Top two spot a reason for hope
BLUE-EYED BOY’S BLACKBURN VIEW
AN away to Highbury; red shirts and white sleeves, memories of Mike Newell notching a winner in front of the mural, Chris Sutton controversially throwing the ball back following treatment for an injury only to vigorously chase it down to win a corner from which Rovers naturally equalised deep into stoppage time.
Yes, that was then, and this is very much now.
The Highbury in question these days belongs to Fleetwood Town, albeit their kit resembles the Gunners.
After the storming performance over Shrewsbury last week there was a real sense that a milestone was on the horizon – securing a place in the automatic promotion spots.
The play-off process paradoxically rewards the weakest promotion candidate with the best day out and bizarrely for the winners, a trophy.
Those of us lucky enough to travel to Wembley in 1992 will testify to that; but, I’ll take the auto- trip matic option if possible this time please. I’m not sure that my blood pressure could cope.
Rovers started pretty much where they left off against the Shrews; an unchanged line up for the first time this season took the game to Fleetwood with verve, passion and technique. Some previous incumbents of the Rovers dug out talked a great game about “starting on the front foot” but we rarely saw that.
However, here we saw the full gamut of Rovers’ intentions right from the off.
A disallowed goal, a Williams header hitting the bar, total domination of the (unimportant) statistics like territory, possession, shots on and off target and then eventually it came. Graham’s lovely little knock down to Dack’s feet, a run timed to perfection, a slick finish on the move worthy of a higher status.
Half time left Rovers fans wondering how the important statistic showed the slimmest possible advantage given the display they had just witnessed. Some, like your correspondent, fretted that a Fleetwood fight back was inevitable and that those missed opportunities of the first half may yet prove to be costly.
That an equaliser came early in the second half was perhaps therefore not totally surprising; that it came from a Charlie Mulgrew mistake was the real shocker (though if anyone has enough credit in the bank to be forgiven one, it is him). Harassed on the touchline he tried to release the pressure with a back pass to David Raya but it was all too easy for the loitering McAleny to intercept and the gift was accepted.
Fleetwood’s performance had stepped up considerably.
David Raya made a magnificent reflex save, albeit as it transpired, from a move flagged for offside.
Rovers prodded and poked but lacked the nous to find a clear opening, quite the contrast to the first forty-five minutes.
Eventually Tony Mowbray decided to roll the dice.
First bringing on Armstrong for the largely ineffectual Conway, then ten minutes later, new loanee Jack Payne was introduced for Danny Graham. This was to prove crucial.
Payne living up to his name as far as Fleetwood were concerned teased the full backs, jinking one way then another, looking up to see Smallwood unmarked he picked him out with precision. Smallwood seemingly impressed by Payne’s efforts tried it himself; first one way then another and then a delightful strike over a hapless keeper.
There is an aspect of this team these days that I really admire; namely when conceding a goal, you sense a grim determination to right the wrong. The response in conceding when in a relegation battle compared to a promotion challenge is marked.
Joy was of course unconfined when news came through that Shrewsbury had frittered away a two-goal lead.
When TV highlights showed how they had achieved this, with the Blackburn End’s favourite away goalie Dean Henderson carrying the ball over his own goal line, then that pretty much put the cherry on top of the already sumptuous gateau, a place in the top two.
There is a long way to go and the vicissitudes of a football season have yet to unfold but a squad boasting Dack, Graham, Armstrong and Payne should not be short of goals.
At the time of writing, Bradley Dack is the subject of much interest from envious clubs in the Championship. If he remains both fit and a Rovers player through until May, there should be much to anticipate.
Rovers’ next two games are each at Ewood – perhaps not the disadvantage that it appeared earlier in the season.
Northampton ought to have been soundly despatched at Sixfields before Christmas and Walsall are looking anxiously over their shoulders at the relegation zone.
Logic dictates that six points should be forthcoming; but we all know that football doesn’t work like that. It is with hope rather than expectation that I await these games, but higher hopes than at any other point so far in this intriguing season.
KATERINA LEE’S CLARETS VIEW
ALTHOUGH it’s another loss for us, I can’t stress enough how undeserved it was against Manchester United on Saturday.
I suppose it’s nice to feel disappointed about losing 1-0 to a team a few years ago would have buried us (although not forgetting Robbie Blake’s wonder goal circa 2010).
We do need to start figuring out how we are going to start getting some goals back, but unfortunately Saturday’s game and the game coming up against City might not be the best places to start.
If we’re not careful, we could blink and slide right off the top half of the table and that would be such a shame given our real moments of brilliance since August.
We have just signed Aaron Lennon on loan, and that to me screams LET’S GET FORWARD.
As did the signing of Georges-Kevin N’Koudou, as he has been changing games around for us, but the score line needs to start reflecting his movements.
The great thing about N’Koudou is that he doesn’t just resign to passing the ball backwards, when we are in dire need, he