STEVE Kean has told his Blackburn Rovers side to ignore the critics – after insisting all accusations of lacking fight are way off the mark.

Rovers have come under heavy criticism ever since the shambolic nature of Sunday's 2-0 defeat at White Hart Lane, as they became the first Premier League side since 2004 to not have a shot all game.

Former England boss Glenn Hoddle, ex Chelsea assistant Ray Wilkins and Manchester United old boy Gary Neville were just some of the high profile figures to question Rovers tactics and desire as they slammed their feeble attempts in the capital.

Ex Rovers midfielder Robbie Savage also labelled the display an embarrassment with out of favour defender Michel Salgado sending several tweets during the match showing his disgust over the performance.

The defeat has left many writing off Rovers' survival chances with a run of six defeats in the last seven matches leaving them three points adrift of safety with just two games left.

A defiant Kean though is adamant his side are full of fight and has backed them to prove their doubters wrong by staying in the Premier League.

He said: “I disagree with those. We have got plenty of fight and plenty of fire in our belly. I disagree with anyone who says we haven't.

“I look at the physical stats from Sunday's game and the way we set up and I would be very surprised if they were not very high.

“We don't need the pundits to tell us the reason why we never got a result. We didn't get a result because we weren't good enough with the ball.

“It is not as though defensively they carved us open time after time. We didn't do well enough with the ball and we are normally better than that.

“But there have been many times when people have written us off. Saying it is done and dusted and we are not going anywhere and we have bounced back.

“We have to bounce back with two wins and there is no reason why we can't. I have 100 percent belief that we can still do this.”

“It is tough but two monumental performances, two clean sheets and two results is what we need.”

Large sections of Rovers fans have grown increasingly frustrated in the manner in which their side are going about their battle for survival.

Comprehensive defeats at the likes of Bolton, West Brom, Swansea and Spurs in recent weeks have left Rovers staring down the barrel of relegation – but Kean believes it could easily have been a different story He said: “We were on a very good run with back to back wins and clean sheets and we come up against Bolton and it is the biggest penalty shout you have seen at 0-0.

“Junior Hoilett was through and had a blatant foul on him. I am not one to complain but that was a massive factor because if we had scored the first goal we would have gone on to get three points against Bolton.

“I think that broke a sequence for us. Then we had a tricky run just like Tottenham had.

“The question was why have we gone on this run and that penalty was a big aspect of it. If we had got three more points that would be massive.

“But that has all gone. We have to go into the next games and get points and get a decision. 100 per cent I believe. We can go and beat Wigan and that is the next game up.

“I am as disappointed as the fans. We are normally better and we have been better. There have been many times when they have gone home happy but we are all disappointed.”