett 46), Jason Roberts Subs not used: Paul Robinson (gk), Bruno Ribeiro, Scott Dann, Steven Nzonzi Manager: Steve Kean Leyton Orient Lee Butcher; Elliott Omozusi, Terrell Forbes, Ben Chorley, Charlie Daniels (Mike Cestor 84); Tom Clarke, Matt Spring; George Porter, Jimmy Smith, Dean Cox; David Mooney (Leon McSweeney 72) Subs not used: Tom Lovelock (gk), Marc Laird, Moese Odubajo, Billy Lobjoit Manager: Russell Slade Bookings Blackburn Rovers – None Leyton Orient – None Join in the discussion on the forum here. View full article

Fulham (1) 1 – 1 (1) Blackburn Rovers Zamora 38 Rochina 32 Referee: H. Webb Attendance: 24,856 I suspect, like many of the fans at Craven Cottage, I came away from the game with a mixture of emotions. Encouraged, certainly, by a first-half performance which suggested with a little more tweaking and greater organisation this squad may well be strong enough to maintain a mid-table position in the Premier League. However, doubts and despair returned in the second half as the Rovers struggled to hold what was a distinctly average Fulham side from completely dominating the second period. Fortunately, a combination of excellent goalkeeping, some last-ditch defending and the ineptitude of the Fulham attack saved the Rovers from making what might well have been their worst start to a campaign since league football began in 1888. As it is, it remains the worst start to a season for 60 years. Once again, Steve Kean confounded the travelling band of Rovers supporters with a selection that had many scratching their heads. The emphasis seemed to be on attack and be damned as he loaded the midfield with attack-minded players. In defence Scott Dann was given his debut alongside Chris Samba, while Gael Givet moved over to left-back with Martin Olsson dropping down to the bench. Ruben Rochina stepped in to fill the void left by Brett Emerton on the right wing, while Junior Hoilett operated on the opposite flank. David Dunn and Steven Nzonzi again filled the central midfield positions, with new signings Simon Vukcevic and Radisav Petrovic having to settle for a place on the bench. The subs' bench was also the lot of Yakubu and Jason Roberts as Kean elected to use David Goodwillie as the main striker with Mauro Formica lining up just behind him. As the players stood for a minute's silence to mark the 10th anniversary of 9/11 it was made all the more poignant as a plane passed overhead making one of the regular descents into London. It was a sombre moment which put into perspective just how unimportant the events at Ewood Park really are in the greater scheme of things. Craven Cottage is a wonderful venue for football with the scenic Bishop's Park on its doorstep, the River Thames flowing past with endless rowing and sailing boats to entertain pre-match and for those who get really bored during a game there is the continual fly past of planes arriving at the capital's airports. However, if Fulham fans might have been tempted to participate in a little plane-spotting, the Rovers contingent could take heart from the fact that their team had the better of a fairly indifferent forty-five minutes of football. The direct running of Rochina and Hoilett caused problems for the home defence with Rochina, in particular, catching the eye. The Rovers might well have taken an early lead after Hoilett played Rochina into a promising position, but his shot lacked the power to trouble Mark Schwarzer in the Fulham goal. Goodwillie came closer with a perfectly executed overhead kick, but unfortunately his effort flew just over the bar. Certainly these were encouraging signs for the travelling fans. By contrast, the home side seemed somewhat lacklustre, with Bryan Ruiz, the new £10 million man, making little impact on his debut. Martin Jol opted to use the striker on the left and clearly the Costa Rican international is going to take time to pick up the pace of English football. The one Fulham player to cause the Rovers problems was the evergreen Damien Duff. Givet endured a torrid opening forty-five minutes at the hands of the former Rover. However, in fairness to the Frenchman, the system which Kean operates tends to leave the full-backs exposed. In previous matches it has been Michel Salgado who has been left isolated and now it was the turn of Givet to suffer from the lack of support from midfield. The simple fact is that neither Rochina nor Hoilett were encouraged to track back, with the result that Fulham were able to exploit the space in and around the full-backs. This has been a weakness all season and the lessons have clearly still not been learnt. The Rovers took the lead on 32 minutes and it was no surprise that a Hoilett–Rochina combination should bring about the breach of the Fulham defence. When the ball was played into the middle from the right, Philippe Senderos failed to clear and allowed it to reach Hoilett on the left of goal. The young Canadian coolly laid the ball back for Rochina, who had drifted into an inside-left position. The former Barcelona man wasted no time in lashing a fierce shot past Schwarzer and into the back of the net off the underside of the crossbar. It was an excellent finish and gave the Rovers a deserved lead. Sadly, within six minutes, the home side had drawn level and, once again, questions must be asked about the lack of support that was given to Givet at left-back. Danny Murphy, who had had an unusually quiet game in midfield, found Bobby Zamora on the right wing and, although his first touch was not the best, Givet failed to take advantage and allowed the Fulham man to regain control of the ball. With Hoilett merely watching, Zamora skipped past Givet before curling a delightful effort past Robinson and into the far corner of the net. With honours even at half-time, both managers made changes for the start of the second period. A back problem caused the withdrawal of Chris Samba with Olsson, who was carrying a knock from international duty, coming on at left-back with Givet reverting to