The performance, the reaction, and what next: Leeds United 2 Blackburn Rovers 1 talking points

IF Saturday was one encouraging step forward then this was two depressingly back.

As at Loftus Road Rovers were well organised and solid if unspectacular in a tense first half fought out between two teams who looked desperate not to lose.

But whereas Garry Monk’s men took the bull by the horns after the break Owen Coyle’s side failed to step it up and they paid the ultimate price when they deservedly fell behind.

Inspired by Marvin Emnes, who did more in half-an-hour that Danny Graham did in double that amount of time, Rovers showed spirit to battle back and, after the substitute equalised, they looked set to go on and record their first league victory of the season.

But why wait so long to take the match to a Leeds team who, once pegged back, became riddled by nerves after a winless home start.

However that matters little if you are unable to see a game out and there was a demoralising predictability about Kyle Bartley’s late winner against the run of play.

Rovers have improved defensively since the thrashings by Norwich City and Wigan Athletic and the farcical Shane Duffy-inflicted defeat to Cardiff City.

But in three of the four league matches since then they have dropped four points after conceding goals after the 86th minute.

That means, rather than sitting in 20th, they remain rooted to the bottom as the only club in the Championship yet to pick up three points.

THE REACTION

THE issue at Rovers is how Venky’s have ran and continue to run the club. The fans who want the Rao family to go have made that abundantly clear.

But Owen Coyle, the manager they appointed in the summer, did not escape criticism either after his wait for a first league win stretched to seven games.

The 327 travelling supporters had reason to feel short-changed even before a ball had been kicked at Elland Road after Leeds’ shocking decision to push already extortionate ticket prices up to £40 on the door for a clash between two of the Championship’s bottom three.

And their frustration boiled over after Coyle responding to seeing his side go behind by replacing Hope Akpan, who was not as effective as he was against QPR, with Liam Feeney. Cries of ‘you don’t know what you’re doing’ were heard loud and clear from the away end.

Those jeers turned to cheers when Emnes, Coyle’s earlier substitution, brought Rovers level.

But the frustration returned after Bartley was allowed to head Leeds back in front and, certainly on social medial afterwards, there was no hiding place for the Rovers boss.

To his credit he fronted up and took responsibility for what is now, statistically, the club’s worst start to a league campaign for 20 years.

And there is no question, after being allowed to invest just £250,000 from the £10m banked by the sales of Grant Hanley and Shane Duffy, he has taken on a hugely difficult job at a club where it appears its owners have thrown in the towel.

But two points from 21 is nowhere near good enough, especially when you see what clubs like Huddersfield Town and Barnsley are doing, and the pressure will mount if Rovers do not beat Rotherham United on Saturday.

WHAT NEXT

NO-ONE knows what Venky’s are thinking. That is one of the key reasons why Rovers are in the sorry state they are.

But while one win would not cure the club’s ills it would the mood of a set of supporters whose morale is close to hitting rock bottom.

Rotherham will have had 24 hours less to prepare for the Ewood Park encounter and, regardless of their result against Nottingham Forest tonight, this is a game at any stage of a season Rovers should be winning.

But to do that they are going to have to carry more of a threat than they did against Leeds – and it may require some big decisions.

Major summer signing Graham has not looked the same player he was during his loan spell from Sunderland in the second half of last season. He could have no objections if he lost his place to Emnes on Saturday.

Ben Marshall, once again, has been played all over the park this season, but with each passing match it becomes clearer his most effective position for Rovers is right-back.

That would leave Coyle facing the dilemma of where to play Jason Lowe, his captain, but with Corry Evans having featured more than what he would have expected after a long injury lay-off, there could be an opening in midfield.

And why not throw Martin Samuelsen or Connor Mahoney into the mix? Rovers fans desperately need something to get excited about and, while the teenage wingers are unproven at this level, they have to potential to provide that.