THE win at Preston was a great start for Paul Lambert and Rovers – but tomorrow’s game against Sheffield Wednesday is going to be a tougher test.
The Owls have surprised me. With all the changes at Hillsborough in the summer I thought they would be mid-table.
But they’ll arrive at Ewood Park having lost only one of their last 13 matches and having had a great run in the League Cup.
There no question it’s going to be a hard game.
But these are the games Rovers have got to be winning if they truly want to get in the top-six mix.
They have to start beating teams in the top half of the table as well as the bottom half.
And this, despite Sheffield Wednesday’s good form, is a match they can win.
It doesn’t matter where the Owls are in the table, at the start of the season this is a game you would target three points from, and nothing has changed in that respect.
But, as I say, it’s going to be tough, and the crowd will have a big role to play.
There should be a bigger attendance than usual because it’s Paul first home game and they’ll want to give him a good reception.
And, just like at Preston, they’ve got to stick with the side all the way.
I heard the support at Deepdale was brilliant. That doesn’t come as a surprise to me because, even in my playing days, the travelling fans always got behind the team.
I also heard the defence was brilliant. That doesn’t come as a surprise to me, either, because what Gary Bowyer has left behind is a good unit.
There were times last season when you knew Rovers were going to have to score at least two goals to win a game.
And there were times last season when they just couldn’t buy a clean sheet.
But Gary, before he lost his job, got Rovers defending well as a team, and I’m sure Paul and his experienced coaching staff will build on that.
Here’s hoping for another win tomorrow.
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