the centre of defence. Fulham withdrew Ruiz and replaced him with the ever dangerous Mousa Dembele. The game took on a completely different pattern for the second half with Fulham quickly becoming the dominant power. Martin Jol had taken the opportunity, at half-time, to adjust his tactics, which nullified the impact that Hoilett and Rochina had made during the first forty-five minutes. As Fulham grew in confidence, the Rovers seemed to withdraw into their shell with attacks becoming less frequent and certainly less effective. Formica, who had been a peripheral figure in the first half, now all but disappeared as the home side enjoyed the lion's share of the play. The Rovers were hampered when Dunn was forced to leave the field with calf problems and Petrovic, his replacement, again struggled to get to grips with the pace of the game. Clearly the young Serbian is going to need time to adjust to English football. At the moment he is finding it all a little too quick for him. However, these are early days and hopefully he will fulfil the promise which his international pedigree suggests he possesses. As the second half wore on, the home side seemed in total control of the game. Fortunately, their finishing failed to match their approach play and several chances to take the lead were spurned. The Rovers relied almost entirely on breakaways, but the tiring legs of Goodwillie were unable to make much headway against a rugged Fulham defence. As Fulham continued to pour forward, Martin Jol added Andrew Johnson to the mix in the hope that he might capitalise on one of the many crosses that were finding their way into the Rovers penalty area. He might well have won a penalty when Salgado tackled him from behind to clear the ball. Fortunately, Howard Webb deemed that the former Real Madrid defender had played the ball before clattering Johnson. It was a good call, but other referees might well have judged it differently. Mr. Webb was again at the centre of the action in the closing minutes when Kelly headed the ball backwards into the path of the ever alert Hoilett. With the ball some way short of the area, Hoilett raced forward and rose to head the ball over the oncoming Schwarzer. Both players attempted to head the ball but unfortunately Schwarzer clattered into the young Canadian and knocked him unconscious. While Hoilett received prolonged treatment before being carefully stretchered off, Mr. Webb showed Schwarzer the yellow card while the Rovers fans continued to bay for a red card to be shown. However, the referee deemed that Schwarzer was not the last man as Kelly was in position to cover the 'keeper. The resultant free-kick, by Olsson, was blocked and with all their subs used the Rovers were forced to play out the final few minutes with ten men. In reality it was actually nine men as Goodwillie had been reduced to a virtual passenger due to hamstring problems. After the match, Steve Kean continued to talk with optimism about the future, but the majority of Rovers fans would appear to have stopped listening. Actions speak louder than words and the simple fact is that one point from twelve, against opposition that is far from the strongest, suggests that there is little to be optimistic about. As unrest amongst the fans grows, the manager needs to find a winning combination rather quickly if he is to quell the increasing calls for his head. The prospect of a home game with Arsenal is hardly likely to calm the nerves of supporters, who see their club firmly anchored to the foot of the table after the opening four league games. Recent weather forecasts have predicted a long hard winter ahead, something which Rovers fans are becoming all too well aware of, only they are not thinking of climatic conditions. Teams Fulham Mark Schwarzer; Aaron Hughes (Stephen Kelly 20), Philippe Senderos, Brede Hangeland, John Arne Riise (Andrew Johnson 80); Damien Duff, Danny Murphy, Steve Sidwell, Clint Dempsey; Bobby Zamora, Bryan Ruiz (Mousa Dembele 46) Subs not used: Neil Etheridge (gk), Pajtim Kasami, Marcel Gecov, Zdenek Grygera Manager: Martin Jol Blackburn Rovers Paul Robinson; Michel Salgado, Christopher Samba (Martin Olsson 46), Scott Dann, Gael Givet; Ruben Rochina (Jason Lowe 70), David Dunn (Radosav Petrovic 52), Steven Nzonzi, David "Junior" Hoilett; Mauro Formica; David Goodwillie Subs not used: Mark Bunn (gk), Simon Vukcevic, Jason Roberts, Yakubu Manager: Steve Kean Bookings Fulham – Danny Murphy, Brede Hangeland, Mark Schwarzer Blackburn Rovers – Michel Salgado Join in the discussion on the forum here. 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Blackburn Rovers (0) 0 – 1 (0) Everton Arteta (pen) 90 + 2 Referee: L. Mason Attendance: 22,826 It would be easy to come away from this match cursing our luck or, indeed, the referee. There is no doubt that the Rovers could have won, indeed should have won, but the harsh reality is that we didn't win. Every club that's relegated can point to a string of hard luck stories over the course of a season. Unfortunately, after just three matches, the signs are that this campaign is beginning to follow the same path taken by West Ham United and Portsmouth in recent seasons. For all of Steve Kean's post-match bluster about the excellence of the football served up by the Rovers, the fact remains that his team has endured the poorest start to a season since 1951–52. However, if the manager stands accused of overseeing the worst start to a season in 60 years he should not be in the dock alone — if one can forgive the analogy. The Rao family must stand alongside their manager when blame is apportioned for the shambles that a once well-run club has now become. Since the services of Sam Allardyce were dispensed with, the Rovers have played 24 Premier League matches, of which only five have been won. Over the course of a season, that sort of record would produce only one outcome — relegation. The most worrying aspect about this latest setback is that Everton — like Villa and Wolves before them — are hardly likely to be one of the more successful sides come the end of the season. In fact this was probably the poorest Everton side to visit Ewood Park in many a long year. The first half was a fairly innocuous affair. Apart from a David Dunn effort, which struck a post before rebounding to safety, neither goalkeeper was called into serious action. Indeed, it was referee Lee Mason who took centre stage with a series of bewildering decisions which ensured that the game lacked any flow or sense of urgency. Steve Kean surprised many with his team selection which relegated David Goodwillie, Ruben Rochina, Mauro Formica and Radosav Petrovic to the bench. Chris Samba made a welcome return to partner Gael Givet in the centre of defence. Brett Emerton, made captain for the day on his final appearance for the club, took his place on the right wing with Morten Gamst Pedersen on the left. Steven Nzonzi and David Dunn were in the centre of midfield with Jason Roberts again taking the role of lone front runner. Junior Hoilett was switched from the wing to play in and around Roberts in the hole. Dunn's tenth-minute strike was the closest the Rovers came to scoring in what was a fairly disappointing first half. Matters were not helped when both Dunn and Pedersen had to leave the field injured after just 34 minutes. The introduction of Formica and Petrovic did little to change the pattern of the game with the Rovers enjoying plenty of possession but not making much headway against an Everton defence that was well marshalled by the likes of Phil Neville and Sylvain Distin. Indeed, Roberts struggled to make much impact as Distin kept him tightly marked. Hoilett looked dangerous at times but, once again, his decision-making was disappointing and all too often he opted to run with the ball instead of playing in better placed colleagues. His lack of awareness at times may yet prove to be his Achilles' heel although there is no doubting his talent on the ball. However, it is a talent very much at the embryonic stage and needs to be nurtured — something which is difficult to do in a team struggling for results. The second half began in explosive fashion with the Rovers being awarded a penalty within a minute of the restart. Formica pounced on a misplaced pass from Ross Barkley and raced into the area with the young Evertonian in hot pursuit. When the youngster tried to challenge for the ball Formica fell to the floor and the referee immediately pointed to the spot. With Dunn off the field, Junior Hoilett stepped up to take the kick, but his effort was saved by Tim Howard, who dived to his left to keep the ball out before it was finally scrambled clear. Undeterred, the Rovers increased the tempo and Formica began to have a greater influence on proceedings. The Rovers began to swarm over the Everton defence without ever really threatening to create the clear-cut chance that was so desperately needed. The visitors attacked only spasmodically; however, from one such attack they really ought to have taken the lead. A well-worked move ended with Victor Anichebe cutting into the area before pulling the ball back for the oncoming Marouane Fellaini, who blazed his shot over the bar. Kean finally introduced Goodwillie into the action on 76 minutes and the former Dundee United man almost made an immediate impact. A super move between Hoilett and Formica ended when the latter laid the ball off to Goodwillie and the young Scot hammered his shot goalwards only to see it clip the top of the crossbar. The Rovers were awarded a second penalty after Petrovic played in Formica and Phil Jagielka brought him down in the area. Once again, Lee Mason had no hesitation in pointing to the spot. The Argentine international elected to take the kick himself, but, sadly, only fired the ball against the post. Earlier, Formica had had the chance to test Howard when he got on the end of good work from Goodwillie but saw his effort saved by the legs of the American goalkeeper. As the game moved into injury time it was the visitors who were given the opportunity to win the game from the penalty spot. A long throw from Neville was met by the head of Samba but the referee judged that in winning the ball he had climbed all over Fellaini and pointed to the spot. It was a highly debatable decision to say the least. Nonetheless, Mikel Arteta made no mistake from the spot and sent Paul Robinson the wrong way as he demonstrated the art of how to take a penalty. Sadly it proved to be a very costly lesson for the Rovers. The final whistle brought emotional scenes as the Ewood faithful said farewell to Brett Emerton — a loyal servant and consummate professional who has given eight years of excellent service to the club and who was given a standing ovation as he left the field for the last time. The Rovers now enter the international break pointless and at the foot of the table. With a daunting programme to come, these are dark days at Ewood Park. The transfer window will close in four days' time and the need for seasoned Premier League performers is there for all to see. The loss of another versatile and experienced performer in Emerton is going to be keenly felt and simply reduces the options available to the increasingly beleaguered Kean. Of the new faces on show today, Goodwillie again demonstrated that he needs to play off a target man, while Petrovic looked rather overwhelmed by it all and clearly needs time to adjust to English football. Sadly, time is the one commodity that the Rovers simply don't have. The "fortress Ewood" mentality that Allardyce fostered would appear to be in ruins as wins have become as rare as hen's teeth. During my time supporting the Rovers I have endured four relegation campaigns — the first being in 1965–66 — and they all had similar starts to the present campaign. All had elements of misfortune about them, just like today, and they all had a feeling of impending doom rather like the present campaign. There are still 35 games in which to get to that