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LOOKING GOOD

After a few weeks where they looked like getting into the play-offs to challenge a return to the Premier league, things are going wrong at Ewood Park after Blackburn lost yet another match in the league. Their latest 1-0 defeat against Bournemouth means that the club has managed just one win in the last five matches. This poor run of form has pushed them level on points behind Reading, who occupy the final play-off place with only a few months left on the campaign. Despite this poor result, manager Gary Bowyer has stated that he will not press the panic button just yet.

Blackburn are in the second season in the second division of English football after being relegated due to poor management recently. They are looking to get back into the Premier league, as they believe that a club of their size should be playing in the top division. The season started well for the club, but the last few weeks have been very disappointing. Apart from the 1-0 win over Reading, they have had a few things to celebrate in the last five matches. The fans had to witness yet another poor showing from the players after they lost 1-0 to a team just a few places below them in the table.

“We’ve got 12 games left to play in now and until it’s mathematically impossible, you keep striving to get as high as you can and hopefully into the play-offs. It’s important now that we regroup, we stay calm and we stick together. We’ve worked hard to get stability into this club. These last three games – we’ve got to make sure we stop that, obviously – but there’s no need to panic or anything daft like that. We haven’t made their goalkeeper work enough,” said the Blackburn manager.

BLACKBURN NET WIN

Blackburn Rovers most recent Championship match saw them defeating Reading with a lonely goal from Craig Conway at the 36th minute. Reading enjoyed having the better half of possession throughout the entire match but it was not enough for them to score a single goal against the side of Gary Bowyer.

Reading launched a total of 18 shots against the goalkeeper of Blackburn Rovers, Paul Robinson but none of them actually caused much danger to the veteran shot-stopper. Rovers on the other hand fired fewer shots but they still managed on scoring the goal that gave them all 3 points and the crucial victory.

It was an important triumph for Gary Bowyer’s side as his team continues surfing the middle section of the standings.

Bowyer expressed his satisfaction as he saw his team overcome Reading at the Madejski Stadium.

Bowyer said: “It’s a great win as it’s a difficult place to come and they are a very good team who will be in the shake up for the play-offs, if not automatic promotion’’.

“They’ve scored seven and five here recently but the lads took that challenge on, scored a great goal on the counter-attack and their goalie has made a couple of good saves in the first half’’.

“We were pleased with how we went about it and we kicked on in the second half to keep that clean sheet. We had to match everything they threw at us and I thought the lads showed great character and spirit.”

The manager of Reading, Nigel Adkins admitted that Rovers displayed great spirit and that they indeed deserved to win but he also had a few things to say concerning a penalty set-piece which was not awarded to his team.

Adkins said: “It was a clear penalty but give Blackburn credit they had something to hold on to, which they did. They showed great spirit so I’m not going to take anything away from them.”

RHODES MIGHT GO

The manager of Blackburn Rovers, Gary Bowyer, has made it clear that if somebody comes to him with a high bid for the young English striker Jordan Rhodes, he might let him go.

Rhodes who is in his early twenties at the moment is being considered as an exceptional young talent. There have been speculations that he would be bought by a Premier League side pretty soon and the statement made by Bowyer suggests that these speculations might turn out to be true.

Rhodes had come through the ranks at Barnsley and then, he made a move at Ipswich Town. But, the club where he developed the most as an attacking player was Huddersfield Town. He made close to 150 appearances there and found the net regularly.

Rhodes’ Blackburn career started in August 2012. The Riversiders bought him after paying 8 million Pounds as transfer fee. He started delivering right from the word go at Ewood Park. In his debut season, he played 48 matches and struck 27 times.

The 23 years old striker has continued on his merry way this season too and has already scored quite a few goals. According to the reports, he is wanted by some top clubs.

When asked about Rhodes being linked with other clubs, Bowyer said, “Look, we are not in a mood to put him on sale. His value for us is significant, but, if we are offered an unbelievable amount to let him go, we would have to think about it quite seriously.”

Blackburn has suffered huge defeats in the last couple of games. First, they got thumped by Manchester City in the 3rd round of the FA Cup on Wednesday and then, Nottingham Forest handed them a 1-4 humiliation in a Championship game during the weekend.

RHODES MISSED OUT

The top goal-scorer of Blackburn Rovers Jordan Rhodes had to be taken out of the Scotland squad’s against USA and Norway on international friendly matches after sustaining an injury during the training session of his national squad.

It was initially suspected that he would be missing out from a number of matches with his club Blackburn Rovers but after completing scans it was later revealed that no extensive damage was made and was fit to play in the upcoming matches of his club.

“I thought at the time that I’d cracked a bone,” Blackburn’s record signing told BBC Radio Lancashire.

“Luckily enough, the things afterwards have proved otherwise and hopefully I’m on the mend now.” Injuries are part and parcel of football and life. It’s not the first and it won’t be the last. You just continue to do the best you can’’.

“I’ll try and live my life the best I can from now until I get fit, and I’ll try and get myself out on the field as soon as possible.”

The head coach of Blackburn Rovers Gary Bowyer also spoke about their current financial situation that will force him to offload player if they want to bring fresh talent from the next transfer window.

He admitted the playing squad must be trimmed in January if Blackburn are to bring down debts and avoid financial penalties but promised Jordan Rhodes, who already has 10 goals to his name, would not be sold.

Following a number of expensive but unsuccessful signings and despite having a mid-table position Bowyer admitted that the squad has to be trimmed down in January in order to cope with all the debts and financial penalties that have been given to them.