Blackburn Rovers blog: Next two games may decide our top flight fate

3:30pm Tuesday 1st March 2011 in John Myles Photograph of the Author By John Myles, Blackburn Rovers fan columnist

Blackburn Rovers blog: Next two games may decide our top flight fate Blackburn Rovers blog: Next two games may decide our top flight fate

Make no bones about it. Rovers’ next two games are relegation battles and the outcome of them could be crucial to whether or not we are going to be supporting a Premier League team next season.

If that sounds like an overreaction, ask yourself this question as a Rovers fan: Would you put money on us beating any of the sides below us on current form, especially away from home?

I know I wouldn’t.

That’s worrying because we have to visit Wolves and West Ham for what are certainly now six-pointers.

Fulham and Blackpool, our next two opponents, are on the same points tally as us at present, but are arguably in better current form, despite the Seasiders’ 10-man debacle at Molineux.

They will have Charlie Adam back for the Ewood clash and, should our midfield be as poor as in recent games, I would certainly risk a few bob on him being the man of the match.

If so, expect the visitors to plunder the equivalent of six precious Premier League survival points.

Apologies if I am unusually negative but the manner of our defeat at Aston Villa allows little cause for optimism.

I found it equally worrying that our manager is reported as saying that it was the fourth goal that killed us.

Sorry, but if he thought that Niko Kalinic’s deflected consolation put us back into a match where we had only one other decent effort on goal and where Paul Robinson was once again our man of the match he is living in a fool’s paradise, that could so easily become a Championship hell if he doesn’t wise up fast.

Fulham have just secured a creditable draw at Man City so will fancy their chances against us next Saturday and who can blame them?

I can’t help thinking back to a couple of seasons ago about, at this stage of the campaign, when we were even deeper in the relegation mire than now and went 1-0 down at Craven Cottage.

I and many other Rovers fans were convinced if we lost that game we were going down.

We fought back in the second half to secure a 2-1 victory which marked a turning point in the season and we survived comfortably.

Oh, if only history would repeat itself next week.

I felt dreadfully sorry for Ryan Nelsen who ended an already fraught week with, in my opinion, a harsh sending off at Villa Park.

We will miss him at Fulham but hopefully Chris Samba will be fit to replace him.

We will need Samba’s drive and leadership and I hope that leadership will be replicated by Steve Kean.

Now I know that all managers must look to find positives, even in defeat, but I’m sure Kean will be well aware that performances like Saturday’s cannot be tolerated and he must be prepared to wield the axe.

Comments (5)

5:41pm Tue 1 Mar 11

roverspal says...

KEAN wants a new team, a young team who will look up to him and at the same time he wants to hold on to some of his older worst players who championship sides would not buy.. trying not to offend the two players he has fallen in love with but yet to produce for him, he leaves our top scorers,both MBD and NK,, either on the bench or not even on the bench.. to play JR who has yet to score more than 7 goals for us in any season of the five he has been here.. and insists on playing another player who for all his effort,just has not got the ability required.. if it was for passion only that we won games then the supporters would be on the pitch, we love the club more than these money grabbing travellers..Kean wants a happy dressing room but he must shout and scream at them after that performance against BOTH VILLA AND NEWCASTLE.. HAS HE THE GUTS TO??
For me Kean's time was up four weeks ago when,amongst ten other reasons he let EHD go..
HE HAS YET TO WIN A GAME SINCE HE LEFT!!
KEAN wants a new team, a young team who will look up to him and at the same time he wants to hold on to some of his older worst players who championship sides would not buy.. trying not to offend the two players he has fallen in love with but yet to produce for him, he leaves our top scorers,both MBD and NK,, either on the bench or not even on the bench.. to play JR who has yet to score more than 7 goals for us in any season of the five he has been here.. and insists on playing another player who for all his effort,just has not got the ability required.. if it was for passion only that we won games then the supporters would be on the pitch, we love the club more than these money grabbing travellers..Kean wants a happy dressing room but he must shout and scream at them after that performance against BOTH VILLA AND NEWCASTLE.. HAS HE THE GUTS TO?? For me Kean's time was up four weeks ago when,amongst ten other reasons he let EHD go.. HE HAS YET TO WIN A GAME SINCE HE LEFT!! roverspal

6:27pm Tue 1 Mar 11

tombo1984 says...

Has nothing to do with EHD leaving. It is Kean and John Jensen.

Have watched most of the games since Kean took over.

First 3-4 games the risidual lessons from Sam were still there and Kean adding some spice.

Since then he hasn't a clue tactically, squad selection wise and positions...

We need a experienced manager in if we lose to Fulham.

I have backed Venkys since they took over and backed Kean in all but the last 2-3 weeks. But 1 point out of a possible 15 there is no excuse.
Has nothing to do with EHD leaving. It is Kean and John Jensen. Have watched most of the games since Kean took over. First 3-4 games the risidual lessons from Sam were still there and Kean adding some spice. Since then he hasn't a clue tactically, squad selection wise and positions... We need a experienced manager in if we lose to Fulham. I have backed Venkys since they took over and backed Kean in all but the last 2-3 weeks. But 1 point out of a possible 15 there is no excuse. tombo1984

6:44pm Tue 1 Mar 11

Ronaldpetercooper says...

You are spot on team selection is most important and he has not got it right lately. Pick men who will fight not give in after going one down. We are the only team, I think, who have not won after going 1 down. The games look tough but with the right team and approach we can do it but confidence is not running high and it is going to be close.
You are spot on team selection is most important and he has not got it right lately. Pick men who will fight not give in after going one down. We are the only team, I think, who have not won after going 1 down. The games look tough but with the right team and approach we can do it but confidence is not running high and it is going to be close. Ronaldpetercooper

8:17am Wed 2 Mar 11

bburnrover says...

I agree with what people are saying but for the good of our beloved club we neen to find a speedy solution.
We played extremely well against Liverpool so Kean should show his players that game again and get them to concentrate on the positives to motivate them to go forwardand attack sides. We definately need to change our philosophy and start attacking sides as we cannot defend our goals against proves this.
I agree with what people are saying but for the good of our beloved club we neen to find a speedy solution. We played extremely well against Liverpool so Kean should show his players that game again and get them to concentrate on the positives to motivate them to go forwardand attack sides. We definately need to change our philosophy and start attacking sides as we cannot defend our goals against proves this. bburnrover

9:05am Wed 2 Mar 11

christats says...

These last few results have confirmed to me that Kean, as many people suspected, does not have the qualities required to manage in Premier League football. I never thought so from the beginning and when John Williams left, with Venkys citing part of the reason was that he didn't get on with Kean, that was good enough for me. I really fear for us now. I think what John Myles says in his article is spot on. We are in serious trouble hear. Next to bottom of the current form table and with our easiest run of games behind us, there has to be a change in emphasis to defending properly and hitting on the break, which served us so well for the first 16 games of the season. If not we could well be back at Turf Moor next season. That's if they don't get promoted!!!!
These last few results have confirmed to me that Kean, as many people suspected, does not have the qualities required to manage in Premier League football. I never thought so from the beginning and when John Williams left, with Venkys citing part of the reason was that he didn't get on with Kean, that was good enough for me. I really fear for us now. I think what John Myles says in his article is spot on. We are in serious trouble hear. Next to bottom of the current form table and with our easiest run of games behind us, there has to be a change in emphasis to defending properly and hitting on the break, which served us so well for the first 16 games of the season. If not we could well be back at Turf Moor next season. That's if they don't get promoted!!!! christats

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