HENNING Berg insists the entire Blackburn Rovers squad has been handed a “fresh start” after his managerial reign began in a comprehensive defeat at Crystal Palace on Saturday.

A 2-0 loss at Selhurst Park saw Rovers slip to their first away defeat of the season but, as Berg looks to stamp his mark on the club, hope was handed to some of Ewood’s forgotten man.

Teenage right back Adam Henley impressed after being handed his first appearance of the season, starting in place of Bradley Orr, while Simon Vukcevic made an encouraging second half cameo in his first league outing of the campaign.

And, as boss Berg looks to improve all over the pitch, the Norwegian has promised everyone in Rovers’ large squad will get their chance to stake their claim.

He said: “It is a fresh start for everyone in the squad definitely. I don’t know ev-eryone 100 per cent at the minute. I know those who have played lately better than the other ones.

“We do have some injuries as well.

“I thought players did well when they came on, I thought Adam Henley did very, very well.

“It was a tough game but I thought he handled himself very well.

“We don’t think too much about January.

“Our main focus is improving the squad and the team that is here.

“It is a good squad and there is room for a lot of improvements and we will do that. I have seen this team play so much better.“Hopefully Saturday’s performance was a one off.”

A goal in each half from Glenn Murray was enough to give Crystal Palace, who unveiled Ian Holloway as their new boss at half time, a resounding victory.

And there was no hiding from a below par display by Berg, who admitted Rovers have to be better in virtually every department.

He said: “It was not the performance or the result we would have liked.

“Sometimes you can lose games and play well, sometimes you can win games and not play well. We did neither.

“We had a bad performance. I think we can do much better than this.

“I have seen the team much better than this.

“We played against a good Crystal Palace side but we expect to be better offensively and we expect to be better defensively.

“We were lacking as a team. We could be more compact defensively, quicker to the ball and we should have used the ball better ourselves.

“Palace deserved the win, there is no doubt about that. Overall in terms of the defensive play, especially in midfield and up front, it was not as it should be. Our offensive play can also be much better.”