magical forty-point mark and surely survival is already what this season is about. To achieve that target is going to require some decisive action on the part of the owners and the manager and at the moment there is little to suggest that the will or capability is there to turn things around. Teams Blackburn Rovers Paul Robinson; Michel Salgado, Chris Samba, Gael Givet, Martin Olsson; Brett Emerton, David Dunn (Mauro Formica 34), Steven Nzonzi, Morten Gamst Pedersen (Radosav Petrovic 34); David "Junior" Hoilett; Jason Roberts (David Goodwillie 76) Subs not used: Mark Bunn (gk), Grant Hanley, Jason Lowe, Ruben Rochina Manager: Steve Kean Everton Tim Howard; Phil Neville, Sylvain Distin, Phil Jagielka, Leighton Baines; Leon Osman (Diniyar Bilyaletdinov 62), Johnny Heitinga (Jason Beckford 85), Mikel Arteta, Ross Barklay (Tim Cahill 53), Marouane Fellaini; Victor Anichebe Subs not used: Jan Mucha (gk), Tony Hibbert, Jose Baxter, Apostolos Vellios Manager: David Moyes Bookings Blackburn Rovers – Michel Salgado, David "Junior" Hoilett, Radosav Petrovic, Steven Nzonzi Everton – Victor Anichebe, Mikel Arteta Join in the discussion on the forum here. View full article

Carling Cup 2nd Round Blackburn Rovers(3) 3 – 1 (0)Sheffield Wednesday Rochina 3, 4, Goodwillie 7 Morrison 50 Referee: D. Webb Attendance: 8,607 If ever there was a game of two halves, this was it. The Rovers produced a scintillating first twenty minutes which began in sensational fashion with three superb goals being scored in the first seven minutes. However, the second half proved a drab affair with the Rovers slipping back into their sloppy passing routines and looking anything but comfortable against a Wednesday side that was a mixture of first teamers and reserves. Better opposition might well have taken advantage, but Wednesday looked a poor side and perhaps this took the edge off the performance of the Rovers in the second period. Both managers opted to utilise their squads to the full for a match which was played in an eerily empty Ewood Park. An attendance of 8,607 illustrated the public's verdict on the early stages of a competition that has become almost farcical. When League One sides opt to rest first-teamers for forthcoming League games, it's little wonder that so many fans opt to give these games a wide berth. Nonetheless, those who were there were treated to the most explosive opening seven minutes seen at Ewood Park for many a year. The visitors were caught completely cold as the Rovers opened the scoring after just three minutes. The architect of the goal was Brett Emerton in what, if reports are to be believed, may well be one of his last appearances for the Rovers. In a typical run from deep, Emerton, playing in the right-back spot, delivered an inch-perfect cross into the box for Ruben Rochina to nip in front of a defender and volley home from close range. Within a minute the Rovers had doubled their lead and Rochina had notched his second goal. Goodwillie took advantage of a blocked clearance to find Rochina on the left of the penalty area. The former Barcelona "B" player wasted no time in cutting in and, from an acute angle, fired a low shot into the opposite corner of the net. The deadly finishing continued in the seventh minute when David Goodwillie scored his first goal at Ewood Park. Emerton played the ball forward and once the Wednesday defence failed to clear, the Scottish international was on it in a flash. Moving into the Wednesday penalty area, he wasted no time in blasting the ball past O'Donnell to give the Rovers a three-goal lead. It was a sensational start from the Rovers and they continued to turn the screw on a Wednesday side that looked completely bewildered by the speed and accuracy of the Rovers' passing and movement. Rochina and Mauro Formica combined on several occasions with some intricate passing, not to mention some flamboyant backheeled passes which completely bamboozled the Wednesday players. Steven Nzonzi was in dominant mood in the centre of midfield, winning tackles, retaining possession and then stroking the ball around with consummate ease. Radosav Petrovic, although not as involved as Nzonzi, kept the ball moving with a succession of passes, both long and short, which suggested the two might form an impressive partnership in the centre of the field. By contrast, the visitors could hardly galvanize themselves as an attacking force. Many of their passes went astray and they looked completely out of sorts. Perhaps it's not surprising as Gary Megson opted to rest no fewer than eight of the side that began Saturday's game at Notts County. However, in fairness, you can only beat what is put in front of you and the Rovers did so in convincing fashion during that first forty-five minutes. Indeed, the Rovers might have had more rewards for their efforts but for some dubious decisions from the officials. Goodwillie had a goal ruled out for a tight offside decision while Martin Olsson appeared to be hauled back in the area when bursting towards goal, but the officials remained unmoved. The Rovers replaced Grant Hanley for the second half with Jason Lowe. Hanley had received a head injury during the first half and Steve Kean opted to give Jason Lowe the opportunity to play in the unfamiliar role of centre-back. The second period proved to be a major anti-climax. Suddenly the crispness of the first-half passing disappeared as did the tempo of the Rovers play. The attack stuttered as Goodwillie found it difficult to get the better of centre-backs who had clearly had a few verbals from their manager at half-time. Formica and Rochina were closed down rather more quickly and, as a result, failed to make the same impact on the game. Passes suddenly started to go astray and the visitors began to haul themselves back into the game. While they never looked like pulling back the three-goal margin, they certainly started to give the Rovers more to think about defensively. The half was only five minutes old when Wednesday managed to