Which area of the pitch do Blackburn Rovers need to strengthen the most?

Kelvin Wilkins

WITH the defensive record we have it’s quite obvious – defenders.

We haven’t got a fit or competent central defender in the squad. Greer has lost his edge and Lenihan and Mulgrew are not natural or accomplished defenders. Similarly, we have an abundance of central midfielders, yet none of whom are confident or progressive enough on the ball.

I would like to see a midfielder who will demand possession, dictate play and be the link to the strikers.

Paul Yates

ON the evidence of recent games we have real problems with the full-back positions and a distinct lack of vision and creativity in midfield.

The opposition are being programmed to expose our vulnerabilities and they usually succeed. In midfield we desperately need someone to put their foot on the ball, dictate play and score a goal occasionally.

But let’s face it tinkering with this team is only papering over the cracks. Rovers lack quality, inspiration and intelligence all over the park and often look distinctly second best.

Sam Jones

What Rovers need the most is a central midfielder who can control games and link the play from defence to attack.

This is something that has been missing for some time as every midfielder in the current squad seems to play a similar role. There is no one who can take hold of a game and this is evident in almost every match.

Without this player, the team looks disjointed and ends up passing backwards or sideways too often. It is a mystery why no manager has identified this lack of creativity in the middle. Or if they have, why no players have been brought in to fill the gap.

The club should also invest in a new right-back if Ben Marshall leaves in January. It looks more unlikely that he will sign a new contract, so they might as well try to get some money for him in this transfer window.

Even if he doesn’t leave until the summer, cover is still needed in that position.