GRAEME Souness is looking to Egil Ostenstad to deliver the goods this season after admitting the Norwegian international has been a disappointment since his arrival at Ewood Park as manager.

The Rovers boss spoke highly of Ostenstad from their days together at Southampton when he stepped into the Blackburn hot seat in March.

He ranked the 28-year-old as one of the top finishers in the country and brought him straight back into the side.

But Ostenstad managed only a solitary strike between then and the end of the season and in pre-season has had limited opportunities behind Matt Jansen, Ashley Ward and Nathan Blake.

However, he was expected to be in the squad for tonight's game against St Patrick's Athletic in Dublin tomorrow night and Souness is clearly looking for more when the striker's next chance comes along.

He said: "I've been disappointed in what I've seen of him since I came to Blackburn but if that's a criticism then it's an honest one.

"What he did at Southampton he hasn't done at Blackburn.

"But unfortunately for strikers, they are in the position where everything is black and white. You are a success by statistics."

Meanwhile, goalkeeper Alan Kelly insists there is no hiding place for Rovers this season as they prepare for a second season in Division One. Blackburn massively under-achieved last term as they failed to re-adjust to life outside the top-flight.

And Kelly believes those lessons have to be learned to justify Rovers' status as promotion favourites.

"Everyone has put behind them what happened last year, we've now got some new players in, and everybody knows what the manager expects from us," he said.

"So we've got to produce now -- there's absolutely no excuses.

"No-one can say I couldn't quite adjust to the First Division. Everyone has been there and done it now."

And Kelly believes the signs are good going into the final warm-up game.

He added: "We'll be very positive and with the two performances against Leeds and Everton everyone is happy with the way it's going.

"We've got a set pattern now, everyone knows where they are going, and the whole squad seem to be responding."

Blackburn have been linked in the Midlands with Derby County's Republic of Ireland international defender Rory Delap.

However, Rovers have dismissed suggestions that they are about to make a move.