get on the scoresheet. Wednesday were awarded a free-kick deep in Rovers' territory and Chris Lines opted to take it quickly to Clinton Morrison, who spun on the shoulder of a defender and managed to fire the ball into the far corner of the net beyond Mark Bunn. It was a clever piece of opportunism by the Wednesday substitute. In midfield the Rovers failed to enjoy the supremacy of the first half and Petrovic struggled to find his range, with many of his passes failing to reach a blue and white shirt. The former Partizan Belgrade midfield man also squandered the opportunity of restoring the three-goal lead when he blasted over from point-blank range. The Rovers introduced David Dunn and Junior Hoilett to the fray, but neither could lift the sense of lethargy which seemed to have engulfed the team during the second half. Hoilett had one typically tricky run that almost brought a goal, but in truth there was little left to shout about. The Rovers might have been spluttering in the second half, but Wednesday simply didn't have the ability to cause any serious problems. The highlight for the Rovers was undoubtedly the clinical finishing of Rochina. Emerton was solid at full-back and his performance underlined just how much his versatility will be missed if he returns to Australia. Nzonzi was excellent in midfield and Rochina and Formica linked well during the first forty-five minutes. However, the fade-out in the second half will be of concern to Steve Kean as he sits down to plot the downfall of Everton on Saturday. The fans can only hope that it's the Rovers of the first half who turn up to face the men from Goodison Park. An ebullient Steve Kean described the performance as a “glimpse of the future†with the Rovers parading a whole host of young players who the manager hopes will take the club forward. Whilst there is no doubting the potential of some of those on view at Ewood Park, the fact remains that the Premier League is a tough learning school and second-half performances like the one against Wednesday will be severely punished. Nonetheless, the win was a welcome relief for those who had endured the opening two fixtures and the result will no doubt have brought the manager welcome breathing space. A win against Everton on Saturday and hopefully the Rovers can finally kick-start the 2011–12 season. Teams Blackburn Rovers Mark Bunn (gk); Brett Emerton, Grant Hanley (Jason Lowe 46), Gael Givet, Martin Olsson; Morten Gamst Pedersen, Radosav Petrovic, Steven Nzonzi (David Dunn 71), Ruben Rochina (David "Junior" Hoilett 81); Mauro Formica; David Goodwillie Subs not used: Paul Robinson (gk), Bruno Ribeiro, Michel Salgado, Jason Roberts Manager: Steve Kean Sheffield Wednesday Richard O'Donnell; Jon Otsemobor (Chris Lines 26), Reda Johnson, Danny Batth, Mark Reynolds; Chris Sedgwick, James O'Connor, Giles Coke, Liam Palmer; Danny Uchechi, Gary Madine (Clinton Morrison 47) Subs not used: Nicky Weaver (gk), Mark Beevers, Julian Bennett, Jose Vitor Semedo, David Prutton Manager: Gary Megson Bookings Blackburn Rovers – None Sheffield Wednesday – Gary Madine, Reda Johnson, Chris Lines Join in the discussion on the forum here. View full article

Aston Villa (2) 3 – 1 (0) Blackburn Rovers Agbonlahor 12, Heskey 25, Bent 67 Pedersen 52 Referee: S. Attwell Attendance: 32,319 If a week is a long time in politics, it's a positive eternity in football, particularly for the supporters of Blackburn Rovers. Last Saturday the Rovers surrendered three points to Wolves and this proved to be the trigger for a week of intense transfer speculation. Seven days later and little had changed. Despite the leaks of who was about to sign, the fact remained that no new players have actually put pen to paper within the last week. Hopefully, things will change in the next seven days, for on the evidence of the first 180 minutes of Premier League football the Rovers look a very ordinary team who will do well to maintain last season's league position. After the disappointments at Ewood Park last Saturday, Steve Kean rang the changes in both personnel and tactics for the latest of the seemingly endless encounters with Aston Villa. Ryan Nelsen bravely climbed off the treatment table to make his first appearance since early April, but there was still no sign of Chris Samba or Gael Givet as speculation with regard to their futures continues to mount. The introduction of Nelsen allowed Steven Nzonzi to return to midfield, while a change in tactics brought David Goodwillie into the team to form a twin spearhead with Jason Roberts. With members of the Rao family looking on, the Rovers made a bright start to the match before Villa quickly gained the upper hand. Once again, it was balls played into the channels that caused the Rovers' back-line untold problems. Gabby Agbonlahor, Charles N'Zogbia and Darren Bent seemed to find space and time at will in and around the Rovers' penalty area. On twelve minutes a delightful move and scintillating piece of play by Agbonlahor resulted in the first goal. Finding himself in a one-on-one situation with Michel Salgado, the Villa winger turned the former Real Madrid man inside-out before curling a shot into the top far corner of the net. Once again, questions must be asked of the full-back, but also questions must be asked about why he was left so exposed against a speedy winger with no cover to lend a hand. It was noticeable how quickly Villa turned defence into attack, while the Rovers looked somewhat ponderous in comparison. A number of long balls were played for Roberts and Goodwillie to chase, but, in truth, neither man looked capable of getting the better of a resolute Villa defence. At the moment it would appear that Goodwillie is still coming to terms with the pace of the English game and he struggled to make any impression against Richard Dunne and James Collins. While one couldn't fault his effort, the fact remains that he was far too easily brushed aside and rarely got into the sort of positions that Darren Bent sought