English Premier League preview: Blackburn Rovers
Blackburn Rovers are one of the clubs in the English Premier League (EPL) which has long appeared to be just making up the numbers. Aside from a League Cup win in 2002, they have struggled to challenge for silverware since their famous league win in 1995.
With the club having been up for sale for several years, a new owner could come in and provide huge funds for manager Sam Allardyce to rebuild his squad – or the club will continue to plod along, keeping their EPL status while occasionally qualifying for Europe.
Blackburn’s biggest problem for the upcoming season looks to be in the striking department. Between them, senior forwards Jason Roberts and Nikola Kalinic (who is out injured at present) managed just seven goals in the EPL. Allardyce has therefore made a new striker a signing priority for the summer, but with the future of the club’s ownership unclear, it is uncertain whether he can afford to purchase a proven goalscorer.
However, the option of bringing a player on loan should still be available and, with his track record of wheeling and dealing, Allardyce has both the contacts and the guile to be able to spring a surprise with a last-minute signing.
With that in mind, Allardyce’s midfield is where matches will be won and lost this season. David Dunn has been crucial to Blackburn for several years. In the 2009-10 season, he was the club’s best player as he pulled the stings in midfield and sprayed passes left, right and centre to his team-mates. He also managed to score nine league goals himself, eight of which were netted in games the team went on to win, underscoring his importance to the cause.
A vital weapon for Blackburn as they bid for a good run in both the EPL and the cup competitions is El-Hadji Ousseynou Diouf. The former Senegal international joined Allardyce’s squad last season and proved to be a huge hit with supporters due to his trickery and willingness to take on defenders. His versatility – he can play as either a winger or striker – will prove invaluable to Allardyce under the new rules, which state an EPL club must register a squad of 25 players for the new season.
Another vital player for Allardyce is Morten Gamst Pedersen. The 28-year-old Norway international has been a staple of the Blackburn midfield since joining in 2004. He has caused havoc to opposition sides while thundering up and down the left wing or operating in an attacking midfielder role. His importance to the club was underlined earlier this year when he signed a new deal which will keep him at Blackburn until 2014.
Allardyce is notorious for setting his team out to stifle the opposition with hard tackles and stiff blocks. This very physical approach to the game may bring its rewards when opposition attacks are broken down, but the strategy also has the effect of causing injury to his own players. Dunn in particular missed a big portion of the 2008-09 season after being struck down with various injuries. The club finished in 15th place that season. If Blackburn are to progress this year, Allardyce must be wary of any of his big players being sidelined after making a challenge.
Blackburn’s rough-and-tumble style may be effective, but purists of the game will not be disappointed to see them struggle this year. With the lack of a consistent goalscorer, they may struggle to convert draws into wins and until they bring in a striker with a strong record of finding the net, the team will likely find itself fighting to stay above the murky waters of the relegation zone.
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