out all afternoon. Clearly Goodwillie is on a steep learning curve and one can only hope that he can come to terms with the speed of Premier League football sooner rather than later. That Villa increased their lead on 25 minutes came as no surprise. Once again, as has happened so often in the past, Rovers' nemesis was none other than Emile Heskey. A well-worked move resulted in Heskey beating Robinson from the edge of the area. Questions again need to be asked about how Heskey could have been allowed to pop up in such a dangerous position without being marked. The Rovers showed an immediate improvement at the start of the second half, although admittedly Villa were handicapped by the loss of Agbonlahor to injury at half-time. His replacement, Marc Albrighton, struggled to make the same impact. Indeed, the half was not ten minutes old when Villa lost Luke Young with an injury and the changes clearly had an impact on the home side. On the plus side for the Rovers was the fact that Junior Hoilett finally emerged from an anonymous first half and actually started to produce the sort of form that has won him such rave reviews. It was Hoilett who finally dragged the Rovers back into the game on 52 minutes with a wonderful piece of wing play that resulted in a pin-point cross into the Villa area which was met by the head of Pedersen. The Norwegian midfielder had managed to ghost into the area between Dunne and Stephen Warnock and guided a header past Shay Given. For a time it seemed as though the Rovers might well have a platform on which to build, but despite increased possession Given had little to do in the Villa goal. However, once again it was defensive frailties that ended all hope of a comeback. A shot from Stiliyan Petrov seemed fairly innocuous until it became entangled between Grant Hanley's legs before finally ricocheting to the feet of Bent. The Villa striker wasted no time in firing into the back of the net. It was a clumsy piece of defending from the young Scot, who in truth had a fairly uncomfortable afternoon. Kean finally opted to introduce a couple of substitutes with just fifteen minutes remaining and the small contingent of travelling fans were given their first view of Radosav Petrovic while Mauro Formica was also given another run-out. Sadly, it was all too little too late and Villa never looked like surrendering their lead. The final whistle ended another hugely disappointing afternoon for the Rovers and left them lodged at the bottom of the table. There were few plus points for the travelling support to take comfort from. The fact that Nelsen, who looked anything but match fit, was prepared to put his body on the line for the cause showed that some of the players are still committed. Indeed, at times he seemed to be defending almost single-handedly as he threw his body around the area to clear headers and block shots. Sadly, many fans left Villa Park questioning the commitment of some of the missing members of the squad to the cause and rumours continue to flourish in the air of uncertainty which seems to have engulfed Ewood Park. Other crumbs of comfort could be gained from the fact that Petrovic showed a couple of nice touches and that Nzonzi worked tirelessly in midfield. Hoilett, after a first-half disappearance act, produced 20 minutes of excellent wing play before fading again. However, the truth of the matter is that there was little to galvanise the small band of travelling support apart from a twenty-minute spell at the start of the second half. Certainly not enough to justify parting with £40 for a match ticket. After the match, Steve Kean talked about how well we had played in spells in both our opening games. Unfortunately, playing well in spells is not going to win matches. Likewise, players like Hoilett need to deliver for ninety minutes and not drift in and out of the game with fleeting cameos. Kean's post-match talk was of the need to bring in another defender and striker, but that seems hardly sufficient to cure what ills the Rovers. Undoubtedly we need players in those positions, but with question marks over the futures of Samba, Givet and Olsson we need so much more than just a couple of new faces. The present squad lacks depth and with just ten days left of the transfer window and uncertainty as to what funds are available, these are worrying times for supporters. Those who take solace in the belief that, come the end of the season, there will be three worse teams than the Rovers may well find that their faith has been misplaced. After facing two of the weaker teams in the Premier League, the Rovers remain pointless. The manager remains no nearer to ending his appalling record in terms of delivering results and the squad remains thin to the point of being virtually anorexic. The next ten days may well determine the path the season will take and much work needs to be done to not only strengthen the squad but also to sort out the futures of certain players who may or may not be earmarked for the exit door. Above all, we need to ensure that whoever is signed is able to come in and hit the ground running. We simply don't have the time for players to take six months to find their feet. However, the greatest uncertainty continues to revolve around the manager. Quite simply, results since he took over have been desperately disappointing and on the evidence of yesterday there is still much work to be done at the training ground if the Rovers are to avoid a season fighting relegation. Teams Aston Villa Shay Given; Luke Young (Ciaran Clark 56), Richard Dunne, James Collins, Stephen Warnock; Charles N'Zogbia, Fabian Delph, Stiliyan Petrov, Emile Heskey (Barry Bannan 66); Darren Bent, Gabriel Agbonlahor (Marc Albrighton 46) Subs not used: Brad Guzan, Stephen Ireland, Jean Makoun, Nathan Delfouneso Manager: Alex McLeish Blackburn Rovers Paul Robinson; Michel Salgado, Grant Hanley, Ryan Nelsen, Martin Olsson; Morten Gamst Pedersen (Radosav Petrovic 75), David Dunn, Steven Nzonzi, David "Junior" Hoilett; David Goodwillie, Jason Roberts (Mauro Formica 75) Subs not used: Mark Bunn (gk), Bruno Ribeiro, Jason Lowe, Ruben Rochina, Nick Blackman Manager: Steve Kean Bookings Aston Villa – Emile Heskey, Fabian Delph, Stiliyan Petrov Blackburn Rovers – None Join in the discussion on the forum here. View full article

Chorley (0) 1 – 2 (0) Rovers Reserves Payne 71 Haley 73, Cooke (pen) 88 Referee: S. Lucas Attendance: 452 Blackburn Rovers' second string rounded off their pre-season programme with a hard-fought victory over Chorley at the appropriately named Victory Park Stadium. In what proved to be the toughest of several encounters against non-league opposition, the Rovers fielded three trialists in Luke George and Sean Cooke, former members of the Crewe Alexandra Academy, and Valentin Gjokaj, a young Swiss defender who plays for the Under-18 side of FC Luzern. The home side had a number of familiar faces in addition to Garry Flitcroft (manager) and Matt Jansen (coach) in the dugout. Former Rovers youngsters Steve Flitcroft and Steve Foster were both included in the Chorley squad alongside the vastly experienced Lee McEvilly, a Northern Ireland international who had spells with Accrington Stanley earlier in his career, and former Preston winger Simon Whaley, who was released by Burton Albion in March of this year. In stark contrast to the opening pre-season game in the sunshine of Kendal, the Reserves ended their preparations on a rain-swept evening that was more reminiscent of November than of August. The first half was a pretty even affair with both sides creating chances and both goalkeepers being called into the action on more than one occasion. Chris Dilo, Rovers' young French 'keeper, made a superb point-blank save from Chris Denham, while at the other end Robbie Cotton rounded off an excellent move with a shot that was well saved by Russ Saunders. Chorley ought to have taken the lead around the half-hour mark when Dilo missed a cross and the ball struck the legs of McEvilly, who was clearly not expecting it to reach him, before the Rovers defence hurriedly cleared it. A goalless first half was a fair reflection of the game as neither side had gained the upper hand. Both sides made numerous changes at half-time, but the stalemate continued until the seventy-first minute when Shelton Payne found the back of the net with a well-taken free-kick from the left-hand side of the penalty area. He skilfully curled the ball around the defensive wall and beyond the reach of Dilo into the far corner of the net. However, the lead proved to be short-lived and within a couple of minutes the Rovers were level. The Rovers broke down the right and Osayamen Osawe took the opportunity to shoot despite being some distance from goal. Dean Porter appeared to have the shot well covered, but to his horror he allowed the ball to squirm from his grasp and it slipped between his legs towards the line. Before the 'keeper could recover, Curtis Haley was on hand to force the ball over the line. Rovers came close to taking the lead shortly afterwards when Hugo Fernandez Molina's powerfully struck shot hit the post and Zac Aley, who had forced the 'keeper into a couple of fine saves, saw another effort beaten away. The Rovers ended the game strongly and grabbed the winner in the final minutes. Cooke drove into the area but appeared to slip under pressure from a Chorley defender. The ball found its way to Haley, but as he rifled his shot into the back of the net the referee blew for a penalty. Cooke stepped up to take the spot kick and calmly slotted the ball home. The Rovers then survived a late scare when Chorley hit the post in the final minute of injury time. It proved to be another impressive display from the Ewood youngsters and Swiss trialist Valentin Gjokaj caught the eye with an impressive performance in the heart of defence. He looked good in the air and was very comfortable on the ball, rarely being hurried and using the ball intelligently. Cooke and George were not quite as impressive as they had been in Academy games, although Cooke came into the game rather more in the second half. The Reserves start their league campaign on Tuesday with a trip to Carrow Road to face the second string of newly promoted Norwich City. Teams Chorley Russ Saunders (Dean Porter 46); Nick Meace, Andy Teague, Andy Russell, Tom Walker (Tom Williams 48); Simon Whaley (Steve Foster 63), Dale Whitham (Krishnan Patel 46), Steve Flitcroft (Jake Cass 46), Tom Ince (Shelton Payne 46); Chris Denham (Mark Houghton 46), Lee McEvilly (Adam Roscoe 46) Manager: Garry Flitcroft Blackburn Rovers Christopher Dilo; Jackson Ramm (Raheem Hanley 46), Valentin Gjokaj, Matty Pearson (Anthony O'Connor 45), Adam Henley; Micah Evans (John O'Sullivan 46), Luke George (Osayamen Osawe 63 / Jamie Maclaren 80), Sean Cooke, Robbie Cotton (Hugo Fernandez Molina 46), Zac Aley; Nick Blackman (Curtis Haley 63) Sub not used: Christian Brigg (gk) Coach: Gary Bowyer Join in the discussion on the forum here. View full article

Kilmarnock (1) 1 – 4 (3) Blackburn Rovers Hanley (og) 10 Dunn (pen) 11, Roberts 13, (pen) 30, Goodwillie 76 Referee: I. Brines Attendance: 2,283 The final pre-season outing for the seniors brought a very pleasing result at Rugby Park but also highlighted many of the shortcomings which were so in evidence last season. In truth the final scoreline flattered a Rovers side that spent much of the second half on the back foot. Indeed, if the home side had been able to convert some of the many chances they created, the result might well have had a more uncomfortable look about it. Fortunately, Killie squandered numerous opportunities and, for once, the Rovers made the most of the chances that came their way. With the exception of Michel Salgado and the injured Chris Samba, the Rovers started the game with an eleven that may well take the field in the opening league match against Wolves. The three new faces, David Goodwillie, Bruno Ribeiro and Myles Anderson, had to settle for a place on the bench as Steve Kean opted to keep faith with the familiar faces. Once again, Mauro Formica was utilised in a position playing just behind Jason Roberts, who occupied the lone striker role. The Rovers began brightly against a Killie side that showed a number of changes from the eleven that drew with Motherwell last weekend as manager Kenny Shiels opted to utilise his squad to the full. The Rovers ought to have capitalised on their early dominance when Junior Hoilett appeared to be unceremoniously chopped down in the penalty area after six minutes. To the astonishment of everyone, even Killie supporters, the referee waved play on. The home side began to come into the game thanks to the efforts of James Drayton and David Silva on the wings. Time and again they caused problems with their direct running and some clever passes that found the Rovers back four somewhat square and rather static. Gary Harkins, the former Rover, began to see more of the ball as he continually found himself in space as he managed to escape his markers. Indeed it was Harkins who put Grant Hanley under sufficient pressure to force the Rovers' defender to turn the ball past his own 'keeper after just ten minutes. The goal was created down the left as Silva found Heffernan and his cross was met by the foot of Hanley as Harkins moved in. Unfortunately for the Scottish defender the ball flew past Robinson into the back of the net. The lead was, however, short-lived as the Rovers immediately swept up the other end of the field and were awarded a penalty when Patrick Ada was judged to have handled the ball as he slipped in the area. It was, in truth, a harsh decision but perhaps the referee felt a little guilty after denying the earlier claims when Hoilett was felled. David Dunn stepped up and scored in convincing fashion. Two minutes later the game was turned on its head when the Rovers took the lead. The goal had a touch of comedy about it as Letheren tried to kick the ball clear but only managed to hit it against Dunn. The ball fell kindly at the feet of Jason Roberts and he gratefully accepted the gift and fired home from close range. Undaunted, Killie continued to look for goals, but their finishing was woeful. Time and again they got themselves into excellent goalscoring positions only to see the final effort fly over the bar or fly wide. From a Rovers perspective it was a little worrying to see the ease with which the back four were continually exposed by a simple pass between centre-back and full-back. However, if the Rovers defence looked shaky, the home defenders also had their own jitters to deal with and after half an hour the Rovers increased their lead. Roberts turned O'Leary in the box and as he headed for goal the Killie centre-back inexplicably pulled him back right in front of the referee. Roberts took it upon himself to take the penalty and converted it with ease. At half-time Killie made six changes and looked far more comfortable as a result. Once again it was Silva and Drayton who caused all the problems with their exciting brand of wing play. Drayton was undoubtedly the player who caught the eye and looked a class apart at times as he turned Rovers' defenders inside-out with his tricky style of dribbling. Unfortunately for the home side his colleagues were unable to make the most of the opportunities that were being created. The home side had by far the better of the second half and it came as something of a surprise when the Rovers increased their lead courtesy of debutant David Goodwillie. Again, poor defensive play was the foundation on which the goal was built. Formica intercepted a ball which was being played along the back line and found Goodwillie. The former Dundee United striker was on it in a flash and after dancing around a defender he fired home to the delight of the Rovers travelling fans. The home side created a couple more chances before the end but were unable to convert them and so the Rovers ended their pre-season programme with a comfortable margin of victory. If questions remain about the defensive capabilities of the Rovers, there were several encouraging performances. Jason Roberts worked tirelessly and thoroughly deserved his goals. David Dunn, who admittedly tired in the second half, looked sharp in the opening forty-five minutes. Steven Nzonzi, who I felt was our best player on the day, was excellent in midfield, breaking up attacks and retaining possession in the middle of the field. Brett Emerton again proved his versatility by operating at right-back before switching into a central midfield role later in the game. Once again he worked tirelessly in both roles and showed just what a valuable member of the squad he is. Goodwillie had a quiet debut but came to life when the opportunity came his way in the six-yard box. Like all good goal poachers he seemed to gain a yard of pace whenever the ball came to him in the penalty area and he was clinical in the way in which he took his goal. With seven days to go to the big kick-off there is much for Steve Kean to ponder, but I would suggest that he will feel much happier when he can see Salgado, Samba and Nelsen back in the defence. Without them, the Rovers looked somewhat fragile. Teams Kilmarnock Kyle Letheren (Anssi Jaakkola 46); Tim Clancy (Manuel Pascali 46), Ryan O'Leary (Zdenek Kroca 46), Patrick Ada, Rory McKeown (Garry Hay 46); James Dayton (Gary Fisher 75), Danny Buijs (Alex Pursehouse 66), Liam Kelly (James Fowler 46), David Silva (William Gros 75); Gary Harkins (Dean Shiels 46); Paul Heffernan (Ben Hutchinson 61) Manager: Kenny Shiels Blackburn Rovers Paul Robinson; Brett Emerton, Grant Hanley, Gael Givet, Martin Olsson; David "Junior" Hoilett (Ruben Rochina 70), David Dunn (Bruno Ribeiro 81), Steven Nzonzi (Myles Anderson 85), Morten Gamst Pedersen; Mauro Formica; Jason Roberts (David Goodwillie 66) Subs not used: Mark Bunn (gk), Michel Salgado, Zak Aley, Raheem Hanley Manager: Steve Kean Join in the discussion on the forum here. View full article